Metro Herald, February 4, 2014

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

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‘Angry Pigs’ 12hr broken leg ordeal

A UNIVERSITY student who jumped out of a window to escape security guards when he was stealing computers from his college lay in a bush with a broken leg for 12 hours until his companion returned with a wheelbarrow.

Femi Adekele, 25, of The Maiston, Ballymun, said he needed the computers because he wanted to design a computer game called Angry Pigs to rival the popular Angry Birds.

He hid in a bush on college grounds overnight, but when his accomplice returned the next day to take Adekele away in the wheelbarrow, they aban-

by declAn brennAn

doned the ‘farcical’ rescue operation as security guards spotted them.

Adekele pleaded guilty to attempted burglary and burglary at Dublin City University in December 2012.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that on the night of December 22, 2012, the pair were caught in the act of stealing computer equipment from a computer lab and jumped out of an upstairs window, whereupon Adekele broke his leg.

After his arrest, the student told gardaí he needed the computers be-

cause he wanted to develop his Angry Pigs computer game app. He had planned to make his fortune from this game.

The court also heard Adekele, who was born in Nigeria but is now an Irish citizen, had ‘brought great shame on his family’. He was in the middle of studying for a Masters degree when he carried out the burglary, but this has not been completed.

Judge Martin Nolan said Adekele’s crime led to a ‘comical situation’ and noted he has no previous convictions. He suspended a sentence of two years.

Now that’s a movie night People prepare to sleep out in the open to make sure they get hold of tickets for the upcoming 64th Berlinale International Film Festival in Berlin, which opens on Thursday Picture: reuters

Keep Dublin tidy – Please recycle this Metro Herald when you are finished with it

METRO HERALD Tuesday, February 4, 2014

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Tuesday 04/02/14 How to contact us

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FOUR The number

of dates singer Garth Brooks has committed to playing in Croke Park this summer, after announcing an extra date yesterday Ireland’s rate of newsprint recycling is now up to 79%. Keep reading, keep recycling – thank you.

Today is...

World Cancer Day is ‘a chance to raise our collective voices in the name of improving general knowledge around cancer and dismissing misconceptions about the disease’. See www.worldcancerday.org for more.

From the archives (2013): Ming admits Class A drug past

LUKE ‘Ming’ Flanagan has insisted he is not radical, despite admitting he has dabbled with Class A drugs in the past.

The Independent TD also suggested some of his Dáil colleagues have taken drugs themselves, saying: ‘It would be highly unlikely if they hadn’t at some stage.’

Today’s birthdays Alice Cooper, rock singer, 66; Dara O Briain, comedian, right, 42; Natalie Imbruglia, actress/singer, 39; Darren O’Dea, Ireland footballer, 27

CLOCkWORD

The solutions from 1 to 12 are all six-letter words ending with the letter Y in the centre. Moving clockwise from 1, the letters in the outer circle will spell out the name of a Hollywood actress.

1. Beautiful 9. Move into 2. Shame 10. Shout of 3. Nakedness celebration 4. Somnolent 11. Treasure fleet 5. Airless 12. Almost 6. Indifference 7. Annually Yesterday’s solution: Rider Haggard 8. Madness

Y

Weather Weather Today

Max: 8°c

Frost, fog and ice will clear early on, then it will be mainly dry for a time with sunny spells in many areas. However, strong to gale force southeasterly winds and spells of heavy rain will develop across the southern half of the country. Temperatures between 5°C to 8°C.

Derry

6�C

Donegal

5�C

5�C

Cavan

Galway

7�C

Athlone

Dublin

6�C

8�C

Tipperary Waterford

Tralee

Cork

Tonight

Belfast

8�C

8�C Sunrise: 8.05am Sunset: 5.14pm

Min: 2°c

Heavy overnight rain in all parts of the country. Severe flooding may occur.

Temperatures between 2°C to 6°C in blustery winds.

EUROPE today

Tomorrow

Follow us on Twitter: @metrohnews @metrohsport Join us on Facebook for news and updates throughout the day: facebook.com/metroherald

Rain will clear from the east soon after dawn, but then heavy showers will break during the morning.

The showers will tend to merge to longer spells of rain later.

Temperatures between 5°C to 8°C in strong westerly winds.

5�C 6�C 6�C 8�C

8�C

6�C 7�C 8�C Max: 8°c

Athens

11 °c

Barcelona

13 °c

Berlin Brussels

6 °c 8 °c

London

8 °c

Geneva

6 °c 9 °c

Madrid Paris Rome

9 °c 14 °c

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Tuesday, February 4, 2014 METRO HERALD

Talk about a clean start... birth of singer Kevin Jonas’ baby sponsored by detergent

This baby has been brought to you by a washing powder

By JENNI MCKNIGHT

Holding on: Kevin Jonas with his wife Danielle PicTure: SPlaSh

SINGER Kevin Jonas and his wife turned the birth of their daughter into a real money-spinner – by getting the good news sponsored by a soap powder company.

The former Jonas Brothers star told fans online that wife Danielle had gone into labour but it was laundry detergent Dreft that had the honour of revealing the baby’s name, Alena Rose Jonas.

Jonas tweeted: ‘#babyjonas is on the way!! Follow dreft for all the updates!!!!!!!!! It’s showtime #thisisnotadrill.’

Things took a more surreal turn when, amid the happiest moment of his life, the 26-year-old found time to plug Dreft.

‘Love using @Dreft as we prepare for Baby Girl! Follow @Dreft for exclusive content from our growing family! #BabyJonas #DreftAmazingbBabyDays,’ he added.

US company Dreft shared the first image of the new family, with the caption: ‘On this day, a little star was born. Meet Alena Rose Jonas #babyJonas.’

Earlier, the company had kept fans updated on progress with the baby... which it hoped would soon be another customer. ‘Waiting to welcome #babyjonas to a world of amazing, gentle clean!’ read one tweet.

Other posts read: ‘We’re as excited as you are! #BabyJonas,’ and ‘What a day! We’ll bring you the first photo of #BabyJonas as soon as she’s born.’

And while most mothers-to-be are too busy controlling their breathing or focusing on contractions, Danielle could not hide her excitement at

Dreft’s products. ‘Don’t know how I would keep track of anything for baby without the #DreftAmazingBaby Days app! #ad,’ she wrote.

The arrival of Alena Rose Jonas came just a day after the funeral of Jonas’ grandfather, Jerry Miller. Pop rock group The Jonas Brothers – which also featured Kevin’s siblings Joe and Nick – found fame via the Disney Channel.

They sold more than 17million albums before splitting.

Nice to meet you: The world gets a first look of the Jonas’ new arrival with this picture sponsored

by Dreft

METRO HERALD Tuesday, February 4, 2014

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No jail for ‘very expensive swipe’ at surveying tripod A MAN who drunkenly took a ‘very expensive swipe’ at a piece of surveying equipment worth €27,000 has avoided a jail term. cathal walsh, 24, was walking home after watching a champions League soccer match when he took a swipe with his leg at the equipment which was on a tripod.

Judge Patricia Ryan imposed section 12 of the Probation Act meaning walsh will have a conviction but will face no further punishment. walsh, of Griffith Avenue, whitehall admitted at Dublin circuit criminal

The future is here

court to €27,610 of criminal damage to a trimble 56 Robotic total station at Drumcondra Road Upper on october 12, 2012.

Garda Jessica o’Reilly told the court a company was carrying out surveying work on Drumcondra Road on behalf of the city council. one of the surveyors saw walsh and his brother walking past the machine, and counsel said walsh took a ‘very expensive swipe’ at the tripod causing it to fall. It was irreparably damaged. walsh later refunded the total cost of the damage, Judge Ryan heard.

Almost 500 new jobs have been promised by a number of companies planning to expand operations in Ireland over the coming year.

Convenience store chain Centra said it was opening 20 new shops in the months ahead, adding 400 positions to its almost 10,000 workers, after a 3.5 per cent rise in sales last year.

Elsewhere, Alexion Pharmaceuticals said it was creating 40 positions with a new vialling facility in Athlone.

In Cork, communications provider Zevas is taking on 50 new staff at its headquarters on monahan Road.

Jobs minister Richard Bruton said he is confident of further announcements in the coming months.

Be a TEAM player

picture: maxwells

490 new jobs promised

Josephine Austin, HR manager at Ocuco, Dr Jim Quinn, head of the Trinity School of Business, Sharon Burke, HR manager at CR2, Sharon Corbett, head of recruitment at the Kerry Group, and Anne Lanigan, senior development adviser at Enterprise Ireland, are pictured at the launch of Career Zoo. Attendees at the February 15 event in the Convention Centre will be able to take part in workshops and seminars, talk to course providers and employers and get careers advice. Visit careerzoo.ie for more details

Rapid bus transit scheme planned for Dublin area

by ANGHARAD WILLIAMS

European Epilepsy Day is on February 10th.

Get in training now to be seizure aware.

T - Take care to protect the person E - Ensure you stay with them A - Allow the seizure run its course M - Move the person on to their

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For the full game-plan visit Epilepsy Ireland at epilepsy.ie

DUBlIN could soon have a rapid transport bus system like those in sydney, Amsterdam and Beijing if proposals by the National transport Authority are approved. the NtA has put forward proposals for the swiftway service which would consist of three Bus Rapid transit (BRt) routes: a swords and airport route to the city centre, a route from Blanchardstown to UCD and a third route from Clongriffin to tallaght. the estimated cost for the routes is up to €650million, significantly less than the €3billion estimated for the metro North system and a third of a light rail system. the NtA said that as the econo-

n Members of the National Bus and Rail Union at Iarnród Éireann will be balloted on pay cut proposals next week. Talks at the Labour Relations Commission came up with proposals where staff earning under €56,000 would face cuts of 1.7 per cent, with earnings over €100,000 cut by six per cent. The cuts will run from March 1 for 28 months, when half of the cuts would be restored for eight months, then returned to the original salaries. my recovers and grows there is a need to provide a higher capacity and an enhanced bus service. It will

be separated from normal traffic and will have priority at traffic signals, while estimated passengers using the service are between 2,400 and 3,600 people per hour.

Consultation on the plans will begin on February 17. A NtA spokesperson said: ‘subject to planning approval and funding availability, the Authority would be in a position to commence construction at the end of 2015.’

Construction is estimated to take two and a half years with the swords and airport to city centre route most likely to proceed first. Disruption during the implementation of the BRt system will be kept to a minimum. the funding for the project should be secured next year, the spokesperson added.

Promotions give Ryanair a boost Joe Schmidt Ireland Rugby Head Coach

249 Crumlin Road, Dublin 12.

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Low-cost airline Ryanair signalled a recovery in fortunes yesterday after a series of promotions helped bookings surge at the start of this year. the Dublin-based carrier had a loss of €35million for the last quarter of 2013 as a result of a nine per cent fall in average fares and currency weakness.

However, it said the impact of seat promotions and lower fares meant forward bookings in the current quarter and into the new financial year were running significantly ahead of last year.

the airline said it stuck by its previous guidance for profits of around €510m in the year to March 31. cEo Michael o’Leary has sought to reinvent the airline’s image by relaxing baggage restrictions and moving to fully allocated seating on all flights, in response to customer feedback. It is on track to roll out mobile boarding passes in April.

Ryanair expects yields – average fare per mile – to be down by eight per cent in the current quarter, better than the ten per cent previously forecast.

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Tuesday, February 4, 2014 METRO HERALD

Ex teacher gambler in €135k fraud

Shark scout: Sean McKeon is pictured during severe flooding on Cork’s Oliver Plunkett Street yesterday picture: provision

Fundings pledge as further alert issued MET Éireann issued further weather warnings last night following pledges

by Finance Minister Michael Noonan for funding to help with the clean-up after widespread flooding.

Mr Noonan was speaking on a visit to his home city of Limerick, which has been badly affected by the weekend’s weather conditions.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said the Government will investigate the possibility of obtaining EU relief funding to deal with the damage.

Winds had died down yesterday afternoon, but Met Éireann increased its alert to orange again last night as it warned of

by COn DOHERTy an Atlantic storm front approaching, with high tides and large waves leading to flooding, especially in eastern and southern coastal areas later today and into tomorrow morning.

Heavy rain or showers may cause rivers to flood, the forecaster warned.

