March 08, 2009

British woman starts voyage across Indian Ocean

British rowing adventurer Sarah Outen leaves the lights of Fremantle harbour behind her at sunrise to start her marathon voyage across the Indian Ocean, heading for Mauritius, on March 14, 2009. Outen hopes to make the 5,000 kms trip in 100 days.

British rowing adventurer Sarah Outen (Back) says goodbye to her friend before she starts her marathon voyage across the Indian Ocean, heading for Mauritius, on March 14, 2009. Outen hopes to make the 5,000 kms trip in 100 days.
(Xinhuanet/AFP Photo)

Adam Morley takes 18 playful Dalmatian puppies for a stroll.

BEIJING, March 14 -- Eighteen Dalmatian pups, the world record-breaking litter, enjoyed a final walk before they headed off to their new homes in Suffolk of the Untied Kingdom, according to media reports Saturday.

Although Adam Morley, the owner, feel a little crazy to think of taking 18 Dalmatian pups for a walk at once, he said he wanted to give the 11-week-old puppies a final run in the park.

Button, the mother, attempts to feed her litter.

"It was a nightmare, I may as well have been walking 101 Dalmatians," said Mr. Morley. "Most of the dogs wanted to walk in different directions, while some of them just sat down and wouldn't budge. "

Button, the Dalmatian mother, whose father was in the film 102 Dalmatians, broke the world record in December when she gave birth to her brood of 18, just a year after having a litter of 15 pups.

(Agencies)

Citizens watch solar halo in Shenzhen, March 14, 2009. The scene of solar halo appeared in Shenzhen, Zhuhai,and other cities of Guangdong province, south China on Saturday.

A citizen takes picture of solar halo in Zhuhai.The scene of solar flare appeared in Shenzhen, Zhuhai,and other cities of Guangdong province, south China on Saturday.

Shoes used for smuggling marijuana are displayed in the Drugs Museum at the headquarters of the Mexican Ministry of Defense in Mexico City March 9, 2009. The Virgin of Guadeloupe sculpted in the handle of a gun, high precision rifles, a mobile phone with diamond and gold incrustations, clandestine laboratories for drug processing and many more items that once belonged to drug traffickers are displayed in this private museum used by the military to show the soldiers the lifestyle of the Mexican drug lords .

Guns decorated with gold and jewellery are displayed in the Drugs Museum at the headquarters of the Mexican Ministry of Defense in Mexico City March 9, 2009. The Virgin of Guadeloupe sculpted in the handle of a gun, high precision rifles, a mobile phone with diamond and gold incrustations, clandestine laboratories for drug processing and many more items that once belonged to drug traffickers are displayed in this private museum used by the military to show the soldiers the lifestyle of the Mexican drug lords .

An exhibit of a man guarding marijuana crops is displayed in the Drugs Museum at the headquarters of the Mexican Ministry of Defense in Mexico City March 9, 2009. The Virgin of Guadeloupe sculpted in the handle of a gun, high precision rifles, a mobile phone with diamond and gold incrustations, clandestine laboratories for drug processing and many more items that once belonged to drug traffickers are displayed in this private museum used by the military to show the soldiers the lifestyle of the Mexican drug lords . Picture taken March 9, 2009.

Different types of drugs are displayed in the Drugs Museum at the headquarters of the Mexican Ministry of Defense in Mexico City March 9, 2009.

Photo taken on March 7, 2009 shows a palm tree grows in the Errachidia reservoir near the Ziz oasis. When Moroccan rivers start to dry out in the north of the Sahara desert they create spectacular oases. Huge palm trees grow around the water, and the Berbers cultivate the surrounding land through channelled irrigation systems.

Pianist Chen Jie plays during the performance with Mexico State Symphony Orchestra at the Felipe Villanueva Hall in Toluca, Mexico State of Mexico, Mar. 14, 2009. Chen Jie and the Mexico State Symphony Orchestra planned to present three performances in Toluca and Mexico City from Mar. 13 to 15. Chen Jie, 23, one of the activest pianists in the Curtis Institute of Music in the United States, is listed as one of the top 30 pianists under the age of 30 by commercial music radio station KDFC, along with Lang Lang and Li Yundi, and become the representative of the new generation of the female pianists in Asia.

Pianist Chen Jie pays her respects to the audience during the performance with Mexico State Symphony Orchestra at the Felipe Villanueva Hall in Toluca, Mexico State of Mexico, Mar. 13, 2009. Chen Jie and the Mexico State Symphony Orchestra planned to present three performances in Toluca and Mexico City from Mar. 13 to 15. Chen Jie, 23, one of the activest pianists in the Curtis Institute of Music in the United States, is listed as one of the top 30 pianists under the age of 30 by commercial music radio station KDFC, along with Lang Lang and Li Yundi, and become the representative of the new generation of the female pianists in Asia.

