Tuesday, 31 May 2016
England Euro 2016 squad announced
ROY HODGSON NAMES HIS 23 MAN ENGLAND SQUAD FOR EURO 2016
England manager Roy Hodgson has officially announced his squad for this summer’s European Championships. Here are the players Hodgson has chosen to represent England at Euro 2016.
GOALKEEPER: JOE HART - MANCHESTER CITY
England manager Roy Hodgson has officially announced his squad for this summer’s European Championships. Here are the players Hodgson has chosen to represent England at Euro 2016.
GOALKEEPER: JOE HART - MANCHESTER CITY
TOWIE star Jake Hall in Marbella hospital ‘amid stabbing fears’ at nightclub
The Only Way Is Essex star Jake Hall is currently in a Marbella hospital - which is thought to be linked to a possible stabbing.
The 24-year-old was holidaying with a group of pals in the Spanish party spot when the incident is said to have happened.
A source told Daily Star Online that there are “fears over his kidney”.
While a rep for the reality star said: "Jake is in hospital in Marbella however, I cannot confirm any further details at this time.”
A number of partygoers had taken to Twitter to express their shock over an incident that took place at a popular nightclub.
One wrote: “What the hell happened at #aquamist last night?! Absolute nightmare #marbella2016.”
“Thought Marbs was gunna be posh, guys getting stabbed in front of me in ocean mist (sic),” shared another.
Jake isn't the only TOWIE star currently out in Marbella - brunette stunner Nicole Bass, who joined the ITV show earlier this month, has been pictured poolside this week.
Ex On The Beach star Megan McKenna , who has been linked to Jake in the past, is also there soaking up the night life with a group of pals.
Supermodel Knightley's no actor, director complains
She has been nominated for two Oscars and won legions of fans, so Keira Knightley must have been stunned to have her acting publicly criticised by one of her own directors.
John Carney, the Irish director and writer of musical comedy-drama Begin Again, was quoted as saying one of Britain’s biggest stars was a mere “supermodel”.
He also claimed Knightley, 31, had an “entourage” and said he had become “disenchanted” working with her.
“I don’t want to rubbish Keira,” the director said in a recent interview, before going on to do just that.
He said: “It’s hard being a film actor and it requires a certain level of honesty and self-analysis that I don’t think she’s ready for yet and I certainly don’t think she was ready for on that film.
“Keira’s thing is to hide who you are and I don’t think you can be an actor and do that. It’s not like I hate the Hollywood thing but I like to work with curious, proper film actors as opposed to movie stars."
Asked if he had learned anything from the experience, he added: “I learned I’ll never make a film with supermodels again.”
Knightley has been lavishly praised by other directors she has worked with.
Carney’s comments, in an interview with The Independent, were all the more remarkable as disagreements between actors and directors in Hollywood, which are common, are usually kept private at all costs.
Begin Again was filmed in 2012 and released two years later. Knightley starred as a singer-songwriter who is discovered in New York.
Carney said: “I think the real problem was that Keira wasn’t a singer and wasn’t a guitar player and it’s very hard to make music seem real if it’s not with musicians.”
The film was made for $8 million (£5 million) and grossed $63 million at the box office, receiving positive reviews.
Knightley was nominated for an Academy Award for best actress for Pride & Prejudice in 2006, and for best supporting actress for The Imitation Game in 2015.
Her representatives were last night yet to comment.
Ray Liotta sparks concerns with bizarre behaviour and 'waxwork face' on Good Morning Britain
Actor Ray Liotta sparked concern with his behaviour during a live television interview this morning.
The Goodfellas star - who appeared on Good Morning Britain to promote his new series Shades of Blue - began the interview by spitting out chewing gum as the hosts tried to ask him questions.
Viewers were quick to express their concerns about his behaviour, wondering if he had had a heavy night before the interview.
"Ray Liotta at Stringfellows last night perhaps?" wrote one while another said: "Ray Liotta is doing a great impression of of Oliver Reed."
"Hope Mr Liotta is OK, doesn't look like by his appearance on GMB," added a third while another asked: "Oh dear. What's up with Ray Liotta on GMB?"
However, other viewers blamed the awkward interview on the presenters.
One wrote: "Pompous British Good Morning Britain presenters interviewing @rayliotta is so cringe I can't even. LOVE him so much."
Unfortunately for the actor, other viewers were less interested in what he was saying and more interested in his looks.
"Dear @GMB," wrote one sassy viewer. "Your producer appears to have booked the waxwork of Ray Liotta and nobody has noticed. Regards."
Another added: "Can Ray Liotta move any part of his face?"
The actor is in the UK promoting his new television show, the Jennifer Lopez police drama, Shades of Blue.