Yesterday parts of the country were hit by flooding for a second day with Cork, Waterford, New Ross and parts of counties Galway, Clare and Kerry among the worst affected. Heavy rain and seas caused floods in the Mall in Waterford with the city’s train station closed and in

Cork, flood waters were as high as 3ft (91cm) in places. High tides, rain and strong winds were blamed for both channels of the River Lee bursting its banks. The rail line between Cork and Cobh and Midleton was closed for a time, while ferry sailings between Passage East and Ballyhack were disrupted.

In New Ross, the bridge was impassable and the quays were closed to traffic because of floods.

Brian Hayes, junior minister responsible for the Office of Public Works, spent the day in Limerick city after the worst floods in living memory, with some 2,000 people affected.

Kick the can or kick the bucket?

MILLIONS of people put their lives on the line by drinking as little as one can of fizzy drink a day, researchers have warned.

People are failing to realise they are risking their health because of the amount of added sugar used to sweeten soft drinks.

Just one can contains as much as the recommended daily intake of sugar and is associated with an increased chance of having a deadly heart attack.

Yet the researchers have found most people were getting more than a tenth of their daily calories from added sugar and one in ten was getting a quarter or more.

Experts in Britain said the findings strengthened calls for prominent health warnings on packaging and consideration of new taxes on highsugar drinks.

The floods hit as Met Éireann revealed the entire country saw above average rainfall in January. Its latest monthly review showed:

Dr Nita Forouhi, from the University of Cambridge, said the study added ‘to the mounting evidence for the many health risks of the high consumption of added sugars’.

She added: ‘Sugar-sweetened beverages and fruit drinks represent the “low hanging fruit” for first wave of public and policy action.’

The researchers found the average American gets 14.9 per cent of their calories each day from added sugar, – one and a half times the recommended ten per cent intake suggested by the World Health Organisation.

The risk of dying from cardiovascular disease rises notably when intake is above 15 per cent – which is equivalent to drinking one can of fizzy drink in a 2,000-calorie daily diet, the US team noted.

Soft drinks: High sugar

n Dublin Airport and Mullingar reported their wettest January since 1995 n Finner in Donegal experienced rainfall levels of 160.3mm n Oakpark in Co Carlow had 147.2mm, its wettest January since 2007 and almost double its average n Belmullet in Co Mayo reported its wettest January in 21 years with 210.5mm n Knock Airport had the wettest on record of 208.1mm

A FORMER schoolteacher who led a ‘remarkably ordinary life’ until he became addicted to online poker in his 60s is to be sentenced later for defrauding an Eddie Rockets restaurant of €135,000.

John Carlos, 74, who was also a part-time accountant, admitted to forging signatures on cheques, altering amounts on cheques and stealing money from his former employer, Eddie Rockets franchise owner Peter Fortune, on dates between 2005 and 2008.

The court heard Carlos, with an address at Bolands Court, Gort, Co Galway, had been a highlyrespected teacher in Bray, Co Wicklow until he became a ‘hopeless and deeply addicted gambler’, leaving his family and reputation in ruins.

In April 2011, Carlos called in to Blackrock Garda Station and admitted defrauding his employer of €135,000. Judge Mary Ellen Ring remanded Carlos on bail for sentencing on June 5.

‘Savage’ robber gets 7 years’ jail A MAN who broke into a home and ‘savagely’ attacked the owner to get keys for a car he later used in a service station robbery has been jailed for seven years.

Lee McDonnell, 22, and an accomplice broke through the front door and beat the homeowner over the head with an imitation firearm, causing a small fracture to his skull, Judge Martin Nolan heard.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard McDonnell, of Lough Conn Road, Ballyfermot, got three years for the robbery committed later that day. McDonnell also admitted burgling a prison officer’s home in Lucan on December 11, 2011.

Digital Arts and Humanities (DAH) structured PhD programme

Information Evening 6-7pm Tuesday, 4th February 2014 ATRL building (corner of Macken St and Pearse St, Dublin 2) • If you have completed an undergraduate degree in arts or humanities and would like to step into the digital world come along and speak to current DAH students and staff • Part-time options will be available for full time employees who wish to take part in this programme • Part-time schedules can be discussed with management (private and public sector) who may consider placing an employee on the programme For more information please visit www.tcd.ie/longroomhub/DAH/

European Regional Development Fund

The Digital Arts and Humanities structured PhD programme is funded by the HEA Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI Cycle V) and co funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

‘Investing in your future’

METRO HERALD Tuesday, February 4, 2014

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Facebook rejects drink craze calls

HERE KITTY, KITTY: An abandoned Guina Cat, the America’s smallest wildcat, which is in danger of extinction, is held by a vet in a rescue centre in Concepcion city in Chile

by ED cARTy

Jonny Byrne: Drowned after taking part in drinking stunt a ‘stupid ruse’, but he added that it would be ‘helpful’ if Facebook agreed to take down pages, which promote ‘a stupid and silly phenomenon.’

Mr Byrne’s brother Patrick took to Facebook to express his frustration over his death during the game. ‘If people have any decency and respect they will refrain from anymore of this stupid neknomination,’ he wrote.

The Union of Students in Ireland has warned young people of the dangers of taking part. Prof Frank Murray of the Royal College of Physicians said more deaths are likely from such ‘extreme binge drinking’, while Children’s Minister Frances Fitzgerald warned young people are putting their lives at risk with their attitude to alcohol.

picturE: rEutErs

n A High Court judge has said if internet drinking contests continue they will result in a ‘tsunami’ of homicide and rape prosecutions.

Mr Justice Paul Carney was speaking as he was sentencing a 38-year-old Waterford man who, after drinking six to seven pints of Budweiser, raped an acquaintance he had offered a lift home from a nightclub. Yesterday the man received an eight-year sentence, with three years suspended. The judge said it was the latest case in a long line where young men take a quantity of drink they are not used to and end up facing responsibility for a homicide or a rape and ‘it seems to be a lottery as to which it is going to be’.

60 seconds

Ex-convict DAnny TREjO, 69, is known for playing bad guys in films like Machete and Bad Ass. He also had his severed head carried off by a tortoise in Breaking Bad

What are you working on right now? I’m doing a sitcom

called Straight George with George Lowe. I’m his uncle and his mom and him are always fighting.

Do you have to kill anyone?

Nah, this is a comedy.

No killing? That’s quite a change for you, isn’t it? Yeah,

that’s what I said. I like comedies but I love action movies like Force Of Execution, Machete, Bad Ass. I love those movies.

Force Of Execution is full of tough guys, isn’t it? Who’s tougher, you or Steven Seagal? I love Steven. I killed him in

Machete. I’m the only actor to ever kill him on-screen.

Do you ever worry that all this violence has a bad effect on people? Nah. I go to high

schools and it’s funny the questions they ask me, like: ‘How come you talk peace but you do all these violent movies?’ Well, the bad guy always dies. That’s the message we’re giving. If you want to be a bad guy, you either spend your life in

prison or die. And they get it. You can take anything, down to the big shark chasing Nemo – that’s violent!

– and there comes a point when we’ve got to give the audience credit.

When my daughter was six years old, she knew the difference between movie violence and real violence.

You were a real-life bad guy, weren’t you? What were you in prison for? For drugs and rob-

beries, all the typical American stuff.

Did you ever hurt anybody?

You have to do what you have to do.

I think I hurt more people in prison than I did outside. Inside, you have to hurt people to survive. American prisons are the only ones where there’s two types of people: there’s predator and there’s prey. Every morning you have to decide: ‘What am I going to be?’ If you’re going to be a predator, that’s good – but someone else might decide you’re going to be prey.

So how did you move from prison to movie star? When I

got out of prison in 1969, I dedicated my life to helping other people because I knew that was the only way I was going to stay out of prison.

I wasn’t going to try to become Mother Teresa, I just tried to help people, even if it was just taking their trash out. In 1985 I spoke at a Cocaine Anonymous meeting and I spoke to this kid who wanted my support so I started trying to help him. One night he called me and said: ‘Hey, there’s so much blow [cocaine] down here at my job, I think I’m going to get loaded,’ and he was trying to stay off the drugs. So I went down to support him. I thought he worked in a warehouse because he was in the warehouse district but he was actually a PA on a movie.

What was the movie? It was called Runaway Train. I walked on to the set and all these Hollywood guys dressed like prisoners were coming up to me being like: ‘Hey, does this look tough?’ I’d go: ‘Yeah!

You’ll be somebody’s wife in prison!’

Then some guy came up to me and said: ‘Do you want to be an extra?’ I said: ‘An extra what?’ So, he said: ‘Can you act like a convict?’ and I said: ‘Uhhh, I’ll give it a shot.’

So you knew what you were doing? Well, I’d been in every

prison in the state of California. Anyway, when I took off my shirt, I’ve

Rats of future may be as big as sheep RATS could grow to the size of sheep – or bigger – experts claim. The adaptable rodents could take advantage of larger mammals becoming extinct. In time rats could grow to be the size of the capybara, the world’s

largest rodent that can reach 80kg. ‘Animals will evolve, over time, into whatever designs will enable them to survive and to produce offspring,’ said geologist Dr Jan Zalasiewicz, from the University of Leicester.

“

I have to be careful because everybody wants me to punch them so they can sue me got that big tattoo on my chest and this other guy comes over and says: ‘Hey, you’re Danny Trejo. I saw you boxing at San Quentin.’ Anyway, he’d written the screenplay and got me training Eric Roberts how to fight for the movie. And from there I just kept working. I just kept being bad guy number one.

You’ve also been in Breaking Bad. Oh, that was a lot of

fun. My agent said: ‘Do you want to do Hollywood’s first crossing of the desert on a tortoise?’ And I thought: ‘That’s got to be a pretty big tortoise!’ But they just needed my severed head. That was kind of creepy but a lot of fun.

You’re nearly 70. Without being rude, your skin is so wrinkly. Do you wish you’d worn sun protection? God, no!

splAsH

FACEBOOk has rejected calls to ban pages and videos linked to a ‘neknomination’ drinking craze despite one death in Ireland being linked to the online dare.

Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte demanded the social network act as others, including health chiefs and psychiatrists, called for the phenomenon to be stopped.

Jonny Byrne, 19, from Carlow, drowned in the River Barrow after taking part in the stunt, said to have originated in Australia, which sees people challenged to post a video online of them downing drinks, then nominating others to do the same inside 24 hours.

Facebook said it has not moved to delete or block any material as the videos do not break its rules on harmful content, such as organising violence or bullying.

Mr Rabbitte said the first responsibility is with young people falling for

Then I’d look like Marky Mark.

So at the age of 70, could you still kick someone’s ass?

I still train, I still box, but I have to be careful because everybody wants me to punch them so they

Simon Gage Force Of Execution is out now on DVD.

can sue me!

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swimming champion Ian Thorpe ‘Troubled’ OLYMPIC was admitted to rehab yesterday after found ‘disoriented’ in the street by Thorpe sent being police. The Australian gold medal winner was taken to hospital following into rehab (pictured) reports of an incident near his parents’

Castaway: ‘I survived on turtle blood’

by AIDAn RADnEDgE

A CASTAWAY who spent more than a year adrift in the Pacific Ocean has told rescuers that he survived by drinking turtle blood and catching fish and birds with his bare hands.

Fisherman José Salvador Albarengo washed ashore on a remote island after floating for thousands of kilometres in his fibreglass boat.

Rescuers said his first words when he saw dry land were: ‘Oh God!’ The 37-year-old set sail on a shark fishing trip in December 2012 from Mexico, 10,000km away, but was blown out to sea.

He was found in a disoriented state on a coral atoll in the Marshall Islands at the weekend. A police patrol boat took him to the capital, Majuro.

‘He got off the boat with a very bushy beard,’ said film-maker Jack Niedenthal, who spoke to Mr Albarengo in Majuro.

‘He’s having trouble walking, his legs are very skinny. I’m not ready to call this a hoax. I think this guy has done some serious time at sea.’

Mr Albarengo had a knife to gut fish and frequently had to drink his own urine. He set sail with another fisherman, aged 15, but the teenager died four months into their ordeal.

Island authorities said they were still gathering information and planned to contact his family in El Salvador and the US. He has been taken to hospital for medical checks.

Dorset College www.dorset-college.ie

home in Sydney. The swimmer’s spokesman said he was affected by a mix of anti-depressants and painkillers he was taking for a shoulder injury. ‘He hadn’t had a drink. He is in rehab for depression,’ said his manager James Erskine.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014 METRO HERALD

Claws for concern

A HOMELESS man was said to be lucky to be alive after being attacked by a mountain lion. The man, in his 50s, was in hospital after being bitten and clawed near Perris, California.

