Osaka's World Expo is winning over grumpy Japanese
S EQUELS rarely live up to the original. So said Japanese who warned that the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, Japan's second city, might be a miserable failure. Cynics spied a bad cover version of an epoch-making exhibition held in the same city in 1970. Yet now that its doors are open, many grumpy Japanese are lightening up.
His vision for the country remains thankfully unrealised
The country's elites won't like it
The generals would be mad to try
The trial, with a plot stranger than detective fiction, has gripped the country
We're looking for a fluent speaker of Korean and English
But countries know their neighbour is a crucial partner
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Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
Livingston man leaps from football to clubbing and the supernatural with new series of books
'I thought I'd write a story back in times when things seemed a bit more united and fun' A Livingston author has released the first in a series of four novels set in West Lothian. Ian Colquhoun has already penned a dozen book and his latest written work, The Wood Fairy, is a fair leap from the majority of his previous works which have focused on his love of Hibernian FC. Ian, 47, was brought up in the Craigshill area but after a spell living in Edinburgh her returned to Livingston a decade ago and now resides in Murieston. The Wood Fairy is set in the clubbing scene of Ian's youth but with a supernatural twist. He said: 'It's a significant change of direction because for the last 10 years I've only written books about Hibs. 'A couple of my older books have been sort of historical fiction, but nothing like this. This is my first foray into dark, contemporary, and funny, fiction. 'This will be my thirteenth book and I have written a fourteenth but that won't be out until November. 'The Wood Fairy is the first of a series called Broken Biscuits. I'll be bringing out four in the next year or so. 'The common theme is life in central Scotland, outwith Glasgow and Edinburgh, in the towns alongside the M8 from the 1990s until the present day. 'It seems that everyone is so angry and divided these days, that I thought I'd write a story back in times when things seemed a bit more united and fun. 'So it's set in the 90s and the clubbing scene, and is about a group of friends that work during the week and live for the weekend when they go to places like The Arches and Room at the Top. 'I used to do all that 26 years ago, and it was the best time of my life. The idea of the supernatural character in the book that the clubbers meet came to me a couple of years ago as a fully formed idea in my head.' Ian is a survivor. Although many of his books are football-related, his first was an autobiographical account of his life struggles after he was the victim of a house fire which resulted in him suffering 60 per cent burns. He had to have both legs amputated, as well as losing the fingers of his right hand to the first knuckle. From that personal tragedy came the spur to begin writing. 'My first book Burnt was in 2007, a sort of autobiography – a survival memoir," said Ian. "I was always good at English but as soon as I left school I ended up working in a warehouse, mainly because I wanted to have the life at the weekends. 'I done that for nine years but after I got burnt I couldn't do it any more and had to use my brain a bit more. I went and done some short courses at the University of Edinburgh and then everything took off from there. I write specifically to combat my PTSD. 'I type, but strangely, even when I do write [with a pen] I still use my right hand as it was easier to struggle a bit with my right than to learn how to do it left-handed.' Ian doesn't let his disabilities and mobility issues hold him back and is more active than many fully-mobile people. He continued: 'As well as the books, I've done bits and bobs over the last 20 years including work for the Army as a casualty, and was still doing that last year and may do some more this year. That helps to train medics. 'You've got to do what you can when the world has been a bit unfair to you.' A season ticket holder at Easter Road, Ian has also done some acting and is a keen swimmer. Earlier this year completed a charity swim to help others. 'I swam 10K to raise money for Cancer Research UK back in May,' Ian added. It will also be available from Waterstones in the near future.
