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Sunday, December 16, 2007
A labrador and her kitten
The kitten was found abandoned in the street in Brazil and was taken to a house. This is what happened.
Indian girl born with 8 limbs leaves hospital after surgery - Update
A two-year-old Indian girl born with four arms and four legs left hospital yesterday , more than a month after a marathon operation to remove her extra limbs, doctors said.
Lakshmi left Sparsh Hospital in the southern city of Bangalore with her parents and older brother after doctors said she had recovered from the 27-hour operation to separate her from her headless, conjoined twin.
But she will return to hospital in March for doctors to assess whether she will need reconstructive surgery, said Sharan Patil, who headed the surgical team for the operation last month.
"She's doing well now and her parents are quite keen to take the baby home," Patil said.
There's a news video on this page.
Lakshmi left Sparsh Hospital in the southern city of Bangalore with her parents and older brother after doctors said she had recovered from the 27-hour operation to separate her from her headless, conjoined twin.
But she will return to hospital in March for doctors to assess whether she will need reconstructive surgery, said Sharan Patil, who headed the surgical team for the operation last month.
"She's doing well now and her parents are quite keen to take the baby home," Patil said.
There's a news video on this page.
Travellers get a rude welcome in South Africa
South Africans are generally a welcoming bunch. The average Brit stepping off a flight from London can expect a warmer reception than tourists travelling in the other direction.
So the hordes shuffling up to the immigration desks at Johannesburg's OR Tambo International this week would have been rudely shaken from the torpor of their 12-hour flight to be greeted by electronic notice boards declaring: "Fuck you", the Afrikaans-language tabloid newspaper Die Son reported.
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It is true that anyone arriving at Johannesburg airport has long been met by a sign warning: "Enter at your own risk"", and those that fly from it often feel screwed.
Theft from luggage is so rampant that regular travellers pay R25 (£1.80) to have their bags shrink-wrapped in plastic to keep the looters at bay.
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Last week, a whole airline, Nationwide, was grounded over safety concerns. But no one has ever made their feelings quite so plain to the public.
The airport management is trying to track down the culprit. A spokeswoman, Nothemba Noruwane, said: "Many workers had access to the system and the matter is under investigation. Many workers' access to the system has been revoked."
So the hordes shuffling up to the immigration desks at Johannesburg's OR Tambo International this week would have been rudely shaken from the torpor of their 12-hour flight to be greeted by electronic notice boards declaring: "Fuck you", the Afrikaans-language tabloid newspaper Die Son reported.
Click for bigger.
It is true that anyone arriving at Johannesburg airport has long been met by a sign warning: "Enter at your own risk"", and those that fly from it often feel screwed.
Theft from luggage is so rampant that regular travellers pay R25 (£1.80) to have their bags shrink-wrapped in plastic to keep the looters at bay.
Click for bigger.
Last week, a whole airline, Nationwide, was grounded over safety concerns. But no one has ever made their feelings quite so plain to the public.
The airport management is trying to track down the culprit. A spokeswoman, Nothemba Noruwane, said: "Many workers had access to the system and the matter is under investigation. Many workers' access to the system has been revoked."
Military lion shorn of his equipment after women troops protest
The proud motto of northern Europe’s crack rapid-reaction force is ad omnia paratus. Prepared for everything, everywhere. But the heraldic lion above the Latin tag now sends a less plucky message – he has just been digitally emasculated and, though technically still a lion rampant, he does not seem to be ready for anything, anywhere.
The change was implemented after a group of women Swedish soldiers protested that they could not identify with such an ostentatiously male lion on their army crest. A complaint of sex discrimination was then lodged with the European Court of Justice.
“We were forced to cut the lion’s willy with the aid of a computer,” Christian Braunstein, from the Tradition Commission of the Swedish Army, said.
Now the Nordic Battlegroup, a force of 2,400 soldiers, is looking deeply embarrassed. For sceptics who already consider the Nordic Battlegroup to be something of an oxymoron – it is led by the Swedes, who were last in battle in 1809 – the operation on the lion is not an auspicious omen.