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I David’s feud with Miley: want to beat kids Cowell over sex has sweet finale

by ANDREI HARMSWORTH

T

HeRe were handbags at dawn on Britain’s Got Talent after David Walliams and Simon Cowell fell out over sex.

The catty duo went head-to-head after Cowell, 54, laid into Walliams, 42, for describing one singer’s performance as ‘charming’ during auditions in Birmingham.

Si quipped: ‘If you were having dinner with your wife, would you put this guy’s song on?’

Walliams then goaded Cowell, telling him: ‘I’d save it for making love.’

To which Si hissed back: ‘Well it wouldn’t last long then.’

But the Little Britain star had the last word when he appeared to refer to Cowell’s impending love

Kylie: I’m swinging around...

child with Lauren Silverman.

‘Well, at least I’d remember to wear protection,’ he said.

The saucy theme continued when Walliams presented his sparring partner with a bizarre gift – an inflatable sex doll wearing an Indian headdress and a Cowell mask. The exotic treat was captured by fellow BGT judge Alesha Dixon, 35, who shared a photo of the offering on Twitter.

However, the guys quickly ended their feud when Walliams leapt to the rescue after Cowell almost choked on a sweet.

A backstage spy said: ‘In between watching the auditions, Simon was enjoying a mint when all of a sudden it must have got lodged in his throat. He started coughing and spluttering quite badly.

‘And despite them bickering during auditions, as soon as David noticed his Simon was in trouble he leapt up from his chair to give him a hand.

‘He put his all into giving him the Heimlich manoeuvre and seemed to be enjoying it a little too much, while Simon on the other hand looked uneasy – although he was grateful.’

★

Prince has handed Scrabble fans the ultimate point scorer with his comeback single – PretzelBodyLogic. The 55-year-old premiered the track during the latest episode of hit comedy New Girl – in which he had a guest role directly after Sunday night’s Super Bowl. The single is out now and details of tour dates are to be announced later this month.

Miley Cyrus says she ‘loves’ weed and suggests she ‘hates’ children in an interview with W magazine. The 21-year-old said: ‘Sometimes I hear kids with their parents and I want to go over and, like, smack them myself.’

She also said: ‘I love weed. I just love getting stoned.’ The star had some words of advice for both sexes. ‘Guys watch too much porn. Those girls don’t exist. They’re not real girls. And that’s like us watching romance movies.

That’s girl porn because those guys do not exist’ Picture: Mert AlAs/ MArcus Piggot

Bieber ‘seen spanking strippers in sex tape’

Kylie Minogue displays her famous derrière and legs in her new video. The 45-year-old gives the young pretenders a run for their money as she cavorts on a bed in a bodice and struts down a street in a lace shirt. Into The Blue is the first track from her new album, Kiss Me Once, which is released on March 9 PArloPhone/ruckAs

Justin Bieber is alle allegedly being threatened with the sale of a se sex tape.

The 19-year 19-year-old is said to be seen spanking tw two strippers and ‘pulling off their panties with his teeth’ on the tape being of offered for a huge fee, according to Radar Online.

It is belie believed the footage comes from a CCTV camera in a strip club the pop brat w was said to have visited during his jaunt in Queensland, Australia.

The tape threat comes after a picture emer emerged online this week showing stripper’ breast Bieber sucking on a stripper’s

with pal Khalil in his LA recording studio.

The teenager has also been charged with driving under the influence in Miami and assault in Canada.

Bieber was in New Jersey to watch the Super Bowl and celebrated by impressing models at a 4am party with his skateboarding skills on the dance floor.

He appeared to challenge his father Jeremy, manager Scooter Braun and a friend to ‘make a little bet’ on the game over Twitter. A spokesman declined to comment on the tape.

★

Bieber has tried to halt his run of bad publicity by buying iPhones for his fans. The teenager surprised two girls during a trip to an Apple store in Manhattan when he saw them checking out one of his performances on a display phone. Biebs posed for pictures with the pair (pictured) before making the tiniest dent in his personal fortune to treat them both to an iPhone 5.

Apples: Recipients of Bieber’s gifts

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Tuesday, February 4, 2014 METRO HERALD

★★ ★ ★

★★

WIN €100 to spend at

Family outing: Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones appear together to watch the Super Bowl in New Jersey Pictures: ABAcA usA/emPics

Douglas and Zeta enjoy Super outing

by ANDREI HARMSWORTH

M

ichael Douglas and catherine Zeta-Jones appeared to cast their marriage woes aside when they watched the Super Bowl together.

Their surprise appearance in a box with their children Dylan, 13, and carys, ten, cemented Douglas’s optimism that he could mend his 14-year marriage to the Welsh beauty. cZJ, who has battled bipolar disorder, was in upbeat mood, cheering, waving and smiling in the stands at New Jersey’s Metlife Stadium.

The state of their marriage came under scrutiny when she failed to turn up for her 69-year-old hubby’s victorious showing at the Golden

★

Niall Horan watched the Super Bowl on Sunday – just so he could catch a glimpse of the stadium where 1D will play later this year. ‘And all I can think of is “I can’t believe we are playing that stadium in the summer” mind- blowing s***,’ the 20-year-old tweeted. One Direction will play the MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, in August on their world tour.

Globes last month.

On stage in la he dedicated his gong for liberace flick Behind The candelabra to his 44-year-old missus, declaring: ‘To catherine, carys, cameron and Dylan, all my love.’ he recently told The Jay leno Show the couple were close to heal-

ing their rift. ‘i’ve been away for a while but everything should hopefully be on the up,’ Douglas said.

The pair announced their separation last summer shortly after Douglas suggested his throat cancer was caused by an infection contracted through oral sex.

Meanwhile, David Beckham shared a box with F1 star lewis hamilton on Sunday. They were among the stars who witnessed Bruno Mars’ half-time performance with the Red hot chili Peppers.

Frontman anthony Kiedis teamed up with the locked Out Of heaven crooner to performed their hit Give it away.

‘We did score touchdowns during rehearsals before they kicked us off the field, which was like a dream come true,’ Kiedis said.

Lady Gaga had fans scratching their heads after posing up with Britney Spears for a showbiz cuddle. Gaga dropped in to watch Brit’s Vegas residency show – but fans were left baffled after mistaking the two stars for impersonators. ‘What’s going on with Britney’s face? She looks like her own drag queen,’ wrote one.

‘We had so much fun at your show!’ Gaga wrote online after watching Britney: Piece Of Me at Planet Hollywood.

Sport stars: Becks and Hamilton

Fancy bagging yourself a Valentine’s Day treat from Penneys?

To be entered into the draw We have TEN €100 gift vouchers to give to win one of these fantastic €100 Penneys gift vouchers, away this week for tell us, which is your you to splurge on preferred bra style? yourself or lavish on A. Plunge B. Balcony C. Brazilian D. T-shirt your other half.

Email your answer followed by your name and address to comps@metroherald.ie

Terms and Conditions: The competition closes at Midnight Friday 7th February 2014. The winner will be chosen from the entries received and notified by telephone or email. Entrants must be over 18 years old. The promoter of this competition is Metro Herald Usual Metro Herald rules apply. The Editor's decision is final.

10 METRO HERALD Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Estate: Mandela

Family are ‘happy’ with €3million Mandela will

D

Hoffman gambled life on the Ace of Spades heroin PHILIP Seymour Hoffman had nearly 50 bags of heroin in his home when he died – including notoriously deadly versions of the drug known as the Ace of Spades and Ace of Hearts.

The Oscar-winner – found lying in his underwear by playwright David Katz – also had 20 used syringes in his flat, it emerged yesterday.

Several of the bags seized by police had the playing card labels used to describe heroin laced with fentanyl, an opiate given to cancer patients.

The powerful ‘ace’ cocktails have been linked to more than 100 deaths in America – but it was unclear last night whether the drugs in two envelopes found near Hoffman’s body were of this type.

Katz, who walked into the actor’s bathroom to find him lying with a syringe in his arm, said yesterday he had thought his friend’s struggle with addiction was be-

NELSON MANDELA left an estate valued at about €3million, the executors of his will announced yesterday.

The former South African president’s 30 children, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren will receive a share of a €96,000 trust fund, plus royalties.

The ruling African National Congress party, personal staff and several schools will also receive a share, deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke revealed.

The 40-page will has been well received by his notoriously factious family with ‘no contest’ so far. Mr Mandela’s third wife, Graca Machel, was likely to waive her claims to the estate although she is entitled to half of it.

The anti-apartheid leader died at his home in Johannesburg in December at the age of 95.

His estate includes a house in Johannesburg, a modest dwelling in his rural Eastern Cape home province and royalties from book sales, including his autobiography, Long Walk To Freedom.

Kitten abuser on Facebook is charged A FACEBOOK user filmed throwing a kitten high into the air towards a large bush is facing two years in jail and a €30,000 fine. The 24-yearold uploaded two of the violent clips to the website.

One of them shows the fourmonth-old cat, called Oscar, being hurled at an apartment building and falling hard on to a pavement. The suspect appeared yesterday at a Marseille court, where animal welfare activists staged protests.

The Society For The Protection Of Animals said it was treating Oscar for a stomach injury and a broken foot. ‘More and more people are filming themselves doing this and putting it online,’ the SPA’s founder warned.

World

by TARIq TAHIR hind him. ‘I saw him last week and he was clean and sober – his old self,’ he told the New York Times. ‘I really thought this chapter was over.’

Drugs squad officers were yesterday trying to hunt down the dealers who sold the heroin to Hoffman, who was discovered in his flat in New York’s Greenwich Village on Sunday.

Mr Katz had asked the 46-year-old’s personal assistant, Isabella Wing-Davey, to unlock his door.

The writer grew worried when he heard the Magnolia and Capote star had broken an arrangement to pick up his three children from his ex-partner Mimi O’Donnell, who he split from in October.

It is thought Hoffman cleaned up after entering rehab in the summer but relapsed after moving out of the family home.

digest

Student leaves 2 dead in school gun rampage

RUSSIA: A teenager has killed his geography teacher and a policeman after taking two rifles to school. Sergey Gordeev seriously wounded a second officer and took 20 of his classmates hostage, although none was hurt. He has been charged after yesterday’s shootings in Moscow. ‘He shot the teacher in the stomach, checked if he was still alive and shot him in the head,’ said a student who witnessed the attack.

It is thought Gordeev, a straight-A student, suffered a nervous breakdown.

Protests to get ‘larger and louder’

Alone: Hoffman split from his partner before his death Picture: reuters

Housewives star: I’m hooked on drugs, too

ACTOR Shawn Pyfrom has revealed his own battle with drink and drugs in the wake of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s suspected overdose.

The Desperate Housewives star, who played Andrew van de Kamp in the US TV show, wrote about his problems on his personal blog.

‘I just read the news about mr. philip seymour hoffman, and against the advise of others; i had to write this open letter. i can’t stay quiet anymore about this… i am an alcoholic and a drug addict,’ the 27-year-old wrote.

Pyfrom admitted he had ‘lived for drugs’ for ‘several years’, adding: ‘I thought more about using, than i thought about any other “pleasures”. i put myself in places i never would have ended up,

THAILAND: Protesters have vowed to stage larger rallies in Bangkok as they push for election results to be declared void.

They claim Sunday’s vote cannot stand because they forced the closure of ten per cent of polling stations. Demonstrators want to oust prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra (pictured) and see a crackdown on corruption. ‘We are not giving up the fight,’ one protest leader warned.

10 hurt as second quake strikes holiday island

GREEcE: Ten people were hurt after a strong earthquake damaged dozens of buildings on Kefalonia yesterday. They were taken to hospital with minor injuries following the 6.1 magnitude quake – the second to hit the island in a week.

Mayor of Kefalonia Alexandros Parisis urged islanders to leave their houses temporarily. The epicentre was 12km north-west of the island’s capital, Argostoli.

Tremors were felt on Zakynthos and on the Greek mainland in Athens.

Tuneful farewell to folk star Seeger AMERIcA: Friends, family and fans of folk singer Pete Seeger (pictured) broke into an a cappella version of Where Have All the Flowers Gone at his funeral yesterday. Hundreds gathered at Libby Funeral Home in Beacon, New York, to pay their respects to the prolific singer/songwriter. More than 1,000 people also visited the undertaker’s where the 94-yearold’s ashes were being held.

French comic denied UK visa over Anelka row ‘Proud’: Shawn Pyfrom otherwise, for the sake of getting high.’ But he said he was proud that he had admitted his addictions.

‘If you’re reading this letter, i hope it comes to you with only encouragement,’ he wrote.

