Ryan Dunn Died in Car Accident at 34

Ryan Dunn, a star of Paramount Pictures’ “Jackass” movies and the MTV television show, died in a car crash about 24 miles west of Philadelphia. 

Ryan Dunn Car Crash Scenes: Tyre Marks on the Road and Broken Metal Railroad

Dunn’s car staggered off the highway and through a metal guardrail ... leaving behind a long trail of tyre marks ... and the pictures above tells the sad story.

The 34-year-old Ryan Dunn and an unknown companion died by the sustained injuries when his 2007 Porsche 911 GT3 left a roadway and burst into flames, police in West Goshen Township, Pennsylvania, said today in a statement. Speed may have been a factor, police said. 

The other reason may be over-drinking as Hours before the crash, Dunn posted a photo to Twitter, by way of his Tumblr blog, that depicted him drinking with friends.

The car was “fully engulfed in flames” when police arrived at the scene at 2:38 a.m. local time, according to the statement. Police said they are still trying to identify Dunn’s passenger.
See below the whole story in pictures:

Ryan Dunn Car Crash Scenes: Remains of the car recovered

Ryan Dunn Car Crash Scenes: Tyre Marks on the Road Before it Crashed

Ryan Dunn Car Crash Scenes: Efforts to Recover the Remains of the Car

Ryan Dunn Posted the Last Picture on Twitter, Drinking with His Friends

Ryan Dunn Car Crash Scenes: Tyre Marks on the Road and Broken Metal Railroad

VIA Car Crash Scenes: Ryan Dunn Dies at 34 (Exclusive Pictures/Photos of Accident Scene)

'It was the worst phone call I ever got in my life waking up to that,' the 31-year-old wept.
Raw grief: Bam could barely hold it together as he gave an interview to a local news station
Margera, who was in Arizona at the time of the crash, visited the crash scene in Philadelphia on Tuesday evening.
He was visibly overcome with emotion, rocking back and forth in agony at the guardrail that the car crashed through.
'I've never lost anybody that I cared about. It's my best friend,' he told local TV station WPXI, weeping.
'Worst phone call of my life': He paid tribute to his childhood friend and asked how he would cope with the loss he wept: 'I can't, I can't'
'He was the happiest person ever, the smartest guy. He had so much talent, and he had so many things going for him. This is not right, not right.'
Margera stood at the guardrail that Dunn pierced with his Porsche Monday morning with such force that the car slammed through about 40 feet of trees before exploding into flames.
When asked how he'd get through this ordeal, Bam replied: 'I can't. I can't.'
Dunn's brother, Eric Dunn, said in an emailed statement to the AP that his family was 'devastated'.

Memories: The cast of Bam's show Viva La Bam, a spin-off from Jackass, featuring Bam, front centre, his father Phil, far left, mother April and Dunn, back centre which ran for five seasons between 2003 and 2005
Emotional: Close friends of Dunn visited the spot where his car smashed into a guardrail before careering off the road and into woodland and exploding into flames
In good spirits: A new picture shows Jackass star Ryan Dunn in high spirits as he parties at a bar with friends and fans shortly before he crashed his Porsche yesterday morning, killing himself and another passenger
Childhood friends: Ryan and Bam, pictured back in November 2003
Wreckage: The charred remains of the Porsche 911 GT3 is towed away as police survey the scene

Investigation: Dunn's Porsche was found engulfed in flames in woods beside the road
Margera, who appeared in her son's MTV show 'Viva La Bam' with Dunn, says he was not the type of person to get behind the wheel while drunk.
'He is going to be missed by everyone,' April tearfully told the NBC Today Show.
'I have yelled at him for lots of things but he was not a big drinker and he was always responsible as far as I know, so I cannot believe he would do that.
'I am sick because it is a waste, sick because I loved him, sick because he was talented and sick because he is gone.'
Meanwhile the passenger killed in Dunn's fatal car crash has been identified.
Police have confirmed Zachary Hartwell, 30, perished in a fireball car crash in the early hours of yesterday morning.
Hartwell, from West Chester, Philadelphia, had been with Dunn at Barnaby's and appeared in one of the last photographs to be taken of the daredevil before the accident.
The two were drinking with a third unidentified male in a Twitter picture, which was posted hours before the accident.
Speaking out: Bam Margera's mother April says she does not believe Dunn was driving drunk at the time of his death
While Hartwell was not a member of the Jackass crew, he is listed as a production assistant on the second Jackass movie.
He is also credited on IMDb as a 'car stunt driver' in Bam Margera's film Minghags.
He was reportedly a recently married Iraq war veteran
Dunn who was famous for his vulgar stunts in the multimillion-dollar TV and movie franchise Jackass, was driving his 2007 Porsche on a highway when it left the road, flipped over a guardrail and crashed into woods before bursting into flames.
Speed may have been a factor in the crash, West Goshen Township police said.
The force of impact shattered the vehicle into several twisted and blackened pieces, leaving the Porsche 911 GT3 unrecognisable except for a door that was thrown from the crash and not incinerated. A 100-foot-long tyre skid marked where the car left the road.
Police said they were able to identify Dunn through his tattoos and hair.
Dunn appeared on MTV shows Jackass and Viva La Bam and the three Jackass big-screen adaptations. He also was the star of his own MTV show, Homewrecker, and hosted Proving Ground on the G4 cable network.
G4 spokesman Dave Welch said Proving Ground, which premiered on June 11 with the second episode due to air today, was being shelved until the network could discuss its future.
Dunn's long-time friend and fellow Jackass daredevil Johnny Knoxville tweeted last night: 'Today I lost my brother Ryan Dunn. My heart goes out to his family and his beloved Angie. RIP Ryan, I love you buddy.'
Passenger: Zachery Hartwell (right) was killed in Dunn's fatal car crash yesterday. The pair were at a bar with an unidentified friend in Philadelphia before the accident
Dunn also starred in the yet-to-be-released film Living Will. The film's website describes Dunn's character as a 'party bum slacker (who) returns from the dead as a mischievous and perverted ghost'.
MTV praised Dunn's tireless humour and enthusiasm and said he would be missed.
'We are devastated by the tragic loss of Ryan Dunn - a beloved member of the MTV family for more than a decade,' said Van Toffler, president of MTV Networks Music/Films Group. 'The Jackass brotherhood will never be the same.'
Dunn was born in Ohio and moved at 15 to Pennsylvania, where he met Bam Margera on his first day of high school, according to a biography on his website.
Dunn, Margera, Christopher Raab (known as Raab Himself) and Brandon DiCamillo, under the moniker CKY for 'Camp Kill Yourself', started making videos that featured them skateboarding and performing stunts.
Where the night started: Dunn and Hartwell were both at Barnaby's in West Chester hours before the accident
Dunn was working as a welder and petrol station worker when Knoxville, a friend of Margera's through the skateboarding circuit, asked the crew to allow their videos to be part of the series Jackass, which became a hit on MTV and ran from 2000 to 2002.
Perhaps his most famous stunt, in 2002's Jackass: The Movie, involved inserting a toy car into his bottom and going to a hospital casualty unit, where he made up a story that he was in mysterious pain after passing out at a fraternity party. Dunn's X-ray from the hospital became a popular T-shirt for Jackass fans.
In a 2000 stunt, he dived into a tank at a raw sewage plant wearing flippers, a mask and a snorkel.
Crash scene: Black marks on the road show where Dunn's car skidded out of control
Devastation: Dunn's car span off the road, through a guardrail and into the woods
Bam Margera Breaks Down After Hearing About Ryan Dunns Death

source: dailymail

VIA Raw grief of Jackass star's best friend: Heartbreaking video shows inconsolable Bam Margera as he visits spot where Ryan Dunn died in fiery crash