Most upset, was Vladimir Sagerlund, the designer of the crest from the National Archives. “A heraldic lion is a powerful and stately figure with its genitalia intact and I cannot approve an edited image,” he told öteborgs-Posten, a Swedish daily.
“The Army lacks knowledge about heraldry. Coats of arms containing lions without genitalia were given to those who betrayed the Crown.”
The change was implemented after a group of women Swedish soldiers protested that they could not identify with such an ostentatiously male lion on their army crest. A complaint of sex discrimination was then lodged with the European Court of Justice.
“We were forced to cut the lion’s willy with the aid of a computer,” Christian Braunstein, from the Tradition Commission of the Swedish Army, said.
Now the Nordic Battlegroup, a force of 2,400 soldiers, is looking deeply embarrassed. For sceptics who already consider the Nordic Battlegroup to be something of an oxymoron – it is led by the Swedes, who were last in battle in 1809 – the operation on the lion is not an auspicious omen.
Most upset, was Vladimir Sagerlund, the designer of the crest from the National Archives. “A heraldic lion is a powerful and stately figure with its genitalia intact and I cannot approve an edited image,” he told öteborgs-Posten, a Swedish daily.
“The Army lacks knowledge about heraldry. Coats of arms containing lions without genitalia were given to those who betrayed the Crown.”
Cross-dressers arrested for stealing Christmas decorations
Mission police officers pulled over an off-white Mitsubishi with a trunk full of Christmas decorations. The three occupants of the vehicle told police they had stolen the property, said Lt. Martin Garza, a spokesman for Mission police.
Officers arrested Sabrina Marie Ochoa, 18, Andres Guaracha, 17, and Ismael Garcia, 19, all of Palmview. The trio remained in police custody late Friday and are expected to be arraigned today on six counts of misdemeanor theft, Garza said.
In Guaracha’s mug shot, he wears a black strapless top, a blond wig and makeup, including eyeliner, blush and lipstick. Garcia, also wearing makeup, is dressed less revealingly in a sweatshirt and sports a wig with jet-black locks flowing down to the middle of his back. The trio told police they started stealing the decorations after a night at a club, Garza said.
Clad in high heels, the two men sneaked across lawns, taking inflatable snow globes, lighted wire reindeer and Santa Claus statuettes. A resident near the intersection of 3 Mile Line and Inspiration Road eventually called police to report suspicious noises, and officers made the traffic stop as a result.
The suspects cooperated with police and confessed to stealing 12 decorations, ranging in price from $25 to $200 each. The decorations remain in the Mission police evidence room, waiting for residents to claim them.
The group told investigators they planned to sell the loot.
Officers arrested Sabrina Marie Ochoa, 18, Andres Guaracha, 17, and Ismael Garcia, 19, all of Palmview. The trio remained in police custody late Friday and are expected to be arraigned today on six counts of misdemeanor theft, Garza said.
In Guaracha’s mug shot, he wears a black strapless top, a blond wig and makeup, including eyeliner, blush and lipstick. Garcia, also wearing makeup, is dressed less revealingly in a sweatshirt and sports a wig with jet-black locks flowing down to the middle of his back. The trio told police they started stealing the decorations after a night at a club, Garza said.
Clad in high heels, the two men sneaked across lawns, taking inflatable snow globes, lighted wire reindeer and Santa Claus statuettes. A resident near the intersection of 3 Mile Line and Inspiration Road eventually called police to report suspicious noises, and officers made the traffic stop as a result.
The suspects cooperated with police and confessed to stealing 12 decorations, ranging in price from $25 to $200 each. The decorations remain in the Mission police evidence room, waiting for residents to claim them.
The group told investigators they planned to sell the loot.
