It’s well-known that elephants are intelligent and graceful creatures – but these animals have taken that reputation a step further by becoming professional painters.

The group of seven Asian elephants hold specially-designed brushed in their trunks, which they use to create beautiful floral scenes.

And the clever mammals, who live in Thailand have even developed a skill that humans can’t match – the ability to suck up paint in their trunks to spray it over a canvas like an aerosol can.

For slightly less precise images, the elephants can also use their huge feet – which they dip in paint then use to daub large canvasses on the floor.
The amazing fruits of their labour are then sold on by the sanctuary – for as much as £1,300 each – and the money used to support the Maesa Elephant Camp, where the seven live.

Teaching elephants to paint was a technique pioneer at Maesa, and is now used in several other sanctuaries to help raise money for the animals.

The most sophisticated elephant artists – who were trained by a Chinese painter nine years ago – are now skilled enough to paint realistic-looking bunches of flowers, rather than the more impressionistic work favour by the others.

Miley Cyrus is apparently upset that she didn’t win anything at the 2014 MuchMusic Video Awards that took place on Sunday, June 15 in Toronto, Canada. The singer took to Twitter to express her dissatisfaction with the awards show’s voting system.

Many speculate that Cyrus is pissed she lost the International Artist of the Year award to fellow former Disney princess Selena Gomez.

The two stars are reportedly not on good terms.

Cyrus, however, didn’t only lose to Gomez at the Sunday event. The 21-year-old performer had her “Wrecking Ball” clip nominated for the International Video of the Year award, which last night went to Lorde for her “Royals”.

The producers of MuchMusic Awards have reacted to Cyrus’ comment about the voting system. In a Twitter post, they said, “Anyone saying our voting is ‘rigged’ should know that we have our own reliable tracking system.”

Dozens of extremists attacked a Kenyan coastal town for hours, killing those who couldn’t answer questions about Islam and those who didn’t know the Somali language, officials and witnesses said Monday. At least 48 people were killed and two hotels were set on fire.

The assault in Mpeketoni began Sunday night as residents watched World Cup matches on TV and lasted until early Monday, with little resistance put up by Kenya’s security forces. Cars and buildings still smoldered at daybreak.

Authorities blamed al-Shabab, Somalia’s al-Qaida-linked terror group, who have vowed to carry out terror attacks to avenge the Kenyan military presence in Somali. Along with its Somali fighters, the group also has many Kenyan adherents.

Kenya’s top police commander, David Kimaiyo, said the death toll was 48. A police spokeswoman said authorities believe that several dozen attackers took part.

Mpeketoni is about 20 miles (30 kilometers) southwest of the tourist center of Lamu.

A petition has been launched asking Beyonce and Jay Z to comb their two-year-old daughter Blue Ivy’s hair.

The Change.org page for petition, which was started by a woman named Jasmine Toliver, reads: ‘As a woman who understands the importance of hair care, it’s disturbing to watch a child suffering from the lack of hair moisture.

‘The parents of Blue Ivy, Sean Carter aka Jay Z and Beyonce have failed at numerous attempts of doing Blue Ivy’s hair. This matter has escalated to the child developing matted dreads and lint balls. Please let’s get the word out to properly care for Blue Ivy hair.’

So far the campaign has amassed an impressive 3,601 supporters, with people giving their reasons in the comments section.

‘Because no child whose mom spends thousands on her hair (monthly) should live life looking like a sheep!’ wrote one woman.

But not everyone was quite so on board with the cause. ‘This is the dumbest thing I have seen in my life,’ wrote one woman.

‘You have no right to assume that you are the authority on anyone’s hair, you judgmental females, that is her child. Not yours!’

Ms Toliver has since stated that the page was a joke, writing on her Facebook page: ‘People just need to breathe and chill out.’

She told BuzzFeed: ‘I never thought my opinion of comb, care and moisturize would make a big deal. I admire she’s natural. I’m natural myself. But natural doesn’t mean to be left alone.

‘I recommend finger detangling with water and coconut oil. Then an organic conditioner. But Blessings to Blue. I apologize to anyone I might of offended [sic].’