BRITAIN: The French comedian at the heart of the Nicolas Anelka anti-Semitism row has been refused entry to Britain. Dieudonné M’bala M’bala had hoped to show solidarity for the West Brom footballer over his quenelle salute but the UK’s Home Office has issued an ‘exclusion order’.

and finally...

GERMANY: Love really burned for Mario Schneider when he tried to impress his girlfriend by creating a heart shape out of dozens of candles. Unfortunately for the 17-year-old, he accidentally destroyed his parents’ home when the candles set fire to the carpet. Fire crews put out the blaze in the western city of Duisburg.

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Tuesday, February 4, 2014 METRO HERALD

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H C T O N 28 TORP-ROUTES SUPE

they at t a h w ok at bus network o l l a e e o v N Ha k e h r t o h done wit u s . i e / N e t w

DublinB

11

12 meTro HeraLd Tuesday, February 4, 2014

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Mailbox

Email: Twitter:

mail@metroherald.ie Text: @metrohnews and Facebook: #metromailbox

‘Mail’ to 53131* Facebook.com/ metroherald

There is going to be war over this letters page…

W

hile i fully expected the Oh My God dramatic responses from the Coronation Street/ eastenders brigade to my letter last Friday, i must say it is shocking to read that some so called men feel the same way.

When did we replace real men with sissies. it is not the law to give your seat to a pregnoid, therefore it is open for discussion and print. i am a father of three, and as myself and my wife were responsible for her pregnancy, i never felt it was anyone else’s duty to care for her comfort. That is all it is after all, a bit of comfort. i have a bit of a belly too, so yes i know only too well what it is like to stand with a few kilos in the front. last week on the Dart, the guy sitting in front of me gave his seat to a pregnoid and did she even say thank you?

No, she sat down and looked directly at me with a face on her that would stop a charging elephant.

Manners, huh? it wouldn’t be me, pal, not a chance.

Quick pic

C’MON, IRELAND! Gavin Ross sent us this picture of his daughter, Darcey, enjoying her first Six Nations game at the weekend

And yes to all the questions, my mammy is very proud of me.

Eric ■ Be honest, Metro herald, you just publish that sh*** about pregnant women every six weeks to stir up trouble.

Nobody pats themselves on the back like women growing a sprog in them.

Do you know what’s harder than explaining to a pregnant woman they are not the centre of the universe and not everyone will notice their duffed-upness?

Nothing, nothing is harder.

Tony Romo, Dallas ■ how do they choose Punxatawney Phil? is there some sort of Groundhog The Voice Of ireland?

According to your photo caption, the tradition’s been going for more than a century so surely it can’t be the same groundhog.

Alain, Killiney ■ Why is everybody on the Mailbox page, women included, blaming eric’s mum for not teaching him to give up his seat for pregnant

*Please include a name and location.

Texts cost €0.30 per message + standard network charges. SP. Oxygen8 Communications, 4th Floor, Malt House North, Grand Canal Quay, D2. Customer service number 0818286606

Send your photos to pictures@ metroherald.ie with ‘Quick pic’ as the subject and we will print the best each day in the paper

women? What about eric’s dad?

Once again, a woman’s place is in the wrong.

Mr Cranky, Dublin 7 ■ Picture of a packed 4 carriage dart on Page 7! Oh wait it’s pilgrims in Bangladesh. hard to tell the difference.

SF ■ The charity mess is rather simple to solve.

We, the people who pay for everything including those greedbags, withdraw all support.

Cancel direct debit, walk by collections, the lot.

The charities that publicly state that wages have been capped at

€50,000 win trust and support back from us.

Greedbags can’t sue for breach of contract if contracts must change to save the business.

The greedbags can choose to leave or stay at a lesser wage, legislation is put in place for immediate and complete transparency and everyone is happy.

Bumpy ride for the honest ones in the business and possible losses for the people on the receiving end but, with greedbags gone, much more long-term profitability for the ones in actual need.

Sorted.

Yours sincerly, Human Lifeform

Trending #Hoffman ● Reading loads about Philip Seymour Hoffman today, but what I feel was his best performance is rarely being mentioned: Happiness

Journalist @UnaMullally

● Philip Seymour Hoffman had seven days to shoot on The Hunger Games Mocking jay

@ATLWOOD411

● R.I.P Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Thanks for everything

@kellyemmawilkie

good on ya ● To the petite blonde who gets the train from Skerries to Pearse, the owls on your bag and your smile make my mornings.

Mark ● Guy with the coffee I say hello to every day in Tara. Make yourself known. Girl with red hair

● The lads at @MetroHNews are fierce sound! Gonna skip my way to the odeon to see #CubanFury!

@Delilah_cat

● Good on ya to Geraldine in SuperValu HSQ. She’s friendliest person in the world (scientifically proven).

She is so friendly that people actually go to her rather than the self-service checkout.

Daragh

random acTs of kindness

They have some Nek ■ Media interviews with people on the recent tragic deaths of people, who tried to drink alcohol in a hurry as a joke, show a complete lack of any sense of awareness of where the responsibility lies. The internet chat sites cultivate our sense of entitlement to the level of the moronic. The advertising industry tells us to be self obsessed and self indulgent to the level of being brain dead. The soaps and the films tell us to be arrogant and intolerant towards one another to the level of extreme violence. The Minister for Education wants to leave it to the mass media to set our sense of values to the level of removing any teaching of the ethic of love of neighbour from the curriculum in our schools. The self-obsessed, selfindulgent, arrogant, intolerant sense of entitlement cultivated by mass media is the complete opposite to the ethic of love of neighbour which sustains our ability to live together within the constraints of the resources available on this planet.

A Leavy, Sutton

● Remember being so starstruck when in NYC standing next to Mr Hoffman at the traffic lights. To ‘Rabbitheadlights’, to say anything…

@thestandin

● RIP but Phillip Seymour Hoffman was a junkie. Had it been anyone else he’d be vilified

@AlSharpTongue

● “The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you’re uncool” RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman

@itsbidushi

@metrohnews #metromailbox

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14 METRO HERALD Tuesday, February 4, 2014

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cover story

Power gone to your boss’s head?

It’s no wonder…

E

ver suspected your boss is a rampaging maniac? You may just be right, according to psychologist Oliver

James.

In his book Office Politics he says studies show top executives are four times more likely to be psychopaths than the general public. If that isn’t frightening enough, apparently there are more people with narcissistic personality disorder in chief executive roles than in psychiatric hospitals.

The bad news is people with psychopathic, narcissistic or Machiavellian tendencies flourish in the workplace. ‘The vast majority of us work in service industries,’ says James. ‘In most service industries, there is no good objective metric to measure your contribution to the organisation.

‘The way in which you’re promoted is largely determined by your boss’s subjective evaluation of you, which depends on if they like you, how you’ve represented or misrepresented what you’ve done and how good you are at taking credit for work that isn’t yours and passing your mistakes off on to other people.’

Those who display signs of one of these personality types are likely to have all three in the ‘dark triad’. And, due to changes in the economy over the past 30 years, James claims there are three times more of these triadic types in the workplace than in the 1980s. ‘The number of triadic personality types has increased because those characteristics allow you to prosper,’ he explains.

James breaks down each of the personality types and suggests what you can do to protect yourself from them.

Unfortunately, when dealing with a psychopath, their behaviour is usually so difficult to detect, you won’t know what they’re up to until it’s too late. With selfaggrandising narcissists, you should compliment them and reflect their own view of themselves back to them.

There are more complex strategies to adopt when dealing with a ‘Machiavel’ who thrives on manipulation. Triadic Machiavels ‘work out where the landmines are that will eliminate their enemies’, says James. ‘They

The Office POliTics guide TO dealing wiTh Triadic PersOnaliTy TyPes The classic list of psychopathic traits are: glibness and superficial charm, grandiosity, pathological lying, conning and manipulation, lack of remorse or guilt, superficial emotions, callous lack of empathy and failure to accept responsibility.

One per cent of the population are psychopaths – meaning there are more than 30,000 in Ireland.

One sign that you’ve been in the company of a psychopath is their habit of forcing their unwanted negative emotions on to others – which may leave you depressed.

Psychopaths manifest this behaviour in the workplace by bullying or humiliating colleagues.

Unfortunately, it’s difficult to spot a psychopath as they’re generally adept at hiding their antisocial behaviour. Try to establish what this person says about you. Assume they will be telling astonishing untruths. Then there’s at least the chance you will be able to clear your name.

Bosses. Who’d have ’em? Psychologist Oliver James reckons he knows why they have a habit of getting on our nerves – and worse, writes Andrew Williams

Playing politics: Oliver James says climbing the ladder is a skill spend their time pondering how to manipulate X to fall out with Y in the eyes of Z. This may be less to promote themselves than to feel powerful.’ Tips on how to deal with this type include assuming everything they say is a lie unless you have evidence to the contrary and not to expect reciprocity – if you do them a favour, they won’t return it.

H

AvIng completed one of the personality tests in the book, I concluded I was a non-Machiavel.

Hooray, I thought, this shows I’m a straight-talking, honest kinda person, right? no. ‘It shows you’re a mug,’ says James.

‘When I worked in television, I was terrible at office politics,’ he says. ‘I was a non-Machiavel, the most pious idiot you’ve ever seen. Don’t be like that – everyone else is doing it and you’re a mug if you’re a nonMachiavel. You need to present a face – if not, you will suffer.

‘There are decent people out there and you can get by, but think of where you want to go in your career – if you don’t have particular ambitions, you at least need to pay the mortgage. To do that, you need to get out there and be nice to people you don’t necessarily like very much. You need to use ingratiatory tactics.’

James’s central advice is to become astute at reading people so you can spot ‘triadics’ and respond according to their

ex expectations while presenting ourselv ourselves in the best light. While most of us w would like to think we are morally upright and w would not indulge in w workplace backstabbing, James reck reckons that, in fa fact, we’re all at it anyway.

‘There’s a spectrum – at one end, the least psychopathic are primary school teachers, at the other end are chief eexecutives – bu but everyone is on it,’ he says.

‘A ‘Anyone who says they don’t eng engage in office politics is lying.

It’ It’s the same as when you were a child and stitched up your siblings to get your parents to like you. I’m not suggesting people should become triadic – if you aren’t triadic you can’t invent it – but you need to become more self-conscious about what you do in the office and go about it more deliberately and efficiently.’

The good news is that, when tested, no link has been found between intelligence and office political skill – so once we swot up on understanding people and our ability to ingratiate ourselves with them, anyone can flourish in this arena. Yikes.

In his book, James includes a case study of a man who earned a fortune in financial services. He manipulated his colleagues to such an extent that the stress of manufacturing a workplace personality so at odds with how he actually felt resulted in a mental breakdown.

While James advises us to smarten up our political skills, we shouldn’t go over the top. Which, while it looks like a sensible tip on paper, sounds exhausting. Is working in an office a recipe for mental illness?

‘It puts you at risk,’ says James.

‘The fundamental causes of mental illness are industrialisation and urbanisation.

People in rural communities and pre-industrial societies are much less likely to be mentally ill.

Working in an office is potentially very bad for your mental health – but on the other hand, so is unemployment.’

Office Politics (Vermilion) is out now in paperback.

Machiavels have a great desire and capacity to seek power over others through manipulation.

They lack emotional commitment and expression in their dealings with intimates.

They reject conventional morality, being largely free of ideologies or ethical belief systems.

They are plausible and do not immediately appear to be conspicuously weird. The easiest way to spot a Machiavel is in their reading of the motives of others. Their vanity prevents them from keeping quiet when you ask about why a colleague behaves in a certain way.

In offering convoluted and frequently fantastical accounts of what is going on, they reveal their Machiavellian mindset. The best tactic is to keep off their radar and give them no reason to bother with you. Once you realise that a lot of what they are

doing is pointless game-playing it starts to make a kind of sense, unlike psychopaths, where it’s harder to comprehend the level of their malice and extent of their routine deceits.

Narcissism is an inflated selfestimation, imagining yourself to be cleverer or more attractive or more powerful and compelling than is truly the case. While often charming extroverts, such people are uncomfortable with warmth, intimacy and commitment. They go to great lengths to boost their value in the eyes of others by ‘me, me, me’ attention-seeking, taking credit where it’s not due and courting high-status trophy partners and friends.

Compared with psychopaths and Machiavels, it is easier to manage a narcissistic triadic colleague. Apart from the fact they are easily identifiable, they respond well to flattery and other ingratiatory tactics, ones most of us are capable of executing more or less well.