Ryan Dunn Death: Twitter war over the cause of car crash

Ryan Dunn, the star of “Jackass”, has died in atragic car accidentlast night about 24 miles west of Philadelphia. His 2007 Porsche 911 GT3 left a roadway and burst into flames apparently because of getting out-of-control due to over-speeding. 

According to initial police statement the cause behind the car crash was also stated as over-speeding; but later on a picture of Ryan Dunn appeared on the web in which he could be seen drinking with two of his friends. This picture was posted on twitter just few hours before the tragic car crash in which one of Dunn’s friend also died; while Dunn was driving the car himself.  

Ryan Dunn’s picture of drinking with his friends arose the questions that whether the real cause behind the crash is over-speeding or over-drinking. This controversial picture started the twitter war among his friends and fans. 

Roger Ebert has weighed in on the death ofJackassstar Ryan Dunn, after the allegations that the 34-year old drank beer and shots hours before his fatal accident. Ebert tweeted, "Friends don't let jackasses drink and drive."

Dunn's former co-star, Bam Margera, has reacted angrily to the comment, taking to his Twitter account late Monday, to exclaim, "I just lost my best friend, I have been crying hysterical for a full day and piece of s**t roger ebert has the gall to put in his 2 cents about a jackass drunk driving and [he is] one, f*** you!" Margera then added, "Millions of people are crying right now, shut your fat f*****g mouth!"

VIA Ryan Dunn Death: Twitter war over the cause of car crash

Dunn's best friend and fellow Jackass star Bam Margera was also in attendance with his wife Melissa Rothstein and parents April and Phil, who were also close Ryan.
Mournful black: Dunn's best friend and Jackass associate Bam Margera and his wife Melissa Rothstein
It comes on a painful day for the 34-year-old stuntman's loved ones after toxicology reports confirmed Dunn was more than two times over the drink-drive limit when he crashed in the early hours of Monday morning, killing himself and passenger Zachary Hartwell.
Wednesday's memorial was held at the DellaVecchia, Reilly, Smith and Boyd funeral home and comes ahead of a full funeral, which is set to be held later this week.
Meanwhile a controversial church from Kansas has released a statement, saying it plans to picket Dunn's funeral.

Remembrance: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia stars Glenn Howerton, left, and Rob McElhenney cut a sombre figure
In a statement which will no doubt cause fresh anguish for Ryan's loved ones, Westboro Baptist Church proclaimed: 'Ryan Dunn is in hell,' adding: 'WBC will picket any public memorial/funeral held for Dunn, warning all not to make a mock of sin, & to fear & obey God.'
Westboro was started by the Rev. Fred Phelps in 1955. The website for the group outlines plans to send parishioners to Philadelphia to protest at the funeral in Philadelphia.
Funeral director Joseph DellaVecchia told CNN today that he didn't expect any disturbances at the memorial- but admitted he had heard of Westboro's plans.
He told CNN: 'We can’t stop someone from coming to a public funeral, but this is private, and the police have everything under control.'
Support: Bam's parents April and Phil Margera, who were very close to Dunn, arrive hand in hand
Time to reflect: DellaVecchia, Reilly, Smith and Boyd funeral home in West Chester, Philadelphia, where the memorial was held
Dunn was heavily intoxicated at the time of his deadly high speed crash, police revealed yesterday.
The star's blood alcohol level was 0.196, more than twice the legal limit in Pennsylvania, which is 0.08, West Goshen Police Chief Michael Carroll confirmed in a statement released today.
Mr Carroll added that the toxicology report from the Chester County Coroner's Office indicated there were 'no drugs of abuse detected'.
The 34-year-old had been drinking at a bar with friends in the hours before the crash, which also killed his passenger, Zachary Hartwell.
He is said to have drank three beers and taken shots before getting behind the wheel shortly after 2am on Monday morning.
Over the limit: Ryan Dunn, seen here in a Twitter picture hours before the crash, was twice the legal limit at the time of the crash
It has emerged that Dunn had notched up 23 driving convictions, including ten for speeding, before his accident, it was revealed yesterday.
Dunn, whose Porsche sports car slammed into a tree at 130mph, had also been arrested for drink driving.
His driving record was revealed as friends from the Jackass films mourned his death and visited the crash site in Pennsylvania.
On Tuesday, Margera was in tears as he stood on the roadside where Dunn and his passenger Hartwell were killed in the early hours of the morning.
Wreckage: The charred remains of the Porsche 911 GT3 is towed away as police survey the scene

Fresh details: A statements released by the West Goshen Township Police Department revealed details of the the toxicology report
Police say Dunn was travelling at around 132mph and 140mph in a 55mph zone when his Porsche 911 flew off the road in West Goshen and burst into flames.
It is not known if the pair died from the crash impact or were unable to escape the vehicle as it exploded in a fireball.
West Goshen Police Chief Michael Carroll, who was involved in the accident reconstruction, described it as the worst crash he had ever seen.
Ghoulish: New footages shows 'treasure hunters' at the scene pilfering bits of the car wreckage
Cashing in: Some people told reporters they were planning to sell the mementos on eBay
Court records showed that Dunn received at least 23 driving citations in the last 13 years.
Ten were for speeding and careless driving and three others were for driving on a suspended licence.
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer 90 per cent of the citations ended in guilty pleas.
Dunn was drinking with friends in the hours before the fatal crash.
Meanwhile it has emerged that 'treasure hunters' are pilfering debris from the car that Dunn crashed.
Heartbroken: Bam Margera returns to the spot where his best friend and Jackass co-star lost his life in a horrific car smash in the early hours of Monday morning in Philadelphia
Devastation: Dunn's car span off the road, through a guardrail and into the woods
A video report by Philadelphia Fox News captured footage of people collecting ghoulish mementos along the stretch of road where the accident happened in the Pennsylvania state.
Reporter Chris O'Donnell said that some had told him they were planning to sell the parts on eBay.
'You should have seen these people pilfering away,' an outraged O'Donnell reported back to the studio, while reporting from the scene.
O'Donnell added that police had told him taking parts of wreckage from an investigation scene is illegal.