But the actor was nothing but complimentary about his co-star and attempted to put to rest her reputation as a diva.
"I was much more of a diva than she was," he said.
"She was great, she produced this, she kept taking it to the networks and they said only if you star in it and one day she did."
On his character's surprising gay kiss in one episode, he added that he was shocked by the response to it.
"I was shocked but is kind of shocking because it really came out of the blue. There's a hint of it in the first episode and then... well you'll have to wait and see until it happens."
But the actor reserved his biggest praise for the BBC, despite appearing on ITV, saying: "BBC, we have that in America, that's the best in terms of watching news,."
* Good Morning Britain is on weekdays, ITV from 6am
Liver Birds and Bread creator Carla Lane has died aged 87
Bread and The Liver Birds creator Carla Lane has passed away at the age of 87.
The TV comedy writer from Liverpool died at a nursing home in Mossley Hill earlier today.
Ms Lane - born Romana Barrack - was once one of the UK’s most successful and highly paid TV scriptwriters and became a household name through her hit series.
She was also known for her support for animal welfare charities - including the Carla Lane Animals in Need Sanctuary.
Ms Lane rose to fame with her work on shows such as The Liver Birds and Bread, both set in Liverpool.
She also worked on the BBC’s Butterflies, The Last Song and The Mistress.
As well as a distinguished writing career Ms Lane, whose childhood homes included Heswall and West Derby, was a keen supporter of animal welfare.
Just last year she opened the £315,000 special care unit at the Carla Lane Animals in Need Sanctuary in Melling.
The charity, which took on Carla’s name in 2013, is a non-profit organisation which rescues abandoned and ill-treated animals.
Fran Ellis who worked alongside Ms Lane at the Animals in Need charity today paid tribute to her and said: “She really was an amazing lady.”
Britain's 'luckiest' family scoop third £1m lottery prize
Scotland's "luckiest" lottery family are celebrating again - after picking up a third £1 million prize thanks to a winning Lotto Millionaire Raffle line .
The Fry family, from Bo'ness, claimed the cash from the draw made on Wednesday May 18.
Peter Fry, 90, and wife Mary, 86, along with their three daughters, Margaret, 64, Janet, 59, and Isobel, 57, play as a syndicate, putting on five lines twice a week.
The win comes six years after Peter's cousin Annette Brown, 82, became the UK's 2,500th National Lottery millionaire after a £1.15 million Lotto jackpot triumph.
Incredibly, Margaret Fry is also enjoying her second big lottery win after scooping £20,000 on the Lotto Millionaire raffle in 2015 .
Commenting on the latest win, Margaret said: "My dad went down to Tesco on Saturday as normal and passed his tickets over to get checked.
"The till operator advised him that he had won a 'wee bit of money' and it was too much to pay out in the store - thinking it was around £500, he had no idea we were about to become millionaires.
"After arriving home and telling my mum, they both phoned me. The first thing I did was go straight over to their house as I knew it could be big.
"We called Camelot together and after confirming all the details, they asked if we knew how much it was worth.
"When we were told £1 million we were in such shock - my mum kept saying 'a million?' in such disbelief. It was the most amazing feeling!
"My mum shared the news with my two sisters and they were in as much shock as us.
"As a family we've always played the game but never really believed we would win a substantial amount, this shows that it could be anyone - it's truly life-changing."
Peter and Mary, who are retired, have six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, with another on the way.
Mr Fry matched the draw with the winning code NAVY 1281 6617 with a ticket bought from Tesco in Links Road, Bo'ness, in the Falkirk Council area.
Crucial Detail About EgyptAir MS804 Crash Confirmed By Officials
The EgyptAir flight that crashed sent a distress signal before it crashed, it has been confirmed.
The Airbus 320 was flying from Paris to Cairo when it disappeared over the Mediterranean on May 19 with 66 people on board, triggering a flurry of speculation as to the cause, including the suggestion it was brought down with terrorists.
Rapidly emerging details painted a murky picture of what actually happened but but the claim that the plane sent a distress signal before it came down has now been confirmed.
"The investigating committee received satellite reports indicating receiving an electronic distress call from the plane's Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT)," Egypt’s State Information Service said.
It follows reports that the search area for the plane has been narrowed to a three-mile radius, as search teams strive to find the plane's black boxes before their signal runs out.
The teams are waiting for a specialised ship designed to carry out deep water searches.
It has previously been reported that the plane's crew made verbal distress calls.
The captain, 37-year-old Mohamed Said Shoukair also reportedly had a conversation with Cairo air traffic for several minutes about the presence of smoke in the plane.
Claims that flight MS804 was brought down by a bomb have been dismissed as speculation.