Knife at lunch gets 10-year-old girl arrested at school
A 10-year old Ocala girl brought her lunch to school and a small kitchen knife to cut it. She now faces a felony charge after being arrested. The Sunrise Elementary School and the sheriff's office disagree on the reason for the arrest.
School officials say the 5th grader had brought a piece of steak for her lunch, but she also brought a steak knife. The 10-year-old used the knife to cut the meat. That's when deputies were called.
"She did not use it inappropriately. She did not threaten anyone with it. She didn't pull it out and brandish it. Nothing of that nature," explained Marion County School Spokesman Kevin Christian.
But a couple of teachers took the utensil and called the sheriff. When deputies arrived, they were unable to get the child's parents on the phone, so they arrested her and took her to the county's juvenile assessment center.
"And we didn't handcuff her or treat her like a criminal. But, we took her to the assessment center to be assessed," said Capt. James Pogue, Marion County Sheriff's Office.
The student now faces a felony charge for the possession of a weapon on school property and the principal suspended her for ten days. The sheriff's office has turned the case over to the State Attorney's Office.
With news video.
School officials say the 5th grader had brought a piece of steak for her lunch, but she also brought a steak knife. The 10-year-old used the knife to cut the meat. That's when deputies were called.
"She did not use it inappropriately. She did not threaten anyone with it. She didn't pull it out and brandish it. Nothing of that nature," explained Marion County School Spokesman Kevin Christian.
But a couple of teachers took the utensil and called the sheriff. When deputies arrived, they were unable to get the child's parents on the phone, so they arrested her and took her to the county's juvenile assessment center.
"And we didn't handcuff her or treat her like a criminal. But, we took her to the assessment center to be assessed," said Capt. James Pogue, Marion County Sheriff's Office.
The student now faces a felony charge for the possession of a weapon on school property and the principal suspended her for ten days. The sheriff's office has turned the case over to the State Attorney's Office.
With news video.
Hospital's scanner goes walkabout
A scanner built for a hospital in Norfolk, England ended up 10,000 miles away in Australia after a medical mix-up.
Technicians installing equipment at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in King's Lynn, found it was not quite what the doctor ordered.
They found a CT scanner built for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Adelaide was sent to the Fens, while a scanner ordered by the QEH had gone down under.
The machines have now been dismantled to be shipped to their correct homes.
"There's probably a shipping clerk sitting in an office very miserable", QEH spokesman Richard Humphries said.
Amsterdam-based Philips admitted both scanners were sent to the wrong side of the world following an administrative error.
Technicians installing equipment at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in King's Lynn, found it was not quite what the doctor ordered.
They found a CT scanner built for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Adelaide was sent to the Fens, while a scanner ordered by the QEH had gone down under.
The machines have now been dismantled to be shipped to their correct homes.
"There's probably a shipping clerk sitting in an office very miserable", QEH spokesman Richard Humphries said.
Amsterdam-based Philips admitted both scanners were sent to the wrong side of the world following an administrative error.
So reindeer really can fly through the clouds
Alan Blacklock, a photographer with the New Zealand Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, was certainly surprised when he looked into the afternoon sky from his home in the capital city, Wellington.
'It was Sunday afternoon and my attention was drawn to this cloud,' he said.
'It wasn't a great leap of the imagination to see a reindeer.'
The picture, taken on Dec 2, is of a cirrus cloud, which takes shape at about 30,000ft.
'It was Sunday afternoon and my attention was drawn to this cloud,' he said.
'It wasn't a great leap of the imagination to see a reindeer.'
The picture, taken on Dec 2, is of a cirrus cloud, which takes shape at about 30,000ft.
'Real-life Willy Wonka' opens his own chocolate factory aged just 16
A dyslexic teenager has become a real-life teenage Willy Wonka by opening his own chocolate factory aged just 16.
Louis Barnett left school aged 11 and began making chocolate in his parents garage as a hobby.
Now, five years on, Louis has been working around the clock to get products on the shelves in time for Christmas since landing contracts with food giants Sainsbury's and Waitrose who are stocking his luxury chocolates over the festive season.