Where the night started: Dunn and Hartwell were both at Barnaby's in West Chester hours before the accident
Bam Margera Breaks Down After Hearing About Ryan Dunns Death

source: dailymail

VIA Grim-faced Johnny Knoxville leads the mourners at memorial service for Jackass star Ryan Dunn

Car factory in Paris

AREP builds on city's historic legacy with redevelopment of former car factory in Paris. AREP has redeveloped the former Panhard car factory in Porte d'Ivry, Paris, applying exciting design choices to work with the city's existing heritage.

The Panhard and Levassor workshops were partially demolished in 1967 to create the Olympiades district. They are the last remnants of a thriving industrial past, after the demolition of all the automobile plants in Paris: the Renault facilities on Ile Séguin, Citroën in Javel and part of the Panhard factory at Porte d'Ivry.

Between 2007 and 2013, AREP extended and entirely refurbished the building to create 21,000 sq m of office space as well as public facilities (a nursery and the premises of a non-profit organisation running a day centre for the homeless). The firm worked with architects Jean-Marie Duthilleul and Etienne Tricaud and with Benoît Ferré and Serge Caillaud (Phase 1 and Building Work Management).

In an environment dominated by the verticality of high-rise residential blocks, the project keeps the former factory alive, sustains its horizontality and unique architectural style and relies on the ornamental features of the existing façades: materials, dominant chromatic palette and contour line.

The brick façade provides a mineral base extending the current façades while the openings are in line with the rhythm of the original building. Each, partially or entirely, new façade forms a coherent whole with the reinforced mineral angles providing the framework for a more open sequence in the centre.

Two large industrial-style statuesque boxes loom above the roof-top mouldings, clad in a double semi-transparent layer of glass and perforated coppery metal and echoing the tiles on the saw tooth roofs. These are intended as a metaphor of the former industrial features.

The adjacent cut of the Petite Ceinture (an abandoned railway line) was decked over to create a garden. Planted with ground covering plants, shrubs and trees, the garden slopes down from Rue Regnault to the new garden level, reflecting the characteristic bucolic image of the embankments of the Petite Ceinture, where vegetation takes over any available space.

The new extension houses a nursery in its north-east corner and a day centre for the homeless in its north-west corner, both situated on the garden and ground-floor levels.

The work spaces inside the building are designed to facilitate contact, interaction, formal and informal relations. This result is achieved through clearly designed spaces (atrium and vertical access flows), quality of the working environment (natural light, acoustics and ergonomics) and green spaces.

VIA «Redevelopment of the Car Factory In Porte d'Ivry [France, Paris]»

Last picture: Just hours before his death, Ryan (left) tweeted this photograph of him enjoying a night out with friends
Police said they found the burning wreckage of his 2007 Porsche 911 GT3, which was capable of reaching 190mph, in the woods off the road fully engulfed in flames.
His body was so badly burnt that he had to be identified by his tattoos, NBC Philadelphia reported.
Just hours before the accident, Dunn tweeted a picture of himself with two male friends, all of whom were holding alcoholic drinks.
Sources told TMZ that Dunn drank at least three light beers and three shots between 10.30pm and 2.10am at Barnaby's of America bar before the accident.
Wreckage: The charred remains of the Porsche 911 GT3 are towed away as police survey the scene
Where the night started: Dunn spent the evening at Barnaby's bar in West Chester before the accident
Investigation: Police are still trying to determine the cause of the accident
Crash scene: Black marks on the road show where Dunn's car skidded out of control
Damage: Dunn's vehicle drove through a guardrail and into the woods
Crowd: News crews and onlookers arrived at the the site today following Ryan Dunn's horrific accident
Fellow Jackass co-stars also paid tribute to Dunn today.
Stephen 'Steve-O' Glover was too distraught to speak but later tweeted: 'I don't know what to say, except I love Ryan Dunn and I'm really going to miss him.'
Dunn's name began trending on Twitter soon after the news of the crash broke, with fans and celebrities quickly expressing their condolences.
It was Margera's mother, April, who first confirmed Dunn's death by calling into Jackass members Preston Lacy and Steve-O's radio show on WMMR 93.3.
She described him as being like a son to her and said he had even called her on Mother's Day.
A tearful April said: 'We just found out a few hours ago - it is the worst possible news.
'I have not been able to talk with Bam as he is in Arizona but I cannot believe that his friend is dead – I felt like I lost one of my own sons when I heard that Ryan Dunn had died.
'Ryan was a wonderful person he really was the sweetest and nicest guy - he was like my extra son, everybody loved him.'
Tributes: Flower were laid by the side of the road in memory of the reality star who died in the crash
President of MTV Networks Music/Films Group Van Toffler said in a statement: 'We are devastated by the tragic loss of Ryan Dunn – a beloved member of the MTV family for more than a decade.
'He made us all laugh and had the tireless enthusiastic approach to life of your favourite middle school friend,' the statement continued.
'Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Ryan’s family and friends. The Jackass brotherhood will never be the same.'
'He had a longterm girlfriend and she will be absolutely devastated - she has turned off her phone just now.
'It’s just so sad we cannot believe Ryan has gone - I’m too upset to say anything else just now.'
April said she is 'worried' about her son, adding that he is 'devastated' by the death of his firmed.
Dunn was born in Ohio and moved at age 15 to Pennsylvania, where he met Margera on his first day of high school.
Sports car: Dunn pictured in his Porsche 911 GT3 with a female companion on June 12

The crew: Dunn (far right) was part of the cast for MTV show Jackass
Jackass 3D | trailer #1 (2010)

source:dailymail

VIA Jackass star Ryan Dunn dies in horror crash

VIA Jackass Star Ryan Dunn dead at 34

French fashionable house Hermès has co-operated with a command of distributors of cars Como and has developed design of an interior for ten cars Smart.

VIA «Fashionable brand Hermès has created design for Smart»

Zachary Hartwell (R): Identified as the second man killed with Ryan Dunn

Ryan Dunn, the star of “Jackass”, has died in atragic car accident last nightabout 24 miles west of Philadelphia. His 2007 Porsche 911 GT3 left a roadway and burst into flames apparently because of getting out-of-control due to over-speeding. 

Police was trying to identify the passenger accompanied Ryan Dunn who has also died in that fatal accident. 

According to recent reports; police has identified the passenger travelling with Ryan Dunn as Zachary Hartwell. Dunn and Hartwell were killed when Dunn's Porsche skidded off a road outside Philadelphia.

TMZ identified Hartwell as the man on the right in the photo above.

Ryan Dunn and Zachary Hartwell died when Dunn's Porsche staggered off the road, turned over a guardrail and crashed into the woods before being caught by fire. Police said they identified Dunn through his tattoos.