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food&drink

Go potty over comfort food

to advertise, call 01 7055010

BRAiSED CHiCkEn, SAuSAgES AnD WHiTE BEAnS

F

ingREDiEnTS serves 4

6 smoked streaky bacon rashers ♦ 1tbsp vegetable oil ♦ 6 Toulouse sausages ♦ 3tbsp olive oil ♦ 2 red onions ♦ 1 sprig rosemary ♦ 3 sprigs thyme ♦ 1 bay leaf ♦ 2 cloves garlic ♦ 8 free-range chicken thigh fillets ♦ 2tbsp flour ♦ 150ml red wine ♦ 300ml chicken stock ♦ 400g tin of chopped tomatoes ♦ 2 x 400g tins haricot or butter beans ♦ Squeeze of lemon juice ♦ Salt and freshly ground black pepper ♦ 25g flat-leaf parsley

METHOD Step 1: Preheat the

oven to 170C. Slice the bacon into batons. Heat the vegetable oil in a lidded ovenproof casserole dish over a medium heat. Brown the sausages, then put them in a bowl. Wipe the dish, add 1tbsp olive oil and fry the bacon while you peel, halve and slice the onions into halfmoons. Tie the herbs with string. Peel and chop the garlic.

Add the onions to the bacon with the herbs. Stir and cook for 15min until the onions turn sloppy. Add the garlic, cook for 2min then tip the contents of the dish over the sausages.

Step 2: Dust the chicken with the flour. Heat the remaining 2tbsp olive oil in the dish and brown the chicken in batches.

Return all the chicken to the dish, then pour in the wine, stirring so the flour thickens the juices. Let it bubble for a couple of minutes, then add the stock, sausages and onion, and simmer, giving the odd stir, for 5min.

Screen scene

Director Marvin Kren tells Anthony Gibson about his fascination with horror films and working with his mum horror means, so I can connect them with this feeling.’ but his biggest challenge was directing his mum, actress brigitte kren, who plays a monster-whooping government minister.

‘She said: “If you want to be a director, I support you but I have to be in every film of yours,”’ he laughs.

‘I’m kidding. She is great – very demanding but she’s worth it.’

Without a huge budget, kren chose timeconsuming animatronics for the creature effects.

‘I wanted creatures you could touch but I didn’t want to give them too much screen time,’ he says. ‘I wanted the fear in the audience’s mind so they would try to figure out what they

Step 3: Add the tomatoes, beans and lemon juice, then season with salt and black pepper. Simmer for 5min, stir and remove from heat. Drape baking parchment over the top, so it rests on the food. Catch the edges of the paper with the lid.

Cook in the oven on the middle shelf for 1hr. Stir well, taste and adjust the seasoning. Chop the parsley, stir it in, then serve.

FOOD nEWS

Blood, sweat and fears

‘i

15

editorial@metroherald.ie

ebruary feels like The introductions to bareham’s recipes show how a good time for onepot cooking. It open she is to inspiration allows for a neat kind from all manner of sources. of economy, saving The saffron chicken recipe on fuel, washing up and was invented after a friend effort. It also provides plenty told her about something of comfort (lots of one-pot similar bought from a posh recipes are stewy), though deli, while holidays in Lindsey bareham’s new book One POt Greece contribute a pan of WOnders stretches the idea beyond mussels and rice.

by Lindsey winter warmth with salads Like all food writers Bareham should, bareham has done and even a pavlova. bareham is the food writer Michael Joseph a lot of the hard work – the HHHHI who worked with Simon thinking about what goes Hopkinson on The Prawn with what and how best to Cocktail years and roast Chicken make it work – so you don’t have to. and Other Stories, and she The cassoulet-style chicken, sausage specialises in cook-tonight newspaper and bean dish I tried wasn’t the recipes that compel readers to stop at simplest in the book but she’s got the shops on the way home. Her last the stages and procedures nailed. Do book, The Trifle bowl, was a kind of what she says and you’ll get what’s in the picture. as an extra February tribute to the equipment accumulated bonus, the portion sizes are vast. you over a life in the kitchen but this is more straightforward: meals you can might get more than one meal from make in one pot. one pot.

Emma Sturgess

LIke to scare myself and I like to scare other people,’ says austrian director Marvin kren. ‘and it’s fascinating how, through the element of horror, you can reach people and tell other stories. I try not to just make a horror film but also to talk about the human beings in it and their relationship to the world.’ kren’s latest film, blood Glacier (also known as The Station for its theatrical release), is a mix of body horror and classic creature feature set in the austrian alps that has a message about the eco disaster of melting glaciers – but is mainly a fun dose of old-school scares.

‘It was a big thank you to all the masters of horror such as John Carpenter,’ explains kren, who has been fascinated with horror movies since he first saw Night Of The Living Dead aged just seven. He acknowledges the similarities in blood Glacier to Carpenter’s The Thing but insists: ‘I wanted to do something unique, to pick parts of the classics but make something of my own.’ refreshingly, kren created a more mature set of characters for his story. ‘In my first film [zombie thriller rammbock], I tried to pick ordinary people who get involved in a horror scenario,’ he says. ‘you can identify when people in a film look ordinary and are not beautiful teenagers; I don’t actually know any beautiful teenagers. and you find actors who have lived a life know what real

Tuesday, February 4, 2014 METRO HERALD

really look like rather than show them.’

His inspirations come from a mixture of film-making talent, including roman Polanski, alfred Hitchcock and akira kurosawa. ‘I am very focused on the classics,’ he says. ‘[Polanski’s] The Tenant is one of my favourite films. rosemary’s baby and Hitchcock’s rear Window and Vertigo are like film school for me. but my all-time scariest is probably Halloween.’

He also admires the film-making wave coming out of South korea, citing Park Chanwook’s Stoker as an inspiration. With two more films in preparation, kren could yet put austria firmly on the horror movie map.

Blood Glacier is out on DVD Fright club: Kren’s scariest horror flick is Halloween

COCOA ATELiER If you’re looking for a gift as sweet as your beloved, then visit the Cocoa Atelier Valentine’s day themed pop up shop now open in Arnotts. Located on the ground floor until February 15, Cocoa Atelier’s famous salted caramel hearts will be on sale as well as sweet treats including the Cocoa Atelier edible box, which is filled with fruit truffles and Irish pot still whiskey truffles. there are assorted with dark and milk chocolate shells on offer as well as boxes of white chocolate lips. the pièce de résistance will be the velvet sweetheart, available in milk and dark chocolate which is decorated with velvet cocoa butter spray and edible sugar pearls.

Arnotts. Tel: (01) 805 0400 SiX nATiOnS SAuSAgES rugby mania has swept the country with the return of the six nations tournament. this year even your taste buds can get in on the action with the six nations sausage which has been created by the exchequer chef Lee doyle. the Irish pork sausage encapsulates flavours of all of the competing countries including Irish whiskey, scottish barley, english mustard, Welsh leeks, French garlic and Italian sun-dried tomatoes. the sausage is served up with a side of mash and vegetables for €12, or enjoy your meal with a pint of Guinness or Heineken for €15. the exchequer’s six nations sausage is available now and is made fresh on the premises.

For more information and to see other special offers visit The Exchequer, 3-5 Exchequer Street, Dublin 2. Tel: (01) 670 6787. www.theexchequer.ie

16 METRO HERALD Tuesday, February 4, 2014

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Life television WhAT i’m WATChiNg lee ingleby the bridge

I’ve been enjoying watching the second series. I love a good ama and this crime drama is one of the best.

It’s not afraid to take its time and tell the whole story. I really like the relationship between the two main characters.

Pictured rightt is Sofia Helin as Saga Noren.

pain, pus and poison

I’m a big fan of documentaries, whatever the subject. Michael Mosley’s medical documentaries on BBC4 are a favourite of mine and I’ve been enjoying his most recent, Pain, Pus And Poison, looking into the histories and development of medical breakthroughs from anaesthetics to the smallpox vaccine. Fascinating stuff.

the mentalist RTÉ1, 10.35pm As the search for the mysterious Red John continues Californian Bureau of Investigator consultant Patrick Jane and the team are assigned the case of the car bombing of a military drone engineer. Jane (Simon Baker, pictured) and colleague Teresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney) begin to suspect CBI director Gale Bertram of involvement in Brett Partridge’s death. Meanwhile when Jane tries to track down Red John’s old therapist Sophie Miller he has an unpleasant shock.

film of the day away From her, BBC1, 12.20pm

Fiona (Julie Christie) has started forgetting words and putting frying pans in the fridge, so she decides – while decisions are still an option – to move into an assisted living facility. Once there, she moves even further away, emotionally abandoning her once philandering but now devoted husband Grant (Gordon Pinsent) to the point where she barely recognises him, while growing close to a mute fellow patient, Aubrey (Michael Murphy). Aubrey’s non-communication is clearly a rest for a disintegrating mind after the complications of a good but not untroubled 44-year marriage. Sarah Polley’s adaptation of Alice Munro’s short story The Bear Came Over The Mountain is peppered with dark humour and natural wonder – the desolate beauty of the snowy Ontario landscapes perfectly reflects Fiona’s state. But it is the love story at its heart that captured the imagination of actress Polley in this directorial debut.

britain’s great War

I’m looking forward to seeing all the new programmes to commemorate the centenary of World War I. This Jeremy

inside the animal mind BBC2, 9pm Chris packham’s poodles are cajoled into pitting their wits against a crow and a toddler as part of tonight’s scientific hunt for the star problem-solvers of the animal world. Using human capabilities as the yardstick, packham (pictured) tests birds in New Caledonia and bees in Britain, adding in the odd octopus and chimp along the way, to identify what counts as intelligence and what’s simply hardwired instinct. As for packham’s pack, they didn’t even twig there was a problem to be solved.

Paxman documentary (pictured above) is fantastic, allowing insights into areas we know little about. I filmed an episode of an upcoming BBC drama called The Ark, about the workings of a field hospital near the Western Front trenches.

my faVourite tV CharaCter

operation transformation RTÉ1, 8.30pm

Kidnapped: ireland’s tiger raids Tv3, 10pm

The leader’s nerves are on edge with only three weeks until the 5km fun runs in Dublin’s Phoenix Park and Cork’s Blarney Castle Park, while Karl is anxious they all stick to the ‘0-5k’ training plan. Tonight we have a look back at National Swim Day with Olympians Melanie Nochter and Barry Murphy lending their support to teach leaders and followers alike.

This series exploring the unique crime wave that incredibly first appeared on Irish shores continues this week with Joe mcLaughlin and his partner Tess relating their experience when their post office in Castlebellingham, Co Louth was targeted in February 2010. we also gain an insight into the 2004 Northern Bank raid in Belfast where £26.5million (€31.9m) was stolen.

It has to be Edmund Blackadder, especially from series two.

Rowan Atkinson’s wit and sarcasm is delivered just perfectly. I’ve always loved this programme and can watch it again and again.

Sharon Lougher Ingleby stars in Inspector George Gently, which returns on Thursday at 8.30pm on BBC1.

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tech&gaming

Tuesday, February 4, 2014 METRO HERALD

17

editorial@metroherald.ie to advertise, call 01 7055010

It’s like taking Candy from a crazed gamer...

I

f YOU get offered something for nothing you’d be right in thinking there’s probably a catch somewhere along the line.

Like many smartphone and tablet games, Candy Crush Saga is free to download and play but it constantly encourages you to make ‘microtransactions’, also known as in-app purchases, that allow you to start playing again instantly if you lose or gain a power-up that makes the game easier. Despite the cash element the app has reached a worldwide audience in ways of which even traditional hits such as Grand Theft Auto could only dream.

‘Candy Crush is designed from a psychologist’s point of view and it’s designed to get people to spend money,’ said game-maker Ollie Clarke, who won a Bafta breakthrough award in 2013 and now works at British developer Modern Dream.

‘It’s not so worried about the experience people get from it, whether they feel rewarded or enlightened as result of playing it.

That’s not it’s goal.’

From Angry Birds to Candy Crush, it seems we like nothing better than losing ourselves in the latest game craze. Developers sucker us in to dominate our time... and our money. DAVID JENKINS looks at the numbers behind the sweet science.

Although Candy Crush is quite upfront about its in-app purchases the more general concept of microtransactions has been facing increasing criticism from both parents, who find their children have spent thousands on an allegedly free game, and from adult gamers upset to find microtransactions creeping into their paid-for home console games.