Daily Record
3 hours ago
- Daily Record
Liam Neeson left heartbreaking note to makeup artist at wife Natasha Richardson's funeral
Liam Neeson's late wife Natasha Richardson passed away in 2009 after a tragic accident and the makeup artist who did her final resting makeup has shared the emotional note the star left her. Liam Neeson's late wife's makeup artist Sandy Linter has shared the heartbreaking note the Taken star gave her after she did Natasha Richardson's final resting makeup for her funeral. English actress Natasha tragically passed away sixteen years ago after suffering fatal head injuries during a skiing accident in Canada. The 45-year-old fell and hurt her head while on a beginners slope, resulting in an epidural hematoma. She initially turned down medical assistance and sadly died two days later in a New York hospital. After the funeral, Liam expressed his enormous gratitude to Sandy, who was Natasha's trusted makeup artist, after she performed one final service for the mum-of-two. Sharing the deeply moving memory on her Instagram account, Sandy explained how Liam had personally thanked her after Natasha was laid to rest in a private ceremony in New York in March 2009. In an emotional social media post, renowned celebrity MUA Sandy explained how she had worked with the late English actress on several occasions, and was given the honour of looking after her one last time by applying her lying-in-state makeup. In the post's caption, Sandy wrote: "A little note about how I worked with Natasha Richardson several times. I got the news that she'd struck her head and died from the injury she sustained while skiing. "I was asked to make her up while she was 'lying in state'. An Irish custom. She looked like a queen. "2 months later I got a call from Liam Neeson. I went to his apartment – he asked me if I was doing well. I said yes. And then he said 'I know what I'll do' and he came back and handed me this note." Liam's note, which is dated 4 May 2009, reads: "Dear Sandy. My family and I are so appreciative of what you did for our Natasha. We were deeply touched by your gesture, and realize how difficult it must have been for you. It meant so much to all of us." Sandy's heartbreaking post comes as Liam has recently found happiness in his romance with his Naked Gun co-star Pamela Anderson. The make-up artist alluded to his new relationship in the same post by also sharing a snap of a news story, headlined Liam Neeson looks back on 'falling in love' with late wife Natasha Richardson as his Pamela Anderson romance blooms. While Liam, 73, and Pamela, 58, haven't officially confirmed they are an item, their chemistry on and off screen says something different. Their promotional tour for the spoof reboot of the film has been filled with sweet interactions, including kisses on cheeks and inviting their adult sons along to the red carpet with them. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. Liam is a father of two to his sons, Micheál, 30, and Daniel, 28, who he shared with Natasha. Meanwhile, Pamela has her own two boys, Brandon Thomas Lee, 29, and Dylan Jagger Lee, 27, who she shares with ex-husband Tommy Lee. Sandy appears to be rooting for the pair as much as the rest of the world is. She added at the end of her post: "He's such a good guy. Like everyone else, I'm so happy for him. #nakedgun two thumbs up just saw it. If you are into on-screen chemistry it's all there!"
Daily Record
3 hours ago
- Daily Record
Oasis fans headed for Murrayfield may face surprising struggle in between songs
Edinburgh Oasis fans are certainly in for a treat this weekend, but one thing might get in the way during the gigs. The Gallaghers are finally headed to Edinburgh to perform their legendary reunion tour, with the first of Oasis' three Murrayfield gigs kicking off tomorrow, August 8. But one thing may hinder Scottish fans' experience with the famous Mancunians - understanding their accents. Edinburgh has been ranked second-last for the Oasis Live UK cities most likely to be able to understand the famous brothers' thick Manchester drawls. In fact, according to data from language learning app Preply, Oasis' tour has sparked an 80 per cent surge in searches for 'Manchester accent' as fans prepare for the band's famously thick Mancunian speech. The English spoken by Scots and Mancunian are two very different beasts, according to the language experts. The rhythm, stress, and vowels differ significantly. We Scots see less day-to-day exposure to Manchester's version of English since we're north of the border, so that may pose a bit of a problem for some gig-goers. But it's not just Scots that struggle with the Gallagher brothers' dialect, as Dublin was ranked as the tour location where locals are least likely to be able to understand the banter in between songs. With different idioms and speech patterns on both sides of the Irish Sea, Dublin is the city most likely to be stumped by Liam's Manc lingo. Naturally, the city most likely to be able to decipher the Gallaghers' chat is Manchester, but even the Mancunians suffer sometimes. One fan went as fay as to say: 'As a Manc, I think it's safe to say only Liam understands Liam.' Another local said: 'I live just outside of Manchester but work in the city centre. You get so many really thick Mancunian accents just like Liam's and I have to ask them to repeat themselves because I have no idea what they're saying. "It's weird that these people who were raised just 10 miles from me can sound so utterly different.' In second place came London, where the locals have had decades of media exposure to Oasis. Although the Southern accent differs, Mancunian speech isn't totally foreign to Londoners. But still, Liam's fast, clipped delivery and slang-heavy sentences may have taken a moment to register at the recent Wembley gigs. As the first city to see the Oasis Live tour back in July, Cardiff came ahead of Edinburgh as the third city most likely to understand their Manc chat. While Welsh English is distinct, Cardiff audiences are well-versed in UK pop culture, and while the accent itself may sound sharp and unfamiliar, fans were more likely than Scots to have followed what Liam and Noel were saying. The full ranks of the cities most and least likely to understand the Gallaghers, as well as some useful Manc phrases to learn ahead of the gig can be found below. Which Oasis Live UK cities are most likely to understand the Mancunian accent? Manchester London Cardiff Edinburgh Dublin Top 10 Manc phrases to know before you go to Murrayfield Oasis If Liam or Noel start chatting mid-set, here's a cheat sheet to avoid looking totally lost: Ay up - A friendly greeting, similar to "hello" Ta-ra - Goodbye I'm not being funny like… - A classic softener before delivering criticism or an honest opinion This is 'angin' - It's disgusting or horrible This is bobbins - This is rubbish or no good Our kid - My brother or close mate Buzzin' - Very excited Chuffed – Really pleased or proud Mint – Very good or excellent Mad fer it – Extremely enthusiastic or excited about something Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