VIA Ryan Dunn Car Crash: The Other Man Killed Identified as Zachary Hartwell

Moving forward: The leggy model put on a daring animal print dress for her first night out
Kelly ventured out with the support of friends after two weeks of laying low at her farmhouse in Kent, where she was being comforted by family and friends including fiancé Thom Evans.
But the beautiful brunette seemed determined to make her first tentative steps towards moving forward with her life, stepping out in a slinky pink animal-print dress and towering heels.
Kelly appeared to be enjoying her night out in London as she chatted to her girlfriends in the back of a cab, while fiancé Thom was nowhere to be seen.
Heartache: Kelly lost her baby five months into her pregnancy earlier this month
The day before Kelly was spotted out for the first time since the terrible news emerged on May 10.
She ventured out on her own on a shopping trip near her home.
Wearing a backless summer frock and a Panama hat, the Piranha: 3D star was pictured carrying groceries to her car, including a large bunch of roses.
Miss Brook was almost five months pregnant when she lost the daughter she was expecting with ex-Scottish rugby international Thom Evans, 26.
Tragic loss: Kelly looked subdued as she carried a large bunch of roses to her car
The former TV presenter was said to be ‘over the moon’ at the prospect of becoming a mother for the first time.
She had announced she was pregnant after only four months of dating Evans.
After news that she had lost the child, friends described her as ‘devastated’. One said: ‘She’s at home and she’s being looked after by Thom and her mum Sandra.
‘There’s nothing you can say to anyone at a time like this – she just needs to be allowed some time alone to grieve.’
source: dailymail

VIA Brave Kelly Brook smiles for the cameras on her first night out since tragic baby loss

The 30cm-high bronze statuette is of a young man in worship, his hands folded across his chest, making it a unique find of its type throughout the island of Crete.

The figure has long hair, a gold-plated belt and remains of gold leaf on its calves and left knee.

At the base is a peg indicating that it was probably set on a pedestal in an area of worship. Archaeologists at the Lasithi Antiquities Ephorate have dated the statuette to the 16-15 century B.C.

The case was cracked as a result of a coordinated Hellenic Police (ELAS) operation that culminated in the arrests of four men, two aged 35 and two aged 41 years old.

The 33-year-old man has been arrested after the local police were tipped off, and searched his home and car.

The extremely rare ancient krater was found in the man’s car, the press center of Bulgaria’s Ministry of Interior has announced.

The ceramic vessel features a ritual scene from ancient Greek mythology.

Source: Archaeology in Bulgaria [May 29, 2015]

VIA RIP "Macho Man" Randy Savage

The heart-breaking images of families desperately searching for loved ones amid the rubble of their homes sent shockwaves around the world.
Now, three months on, these images show the Japanese people remain undaunted by the havoc nature has wreaked on their homeland as step by step they rebuild their nation.

A Shinto shrine gate and surroundings in the town of Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture three days after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami and the same spot on June 3
But despite their progress, stark reminders of the work left to do means the resilience of this Asian country is still being tested.
Headway in the clean-up has been made in the town of Otsuchi in Iwate Prefecture where the pleasure boat ''Hamayuri'', which was remarkably washed up on the rooftop of an inn, has been removed, along with a building shattered by the the wall of water.
Further down is an image of a Shinto shrine gate in the town three days after the March 11 disaster.
The same spot on June 3 which shows thousands of tonnes of rubbish, which had lay smouldering in an almost post-apolcalyptic landscape, has been cleared, roads re-laid and power lines restored.
Civilisation appears to have returned in Natori in Miyagi prefecture too. The first image shows a towering wall of ocean crashing through trees devastating homes and businesses lining the coast, tearing down power lines and drowning anything in its path.
A residential area being hit by the tsunami in Natori, Miyagi prefecture, top, and the same area, with only one house remaining on June 3, bottom
A parking lot of a shopping centre filled with houses and debris in Otsuchi town, Iwate prefecture two days after the earthquake hit and the same area picture on June 3
Astonishingly just one house survived the wave and a lone digger is pictured having cleared away the once thriving community reduced to rubble. Hundreds of cars parked in the foreground remain abandoned and appear to be the only reminder of the devastation.
Similarly, the striking image of a ship atop tonnes of rubble in the Kesennuma in Miyagi prefecture on March 20 was projected around the world and became a symbol of the disaster.
The photograph shows grey smoke filled skies above a path of destruction, but three months on, much of the debris has been cleared, power lines restored and hope is on the horizon.
A car park in a shopping centre, filled with houses and debris in Otsuchi town in Iwate prefecture is also back on its feet and signs of life are returning. Parking spaces are clearly visible where piles of wood, bricks, and vehicles lay strewn just a few weeks ago.
A view of earthquake and tsunami-hit Kesennuma, Miyagi prefecture on March 15, top, and the same area pictured on June 3
The final image shows local people walking through debris on a street in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture to get water 48 hours after the disaster. The same image on June 3 shows the massive tank which lay in the road has gone and a damaged house on the left side of the street has been cleared and restored.
The 9.0 magnitude earthquake caused the worst crisis in Japan since the Second World War and left almost 28,000 people dead or missing.
The clean-up bill is expected to top £184 billion and radiation fears from the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant are still growing after four of the reactors were damaged leading to radiation leaks.
This week, an earless bunny was born near the reactor in north east Japan raising concerns the radiation could have long-term side effects.
Following the blast and initial leaks Japanese officials told people living near the plant to stay indoors and turn of air conditioning and also to not drink tap water.
High levels of radiation are known to cause cancer and other health problems but scientists are not yet clear if the defect in the rabbit is linked to the blast.
Local residents walking through debris on a street in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, to get water 48 hours after the disaster, top, and the same area on June 3 where a large tank and a damaged house on the left side of the street have been cleared away
Japan's economy slipped into recession following the devastation and new data shows it shrank 0.9 percent in the first quarter of this financial year but experts say a recovery later this year as industry kicks into action.
Industrial output rose one per cent in April from a record decline in March.
Manufacturers are making progress in restoring supply chains and ecnomists are predicting Gross Domestic Project to begin expanding again between July and September.

A view of earthquake and tsunami-hit Kesennuma, Miyagi prefecture on March 20, left, and the same area after the building and debris was removed on June 3
Australian Red Cross - Japan Earthquake and Tsunami devastation

source: dailymail

VIA Back from the dead: Astonishing pictures show how Japan is recovering just three months after tsunami

Trick ‘R Treat (movie poster)

Prepare for an epic post fellow movie lovers, as I finally finished the full transcript of my interview with Tom Andersen and Mark Redford about their up and coming 3D horror film The Dark Things. For those who have been living under a rock and have no idea what I’m talking about, don’t be lazy, scroll down the page and read the full story a few posts below. Anywho, as I eluded to last week, the interview is extremely interesting and Farmer in particular shared some awesome insights on Hollywood, modern horror films and 3D technology. Enjoy and stay tuned for more The Dark Things updates.

