Wonder why stars like Gwyneth Paltrow and thousands of others are taking selfies without their makeup?

A British charity has taken in almost £8 million, more than $13 million, in just a matter of days, thanks to a social media campaign, #nomakeupselfie.

The idea is for people to post pictures of themselves on Twitter in their most natural state. Cancer Research UK, which didn't start the campaign, has become the primary beneficiary of the effort. Even celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow have gotten in on the act.

Not all has gone smoothly for the charity, though, as The Guardian reports. A quirk of their text donation campaign has sent several thousand dollars worth of pledges to the UNICEF UK charity, instead.

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Why Ukraine's seamen proved impotent

In the last week, almost all of the Ukrainian navy’s warships and sailors have either defected or been taken captive by Russia. The fleet was based mostly in Sevastopol, the major port city in Crimea that was also home to a major Russian naval base. Crimea recently voted to secede from Ukraine and be annexed to Russia.

So how did Ukraine manage to lose not only territory, but also a major part of its armed forces without a shot being fired? Jane’s investigates.

This British bar is catering to recovering alcoholics and teetotalers

Britain's pub culture is legendary. People go out for a pint with their friends, families or by themselves. But for people who may be recovering from alcoholism, or for those from cultures that don't drink, the pub scene can be uncomfortable. So, in a quintessentially British solution, a number of "dry bars" have opened.

These dry bars, PRI's The World reports, offer elaborate mocktails and a social atmosphere that is welcoming to people who are trying not to drink. They're even getting support from the British government.

It can be so confusing being a bigot sometimes

The Irish news website thejournal.ie explains how a cheerful celebration of culture took an unexpectedly violent turn in Siberia’s Irkutsk province this past weekend.

A group of school students gathered in traditional Irish clothing in a flashmob at a mall to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. But their clothing confused a group of young Russian toughs who mistook them for people advocating for gay rights and started beating them up. Russia has become an increasingly hostile place for people who are gay or support gay rights. In the melee, at least one teacher suffered a concussion, and other teachers and students were injured. 

After Crimea, is Transnistria next?

With Russia's takeover of Crimea basically a fait accompli, there's a breakaway province a little to the west that is hoping it, too, can be annexed to Russia.

Transnistria is a thin strip of a province that tried to declare independence from the Republic of Moldova shortly before the disintegration of the Soviet Union. That led to a civil war. There was a truce, but the conflict was never resolved. Most residents are ethnic Russians and feel no ties to Moldova. PRI's The World reports that many in Transnistria feel their future would be brighter with Russia.

What we're seeing on social

Weather around the world

Canada is gearing up for an epic snowstorm this week. Packing a punch that will rival Superstorm Sandy, this winter storm is lining up to blast Nova Scotia and the Canadian maritime provinces with perhaps two feet of snow, as well as hurricane-force winds and waves up to 45 feet high. The storm will glance past Cape Cod and islands like Martha's Vineyard, but most of the US will be spared. The storm is expected to be a fast mover, arriving on Wednesday, according to Mashable.