Since the crash, there have been emerging and sometimes contradictory reports on how it happened, including on whether it swerved suddenly before it vanished from radar.
Parents of child who fell into gorilla enclosure get DEATH THREATS from Twitter users
The parents of the boy who fell into a gorilla enclosure - resulting in the death of 17-year-old silverback Harambe - have been issued with death threats.
Staff at the zoo in Cincinatti, Ohio, shot the endangered primate fearing four-year-old boy Isaiah's life was at risk.
Now couple Michelle Gregg, 32, and Deonne Dickerson, 37, have been blasted by those angry at the endangered animal's tragic death.
One Twitter user wrote: "How about blaming the f*****g numb-nut parents. Shoot them not the Gorilla."
"I'm pro animals. Take better care of your 3yr old F*****G KID you lazy son of a b***h. Shoot the parents first then the gorilla. Rant over," wrote one furious tweeter.
Another said: "Feel for the gorilla. Didn't deserve to get shot. Shoot the s****y mum instead."
The couple, who reportedly have four children together, are now facing neglect charges over the incident in Cincinnati, Ohio.
New HD footage shows how gorilla showed protective behaviour towards child before being shot
Reporters outside the couple's Ohio home were turned away politely, with the family even said to have turned down a big money offer from a New York breakfast show as they shield themselves from the massive social media backlash.
According to police reports, the father has a lengthy criminal history spanning years with charges including burglary, firearms offences, drug trafficking, criminal trespass and kidnap.
But Dickerson appears to have made a remarkable turnaround in recent years – with frequent posts on Facebook showing updates of his children and working life, Daily Mail Online reports.
The industrial worker was also congratulated by friends last January when he had his fourth child with Deonne.
She is an administrator at a Cincinnati pre-school and has faced heavy criticism after attempting to defend what happened by claiming that “accidents can happen”.
New footage emerged last night that appeared to show the “gentle giant” protecting the child rather than posing any threat.
Responding on Facebook shortly after the incident, Michelle said: "I want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers today. What started off as a wonderful day turned into a scary one.
"For those of you that have seen the news or been on social media that was my son that fell in the gorilla exhibit at the zoo. God protected my child until the authorities were able to get to him.
"My son is safe and was able to walk away with a concussion and a few scrapes... no broken bones or internal injuries.
"As a society we are quick to judge how a parent could take their eyes off of their child and if anyone knows me I keep a tight watch on my kids.
"Accidents happen but I am thankful that the right people were in the right place today."
Zookeeper Jack Hanna backed the zoo's decision.
He said "I've seen him (Harambe) take a green coconut, which you can't bust open with a sledgehammer and squish it" he told "Good Morning America."
Friday, 13 May 2016
George Clooney's wife Amal struggles with dress as she drops MAJOR leg bomb at Cannes
George and Amal Clooney stole the show with a touch of class at Cannes Film Festival - even with an embarrassing wardrobe mishap.
The Hollywood hunk and his gorgeous wife looked incredible and oozed glamour when they stepped out at the premiere screening of Money Monster on Thursday evening.
George looked as dapper as even in a sharp black tuxedo, while human rights lawyer Amal stunned in a yellow gown, flashing a lot of leg in the beautiful, flowing dress.
However, it was almost a bit awkward for the dark-haired beauty as she appeared to be struggling with the skirt, almost revealing a bit too much.
She remained composed, while notorious joker George simply looked on and tried not to laugh.
The couple looked loved up as they posed for pictures, getting close as they packed on the PDA ahead of the screening.
It was smiles all round for the actor and his best friend Julia Roberts this week, as they reunited at the prestigious festival in the south of France.
The two pals co-star in thriller Money Monster, and they are celebrating its release at the star-studded event.
George and Julia were in high spirits as they clutched onto each other and happily posed for pictures.
The Pretty Woman actress looked like she'd stepped straight out of a business meeting in a pin-stripe jumpsuit that she paired with a plain white shirt.
George kept it a little more casual as he unbuttoned his shirt after the scorching weather became too much for him.
Director Jodie Foster, who came out during her speech at the Golden Globes in 2013, showed off her age-defying figure in a summery white dress.
Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne put on a very affectionate display days after announcing split
They split up over the weekend following claims Ozzy Osbourne cheated on his wife of almost 34 years.
But judging by the pictures taken of Sharon Osbourne and the Black Sabbath rocker on Thursday in Los Angeles, you’d be forgiven for thinking they had never parted ways.
Sharon and Ozzy reunited at the Palladium for a press conference where they announced the merging of Ozzfest and Slipknot’s Knottfest.