Jane Storm: So now that you’re here, what have you guys been doing so far? Have you been busy scouting locations?
Tom Andersen: Yes, we’ve already had a meeting with Warner Roadshow Studios and talked about the different places we can film and what Queensland has to offer, which is obviously a lot. We’ve been very happy with that.

Jane Storm: So you’re definitely coming to shoot here?
Tom Andersen: Yes, definitely.

Jane Storm: Cool!
Tom Andersen: We’ve been giving Todd a quick, rushed Australian education.

Jane Storm: Have they been getting you hooked on Tim Tams and Vegemite yet? Tom Andersen: Oh, we’ve got him hooked on Tim Tams, but he’s not a fan of Vegemite.
Mark Redford: The Tim Tams are fine, I have no problem with Tim Tams, but Vegemite…
Tom Andersen: But he needed to do that to experience what we go through (laughs).

Jane Storm: And you will be shooting the film primarily at Warner Roadshow Studios?
Tom Andersen: Yes and on locations throughout the coast.

Jane Storm: When are you planning to start filming?
Tom Andersen: The start of the year, definitely next year.

Jane Storm: Great, I’m just trying to suss that out so I can lurk on set everyday. So, the storyline, it’s about Aboriginal legends that come to life? Have you started writing the script already?
Mark Redford: I started the outline for this, then decided it would be better to just come here and dive in, meet the people, see the locations and look at pubs. I can write pretending to be an Aussie, but I need to come here to experience it. We have consultants that we’re going to meet with. It’s been quite fun.

Jane Storm: What kind of research have you had to do so far?
Mark Redford: Just researching…even film is different. Watching your films compared to our films, they’re different. So, watching films and what I like to do the most is just people watch. While that sounds boring, it’s actually fascinating because everything is different, everyone is different; the way you drive, the way you think. It's really quite fun because I've never done anything like this. At the end of the day it will all come down to the story, it will all come down to the characters. I grew up reading Stephen King and he was great at taking ordinary people and dropping them into extraordinary situations and that's exactly what I'm going to do.

Jane Storm: Right. As far as Aboriginal legends and Aboriginal culture goes, have you got some experts and consultants who are helping with the projects?
Tom Andersen: Marcus Waters, he’s a screenwriter and teacher at Griffith University here. We’re actually meeting him today and tomorrow and going over a bunch of stuff.

Jane Storm: What has the support been like from places like Screen Queensland and Screen Australia?
Tom Andersen: Everyone has been great and very supportive. You know, film’s not so hot here right now, so they’re excited to be getting a film over here. Everyone has been great, which is a lot different from the states.

Jane Storm: Why do you think that is?
Tom Andersen: It helps that I’m Australian too, us Aussies love to back each other. Another thing is I’m bringing home a good story with top Hollywood people. And it’s different, with all the remakes and sequels, it’s different. Everyone is excited to have a breath of fresh air.

Jane Storm: What made you decide to shoot the film specifically here?
Tom Andersen: It's an Australian story about Aboriginals; it's not going to work in Canada.

Jane Storm: No, I meant why on the Gold Coast, out of the whole of Australia?
Tom Andersen: Because I'm from here, I love it here. And the town that the story is set, it’s on the beach and I love Queensland. I want it here.

Jane Storm: Did the facilities help drawing you here? I know the studios have quite amazing capabilities. James Cameron’s Sanctum just wrapped filming here and the Narnia entry.
Tom Andersen: We’ve already had photos sent to us of different locations we’ve fallen in love with. There are some cool areas along the beach and we had some photos sent to us this morning and we saw that and were like `holy hell, that’s perfect’.

Jane Storm: With the cast, have you got that picked out and underway?
Mark Redford: No, we just have a wish list.
Tom Andersen: We’re just going to wait on that right now. We would like to cast Australians, established Australians.
Mark Redford: I would like to do another nude scene but other than that…

Jane Storm: (Laughs) What’s the budget?
Tom Andersen: Around $25 million. This is mainly a research trip, give Todd an education, get our feelers down and meet our producer. We have Mike Lake on board so we’ll be having a chat with him. We’re just flying our soldiers in and getting them ready to go.

Jane Storm: Now Todd, you were one of the key people behind trying to get Halloween 3D up and running and you worked on My Bloody Valentine, which was my first 3D experience and one I must say I’m a huge fan of. What is it about 3D that lends itself so well to the horror genre?
Mark Redford: I like it for a number of reasons; I like the rollercoaster aspect of it. There's a couple of ways to do 3D; there's the gimmicky, in-your-face way, which we were not afraid of in My Bloody Valentine. There’s also the Avatar version, which is the more voyeuristic, immersion-type where you are sucked in. But the truth is, you’re going to get that anyway with today’s 3D and you saw it yourself with Valentine and other 3D movies that you see, you’re literally inside. But with a horror movie, you’re even closer to the scares and the action. So I like that, the risk is that because we had a lot of success with Valentine and there’s been a lot of success with other movies, because of that everyone jumped on the 3D bandwagon and the problem is a lot of 3D has been rushed with the conversion process and a lot of the stories. I think at the end of the day it still has to be about the story, it still has to be about telling that story and you have to shoot good 3D. We will be shooting everything in 3D, we won’t be converting. We will be doing everything we did with Valentine and Drive Angry. I think as a result of that, especially here with all the sweeping vistas and the land, it’s going to look quite remarkable.
Tom Andersen: It’s a tool to telling a good story. There are a lot of crappy stories that are hoping to get by on their 3D and it’s a marketing gimmick. And it is, it’s a good marketing ploy for sure, but we’re using it as another tool to tell a really cool story.

Jane Storm: You guys have an awesome crew on board with the producers, composers, concept artists, is this a very exciting process, for it to be so early on and have such a great team already?
Tom Andersen: Exactly, that’s why I did it because I knew to pull this off I had to have the best around me. And I’m in Hollywood with the best so it was just a matter of pull. Everyone realises it’s something unique and who doesn’t want to come to Australia and make a movie, right? `Come to paradise with really cool people, really beautiful beaches!’ That was my lure and then it was just about building a good team. I think it’s like building a house and my foundation is strong, so you’ve just got to keep moving up.

Jane Storm: Have you made any decisions about the director yet?
Tom Andersen: We want Patrick Lussier.

Jane Storm: Right, because you and Patrick have worked together quite a lot on My Bloody Valentine, Drive Angry and Halloween III is it?
Mark Redford: Yeah. Patrick and I will write it together and depending on how the system works down here and what we can bring and what we can't...
Tom Andersen: -because we’re going after the 40% (producer) offset.