Indie developer Steve Stopps, the founder of British publisher Kumotion and maker of awardwining titles such as Kumo Lumo and Paper Titans, said: ‘I was at school recently talking to a group of girls at careers day and they said, ‘‘These games want you to spend money but we never do’’. They understood all the mechanics and economic structure of Candy Crush and they knew how to avoid it completely, so there is choice there.’

But not all games are careful to

ensure micro-transactions are just an optional extra, with the recent Angry Birds Go! being one of an increasingly large number of apps to charge heavily for in-game items.

The game was going to charge €85 to unlock its most powerful racing kart, before an angry backlash from fans saw publisher Rovio halve the price.

But even then, the game is filled with advertising (including sponsored power-ups) and buying in-game currency is used to gain new special powers and to stop you having to wait for a racer to rest between games.

Some of these practices have already attracted the attention of legal bodies, with the British Office of fair Trading having previously investigated games such as The Simpsons Tapped Out for targeting children.

More recently, German officials

banned an advert for online game Runes Of Magic, which they also judged to be targeting microtransactions directly at children.

‘These things go in ebbs and flows but I think free-to-play has had its peak,’ said Mr Clarke.

‘It won’t go away entirely but I think over the course of this year, you’ll see developers, rather than accountants and psychologists, figure out ways to offer people a compelling experience that isn’t purely a money-making machine’.

accused of making progress through the game purposefully slower and more repetitive if you do it without micro-transactions, just to encourage their use.

The outrage was enough for the company to rebalance the in-game economy shortly after launch but the options still remain.

‘If you take a paid game and you in some way hobble that paid game to extract further revenue from a customer it’s not giving your customer respect,’ said Mr Stopps.

‘In the long term, I think that he biggest concern from damages your game, it damages core gamers is that these your reputation, and the whole practices have begun to business model of free-to-play appear on home consoles, games and micro-transactions.’ with Christmas titles such The system does address two as Gran Turismo 6 and many of problems with modern video Microsoft’s new Xbox One games games, the first being that high-end featuring micro-transactions. home console titles are now so Xbox One game forza expensive to develop that even at Motorsport 5 came in for particular €60 they struggle to make a profit if criticism, because as well as being they’re anything less than a massive a €60 retail title it also allows you hit. to buy in-game currency – just like And so to avoid increasing the a free smartphone game. cover price even further publishers Indeed, Microsoft has been have tried to embrace microtransactions. Together with season passes and other more expansive Candy Crush Saga has been downloaded 500million times, downloadable content a major game such as Call Of Duty or and has been played Battlefield can now cost close to €120 when all the optional extras are factored in. times on Facebook and mobiles The other problem the industry faces is that, while the average age of gamers continues to increase, the older they get the less time they tend to have to play video games – despite what they might otherwise wish.

In that sense, microtransactions on a home console are a perfectly The most notable example was five-yearsensible old Briton Danny answer to Apple recently had to refund Kitchen, who racked up the problem, allowing to parents who claimed their people that in microtransactions on children had paid for microtransdon’t have the game Zombies Vs. actions without their knowledge the time or Ninjas skill to advance through a game as quickly as possible.

‘Ultimately, the people who will decide what’s right and what’s wrong will be the audience because they’ll choose not to buy those Hong Kong citizens have played Candy Crush Saga at least once games,’ he said.

T

150bn

About

70%

of Candy Crush Saga users have never paid any money to play.

This is an unusually good percentage for most microtransaction-driven games

€23.7m

Candy Crush Saga sold so well on mobiles it broke the system usually used to track sales data. It currently has

6.5m

active users and 47,280 new installs every day

Despite being free to play, on average Candy Crush Saga generates

€698,416 in revenues every day

€

1 7 in

€2,072

18 METRO HERALD Tuesday, February 4, 2014

travel

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pRivATE isLAnDs on A budget

A great place for karma JACK bRoCKWAY

Sublime Necker Island lowers its prices for six weeks a year but it’s still the preserve of A-listers, writes Nick Boulos

‘W

elcome to Necker Island,’ says an all-toofamiliar voice. Sir Richard Branson, arms outstretched and beaming, greets us warmly upon arrival at his private caribbean hideaway. often in the headlines, thanks to its glittering array of A-list guests, Necker made news for all the wrong reasons in August 2011 when a lightning strike set fire to the Great House. Kate Winslet saved Branson’s 90-year-old mother as the island’s main building burnt to the ground.

‘The sky was ablaze with 300ft flames,’ says Branson, reliving the night. ‘It was sheer terror.’

But now, more then €10million later, the all-new Great House has risen from the ashes and is open for business. I am one of the first journalists to visit.

After two flights and a speedboat ride, I arrive at the 74-acre island, where the Great House sits perched on the crest of the tallest hill. It is an almost exact replica of the original.

The eight guest rooms and huge lounge are packed with antiques sourced from the flea markets of Indonesia and the house even has the same Balinese theme.

There are new touches, too, including a rooftop hot tub and a speedy zip-line.

From the infinity pool, I watch sailing boats close to the shore. opposite, the velvety hillsides of Prickly Pear Island loom tall over the water and a flock of flamingos takes flight. It’s no wonder Branson spends so much of his time here.

Palm Island, Grenadines Set on its own private island (below), this all-inclusive resort has just 43 rooms, so the five glorious beaches never feel crowded. There’s also crab racing every Thursday.

Seven nights from €2,050. www. palmislandresortgrenadines.com

The House In The Sea, Cornwall Accommodating just six guests, this tiny isle off the Cornish coast is an idyllic escape near Padstow with four-poster beds, New York-inspired interiors and sweeping decks with sea views.

Four nights from €1,550. www.thehouseinthesea.unique homestays.com

Love at first sight: The beautiful beaches of Necker Island; Nick Boulos with Richard Branson; and a view from one of the villas ‘It was love at first sight,’ he says, over champagne so freeflowing it’s dubbed Necker Water.

The Virgin boss bought Necker for £60,000 (€72,500) when he was 27, after spotting it from a helicopter during a trip to the caribbean designed to woo his wife-to-be.

‘I had no intention of buying an island but pretended I was interested so I could impress Joan,’ he says.

Back then, Necker was a forsaken place with one palm tree. Branson bought it on the condition he would make it habitable within five years

or ownership would ould return to the local government.

The island took shape as his record label grew. ‘Karma chameleon by culture club paid for some of Bali lo,’ he says, referring to the villa favoured by Princess Diana.

Necker has been a hideaway for the world’s most famous people: mariah carey, oprah Winfrey, Rod Stewart, Kate moss. All lured by the fine views and untold luxury.

Bedrooms are unlocked, laptops and guitars are left lying around and guests help themselves behind the bar. There’s no dress

code for dinner: T-shirts and shorts will do just fine. This is a place where you can do laps of the Jacuzzi and where lunch is served by a smiling chef in a canoe in the beachside pool.

All this doesn’t come cheap. most of the year, Necker costs £39,000 (€47,000) per night split between 30 guests. For six weeks a year, however, it’s possible to book individual rooms at (slightly) cheaper rates.

With great reluctance, it’s soon time to leave. ‘It’s been great having you,’ Branson says as we board the

French Louie Caye, Belize With nobody else in sight, this two-acre island has one rustic wooden cabin that can accommodate four people, making it perfect for families.

Explore the nearby villages, snorkel the off-shore coral reefs or simply relax in a hammock.

Three nights from €585. www.frenchlouiecaye.com speedboat and he waves us off with a smile (and a moonie).

Nick travelled with Virgin Limited Edition (www.neckerisland.virgin. com). Seven nights on Necker during special Celebration Weeks cost from €20,500 per couple, all-inclusive.

Three and four-night packages are also available. Flights to Antigua from London Gatwick with Virgin Atlantic (www.virgin-atlantic.com) cost from €780. Connections are available from Liat (www.liatairline.com).

TRAvEL DEALs Of THE WEEk

7 NIGHTS

Lincoln House, Lincoln Place, D2 http://dublin.cervantes.es Tel: (01) 631 15 00

a529 FOR UP TO 6 PERSONS T&C’s apply.

n Destination: Mexico & Orlando Price: From €1,399 per person Details: Seven nights at the fivestar Dreams Riviera Cancun and seven nights room only at the fourstar Rosen Inn Point Orlando.

Travel between Sep 1 and Sep 30.

Based on two sharing. Includes flights and taxes. Book by Feb 6.

Contact: Classic Resorts, tel: (01) 874 5000. www.classicresorts.ie n Destination: Miami & Caribbean Price: From €1,159 per person Details: One night at a three-star Miami Beach hotel and seven night cruise on Norwegian Epic.

Price includes return flights, taxes and charges. Travel Mar 15. Ref: 887930.

Contact: American Holidays, tel: (01) 673 3804. www. americanholidays.com n Destination: Las Vegas

Price: From €649 per person Details: Four nights at the threestar Excalibur. Travel Feb 14.

Contact: Sunway, tel: (01) 231 1800. www.sunway.ie n Destination: India Golden Triangle Price: From €1,420 per person Details: Nine day tour, visiting Delhi, Agra, Ranthambhore National Park, Jaipur. Price includes return flights, accommodation, meals as per itinerary. Travel Oct. Contact: GoHop.ie, tel: (01) 241 2389. www.GoHop.ie n Destination: Valentine’s offers Details: Three nights in Barcelona (€207 pp, travel Feb 14); three nights in Prague (€217 pp, travel Feb 12); five nights in the Algarve (€137 pp, travel Feb 12).

Contact: GoHop.ie, tel: (01) 241 2389. www.GoHop.ie

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Tuesday, February 4, 2014 METRO HERALD

19

features@metroherald.ie to advertise, call 01 7055010

How to do…

Russia

As the world wAits for the sochi winter gAmes this month, Caroline eden looks At whAt else there is to get up to in russiA during the cold months Skate Gorky Park

Moscow’s Gorky Park (right) is home to Russia’s largest and most scenic skating rink. It spans a whopping 59,000 square feet and this season’s theme is ‘flying in dreams and reality’, which means more than 700 multicoloured metal tubes and light bulbs have been installed, giving the experience a psychedelic edge. Open from October to March, the skating arena is located in the centre and the latest ice tech has been employed to ensure the rink stays silky smooth.

When you’ve had your fill of skating, head over to the new Garage Center café, designed

by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban. Chef Denis Kalmis cooks warming dishes such as rabbit fillet stewed in cream sauce, cod with cherry sauce and baked lamb meatballs, as well as offering cooking classes.

Tickets for the ice rink cost from €4. Closed Mondays. www.parkgorkogo.com

Snowmobile in the north-weSt

Travel in Russia is getting easier, says Elena Lubchenka of

Go Russia. ‘The tourism infrastructure is improving and it is easier to travel and navigate as there are more signs in the Latin alphabet,’ she says.

However, it’s no problem to get off the beaten track and back to nature on an epic scale.

Karelia, in the north-west, certainly ticks this box. Here, you can explore vast areas covered in forests, thousands of rivers and lakes, two national parks and several nature reserves.

This is also a great place to snowmobile, especially around the frozen lake of Onega, the second largest in Europe. And culture vultures are well served at Kizhi Island. The Kizhi Ensemble is an open-air museum formed of a series of spectacular wooden churches (pictured below).

Go Russia offers a six-day Snowmobile Safari to the Snowy Domes of Kizhi from €1,625, including flights. www.justgorussia.co.uk

SoChi ChiC

As Russia gears up for the 2014 Winter Olympics (February 7-23), new hotels and restaurants are springing

up around the main ski resort of Krasnaya Polyana to cater for the crowds.

The hottest restaurant is Red Fox (www.redfoxsochi.ru).

Vladimir Mukhin, who holds the title of Best Russian Young Chef 2013, is at the helm here, cooking with all-natural ingredients from the Krasnodar region. He also mixes in some home-grown produce from his greenhouse, beehive and poultry farm, and cooks in a wood-burning oven or over an open fire. Expect dishes such as farm-grown quail and fried foie gras with Circassian pear. At around €100 for a meal for two, the prices are comparable to those you’d pay in Dublin.

The brand new chic Solís Sochi Hotel is now booked solid for the Games. Built into the mountainside, it also has views of the Caucasus Mountains, a spa, sauna and the Echo Ski Café.

Doubles from around €220, based on two people sharing, including breakfast and taxes. www.solishotels.com

ride the ruSSian railS

What could be more glorious than curling up with a book as snowy forests whoosh by? A Russian railway journey demands style, so book a firstclass couchette between

Moscow and Russia’s second city, St Petersburg. On the privately run Grand Express (www.grandexpress.ru), even the cheapest of four classes of sleeper (around €80) comes with its own TV. The most expensive berths mean extra frills such as supper, towelling robes and its own bathroom.