The smiling pair put on a very amorous display as Ozzy, who was still wearing his wedding ring, affectionately hugged his wife and draped a hand over her shoulder.
Sharon later welcomed her estranged husband on stage and thanked fans for their support.
It comes days after Sharon admitted she was unsure if their marriage was over following claims Ozzy cheated with a hairstylist.
Speaking on The Talk while sipping on a lemonade - a reference to Beyonce's latest infidelity-themed album - she was asked whether her marriage is definitely over.
"I honestly don’t know," the 63-year-old replied. "At this point I cannot answer that because I don’t know what I want."
"I think what you’re showing all women is is that it’s never to late to make a choice for yourself," her co-host chimed in.
While earlier she admitted: "I don’t know where I’m going with the rest of my life. I really want to think about very carefully about what I want and at this point, honestly, I have no idea."
"Why do you feel like it's so different this time?"
"Because I’m 63 and I can’t keep living like this," Sharon replied.
Katy Perry calls out 'dumb conspiracy trash' amid alleged relationship drama
Katy Perry has urged fans not to pay attention to "dumb conspiracy trash" amid rumours her boyfriend Orlando Bloom hooked up with Selena Gomez in Las Vegas.
The Teenage Dream singer, who has been dating the 39-year-old Lord of the Rings star for several months, found herself in the middle of a make-believe love triangle at the weekend (08May16) after photos surfaced of the actor and Selena getting cosy at a club.
For days, gossips have suggested Orlando was cheating on Katy with Justin Bieber's ex, while sources insisted the Come & Get It singer and the movie hunk are just friends. And Perry added fuel to the fire on Wednesday night (11May16) when she sharing a link to Peggy Lee's version of Is That All There Is?, suggesting the song was symbolic of a possible heartbreak.
The song's lyrics include the lines: "And then I fell in love with the most wonderful boy in the world/We would take long walks by the river/Or just sit for hours gazing into each other's eyes/We were so very much in love... Then one day, he went away and I thought I'd die/But I didn't."
However, on Thursday (12May16), Katy made it clear she is standing by her man and encouraged her fans to ignore the break-up gossip and chit-chat about her boyfriend's fling with Selena, who happens to be her pop rival Taylor Swift's best friend.
She shared another link to a recent Time magazine article, written by Orlando, in which he details his visit to eastern Ukraine as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador.
Katy added, "Instead of giving energy & eyeballs to dumb conspiracy (trash emoji) check out how COOL this is... #dontfeedthebeast."
Father who refused to pay £120 fine for taking his kids on holiday welcomes £13,000 court fees
A father who refused to pay £120 fine for taking his kids on holiday during term time has revealed legal fees of £13,000 will be 'worth it' if the ruling goes his way.
The landmark decision could take place later today if the High Court rule in favour of Jon Platt, the father who refused to pay a fine for taking his family on holiday during term time.
Appearing on Good Morning Britain earlier today Jon told Ben Shephard and Kate Garraway it was not about the price of the holiday - it was revealed that for a family of four to take a break to Tenerife, Majorca, Costa Del Sol or Algarve, prices increase up to 115%.
He said: "I was taking my kids on holiday and cost had nothing to do with it.
"For 10 years I'd been trying to get a window where all of the family could go away.
"We managed to get 15 of us and the price was actually the same on the day we flew if we'd flown a week earlier."
Ben quizzed the father on why he didn't just accept the £120 fine as he knew the school's policies.
"The local authority issued the fine as the head teacher had all description removed," he replied.
"I haven't committed a criminal offence, so I thought I'm not paying the fine. [We're in court today] so we'll see what happens. Either they drop it and it will go away - I've asked them to drop it - but now we've ended up in court."
Kate Garraway then stressed that Jon could face costs of up to £25k and if more people took their kids out of school when they wanted there would be chaos.
"Well if the law requires 100% attendance then it would say that, it doesn't. My kids have really good attandance.
"They've never had less than 93% attendance."
Jon then revealed that he's already spent £13k on legal fees.
The ruling on Jon's case is expected to come back at lunchtime today.
Viewers took to Twitter to wish Jon good luck, with one posting: "Goodluck Jon. children miss school if there Ill so what is the difference with holidays!! They catch up on there learning (sic)."
Another viewer added: "good luck today Jon. My son (has autism) can't cope with holidaying in peak times but we'd still face the fine. Not fair."
While another agreed that companies shouldn't "hike up their prices".
They tweeted: "Good luck Jon Platt. I work in a school and can't afford holidays because even caravan parks here hike there prices up 50%"
* Good Morning Britain airs on weekdays from 6am on ITV
Police hunt four men over Manchester United team bus attack
Four men are being sought by police investigating the attack on the Manchester United team bus before a Premier League game.
