The Daily: August 15

We scour the news so you don't have to.

Scouts set to ignite the Paralympic flame
It has been revealed that on 22 August, teams of Scouts will be responsible for lighting four Paralymic flames atop the highest point in each country of the United Kingdom. These will feature Scafell Pike, Snowdon, Ben Nevis and Slieve Donard, after which the flames will visit capital cities in the UK, converging in Stoke Mandeville. From this site, a 24-hour relay will commence at 20:00 on 28 August, as the flame is carried 92 miles by 580 torchbearers. It will call at Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and major London landmarks, culminating at the lighting of the cauldron to symbolise the beginning of the Games. Sebastian Coe has implored spectators to encourage torch-bearers by lining the route, whose challenging design is intended to represent the spirit of determination, inspiration and equality inherent in the Paralympic Games.

Mountain climber rescued after being trapped for a week
A mountain climber has been rescued from a crevasse of an Austrian glacier, having survived there for almost a week. The 70-year-old man was undertaking a solo climb up the Schrankogel mountain in Tyrol, when he fell through a 20 metre crack in the ice. It is thought that the climber was standing on a ledge of snow which collapsed, leaving him stranded in the ice fracture below. After passers-by heard screams coming from inside the crevasse, authorities were alerted and a team of seven rescuers completed a rescue operation using a rope pulley system. The climber was then airlifted to Innsbruck hospital, where he was treated for hypothermia and exhaustion. The mountain rescue team later marvelled at the unlikely and extraordinary survival of the climber.

Scrabble player caught cheating in a national tournament
A young scrabble player has been expelled from the national championship tournament in America, after he was discovered cheating during the game. He was spotted by a player at a nearby table, who noticed that the man was tactically dropping blank tiles onto the floor. Making up just 2% of the total number of tiles, these valuable blank pieces qualify as wild cards, allowing the players to attribute any letter to them. It was discovered that the cheating player was hoarding blank tiles from previous games, and attempting to re-use them in subsequent matches. The expelled player consequently forfeited his wins, and his actions established the event as the first ever identified incident of cheating in a national tournament.

Pioneering generation of guide dogs bred to perform extraordinary tasks
A collaboration between the organisations Canine Partners and Guide Dogs for the Blind has resulted in the creation of a new breed of special assistance dogs, designed to help the disabled community. The eight-week old puppies are golden retriever-Labrador crosses, four of whom will be trained to give disabled people more independence by helping them perform their day-to-day tasks. These will include unloading laundry, answering telephones, opening doors and even helping to undress their owners. The other three puppies will be trained as traditional seeing-eye dogs, intended to assist the visually impaired. This is the first time that the two charity organisations have collaborated when the dogs are so young, and they hope that combining their resources will enable the canines to enhance the life of those with disabilities.

A new chauffeur is required for the Queen
An advertisement has been released citing an availability within the Lord Chamberlain’s Office, as a chauffeur for the Queen and other dignitaries.
The job description states that the driver will be based at Buckingham Palace, and will be responsible for “driving members of the Royal Family, household officials, guests and official visitors,” as well as maintaining the fleet of vehicles. In return, the successful candidate will be offered accommodation based at the Royal Mews, as well as a £23,000 a year salary. Pre-requisites for applicants include possessing a full clean UK driving license, having a flexible approach towards the 48-hours work a week required, and expressing a tactful and diplomatic manner at all times.