Dan Kitwood / Getty Images
Participants run in the annual Parliamentary Pancake Race in front of the Houses of Parliament on Shrove Tuesday in London. Now in its 16th year, the annual Pancake Race, which raises money for the charity Rehab, sees teams of politicians and journalists racing in a circuit while tossing pancakes in frying pans. The team of MPs won this year's event.
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Model train enthusiasts view a replica of the Abbey Road Tube station which also depicts the Beatles' famous album cover, at The London Model Engineering Exhibition at Alexandra Palace on Jan. 18, in London.
Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images
Model steam locomotives, left and model warships, right, on display at the London Model Engineering Exhibition at Alexandra Palace Jan. 18, in London.
Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images
A ride on miniature steam locomotive at The London Model Engineering Exhibition at Alexandra Palace, Jan. 18 in London.
Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images
A model of Abbey Road Tube station at The London Model Engineering Exhibition at Alexandra Palace, Jan. 18, in London.
The London Model Engineering Exhibition which opens today, features more than a thousand models from over 50 national and regional clubs and societies. A wide range of locomotives, boats and aircraft are on show, including a ‘OO’ scale model of the Abbey Road station, built for the 150th Anniversary of the London Underground. The show runs through Sunday, Jan. 20.
Editor's Note: Abbey Road station is not the same place as Abbey Road crossing where the Beatles had their recording studio and the well-known album cover was photographed.
Matt Cardy / Getty Images
People share a sledge as they take advantage of the snow covering the Bath Approach Golf Course besides Victoria Park on Jan. 18 in Bath, England.
Dan Kitwood / Getty Images
A man and a little girl pull a sledge up a hill in Brockwell Park, Jan. 18 in London.
Andrew Winning / Reuters
A deer sits in the snow in Richmond Park, London, Jan. 18.
Leon Neal / AFP - Getty Images
A woman feeds a squirrel in the snow covered St James' Park, London, Jan. 18.
Andy Rain / EPA
Gulls sit on an icy lake at St.James's Park in London, Jan. 18.
Leon Neal / AFP - Getty Images
The River Thames and Britain's Houses of Parliament are pictured through falling snow in central London, Jan. 18.
Andrew Cowie / AFP - Getty Images
A small snow man sits on a bench in Regent's Park, London on Jan. 18.
Ice and snow changes our environment, as winter engulfs our world.
Heathrow Airport briefly shut a runway and canceled dozens of flights, schools were closed and travel disrupted across Britain as snow fell. Forecasters are predicting up to 12 inches of the white stuff in some areas, making for good sledding and snowman making.
Victor Jimenez / Getty Images
Smoke pours from the burning debris of a helicopter which crashed in the Vauxhall district of London on Jan. 16, 2012.
Carl Court / AFP - Getty Images
A damaged crane that was hit by a helicopter is pictured following the crash on Jan. 16, 2013.
Neil Hall / Reuters
Debris from a crashed helicopter is seen in Vauxhall on Jan. 16, 2013. A helicopter crashed into a crane on top of one of Europe's tallest residential blocks in central London on Wednesday, killing two people as it burst into flames and threw plumes of smoke into the foggy air.
Courtesy Nic Walker
A fire burns after a helicopter crashed in Vauxhall on Jan. 16, 2013.
By Ian Johnston and Alastair Jamieson, NBC News
LONDON -- Two people were killed and nine others injured when a helicopter apparently hit a crane atop a skyscraper and then crashed on a street in the U.K. capital Wednesday morning, police said.
The crash happened at 8 a.m. local time (3 a.m. ET) in the South Lambeth area of London.
In a message on Twitter, London Fire Brigade said they had "rescued a man from a burning car at the scene of the helicopter crash." Read the full story.
Oli Scarff / Getty Images
Wreckage at the scene after a helicopter reportedly collided with a crane attached to St Georges Wharf Tower in Vauxhall, on Jan. 16, 2013. According to reports, the helicopter hit the crane before plunging into the road below during the morning rush hour.
A helicopter's pilot and a bystander on the ground was killed in central London this morning when it hit a crane and fell to the ground in a fiery crash. NBC's Michelle Kosinski reports.
Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images
Angler Billy Carmichael casts during the opening of the salmon fishing season on the River Tay on Jan. 15 in Kenmore, Scotland. A procession with a pipe band and anglers made its way through Kenmore at the east end of Loch Tay to mark the start of the 2012 salmon season on the River Tay.
Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images
An angler casts during the opening of the salmon fishing season on the River Tay on Jan. 15 in Kenmore, Scotland.
Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images
Kiera Gowan, 2, from Pitlochry, holds a fishing net during the opening of the salmon fishing season on the River Tay on Jan. 15 in Kenmore, Scotland.
Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images
An angler casts during the opening of the salmon fishing season on the River Tay on Jan. 15 in Kenmore, Scotland.
Previously on PhotoBlog:
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Luke Macgregor / Reuters
The shadow of Western Europe's tallest building is cast across London's financial district as seen from The View from The Shard on Tuesday. Adult tickets to the gallery range from $40 to $160.
LONDON —Towering 800 feet above the U.K. capital, The View from The Shard provides a unique panoramic perspective of the city and — when the weather is clear – up to 40 miles beyond.
But getting a chance to witness the vista from The Shard, which last year became the tallest building in Western Europe, won't come cheap. When the public viewing gallery atop the London's newest landmark opens on Feb. 1, adult tickets will range from $40 to $160.
So will anyone be prepared to pay that much for the privilege of looking down on Londoners?
Andy Nyberg, The View's no-nonsense CEO, thinks so. He says visitors are in for an impressive sight — a "tapestry of history" far below. Its first two days have already sold out.
"This is the only place you can see the whole of London at once and, as such, is a natural starting point for exploring the U.K.'s capital," he said. "If we've got the room and if you've got more money than sense – or time – for £100 ($160) you can turn up at the box office and go up immediately. But that's just a pressure valve for people who bang on the desk."
When it is fully fitted-out, the building will include a luxury hotel, restaurants, offices and private apartments totaling more than 31 acres. The architect, Renzo Piano, has described it as a "vertical city."
The Shard, Western Europe's tallest building will be officially dedicated. The glass paneling and tapered design have already made it one of London's most iconic landmarks. ITV's Lewis Vaughan Jones reports.
A pre-booked, timed-entry adult ticket costs £24.95 ($40), a price the operators believe compares favorably with other "fast-track" entrance fees around London.
In comparison, entry to the main observation deck of the Empire State Building, 1,050 feet up on the 86th floor, costs $25. Going to the top of the Eiffel Tower feels like a bargain at less than $18.50 — and its third level observation desk sits 905 feet above Paris.
But unlike the New York or Paris icons, The View from The Shard's operators say the "visitor experience" is more about the city than the building.
'Quirky'
In the entrance hall there was a humorous and irreverent montage of famous faces placed in London landmarks, as well as some of the city's less well-known neighborhoods. The lobby for the high-speed elevators, which whisk visitors skywards at nearly 20 feet per second, was awash with maps and quotations about the city.
"We've been allowed to be quirky by mixing fact and entertainment, but kept plenty of open space for people to enjoy, " Kevin Murphy, development director at Event Communications — the company responsible for bringing the concept to life — said as he looked around the vast viewing gallery on Level 69.
The Shard towers 1,016 feet over London's South Bank and will be officially opened in February. The top floor will provide stunning 45-mile views and will be the tallest building in western Europe. NBC's Michelle Kosinksi checks out the tower inspired by old church spires.
Apart from high-tech interactive telescopes dotted around its edge, the gallery is sparsely decorated, enabling the view to speak for itself.
"We could have three million people a year through here," Murphy added. "But we're not about treating visitors like animals and herding them through."
But although there was space to roam, the novelty of the viewpoint soon wore thin — at least on a cloudy January morning, with visibility limited to around four miles.
The London landmarks nearby, such as St Paul's Cathedral and Tower Bridge, were distinctive enough, and following the course of the River Thames as it weaved its way eastwards to the sea was intriguing. But after playing "Can I see your house from here?" and counting buses, there was little to hold the attention.