The Metropolitan Police have released pictures of the men they would like to speak to in connection with the disorder, which left four policemen injured.
Bottles and other objects were thrown at the coach as it made its way to West Ham United's Boleyn Ground on Tuesday night.
Video footage posted online appeared to show the Manchester United players, including Jesse Lingard and Michael Carrick, cowering in mock fear as missiles pelted the windows.
A 20-year-old man arrested for throwing bottles at police officers has been bailed to a date in August, while two men, aged 18 and 47, arrested for pitch incursion have been bailed until later this month.
West Ham have vowed to hand out life bans to any fan found responsible for the disorder.
Commander BJ Harrington of the Met's Public Order team said: "Behaviour of the kind we saw before Tuesday's match is totally unacceptable. The vast majority of people were well-behaved, but we are looking to deal with a small minority of individuals who committed criminal acts.
"We are working closely with both clubs to bring these individuals to justice, and I would urge anyone who recognises the men in these pictures to contact police."
"This was always going to be a challenging match to police, with passions running high. Aware of those challenges, we had more officers on duty than is normal."
"I am proud of my officers who did a fantastic job in difficult circumstances and played their part in enabling those supporters who respected the occasion to enjoy what was an historic event."
Anyone with any information should contact the Public Order investigation team on 020 7275 4569.
Glasgow 2014 judo star Stephanie Inglis in coma after Vietnam motorbike accident
A Scottish Commonwealth Games medallist is in a coma and fighting for her life after a motorcycle accident in Vietnam.
Judo star Stephanie Inglis, 27, who won silver at Glasgow 2014, fell off the bike on Tuesday in the north east of the country where she had gone to teach English.
She suffered serious head injuries and is being treated in intensive care.
Her parents, from Inverness, have flown to Vietnam to be at her bedside.
A fundraising campaign has been set up by fellow judo athlete Khalid Gehlan to help pay for her medical costs, with more than £38,000 raised in just nine hours.
The GoFundMe page said: "If anyone can pull through this it's Stephanie.
"She has been a fighter her whole life, following in her father's footsteps and becoming an international athlete, competing for Great Britain all over the world, beating adversity, competing and winning a silver medal in Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, fighting for her country and her dreams.
"Now she is fighting for her life."
Inglis's sister Stacey told the BBC: ''Mum and Dad are just distraught - they just want her to be alive and get back here.
"At the minute the hospital is monitoring her, but they've said her whole brain is injured, and it will be a long recovery if she pulls through.
''At the moment we're sitting tight and keeping our fingers crossed.''
The Foreign Office said: ''We are in contact with the family of a British national who has been hospitalised in Vietnam, and will continue to offer support at this difficult time.''
Inglis won silver in the women's 57kg event at the Commonwealth Games two years ago.
The appeal on the fundraising page said Inglis was being taxied on a motorbike to the school where she had been working for the last four months when the accident happened.
"Somewhere along this journey her dress was caught in the wheel and she was dragged off from her seat at high speeds and received severe injuries to her brain," it said.
The fundraising page also suggests her medical care is costing £2,000 per day.
It added: "Picture a person you love dearly in her shoes and you will only be touching the very tip of the iceberg with what her family are feeling right now.
"For all those that have had the privilege and pleasure of being in Stephanie's company, you will know what a positive, kind-hearted and caring person she is. And for all those that haven't, just know that if you stole her last penny, she would smile at you and wish you all the best."
Wednesday, 4 May 2016
Adele left speechless by Beyonce's Lemonade
Adele is in complete awe of Beyonce's new album Lemonade, confessing she worships the R&B superstar.
The Hello singer took to Instagram on Tuesday (03May16) to explain why she hadn't yet commented on the groundbreaking new material, which was released on 23 April (16).
"I'm not late on this I've just been speechless," she explained. "Beyonce is the most inspiring person I've ever had the pleasure of worshipping."
The 27-year-old wrote her gushing tribute alongside a black and white photograph of her cuddling up to a big picture of the cover art for Beyonce's hit single, Irreplaceable.
Despite gaining worldwide success of her own with hits including Someone Like You and Rolling in the Deep, Adele clearly still looks to the former Destiny's Child star as an inspiration.
"Her talent, beauty, grace and work ethic are all in a league of their own," she continued. "I appreciate you so much! Thank god for Beyonce X."
Adele's gushing tribute comes months after she was forced to deny rumours suggesting she had turned down the chance to collaborate with the 34-year-old last year (15).
"There's a rumour going round that I turned Beyonce down," she told British DJ Zane Lowe on his Beats 1 radio show in November (15), "which I would never be so disrespectful as to do. I'd never disrespect her like that."