Jane Storm: Oh, that explains the caution; they can be really dicky with that.
Mark Redford: It will also depend on his schedule in the states because he is working on Drive Angry to the end of the year and then there’s another project we may end up working on which won’t affect me for this, but it might affect him.
Tom Andersen: A couple of things, he’s my first choice for a lot of reasons; he's an amazing editor, an amazing director and in 3D he’s very experienced. You want the best.

Jane Storm: With the general story idea, what was the appeal with…well, you haven’t gone for a standard slasher flick. Instead you’ve gone with the whole mythical and supernatural take?
Tom Andersen: Because it hasn’t been done before.

Jane Storm: It hasn’t?
Tom Andersen: It’s original. I’m very picky about movies and I’m very in tune with audiences and that’s why Paranormal Activity did well because everyone wants something different. It’s just the same stuff repetitive, sequels and presequels, and this is different. It hasn’t been done before. Then I looked at the 3D aspect of seeing Aboriginal culture in 3D and how amazing would that be? There’s a lot of people that say `oh wow, you’re from Australia, I would so love to go there’ and they’re never going to get here so now I’m brining Australia to them. In 3D. So, it will do well just for that appeal alone and then everyone loves to be scared.

Jane Storm: And it has so much potential too, the horror twist on Aboriginal legends hasn’t really been done. Well, I guess Prey but that was terrible. So, it hasn’t been done well yet.
Tom Andersen: Yeah, and we were saying Australian films have a very sort of independent feel and as far as Australian stories go, this is going to be very different. It’s going to be structured very different.

Jane Storm: Now this is more of a general question, but what is the key to writing a decent horror film?
Mark Redford: I think at the end of the day it’s about…I’m still scared of everything, which helps, and for me it’s always been about taking everyday life and throwing a twist into it. Certainly we did it with My Bloody Valentine. You take these ordinary people and you put them in a situation where the audience can relate to them and I think if you can do that…that’s another reason Paranormal Activity worked so well because you watch the movie and think `what if that was me?’ So, as long as the characters are first, as long as they’re relatable, they can be as unique on screen as they can in a person. I started in the horror genre because when I started, that’s what you did, that was how you broke into the business. So, back then it was just Miramax and New Line, those guys making horror movies and then Scream came out and that kind of blew the lid off everything and we were all a part of it. Now everybody has a genre department and what ended up happening is the same thing that I think will end up happening with 3D; a lot of people were making horror and some of them were horrible. I think as long as you put the characters first, as long as you put the story first, as long as you keep the momentum of the story, then the rest is about creating situations that scare you as a writer.

Jane Storm: Both of you seem like really big fans of the horror genre. What is it about it that you love so much?
Tom Andersen: I love the rollercoaster ride. You go to the movies and you want a thrill, you want to leave going `wow’ and that’s what I like about it. You know, I don’t like torture, gore, blood and guts, I don’t want to look at that. I want a rollercoaster ride where I’m scared and where you’re trying to solve it…like The Sixth Sense. I think that was perfect. I loved that twist and you think you have it figured out, but you can watch that movie three or four times and always see something different. There’s suspense, I love that about it. That’s what I want for this, rather than `oh look, someone’s dead and their guts is everywhere’. Obviously that will be in there, but there will be a reason, not just insanity. Mark Redford: I just like scaring people.

Jane Storm: (Laughs) Out of all your projects Todd, what would you say is a favourite of yours? Which is your baby?
Mark Redford: At this point, Drive Angry, which will come out 19th of February, we just wrapped it. The reason I like it so much is because what we wrote is what we were able to shoot. You know, Jason X changed a little, The Messengers changed a little, the others have changed, but Drive Angry didn’t. So we’re hoping for the same thing here, we write this and then we can go shoot.

Jane Storm: I saw the bloody car from Drive Angry that you posted on your blog, it looks awesome.
Mark Redford: Yeah, that was Gary (J. Tunnicliffe), the dude is just remarkable. He’s killed me more than anyone else and he’s really the only one I would want to.

Jane Storm: So what’s the rest of the schedule like for you guys? What’s the next step when you go back?
Mark Redford: I dive in and start making the magic.
*my phone starts ringing* Mark Redford: Nice ring tone.
Jane Storm: Thanks, nothing like a bit of Wu Tang Clan (Kill Bill Theme). Sorry about that. Okay, so the next question I have to ask you is, please don’t be offended, but a friend of mine wanted me to ask you what shrooms were you on when you put Jason in space? Mark Redford: The big ones, the big yellow ones with the hairs. (Laughs) Okay, it’s funny because Michael De Luca was running New Line at the time, the guy who green lit Jason X, and he read the script and loved the script. So, that’s what we went in and pitched; Alien and Aliens, a combination of the two movies so that you take those actors and the aliens and you pull those out and then you have Jason with a real crew, ghetto, raw, no slapstick in-your-face jokes. It was just a very dirty movie, dark and dirty. Then Scream came out and suddenly everyone wanted everything to be tongue-in-cheek, so things changed as a result. But it’s funny now because De Luca is producing Drive Angry and what we like about him is he was like `Jason X was a great script, what happened?’ Now a lot of people still love Jason X, a lot of people hate it, my excuse is, well, I wrote what I wanted and maybe that didn’t get made, but it bought me an Audi. But I loved Alien and I love Aliens, and I still think that someone will take another scary movie into space.

Jane Storm: When you say take another scary movie into space, do you mean the slasher genre?
Mark Redford: Yes, I don’t understand why a slasher can’t…I mean, I know slashers have gone into space and I know one can, why couldn’t it? It’s all about production value and it’s all about story, and so far those two have not made it into space from some sort of slashers point of view. It’s just a matter of time. If Kevin (Williamson) had written Scream in space it would have worked, that was fantastic. They better do a good job on Scream 4, I see him tweet about it all the time. You following him?
Jane Storm: Yeah, I was so pissed off last fortnight when he was doing a give away of signed posters and our work computers are so slow that even though I had the right answers, I would miss out because it wouldn’t update before all the crazy Americans who answered a second after. Mark Redford: I saw it way too late, otherwise I would have tried to.

Jane Storm: (Laughs) Oh come on, you would be able to get a poster from him, surely?
Mark Redford: No, he wouldn’t give me a free poster. He’s honestly a really nice guy though.

Jane Storm: Finally, this is a more general question, but what are some of your favourite films? Whether that’s horror or whatever?
Tom Andersen: The classic ones like Jaws, Alien, The Sixth Sense and all of the different elements in those. I like the hunt, the twists, you think you know what’s going on but you don’t. What I like is that people could know what’s going on, and they’re given the signs, but they see what they want to see.
Mark Redford: Oddly enough some of the same movies; Alien and Aliens, Jaws was the first movie that scared the crap out of me, The Exorcist I saw next and both of those movies influenced me, and Star Wars on a how to tell a story level, especially The Empire Strikes Back, those were, granted, big fantasy movies but as far as the mythology and linear story structure, those were pretty incredible. It was Quentin Tarantino that taught me to actually break the rules a little bit and go outside the Hollywood system, write outside the Hollywood system, and create characters that were interesting and didn’t fall into the norm. I don’t have a favourite movie, I get asked all the time, but it’s literally a lot of great movies.