Even climbing up to Level 72, the partially open-air gallery at 800 feet, the narrowness of the city's streets kept many landmarks out of view. And when standing so close to the jagged pinnacle at the top of The Shard, the impression gained at a distance of broken glass simply disappeared.
There were two novelties that caught the eye at the summit: The highest — and probably smallest — gift shop in London; and the view from the restroom.
After all, who needs bathroom curtains 800 feet up?
Peter Jeary / NBC News
A restroom at The View from the Shard.
Related stories:
Europe's new tallest building: An 'iceberg' in heart of London or titanic $2.35B folly
PhotoBlog: Check out images from The Shard's official opening
Matt Cardy / Getty Images
A horse looks out from a frozen field near Bath, Dec. 12, in Somerset, England.
Dan Kitwood / Getty Images
The early morning frost clings to a cobweb in Regents Park on Dec.12, in London, England.
Matt Cardy / Getty Images
People take photos as the frost lingers on the trees at Westonbirt Aboretum on Dec. 12, near Tetbury, England.
Dan Kitwood / Getty Images
A woman's breath can bee seen on a freezing morning in Regents Park, Dec.12, in London, England. F
Oli Scarff / Getty Images
Early morning frost in Hyde Park on Dec. 12, in London, England.
Forecasters have warned that the UK could experience the coldest day of the year so far today, with temperatures dropping as low as 7 F ( -14C), bringing ice, harsh frosts and freezing fog. About 150 flights have already been cancelled at London’s Heathrow Airport due to fog, and heavy snow is expected in some parts of the country.
Dan Kitwood / Getty Images
A man feeds Black-headed Gulls in St. James's Park on a cold winter day in London, Nov. 30, 2012. Weather warnings have been issued as temperatures start to fall below freezing across many parts of the United Kingdom.
Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images
Workers walk through water as residents of Old Malton begin to deal with the aftermath of the recent floods on Nov. 28 in Old Malton, England. Fire crews continue to pump large amount of surface flood water away from overflowing drains that have been threatening many properties in the area.
Andrew Winning / Reuters
Publican John Fischer rests on his broom as James Brindley, right, sweeps muddy sediment out the Swan Pub after flood waters receded in St Asaph, north Wales, on Nov. 28.
Dozens of properties were flooded in St Asaph, Wales after the River Clwyd burst its banks on Tuesday, after seven days of torrential rains. Parts of England have also suffered from flooding. According to Reuters, insurers could face up to $1.6 billion in insurance claims, the highest figure since 2007.
Andrew Winning / Reuters
Claire Austin reacts as she stands in her children's bedroom for the first time since having to evacuate her home before it was flooded in St Asaph, north Wales, on Nov. 28. Dozens of properties were flooded in St Asaph after the River Clwyd burst its banks yesterday.
Paul Ellis / AFP - Getty Images
An elderly couple prepare to be evacuated as flood waters surround their home in St Asaph, north Wales on Nov. 27. Hundreds of people were urged to flee their homes in north Wales on Tuesday after a river surged over flood defenses, as torrential rain fell across Britain for a seventh day.
David Goddard / Getty Images
Flood waters of the river Avon and the river Severn surround the town of Tewkesbury, England on Nov. 27. Floodwaters threaten hundreds of homes in Wales and England, as river levels continue to rise, exacerbated by further water running into already saturated areas.
Heavy rain has brought flooding to over a thousand houses in Britain, forcing hundreds of families to abandon their homes. NBC's Annabel Roberts reports.
Previously on PhotoBlog:
Fabio Ferrari / Lapresse via AP
A police officer fires tear gas as police face demonstrators during a protest against Italian Government austerity measures in Turin, Italy, on Nov. 14. Workers across the European Union sought to present a united front against rampant unemployment and government spending cuts Wednesday with a string of strikes and demonstrations across the region. Protesters clashed with police in various demonstrations in Rome, Milan, Turin, Padua and Brescia.
Matt Dunham / AP
Police officers try to push protesters back onto the pavement after they blocked traffic on Oxford Street, London, while taking part in a picket and demonstration they said was over dismissals of 28 workers employed by contractors on the Crossrail transport project, for being trade union members, on Nov. 14. Crossrail, due to start running services in 2018, is a new train line that will include twin-bore 13 mile tunnels under central London and link 37 stations including transport hubs such as Heathrow airport with business districts including the City and Canary Wharf.