Beyonce isn't the only American singer Adele is in love with though, with the Brit also heaping praise on Toxic performer Britney Spears last year.
"Britney is the queen," she told NPR. "I love her. So yeah, sometimes it is a bit intense."
In a separate interview with i-D magazine, she also mentioned she would like to see Britney's Las Vegas residency at Planet Hollywood, which prompted the mother-of-two to make her a personal offer via Twitter.
"I'll trade you 2 tickets to my show for 2 tickets to YOURS! Stop by #PieceOfMe and say #Hello anytime!!" Britney wrote.
Fort McMurray
The entire population of the Canadian oil sands city of Fort McMurray, has been ordered to evacuate as a wildfire whipped by winds engulfed homes and sent ash raining down on residents.
Alberta
At least half of the northern Alberta city was ordered evacuated Tuesday as a wildfire whipped by winds engulfed homes and sent ash raining down on residents.
Alberta
At least half of a northern Alberta city was ordered evacuated Tuesday as a wildfire whipped by winds engulfed homes and sent ash raining down on residents. (Greg Halinda/The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY…
Conklin, Alberta
A resident of Conklin, Alberta, prepares cots for residents of Fort McMurray as the latter prepare to assemble in Conklin after evacuation.
Fort McMurray
A Fort McMurray resident refuels his vehicle before heading towards Lac La Biche after the evacuation.
Conklin, Alberta
A resident buckles in her daughter as they prepare to leave Conklin, Alberta, for Lac La Biche after evacuating their home in Fort McMurray.
Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada
An uncontrolled wildfire burning near Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada, which is the heart of Canada's oil sands region, forced the evacuation of nearly 80,000 residents on May 3, 2016. The wildfire started on May 1 and reached Fort McMurray on May 3 due to strong winds and in spite of efforts from firefighters to curb the blaze. (Pictured) Students from Fort McMurray Composite High School are released early as the wildfire burns nearby on May 3, 2016.
Residents evacuated as fires threaten Canada oil sands town
FORT MCMURRAY, Alberta — The entire population of the Canadian oil sands city of Fort McMurray, Alberta, has been ordered to evacuate from a wildfire that officials said destroyed whole neighborhoods.
More than 80,000 residents have been ordered to flee as flames continued to make their way into the city Tuesday.
Alberta Premier Rachel Notley called it the biggest evacuation in the history of the province. Residents were panicked. Highway 63 is the only road out of the city and flames jumped the road.
Fire chief Darby Allen said they did not have an estimate of the number of homes destroyed, but said the fire is burning in several areas in the city's south end and had destroyed a mobile home park.
There have been no reports of serious injuries and Allen said right now the priority was to keep everyone safe. Allen said they have requested military assistance and expect the army and air force will start sending out troops within a couple of days.
Fort McMurray is the heart of Canada's oil sands region. The Alberta oil sands are the third largest reserves of oil in the world behind Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Most oil sands projects are well north of the community, while the worst of the flames were on the city's south side.
Allen said they are trying to maintain the crucial infrastructure in the city, including the only bridge across the Athabasca River and Highway 63, the only route to the city from the south.
"We appreciate that some of you have lost properties. We have people working here right now that have lost property, too," he said.
Medical staffers who were evacuated to Noralta Lodge, 26 kms (16 miles) north of Fort McMurray, were ready when a local woman went into labor.
Fort McMurray Mayor Melissa Blake saluted the news on Twitter: "Time for good news. I hear a baby (maybe 2) was born tonight and delivered by @NoraltaLodge! Full service evacuation rocks! #bewellbabies"
Brian Jean, the leader of Alberta's opposition party and a resident of the city, said much of downtown Fort McMurray is being destroyed by fire, but the fire chief said there had mostly been spot fires which have been extinguished. "My home of the last 10 years and the home I had for 15 years before that are both destroyed," Jean said.
The wildfire, whipped by unpredictable winds on a day of unseasonably hot temperatures, worsened dramatically in a short time and many residents were given little notice to flee.
The worst is not over because of high temperatures and strong winds are expected Wednesday, warned forestry manager Bernie Schmitte.
The blaze, which had burned since Sunday but seemed on its way to being neutralized Tuesday morning, overwhelmed firefighters when winds shifted quickly and drastically in the mid-afternoon to the southwest of the city. Officials said flames stormed along a ravine and roared into the city and the race was on to get out.
Pictures and video on social media depicted a hellish scene. There was fire jumping roads, burning debris pitched into the paths of cars as frantic residents, lined up bumper to bumper, scrambled and fumbled to find their way through the thick grey haze.