If you plan to book tickets yourself at a main station look out for the ‘servis tsentr’ (service centre). Here, you can pay about €2.50 to book your tickets in peace and quiet, away from the crowds.

See Man In Seat 61 for more Russian train travel information. www.seat61.com

moSCow’S beSt retro bar

Moscow’s hipsters love the stylised retro Soviet vibe at Kamchatka (www. novikovgroup.ru), where prices are stuck in the 1990s.

The bar is bankrolled by one of Moscow’s most famous restaurateurs, Arkady Novikov.

A stark contrast to the nearby designer shops, Kamchatka’s cheap house beer – named after the bar – is chased by throwback food offerings such as Baltic sprat sandwiches, Russian potato salad, cod liver salad and herring salad. Expect to get very cosy with your neighbours after 8pm.

vALEnTinE’s by THE bOOk Ireland’s Blue Book has some romantic offers to make Valentine’s Day extra special this year.

The Love Is... package at dunbrody house in Co Wexford (pictured) includes mid-week accommodation throughout February in one of their luxury rooms, dinner for two from the Harvest Room (with pre-dinner canapés and cocktails), a serail mud/steam treatment and breakfast until noon the next day.

From €165 per person sharing Consider your partner a prince or princess? Then why not take them to Castle leslie in Co Monaghan for a Roses & Romance package? As well as a two-night stay, you can enjoy a romantic candlelit Valentine’s dinner in Snaffles on one evening, washed down with some bubbly, while chocolates and a single red rose will await you in your room. A hearty full Irish breakfast is served each morning too.

From €209 per person sharing If you are torn between your love for your partner and your love for the sea, worry not – you can combine them by visiting Rathmullan House (pictured left). On a threenight stay starting on Valentine’s Day, you will be treated to a free upgrade to a room with beautiful views and a glass of prosecco when you come down for dinner.

From €210 per person sharing See www.irelandsbluebook.com for details

20 METRO HERALD Tuesday, February 4, 2014

puzzles

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METROSCOPE

by Patrick Arundell

NEMI by Lise

Aries Mar 21 – Apr 20

You may wonder about recent events.

Although current influences may be keeping you on your seat’s edge, there is a purpose at work that could encourage a ‘can-do’ approach.

For your forecast, call 15609 114 70

Taurus Apr 21 – May 21

Do you need to keep control of aspects of your life that seem insecure? If so, take a closer look.

Things could become steadier regarding a key situation. Although change is in the air, it seems to be the kind you might look forward to.

For your forecast, call 15609 114 71

Gemini May 22 – Jun 21

METROKU Easy, Moderate and Challenging. For solutions, visit Metro.co.uk/metroku 6 9 5

1 7 4

1 6

3

9 6 1 4

9 7 5

7 3 8

For your forecast, call 15609 114 72

Cancer Jun 22 – Jul 23

2 4 5

9

Keep questions coming. They could introduce crucial information into the mix. Feeding your curiosity may lead to clarity in a situation that seems confused or even impossible. Today’s Moon-Mars link suggests conversation can inspire.

5 8 6

PEARLs BEFORE swINE

Your mission in life may be on your mind, particularly if one or two changes need to be made before take-off. If these seem daunting, it could be because you’ll need to upset a cosy relationship. Yet, this might require tweaks rather than radical disruption.

For your forecast, call 15609 114 73

Leo Jul 24 – Aug 23

You might impress in quiet ways, especially in a situation that needs something extra. Maybe it’s your creative ability that kick-starts an idea and sets it on a successful path. The current T-Square can be helpful for finding new ways to resolve a matter.

For your forecast, call 15609 114 74

Virgo Aug 24 – Sep 23

Being on your guard against communication blips could save embarrassment. As Mercury continues to bind with Neptune and is about to turn retrograde, chats may be misunderstood. If you have something important to sign or discuss, take your time.

For your forecast, call 15609 114 75

Libra Sep 24 – Oct 23

awkward, it could be serving a useful purpose when viewed from another perspective. This person’s rather novel ideas could be a saving grace. It might be in your best interests to listen.

For your forecast, call 15609 114 76

scorpio Oct 24 – Nov 22

A relationship could seem more settled. Perhaps you’re willing to gloss over any perceived faults as your mood becomes more accepting.

Creative energies can uplift your chats, making give and take more tender.

For your forecast, call 15609 114 77

sagittarius Nov 23 – Dec 21

This can be a day for sending emails, making or returning calls, or perhaps having lunch with a friend who enjoys upbeat conversation. Any news you get might have a positive slant, even if the content is surprising and somewhat unexpected.

For your forecast, call 15609 114 78

Capricorn Dec 22 – Jan 20

A spirited mood may encourage action. Rousing yourself could inspire a decision that can give you greater freedom, while easing you out of a mental rut. But you might need to wrestle with your conscience if a change of plan affects someone else.

For your forecast, call 15609 114 79

Aquarius Jan 21 – Feb 19

You may have felt inclined to rest and today can be more of the same. More so, if you need to gather information, research options and connect with a key person, all in the space of a few short hours. Later, there may be time for you, and you can relax.

For your forecast, call 15609 114 80

Pisces Feb 20 – Mar 20

If relaxing has seemed difficult, perhaps it’s because anxieties have not been dealt with. With Mercury in your sign, you can help by clarifying anything that might be muddled. Part of this comes from the role of your co-ruler Neptune.

For your forecast, call 15609 114 81

DOWN 1 Opposite (7) 2 Nominate (7) 3 Exhaust (5) 4 Fervent (7) 5 Nip (5) 6 Obscurity (5) 9 Guiltlessness (9) 14 Squirm (7) 15 Sailor (7) 16 Small truck (7) 19 Narrative (5) 20 Foremost (5) 21 Odd (5)

Yesterday’s Solutions Across: 1 Egret; 4 Beneath; 8 Banquet; 9 Repel; 10 Lees; 11 Pleasure; 13 Reel; 14 Lone; 16 Habitual; 17 Sore; 20 Erupt; 21 Coronet; 22 Toddler; 23 Error.

Down: 1 Embellishment; 2 Range; 3 Tour; 4 Battle; 5 Narrator; 6 Ampoule; 7 Helter-skelter; 12 Teetotal; 13 Rebound; 15 Lancer; 18 Owner; 19 Urge.

Astrology calls cost 1.27 euros per min from a BT landline. Live Services cost 2.40 euros per minute. Calls from mobiles/other networks may cost more. Callers must be 18 or over to use this service and have the bill payers permission. For entertainment purposes only. All calls are recorded. PhonePayPlus regulated(ComReg in ROI) UK SP: StreamLive Ltd, NR7 0HR, 08700 234 567. ROI SP:Moveda, 1 Courtyard Business Park, Orchard Lane, Blackrock, Co Dublin, 0818 241 398

ENIGMA

The more you have, the less you’ll have.

That goes for young, old, Goth and chav.

We celebrate one every year With cake and candles, wine or beer.

WHO AM I?

A fashion designer, I was born in Derbyshire in 1941. I opened a shop on London’s King’s Road with Malcolm McLaren in 1971. I

was named British Designer of the Year in 1990 and 1991.

WHO, WHAT, WHERE & WHEN? WHO… created the character

Rip Van Winkle?

WHAT… does the acronym ‘laser’ stand for?

WHERE…was John F Kennedy born?

WHEN…did John Wesley form the first Methodist Society?

SCRIBBLE BOX

ACROSS 7 Skilled (6) 8 Acme (6) 10 Felling (7) 11 Clear (5) 12 Rational (4) 13 Sham (5) 17 Avidity (5) 18 Couple (4) 22 Object (5) 23 Decisive (7) 24 Outcome (6) 25 Venerate (6)

For a live one-to-one consultation with one of my gifted psychics, call 15809 113 68 or 1800 719 688 to book using credit card

QuIz

Crossword No. 906 See next edition for solutions

QUIZ ANSWERS: ENIGMA: Birthday. WHO AM I? Vivienne Westwood. WHO, WHAT, WHERE & WHEN? Washington Irving; Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation; Boston; 1739.

QUICK CROsswORd

Although one friendship could seem

rugby six nations

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O’Driscoll’s defensive show ‘like Benjamin Button’ Brian O’DriscOll’s ageless defensive exuberance remains a cornerstone of ireland’s rBs six nations power, according to head coach Joe schmidt.

The former ireland and British lions captain’s tireless rearguard efforts left him topping the tackle charts for schmidt’s men in sunday’s 28-6 dismantling of scotland. stand-in captain Jamie Heaslip and schmidt joked O’Driscoll could almost be starting to age in reverse, just like literary character Benjamin Button.

O’Driscoll set a new ireland all-time caps record of 129 on sunday, but the 35-year-old

will retire at the end of the season after a glittering career. ireland take on reigning champions Wales on saturday, battling against a six-day turnaround and the sheer brute force of Warren Gatland’s experienced side. schmidt admitted he will happily urge talismanic midfielder O’Driscoll to keep rolling back the years. ‘if he can hit 24 next week i think we’ll get the perfect blend; he’s Brian Button now,’ schmidt laughed.

‘Brian got through his defensive workload effectively, and we knew he would have to.

‘i thought he did a fantastic offensive tackle towards the end of the game, where if they’d broken the line they would have been able to have one last shot at us.

‘But he took all that space away, wrapped the guy up, got to his feet, stole the ball.

‘That’s the sort of quality he brings, it wasn’t just the quality of the tackle, it’s the quality of what he did post-tackle that makes him great value.’

O’Driscoll can also reasonably expect Gordon D’arcy to return as his partner in the centre to contain Wales’ midfield threats on saturday.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014 METRO HERALD

21

spORT DigEsT

Glee-hawks: Smith sits on the confetti covered pitch in New Jersey after his team’s victory PICTURE: REUTERS

Smith’s super bowl-ed over

SUPER Bowl Most Valuable Player Malcolm Smith admitted the Seattle Seahawks’ stunning 43-8 win over the Denver Broncos was all about the team.

Linebacker Smith became the first defensive player in 11 years to be named MVP after returning an interception for a touchdown. However, the 24-year-old claimed any one of Seattle’s famed defensive players could have walked away with the prize. ‘Man, it’s incredible,’ he said. ‘We run to the ball.

I’m just the one today. It happens all the time. It feels great.’

Denver had been favourites but quarterback Peyton Manning said: ‘We knew they were fast. It was a matter of us doing our jobs better and we didn’t do that tonight.’

Record breaker: Brian’s ageless defence is cornerstone of Ireland’s Six Nations power picture: inphO

by DAnny HOgAn A WAles side brimming with lions talent will be ireland’s six nations acid test, according to lock dan Tuohy.

The Ulster second row believes there will be ‘bigger steps’ than scotland, whom ireland swatted aside 286 in dublin on sunday.

Tuohy admitted ireland must heed the cautionary tale of last season’s abortive six nations, and has warned his team-mates to fight off another false dawn.

‘Wales will be a different kettle of fish’ ireland triumphed 30-22 in Wales in their opening six nations clash last season, only to slump to four consecutive defeats.

That capitulation cost declan Kidney his job, and Tuohy (pictured) admits ireland must steel themselves to double their championship win tally this weekend.

‘That would set us up nicely for the triple crown away to england!’ Tuohy joked.

Wales set to be six nations ‘acid test’ for ireland ‘but Wales at home, england away, France away, we saw Franceengland and it was unbelievable.

‘Wales will be a different kettle of fish, they’ve had a bit of a “feeler” g a m e against italy.

Tuoh y slotted in

for captain Paul O’Connell at the last minute on sunday, the munster talisman laid low by a chest infection. ireland boss Joe schmidt is confident O’Connell will be fit for Wales’ visit to dublin. in-form Tuohy has helped Ulster register their first 100 per cent record in a Heineken Cup pool stage this season. With leinster and munster’s decorated european past to boot, Tuohy admitted ireland have shared fans’ frustration in the inability to transfer club success to the international arena.

Wales duty tends to bring the best out of their top stars, and Tuohy

challenged ireland to follow their lead. ‘i think it’s always been frustrating from a fan’s point of view that the provincial sides are doing so well but then we’ve struggled to get consistency with ireland. That’s something we’re mindful of, and to be a consistent team is tough.’