Jane Storm: What else do you have to do before you can get back here and film?
Tom Andersen: We’ve learnt a lot on this trip. Now we’ve got to get the script down and tight, we want to make sure it’s good and not rush that because you only get one shot. Then just hit it.

Jane Storm: Fantastic, well that’s pretty much everything I have to ask you guys. If you don’t mind we’ll head out and get the pic taken soon?
Tom Andersen: Yeah sure.
Mark Redford: I sent you a really creepy tweet when you arrived.

Jane Storm: (Laughs) Oh really? Awesome.
Mark Redford: I wrote `I’m looking at you right now’.

Jane Storm: (Laughs) I love it!
Mark Redford: That’s creepy, it was when you were walking in right then.

Jane Storm: I love how you are so interactive with your fans online and getting content out there.
Mark Redford: Well, it has got me into trouble. Hollywood doesn’t want you to tell the things that I sometimes tell. They certainly didn’t want me telling the Halloween 3D story. It didn’t get me into trouble, they just didn’t like it. But there’s nothing they can do about it.

Jane Storm: It probably got you a lot of respect from people as well.
Mark Redford: I think from the fan base perhaps.

Jane Storm: The Bloody Disgusting guys were on to it.
Mark Redford: Yeah, but they always shoot it straight anyway and that’s why I like them. That’s why I like Brad and those guys. I don’t like rude behaviour, even from a studio.

Jane Storm: Yeah, I’m a big fan of Bloody Disgusting because they cover everything. They don’t just look at the big, commercial horror films, but they give time to the independent, small-budget and foreign language stuff that you wouldn’t know about otherwise.
Mark Redford: I trust those guys because if I know they like something I know that it’s worth my time. Everybody’s opinion is different, but I trust their judgment.

VIA Tom Andersen talks about horror, 3D & pissing Hollywood off

A provisional five-day forecast by the Met Office shows a dense layer of ash engulfing the country on Friday – the start of the bank holiday weekend and half term.
High concentrations would cause serious delays and cancellations for air passengers, and trigger knock-on effects for flights over one of the busiest weekends of the year.
Hundreds of holidaymakers transport plans were in ruins last night, but thousands more face trouble in the coming days as the ash heads south
Some planes would be able to take off and land under the ash cloud, but the Civil Aviation Authority said the number of flights may have to be 'rationed'.
The warnings have left many anxious about whether their flights at the start of half term will be disrupted. Up to two million people are expected to fly in and out of the UK over the four days of the bank holiday weekend.
Officials insisted that Britain and the rest of Europe have learned from last year’s fiasco, caused by another Icelandic volcano, when planes were grounded for six days.
The screen says it all: The arrivals board at Edinburgh airport shows how many flights were cancelled and long delays for those that were expected
It caused misery for tens of thousands of passengers, many of whom were stranded abroad and were forced to make their way home by road, rail and sea.
Although Transport Secretary Philip Hammond is confident that the great getaway will still happen, confusion reigned in Whitehall last night.
This was largely because of the unpredictable nature of weather and volcanic activity.
Forty winks: A passenger tries to sleep after failing to secure alternative accommodation or transport after his flight was cancelled yesterday
Yesterday thousands of passengers endured disruption as Scotland became a virtual no-fly zone.
British Airways cancelled all flights to and from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle, while BMI, easyJet, Flybe and Aer Lingus all scrapped services.
Ryanair claimed the cancellations were an over-reaction but went on to halt all its flights in and out of Scotland. More than 250 flights were cancelled across Europe.
After a test flight up to 41,000ft in Scottish airspace, airline boss Michael
O’Leary described the so-called ‘red zone’ of highest density volcanic ash over Scotland as a 'non-existent, mythical and a misguided invention'.
The latest satellite image showing the ash plume from the Grimsvotn volcano, under the Vatnajokull glacier in south-east Iceland
The crisis has been sparked by the eruption of Iceland's Grimsvotn volcano, which has been spewing out plumes of ash, steam and smoke since Saturday.
Scientists say high concentrations of ash can cripple aircraft engines.
Since last year's eruption, airlines and the Civil Aviation Authority have eased the rules and now allow flights through 'low density' ash clouds.
Airlines that want to fly their planes through medium and high concentrations have to convince the CAA that it is safe.

Grounded: Two Ryanair jets and a FlyBe aircraft sit on the tarmac at Edinburgh airport yesterday
Long wait: Using their suitacase as a makeshift chair, two passengers at Glasgow airport pass the time by reading a book and checking a mobile phone
Waiting and more waiting: Passengers at Edinburgh Airport wait to board buses to other airports after their flights were cancelled
If the UK is overshadowed by high concentration ash, airlines would be forced to cancel and delay flights, and timetables could be disrupted for days.
Decisions on whether to fly are based on forecasts from the Met Office's Volcanic Ash Advisory Service, rather than real-life measurements of concentrations.
Although the Met Office has part ownership of a research plane, it is currently being used in Ireland to study 'marine organic particles'.
A dedicated Met Office atmospheric research plane, commissioned after last year's volcanic chaos, is not due to arrive until next month.
Huge power: The eruption makes a spectacular sight over the Icelandic landscape
On the ground: A car drives towards the erupting Grimsvotn volcano which has sent thousands of tonnes of volcanic ash into the sky
Stunning: As the volcano erupts, huge dark ash and storm clouds gather across the Icelandic skyline
Yesterday it was in talks with the German Aerospace Centre to borrow a test plane.
Last night the Met Office said it stood by its five-day prediction showing the entire UK covered in an ash cloud of the highest density from 35,000ft to 55,000ft.
A spokesman for the Met Office said: 'These are the most recent charts available and are on our website. We stand by them.
He added: 'It is based on the assumption that the volcano will continue to erupt at the same rate. It is a guide, not definitive.'
source: dailymail

VIA Half term holiday flights on knife edge: Family breaks under threat as Met office warns ash cloud could blanket Britain