The plucky confectioner has opened the factory and employed members of staff to help keep up with demand after his company "Chokolit" attracted worldwide interest.
The Chokolit factory in Bridgnorth, Shropshire was first opened in September but now the Christmas rush is coming to an end, the site was officially opened yesterday by MP Patrick McCormack.
Louis's chocolates are unique as they come packaged in an edible box.
Louis Barnett left school aged 11 and began making chocolate in his parents garage as a hobby.
Now, five years on, Louis has been working around the clock to get products on the shelves in time for Christmas since landing contracts with food giants Sainsbury's and Waitrose who are stocking his luxury chocolates over the festive season.
The plucky confectioner has opened the factory and employed members of staff to help keep up with demand after his company "Chokolit" attracted worldwide interest.
The Chokolit factory in Bridgnorth, Shropshire was first opened in September but now the Christmas rush is coming to an end, the site was officially opened yesterday by MP Patrick McCormack.
Louis's chocolates are unique as they come packaged in an edible box.
Pensioner convicted of rubbish bins rummaging
A pensioner has been convicted for sorting through rubbish bins in Blackpool town centre.
Dennis Bostock, 71, is infamous for filling his house with rubbish.
District Judge Peter Ward, sitting at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court, gave him a three-year ASBO which bans him from removing items from bins, skips (dumpsters) or rubbish bags.
He also fined Bostock £150 for threatening behaviour and not answering bail.
Dennis Bostock, 71, is infamous for filling his house with rubbish.
District Judge Peter Ward, sitting at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court, gave him a three-year ASBO which bans him from removing items from bins, skips (dumpsters) or rubbish bags.
He also fined Bostock £150 for threatening behaviour and not answering bail.
Elderly pansy poachers strip a town's flowerbeds
An elderly couple are the prime suspects in a plot that has seen hundreds of bedding plants stolen from a Somerset town.
The horticultural heist was so brazen stunned onlookers did not even think to question what was going on in front of their eyes.
Shopkeepers thought nothing untoward was going on when they spotted two elderly people pull up next to newly-planted flowerbeds in Bridgwater.
And they did not think to challenge them when they started loading their ill-gotten gains into a getaway car.
Steadily over the past three weeks the meticulously laid bedding plants have been disappearing from around Bridgwater, leaving the town almost "flowerless" and infuriating the council team who spent hours planting them.
Officials suspect the duo have been getting away with the daylight robbery because nobody would think to challenge them.
The horticultural heist was so brazen stunned onlookers did not even think to question what was going on in front of their eyes.
Shopkeepers thought nothing untoward was going on when they spotted two elderly people pull up next to newly-planted flowerbeds in Bridgwater.
And they did not think to challenge them when they started loading their ill-gotten gains into a getaway car.
Steadily over the past three weeks the meticulously laid bedding plants have been disappearing from around Bridgwater, leaving the town almost "flowerless" and infuriating the council team who spent hours planting them.
Officials suspect the duo have been getting away with the daylight robbery because nobody would think to challenge them.
Drunk man 'mistook toddler for son'
A man accused of abducting and assaulting a two-year-old boy mistook him for his son as he was "hopelessly intoxicated", a court has heard.
Londonderry Magistrates Court heard there was no sexual undercurrent to the incident in the city on Wednesday.
A defence lawyer said Patrick Feely, 36, of Linenhall Street in Limavady, had no recollection of the incident.
The accused was released on bail and ordered to abstain from alcohol. He is to appear in court again next month.
The court heard police were called to the area after three people made a citizen's arrest.
Londonderry Magistrates Court heard there was no sexual undercurrent to the incident in the city on Wednesday.
A defence lawyer said Patrick Feely, 36, of Linenhall Street in Limavady, had no recollection of the incident.
The accused was released on bail and ordered to abstain from alcohol. He is to appear in court again next month.
The court heard police were called to the area after three people made a citizen's arrest.
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