He is wary of the threat posed

by Warren gatland’s Wales team, adding: ‘As soon as they put that red jersey on they turn into a different beast. They are lit up with lions, coming off a great tour, they’ll be high on confidence. but it’s important for us to stick to what we know, and what we know works for us.’

50million Estimated

global TV viewers lost by Formula One over the past year, with the sport’s supremo Bernie Ecclestone claiming Sebastian Vettel’s dominance was a key factor in the ten per cent drop.

UCI’s motor check cycLing The UCI is continuing its fight against doping – this time of the mechanical variety – after checking bicycles for motors at the UCI Cyclocross World Championships in Holland.

A minute camera was inserted into bike frames to search for motors, but none were found. Cycling’s world governing body has checked for motors before, but the weekend checks were the first since rider Danilo Di Luca made claims of mechanical doping last month.

ODDbALLs

Fans to decide where all the Money goes

FLoyD MAyWEATHER is letting his fans decide if he takes on Amir Khan in his next bout. British star Khan, 27, signed a contract in December for a possible fight with Mayweather, but is still waiting to find out if he will face the unbeaten world lightmiddleweight champion. Marcos Maidana is the other name in the frame for a possible May showdown but ‘Money’ is happy to let the public have their say. He tweeted: ‘I’m going to let the fans vote. Who I should fight – Khan or Maidana?’

22 METRO HERALD Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Credit due: Former Celt Kenny

Dalglish in praise of Celtic’s run

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Mourinho stops Red missed? Carroll can’t believe it after being sent off by referee Howard Webb piCtuRe: ACtion imAgeS

KeNNY Dalglish believes Fraser Forster and his Celtic team-mates deserve full credit for their record-breaking run.

Forster set a new club record of 11 consecutive clean sheets during Celtic’s 1-0 win over St mirren on Sunday, which was their 13th consecutive win and maintained their unbeaten title defence so far.

Neil lennon’s side are cantering towards a third successive title in the absence of Rangers but Dalglish feels they should be lauded despite the lack of serious competition.

‘The opposition is in front of them and they have done it convincingly. They are winning, keeping clean sheets and breaking records. It has been fantastic for them.’

pREMiER LEAguE manchesTer ciTy .......... 0 chelsea ..............................1 by jOn HARvEy BRANISLAV IVANOVIC proved to be an unlikely match-winner for Chelsea as Jose Mourinho’s side became the first side to win at title rivals Manchester City this season.

The Serbian defender’s perfectly executed first-time shot in the 32nd minute settled the contest as City’s 100 per cent home record was ended.

While Chelsea boosted their own title hopes at the Eithad Stadium by going level on points with City, league leaders Arsenal also benefited as they remain two-points clear at the top.

City carved out chances at will in the first 20 minutes – Yaya Toure

Anderson says Moyes facing exodus as stars look to leave MANCHESTER UNITED misfit Anderson claims ‘lots of players’ want to quit David Moyes’ side.

The Brazilian failed to impress the new boss this season – making just three starts – before being sent on loan to Fiorentina last week.

However, with United struggling in the league, and the likes of veteran defenders Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra all out of contract at the end of this season, Anderson has revealed Moyes could face a mass exodus at Old Trafford.

‘I am sure that lots of players want out,’ Anderson said.

‘Especially people like myself and Nani, who have been in Manchester for seven or eight years. Manchester United is a huge club, but sometimes a footballer wants to leave just to experience a different way to play football.

‘I was there for seven or eight years and I want to show Fiorentina my quality and fight for a spot in the starting line-up.

‘I thank all Man United fans for their love but I’m here to stay.’

Chelsea end home run in superb style

2008/9 The last time

Chelsea claimed a League double over Manchester City

HAMMERs wAiT On cARROLL AppEAL WeST ham should discover later today whether or not andy Carroll will be banned for three games after appealing to the Football association following the striker’s sending-off against Swansea.

Carroll was shown a straight red card by referee howard Webb after an altercation with Swans defender Chico Flores during the hammers’ 2-0 win on Saturday.

West ham have until 1pm today to submit evidence in their bid to have the england man’s

fa cup

Phone chat: Meulensteen seeking some Saintly advice

automatic suspension overturned. hammers boss Sam allardyce said: ‘We will hope that the appeal will work. hopefully we don’t lose andy for three games. he’s gutted. he’s absolutely beside himself. ‘all I can hope is the panel, in the cold light of day, see it for what it is. he [Webb] can’t be certain of what’s happened, except that Flores is overexaggerating, which is generally the norm for him, unfortunately.’

failed to convert Aleksandar Kolarov’s cross and David Silva turned a Toure centre narrowly wide of the target.

Yet Chelsea threatened on the break and, in typical Mourinho-like fashion, took the lead in the 32nd minute.

Eden Hazard picked out Ramires inside the area, his shot was blocked but the ball came to Ivanovic and he rifled a low first-time left-foot shot past the despairing dive of Joe Hart.

Samuel Eto’o nearly made it two on the stroke of half time when Hazard’s pass came to him at the far post but his shot thudded against the crossbar.

Chelsea should have added to their tally in the second half – Nemanja Matic and Gary Cahill both struck the woodwork – as City failed to keep up with the Blues’ fluid midfield, especially the irrepressible Hazard.

Edin Dzeko had City’s best chance in the second half but fluffed his shot and Chelsea claimed the win.

Sir Alex gives Rene a ring of confidence Fulham boss Rene meulensteen hopes a pep talk from Sir alex Ferguson can help him convince his squad they have the quality to stay in the Premier league.

The Cottagers slipped to the foot of the table after they were beaten 3-0 at home by Southampton on Saturday, but have the chance to record a morale-boosting victory against Sheffield united in

tonight’s Fa Cup fourth-round replay at Craven Cottage.

The Dutchman remains in

‘Sir Alex is always a phone call away’ regular contact with Ferguson, with whom he worked at manchester united. meulensteen said:

‘I have spoken to him on and off. he is always a phone call away.

‘Whenever we [united] stared into adversity or disappointment, I have always found him remarkably strong in those moments.

‘You could never spot any doubt in his words or behaviour. That always transferred back to the players and I want to do exactly the same [at Fulham].’

football

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City juggernaut Pell of a night: Manuel Pellegrini mulls over a tough evening at the Etihad PicTURe: acTiOn imaGeS

Tuesday, February 4, 2014 METRO HERALD 23

fOOTbALL DigEsT

ML-Yes: Beckham

Becks closing on his Miami ‘chise DaviD Beckham’S plan to set-up a major League Soccer [mLS] franchise in miami is set to be confirmed tomorrow.

The former england captain will make a ‘significant announcement’ along with mLS commissioner Don Garber in miami. The former La Galaxy star and his fellow investors will spend the next two days drumming up support for the project, including at an invitation-only reception tonight. Beckham, who retired from playing last year, was given an option to acquire an mLS franchise at a discounted rate of $25million (£15m) when he joined the Galaxy. if funding for a stadium – mooted as a 25,000-seater on the Floridian capital’s waterfront – can be agreed, Beckham’s team is likely to start competing in 2017.

THEy sAiD iT ‘You have to be the owner to bring players to the club and sack the manager. I did think it was strange, to say the least.’

pReMieR league

taBle

arsenal man city chelsea Liverpool everton Tottenham man Utd newcastle South’ton aston villa Stoke Swansea hull Sunderland norwich West Brom crystal Pal West ham cardiff Fulham

P W D L F 24 17 4 3 47 24 17 2 5 68 24 16 5 3 44 24 14 5 5 58 24 12 9 3 37 24 13 5 6 31 24 12 4 8 38 24 11 4 9 32 24 9 8 7 34 24 7 6 11 27 24 6 7 11 24 24 6 6 12 29 24 6 6 12 23 24 6 6 12 25 24 6 6 12 19 24 4 11 9 28 24 7 2 15 15 24 5 7 12 24 24 5 6 13 19 24 6 1 17 22

A 21 27 20 29 25 32 29 31 27 34 38 35 30 36 37 34 33 33 41 53

Pts 55 53 53 47 45 44 40 37 35 27 25 24 24 24 24 23 23 22 21 19

february gunner define season for Koscielny Laurent KoscieLny admits February could be make-or-break for arsenal as they bid to end their eight-year trophy drought. a formidable fixture list sees the Gunners face Liverpool in the league on saturday, plus the Fa cup, in addition to a visit from Manchester united. throw in a champions League last-16 clash with Bayern Munich

on February 19 and it all makes for anxious reading, but centreback Koscielny remains focused.

‘February is very important for us but the season is long and the other teams will play against the teams who try to win the league,’ said the 28-year-old.

With a number of key individuals sidelined through injury or suspension, the

Frenchman’s partnership with Per Mertesacker at the heart of defence is vital to any title hopes. aaron ramsey still has a thigh problem and new signing Kim Kallstrom faces six weeks out but Jack Wilshere should make saturday’s trip to anfield. ‘it’s the team who will be the most consistent in the league that will win it,’ Koscielny added.

Leeds boss Brian McDermott reflects on a weekend which saw him sacked, reinstated, and find an unknown Italian player at training yesterday

Sterling champions an error-free Reds Raheem STeRLinG has warned Liverpool must stop making mistakes if their bid for champions League football is to succeed. The Reds dropped points at West Brom after kolo Toure’s error allowed victor anichebe to cancel out a Daniel Sturridge opener on Sunday.

With arsenal visiting anfield on Saturday, the grip Brendan Rodgers’ team have on fourth place could well slip but Sterling is confident they can hold on to their position. ‘hopefully we can cut the mistakes out of our game and be right up there at the end of the season,’ the 19-year-old winger said.

fixTuREs

Big month: Koscielny

The FA Cup with Budweiser Fourth Round Replay Fulham v Sheff Utd ..................................................(7.45pm) TV ITV 4 Sky Bet League 1 Bristol city v coventry ................................................................

Stevenage v Gillingham..............................................................

Sky Bet League 2 Bury v Oxford Utd .......................................................................

Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Northern Area Final First Leg Fleetwood Town v chesterfield ..................................................

24 METRO HERALD Tuesday, February 4, 2014

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Seahawks flying high after rout of Broncos in Superbowl

«See pAge 21

picturE: inpho

sHAun Of THE DREAD Edwards ready to go on defensive for Aviva visit

Shaun EdwardS believes wales face ‘a huge job’ defensively when they tackle try-hungry Ireland in dublin this Saturday. wales only conceded three touchdowns during their entire rBS Six nations campaign last season, and they were all scored by Ireland in the opening game as Brian O’driscoll, Simon Zebo and Cian healy underpinned a 30-22 Millennium Stadium victory.

Ireland also posted a treble in the late loss to world champions new Zealand less than three months ago, and then repeated it against opening Six nations opponents Scotland on Sunday. ‘we are under no illusions, particularly defensively, of what we are about to face, and we will be hugely motivated for it,’ wales assistant coach and defence specialist Edwards said. ‘we have a huge job

Big job ahead: Edwards knows his Welsh defence will be up against it when they face Ireland

defensively on our hands this week against one of the top attack coaches in the world, a team that is in form.

‘They have got threats all over the park. I would say, having come to our ground and beat us last year, that they are slight favourites going into the game. They are playing on their home ground and they are in pretty good form. ‘we’ve always had great battles with them over the years, with the victories ebbing and flowing to each side.’

Edwards singled out scrum-half Conor Murray for praise as the wales players began preparations ahead of a fixture that promises to have a considerable bearing on where this season’s Six nations title might end up. ‘he is a guy who plays with his head up and tries to attack where he thinks the opposition are at their weakest. we need to be on our guard.’

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SIX NATIONS – pAge 21

ivanovic clinches a special victory

by RicHARD HOOkHAM

CHELSEA issued a defiant reminder of their title credentials last night as they claimed a deserved 1-0 victory at rivals Manchester City.

Branislav Ivanovic blasted in a superb 33rdminute winner as the Blues moved level on points with Manuel Pellegrini’s second-placed side and just two behind leaders Arsenal.

Boss Jose Mourinho got his tactics spot on as Chelsea – far from parking the proverbial bus – took the game to their free-scoring opponents.

They also hit the woodwork three times as City saw their cherished unbeaten home record in the league and hopes of making it 12 straight wins

Big win: Jose saw his Chelsea side to victory at the Etihad emphatically blown away.

City came close to equalising through David Silva, Yaya Toure and substitute Stevan Jovetic but Chelsea shut up shop to ensure they sealed a precious league double over Pellegrini’s men.

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mATch repOrT – pAge 23

Bran’s the man: Ivanovic leads the celebrations after his goal last night pIcTUre: Ap