"It became chaotic with vehicles trying to swerve and pull out into the ditch," said resident Jordan Stuffco.
Air tankers and helicopters buzzed overhead.
"(With) the heat from the oncoming smoke and the flames, you could see mini-tornadoes forming near the road. It was something out of an apocalyptic movie."
The main road into Fort McMurray, was closed at the southern entrance to the city after flames jumped the road. Pictures posted on Twitter showed long lines of traffic and skies darkened by thick smoke as flames licked the edges of roads.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted that he spoke with Notley and said the federal government stands ready to help. He urged residents to follow evacuation orders.
As the afternoon wore on and the fire intensified, more and more sections of the city were ordered evacuated until the entire community was ordered out after 6 p.m.
Carol Christian's home was in one of the neighborhoods under the order to leave. She said it was scary as she drove to an evacuation center with her son and cat.
"When you leave ... it's an overwhelming feeling to think that you'll never see your house again," she said, her voice breaking.
"It was absolutely horrifying when we were sitting there in traffic. You look up and then you watch all the trees candle-topping ... up the hills where you live and you're thinking, 'Oh my God. We got out just in time.'"
Oil sands work camps were being pressed into service to house evacuees as the raging wildfire emptied the city.
Officials were also evacuating non-essential staff at Suncor's base plant. It is 30 kilometers (18 miles) away and one of the closest facilities to the city. Spokesman Paul Newmarch said evacuees were moving into the plant's work camps.
Will Gibson, a spokesman for Syncrude, which also has a plant north of the town, was himself one of the evacuees heading north away from the flames.
Gibson said he had to flee his neighborhood via a grass embankment because the fire had already cut off the road at both ends.
"I left my neighborhood and there were houses on fire," he said. "I don't know if and when I'll be going back."
The large work camps can normally accommodate thousands of workers.
A local radio reporter said a trailer park that had been evacuated on Monday was on fire and flames were advancing toward businesses.
"It's chaos on the roads. People are panicking. It's gridlock on the roads. Flames are right next to a gas station," said Carina Van Heerde with radio station KAOS.
The unseasonably hot temperatures combined with dry conditions have transformed the boreal forest in much of Alberta into a tinder box.
The wildfire threat ranged from very high to extreme in different areas.
The province was calling in more reinforcements to Fort McMurray, including 100 more firefighters and a giant helicopter that can dump more than 2,000 liters (500 gallons) of water at a time.
Tragic toddler Poppy-Mai Barnard who "married" her hero dad and came second to 'Boaty McBoatface' dies
A tragic toddler who grabbed the world's attention when she came second to Boaty McBoatface in contest for the naming of a new polar research vessel has died.
Poppy-Mai Barnard's father ‘married’ her to fulfil his promise to give her a white wedding when she was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Heartbroken dad Andy announced his "princess" had "grown her angel wings" this afternoon.
The one-year-old died in her father’s arms while her mother stroked her hair at home at 1.16pm yesterday.
Mr Barnard said his family was ‘heartbroken’, but more determined than ever to raise enough to build a retreat in her memory to help other families of sick children.
He released a poignant poem he had written about his daughter and pledged to fulfil his promise to her to raise £100,000 to build a centre to help other kids.
He said: ‘We will keep our promise to our princess. Poppy-Mai’s death will not be in vain. We thank everyone who has donated from the bottom of our hearts, focusing on building this has kept us strong and it will be achieving this for her that keeps us going.
‘We could not save Poppy-Mai but we can do this for her and we will. Her legacy will live on. She has touched lives around the world and will never be forgotten.’
The little girl gained worldwide fame when her name was narrowly beaten by Boaty McBoatface to win a competition to name a new polar research ship launched by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).
Three days ago Mr Barnard, 31, had told their 30,000 followers that Poppy-Mai had been growing more sleepy. His heart wrenching post told how she was sleeping, but occasionally her eyes would flicker.
In a post this afternoon Mr Barnard who serves with the RAF 27 squadron said: "Poppy-Mai Indi Barnard, our beautiful princess, grew her angel wings this afternoon at 13.16.
"She was in my arms with her mummy stroking her head. I miss her already. Our princess is now at peace I thought it was the right thing to let all of you special people know."
His wife Sammi, 29, later added: "Today I watched our beautiful baby grow her angel wings, as much as it hurt me to know I will never watch my baby grow, laugh, smile again, she is at peace now, no more pain and suffering.
"She fought the biggest battle and gave us a lifetime of happy memories in her short life which will stay with me for forever."
Mr Barnard and his wife Sammi had been told that Poppy-Mai could have just two days to live on March 16 this year.
The couple decided against further chemotherapy treatment because it was making her so unwell.
