Magic on the TV

The UK’s national lottery numbers are drawn live on TV on a Wednesday night. This week, an illusionist called Derren Brown seemed to pick the correct numbers and show them, also on live TV.

Derren Brown likes to create big illusions. He was famous for another TV show in which he allowed a volunteer to shoot him in the mouth. The gun had one real bullet in it.

He has promised to explain how he did the Lottery trick in another television programme.

Bombers jailed

If you fly to or from the UK you will know about the rules on taking liquids in hand luggage.

Only small amounts can be carried on to the plane, and they have to be in a clear plastic bag. This is because of a plot to blow up seven planes travelling to the US in 2006. The explosives were hidden in soft drinks bottles.

This week three men were finally convicted of the plot.

Sleep alone for a good night

British scientists say people who share a bed suffer 50 per cent more sleep disturbance than those who sleep alone.

Sleep specialist Dr Neil Stanley says that married couples sharing a bed only became common when people started to move into cities and had less space. Bad sleep has been linked to health problems.

He suggested that people should try sleeping in separate beds.

Keeping swine flu away

Strange advice was given by the Government this week.

If you need to sneeze or cough but don’t have a paper tissue, what should you do? The answer, they say, is to bring your arm up to your face and use your sleeve inside your elbow. This means germs do not get on hands where they are easily spread.

Swine flu numbers dropped again last week to below 3,000 and the government’s top doctor says the country is “close” to winning the fight against the illness.

by Susan Young - susan@englishuk.com