Planking is a craze for taking photos of people lying down in unusual places and then posting them on the web.
Game on: Planking during a game of golf
A spokesman for the fan page - which was only set up in the past fortnight and which we cannot name for legal reasons - defended the past time.
'For most people, it's just a bit of harmless fun,' he told the York Press, declining to give his name.
He said the group did not condone people planking in dangerous spots, but added they could not be held responsible for anyone who chose to do so.
'However, we have decided to regulate the site now and remove some of the pictures,' he said.
'We have blocked access [to the Facebook profile] to about 800 people under 18, as they might be easily influenced and put themselves in danger.'
Risky: Participants taking part in the craze lie face down in a tree
The page has already attracted nearly 3,500 'likes' on Facebook.
Fans have posted pictures of themselves on the page planking in locations including on top of nightclub soundsystems, on cars and on bales of hay.
The youngster allegedly pictured planking on the rail tracks was arrested after police received calls from members of the public identifying him.
A spokesman for the British Transport police said: 'After the pictures were brought to our attention, we launched an investigation to identify the male involved.
'We would like to thank members of the public who came forward to identify the boy pictured, who was extremely lucky he wasnt killed or badly injured as a result of his behaviour.
What a plank: Gordon Ramsay posted up a picture on his Twitter of himself trying out the latest internet craze of planking
'This was very dangerous behaviour. With high speed trains and electric currents, the railway should never be treated as somewhere to play or hang about. When people are spotted on the railway trains are alerted, which causes disruption and delays.
'People who trespass on the railway are not just risking a court appearance, they are taking a gamble with their lives.
'The last thing our officers want is to have to tell a mother, father or another family member that their loved one has died after trespassing on the railway.'
She confirmed that this was only the second incident of 'planking' on the railways in the UK and the first arrest.
In recent months, planking has become a worldwide craze - even celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has posted pictures of himself doing it online.
Tragedy: Simon Hallam was left fighting for his life after a planking stunt gone wrong
But the phenomenon has already led to tragedies.
Last month 20-year-old Australian Acton Beale died after he fell seven storeys from the balcony railing of a block of flats.
Days later, also in Australia, plasterer Simon Hallam was left fighting for his life after falling and hitting his head while planking on the boot of a fast moving car.
source : dailymail

VIA Teenager charged with trespassing on railway - after planking photo ends up on Facebook

Some of the pieces were displayed at the Iraqi national museum during a repatriation ceremony attended by Antiquities Minister Adel Shirshab and US Ambassador Stuart Jones.

"These artefacts are indisputable evidence that Daesh (IS) -- beyond its terrorism, beyond its brutality and destruction -- is also a criminal gang that is looting antiquities from museums and historical sites," Jones said.

"And of course the purpose of this is to sell these items on the black market," he said.

The pieces on display in one of the recently reopened museum's main Assyrian halls Wednesday were small items, including coins, statuettes and jewellery.

"The coins for example are from the Islamic period. This is evidence that this terrorism that claims such heritage is blasphemous is trying to profit from it by selling it," Shirshab said.

The artefacts were retrieved by the US commandos who carried out a rare raid inside Syria on May 15 during which Abu Sayyaf, a top IS figure, was killed.

Abu Sayyaf was believed to be the jihadist organisation's top financier, and US officials said they were learning a lot by analysing what the raid had produced.

VIA Danica Patrick-Race Queen Driving in Her Last Indy 500?

Stranded: Passengers sleep on the floor at Edinburgh Airport after their flights were cancelled late last night
Tens of thousands of families are facing air travel chaos from today – and into the half-term holidays – as a thick cloud of volcanic ash descends over the UK.
The towering plume of Icelandic ash, smoke and steam hit Scotland and Ireland last night, bringing disruption to airlines, leading to the cancellation of 252 flights - and forecasters say the plume is expected to reach Heathrow airport by 1pm bringing further chaos.
British Airways and a host of other airlines last night cancelled all flights between London and Scotland until 2pm today, and the Civil Aviation Authority has said the ash cloud is moving unpredictably and changing by the hour.
Closer to the source: A plane flies past smoke plume from the eruption of the Grimsvotn volcano in Southeast Iceland but flights in Britain are being cancelled
Stationary: Eastern Airways, which has cancelled all flights to an from Scotland, now has its planes standing still at Aberdeen Airport
Shortly after 8am the Met Office said that high level densities of ash were likely to be confined to Scotland and northern England today.
A Met Office spokeswoman went on: 'The weather is uncertain over the next few days. We have a low pressure system moving in tomorrow and there could be some westerly winds.
'However, very small changes in weather patterns can make very large changes in how the ash will move.'
Between 30 and 40 BA flights will be affected from airports including Heathrow, Gatwick and London City to and from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. The airline runs 80 flights a day between these airports.
Pink lightening: The stormy conditions around the Grimsvotn volcano look dramatic but authorities insist that it poses a lesser threat than the last ash cloud
Problems: The departures board at Edinburgh Airport shows the disruption caused by the volcanic ash cloud already
Royal Dutch Airlines KLM cancelled the 16 flights scheduled for this morning to and from Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle.
The airlines said customers on any cancelled flights will be able to claim a full refund or rebook on to alternative flights – and that all other flights will operate as scheduled.
A BA spokesman said: ‘We would urge customers not to travel to the airport if their flight has been cancelled.’
At least 36 flights were cancelled in Scotland last night and today, as airports across Britain were put on stand-by for imminent disruption.
Easy Jet, Aer Lingus, Flybe, KLM, Logan Air and Eastern Airways have all cancelled flights to and from Scotland.
Ryan Air has been ordered by the Irish Aviation Authority to cancel flights to and from Glasgow, Prestwick, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.
Presidential flight: Barack Obama and Air Force One touch down at Stansted Airport last night after he was forced to rearrange his plans because of the ash cloud
'Perhaps it's a little bit too early to be absolutely sure about that, but clearly that's the most important thing - if the ash stops belching out of the volcano then, after a few days, the problem will have cleared, so that's one of the factors.
'The other is the wind speed and direction. At the moment the weather patterns are very volatile which is what is making it quite difficult, unlike last year, to predict where the ash will go.
'The public can be absolutely confident the regulators that airlines are only able to operate when it is safe to do so.'
U.S. President Barack Obama flew from Ireland to London last night – a day early – to ensure the cloud does not delay his state visit.
Haves and have nots: President Obama flew early so he could avoid being stuck in Ireland longer than he wanted, but these stranded passengers at Edinburgh Airport didn't have that luxury

Grey skies: Emergency services vehicles in Kirkjubaearklaustur are covered in a thick layer of the volcanic ash from clouds that are now passing over Britain


How are we going to get home? Tourists leave the Islandia Hotel yesterday in Nupur as ash continue to pour out of the erupting volcano
What happens now depends on three things. How long the volcano continues to erupt (this could be days or just hours); how the airlines decide to interpret the ash guidelines issued by the Civil Aviation Authority – which is unknown – and, lastly, the weather.
With a fair wind and a bit of geological luck, holidaymakers might manage to get away as planned this weekend.
But if, like the millions of Britons who enjoyed the blissfully silent skies of April last year, Iceland’s trolls and elves decide they too appreciate the silence of plane-free skies, we could be looking at yet another week of travel nightmare for millions.
UK airspace is 'better prepared' for volcanic ash cloud as flights could be threatened

source: dailymail

VIA Nightmare for air passengers begins as hundreds of flights are cancelled and volcanic ash threatens half-term getaway