They took her home to be with Rylee, six and Jenson-Jay, four, and were astonished when she appeared to briefly regain her strength and sparkle.
Her father said the way Poppy-Mai had captured hearts around the globe meant she had already achieved far more in her life than he ever would.
He said: "We have been sharing her story to raise awareness to save other lives and to raise funds to build a permanent centre for other families.
"It gives us strength and comfort to do that when we can’t do a lot else."
He vowed not to rest until the mission was complete.
The fundraising currently stands at £29,000, short of its £100,000 target.
Andy had dreamed of walking his princess down the aisle and vowed she would one day have the perfect wedding.
Determined to see their dreams come true, Andy’s RAF colleagues hastily arranged a 'wedding day' for Poppy-Mai and the beautiful little bride ‘married’ her hero father.
Poppy-Mai was escorted to the aisle by her mother and big brothers.
Andy who serves with the RAF 27 squadron regiment said: "From the moment we found out Poppy-Mai was a girl I’ve said she’d have the wedding of her dreams one day.
"I never, ever thought it would be like this. Our hearts are broken forever, but I wanted to keep my promise to my princess. It wasn’t how I imagined, but she got her wedding day."
It was just six weeks ago that the Bernard family had the world turned upside down.
On February 14 mum Sammi took Poppy-Mai to the doctors. The usually playful toddler had gone off her food and drink and was constipated with a distended tummy.
Sammi had also noticed she seemed off balance. Their GP put the little girl’s symptoms down to teething and prescribed a laxative.
But Poppy-Mai grew worse and Sammi noticed a lump appear under her rib cage.
Now refusing all food and drink and unwilling to walk, Sammi took her back to the GP ten days later.
A different doctor prescribed a stronger laxative. But the following afternoon on February 25th Sammi was so concerned she drove her daughter to their local A&E.
The toddler, who had now started vomiting, was immediately admitted as doctors battled to stabilise her.
Sammi said: "Her calcium levels were way too high and they had to address that first before they could start to work out what was wrong.
"At the worst I thought she maybe had a really bad infection."
Sammi’s father who was serving with his squadron in America was kept informed over the phone.
Only later that day an ultrasound revealed what appeared to be a mass in her stomach.
Sammi said: "The consultant sat me down and said: ‘You know this is much worse than constipation now, don’t you?'
"I did. But when he said they suspected cancer I was shocked." Sammi was told that they suspected her daughter had Wilms – a type of kidney cancer in children.
The heartbroken mum had to break the news to her husband over the phone and bosses arranged for him to be flown back to the UK to be with his daughter who was being transferred to Addenbrooke’s in Cambridge.
She was thrilled to see her daddy again but there was bad news when a CT scan revealed the mass on her kidney had started to spread and speckles were detected in the Poppy -Mai’s lungs.
But just one week on the speckles had already grown into masses.
Doctors diagnosed a malignant rhabdoid tumour in her kidneys and lungs – a very rare and aggressive type of cancer.
She started chemotherapy and appeared to respond well. But on March 16 cancer was found in her brain.
The size and position of the tumour above her right eye meant it was inoperable and she was given two days to live.
More than 30,0000 people followed the family’s journey on their Facebook page and the tot and her brothers received gifts from across the UK every day from well wishers.
Mr Barnard said there were so many he had began donating items daily to local charity shops.
He said: "People’s kindness has been extraordinary, they took Poppy-Mai to their hearts and to know she was so loved makes us so proud."
The poem Andy Barnard wrote for Poppy-Mai
Poppy-Mai what can I say
I watch you in awe everyday
Never before have I felt such love
You'll soon be an angel up above
I follow your lead everyday
I hide my feelings, tuck them away
I cry inside but show you a smile
Your stronger than me by a mile
Inspirational & Courageous are just two
Of the best words to describe you
You keep on going, I don't know how
For that Princess I take a bow
Many memories have been made
I'd rather that you'd have stayed
My One True Love is getting sleepy
It makes me feel rather weepy
My emotions have run wild
My precious Princess, my beautiful child
I wish I could make this go away
My precious Princess Please Please stay
You have taught me many things
And soon you'll grow you Angel Wings
Your time on earth is nearly done
I'll hold you close and rub your tum
Your beautiful eyes they tell a story
At the end of this there is no glory
So at peace you will be
The pain in my face you will not see
Poppy-Mai you are my HERO
I wish I could reduce this cancer to ZERO
Your a special girl, my shining star
I'll still talk to you babe from a far
Poppy-Mai what can I say
I watch you I awe everyday
This is a Poem from a Proud and Broken Daddy
To help build the centre in memory of Poppy-Mai please visit www.gofundme.com/poppy-mai
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