Daniel Ochoa De Olza / AP
Riot police apprehend a protestor during a general strike in Madrid, Spain, Nov. 14. Spain's General Workers' Union said the nationwide stoppage, the second this year, was being observed by nearly all workers in the automobile, energy, shipbuilding and constructions industries.
By NBC News staff and wire reports
Pockets of violence broke out as public demonstrations and strikes over rising unemployment and austerity measures took place in many parts of Europe Wednesday.
Spanish and Portuguese workers staged a coordinated general strike across the Iberian Peninsula, shutting transport, grounding flights and closing schools to protest against spending cuts and tax hikes.
International rail services were disrupted by strikes in Belgium and workers in Greece, Italy and France planned work stoppages or demonstrations as part of a "European Day of Action and Solidarity.” Read the full story.
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Reuters
A protester holds a stone during clashes with riot police at a students' demonstration against austerity measures in downtown Rome on Nov. 14.
Alessandro Di Marco / EPA
Protesters try to burn the flag of the European Union after storming the regional Palace of the Province in Turin, on Nov. 14.
David Ramos / Getty Images
Demonstrators set up a barricade of burning tires at the main entrance of Mercabarna, the biggest wholesale market in the city, at the beginning of a 24-hour strike on Nov. 14 in Barcelona, Spain. Spain's trade unions have called for today a general strike, the second of Mariano Rajoy's presidency. Protestors from social movements are expected to join striking public sector workers to demonstrate against austerity cuts, labour reforms and an unemployment rate of 25 percent.
Philippe Huguen / AFP - Getty Images
Thousands of people from France and Belgium demonstrate during an anti-austerity protest in Lille on Nov. 14. Trade unions lead nationwide strikes and anti-austerity protests across Europe today.
Geert Vanden Wijngaert / AP
Empty tracks at the Brussels South train station on Nov. 14. A 24-hour rail stoppage and scattered strikes through the south of the nation disrupted daily life. Both the Thalys and Eurostar high-speed rail services that connect Brussels with London and Paris were severely disrupted.
Kerim Okten / EPA
Andy Murray of Great Britain serves to Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic during their day one match at the ATP World Tour Finals in London, Nov. 5, in a multiple exposure image. Murray won the match.
PhotoBlog: Photographing the Olympic athletes at 14 frames per second
Andrew Yates / AFP - Getty Images
The plane carrying 15-year-old Malala Yousufzai, the Pakistani girl shot in the head by Taliban gunmen for campaigning for the right to an education, sits on the tarmac after landing at Birmingham Airport in Birmingham, central England on Oct. 15. Yousufzai will be cared for at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, a highly specialized facility where British soldiers seriously wounded in Afghanistan are treated, a spokeswoman for Prime Minister David Cameron said.
By NBC News and wire reports
The 15-year-old Pakistani girl shot and critically wounded by the Taliban for promoting education for girls and criticizing the militant group traveled to Britain on Monday for further medical treatment, officials said.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said Malala Yousufzai would receive specialized care in a hospital in the country’s National Health Service system.
"Last week's barbaric attack on Malala Yousufzai and her school friends shocked Pakistan and the world. Malala's bravery in standing up for the right of all young girls in Pakistan to an education is an example to us all,” Hague said in a statement. Continue reading.
Pakistanis light candles in front of a banner showing a picture of 15-year-old schoolgirl Malala Yousufzai, who was shot last Tuesday by the Taliban for speaking out in support of education for women, in Peshawar, Pakistan, Oct. 15. The banner reads,
Navesh Chitrakar / Reuters
Candles are lit in front of a portrait of Pakistani school girl Malala Yousufzai during a candlelight vigil organized by Nepalese Youth in Kathmandu on Oct. 15.
Shakil Adil / AP
Fifteen-year-old Malala Yousufzai was shot by the Taliban on Tuesday for speaking out against the militants and promoting education for girls. Doctors reported Saturday Yousufzai moved her hands and feet.
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