Bayern Munich's players celebrate a goal against Bochum the German Bundesliga soccer match in Bochum March 14, 2009. Munich won the match 3-0.

BERLIN, March 14 -- German champions Bayern Munich crushed Bochum 3-0 on Saturday, remaining on the course of competing for top titles.

They maintained pressure on league leaders Hertha Berlin, who beat Leverkusen 1-0 thanks to the only one goal from Andriy Voronin.

Juergen Klinsmann's Bayern side came to Bochum off back-to-back goal bonanzas that saw them beat Hannover 96 by a score of 5-1 and Sporting Lisbon 7-1.

Saturday saw their continued scoring exploration as they recorded a 3:0 victory away to Bochum to stay on the path of league leaders Hertha Berlin.

Ze Roberto converted Bayern's first chance of the match to give the visitors the lead in the 32nd minute.

German national team player Philipp Lahm doubled the lead after one of his patented solo runs up the left flank in the 60th minute,and Martin Demichelis ended the match with a goal in the 90th minute.

Bayern Munich's Philipp Lahm (R) scores a goal against Bochum the German Bundesliga soccer match in Bochum March 14, 2009.

Also on Saturday afternoon, striker Andriy Voronin's lucky goal earned a 1-0 home win for German Bundesliga leaders Hertha Berlin against Leverkusen, making Berlin remain at the top of the table

The goal, Voronin's eleventh of the season, availed Hertha of claiming their tenth straight win in the Olympic Stadium and their first home victory over Leverkusen in more than four years.

Leverkusen are now without a win in four and dropping ever further off the pace in the race for a place in Europe next season.

The most thrilling match was the one between Hannover and Dortmund, which finished with 4-4.

In the other three games, Karlsruhe lost to Arminia 1-0. Koellnlost to Moenchengladbach 4-2 and Frankfurt tied Hoffenheim 1-1.

Bayern Munich's Philipp Lahm and Martin Demichelis (L) celebrate a goal against Bochum the German Bundesliga soccer match in Bochum March 14, 2009

Bochum's Daniel Fernandes tackles Bayern Munich's Jose Sosa (L) during the German Bundesliga soccer match in Bochum March 14, 2009.

Bayern Munich's Philipp Lahm (C) and Lukas Podolski celebrate a goal against Bochum the German Bundesliga soccer match in Bochum March 14, 2009.
(Xinhua)

The two Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) destroyers heading to Somalia get ready to leave their base in Kure, Hiroshima prefecture, Japan, on March 14, 2009. Two Japanese MSDF destroyers departed Saturday from their base in Kure, on an anti-piracy mission off Somalia, marking Japan's first overseas policing action under the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) law. The dispatch of the warships was ordered by Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada on Friday under the maritime policing action provision of the SDF Law.

The two Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) destroyers heading to Somalia get ready to leave their base in Kure, Hiroshima prefecture, Japan, on March 14, 2009

A crew member of one of the Japanese destroyers heading to Somalia takes photos with his child in Kure, Hiroshima prefecture, Japan, on March 14, 2009.

Jiang Zhilong (L), researcher of the Yunnan Provincial Cultural Relics Archeology Research institute, and head of the archeology team, measures the length of a skeleton in a grave in the Jinlian Mountains of Dengjiang County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, on March 12, 2009. The grave forest located in the Jinlian Mountains and covering an area of about 40,000 square meters, is confirmed as the largest scale grave forest in the bronze culture archeology history. Chinese archeologists had found more than 400 cultural relics including bronze wares, pottery, jade articles and ironwares since last October after the graves were found in 2006. The grave forest is considered as an important discovery with great values for researching the ancient culture in Yunnan province

A archeologist displays an ancient bronze decoration found in the Jinlian Mountains of Dengjiang County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, on March 12, 2009.

A archeologist displays an ancient bronze lance found in the Jinlian Mountains of Dengjiang County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, on March 12, 2009.

A Chinese archeologist works near a grave in the Jinlian Mountains of Dengjiang County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, on March 12, 2009.

A Chinese archeologist works in a grave in the Jinlian Mountains of Dengjiang County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, on March 12, 2009.

Colombian policemen inspect the scene where a police helicopter crashed into a house in Bogota March 13, 2009. The crash left four people injured, authorities said.

A still picture of "The Seven of Daran, Battle of Pareo Rock." The Dutch film was awarded on Friday the golden prize for the best long feature film at the 19th Cairo International Film Festival for Children (CIFFC).

CAIRO, March 13 -- A Dutch film was awarded on Friday the golden prize for the best long feature film at the 19th Cairo International Film Festival for Children (CIFFC).

The film "The Seven of Daran, Battle of Pareo Rock", directed by Lourens Blok, was announced to win the prize at the closing ceremony held Friday evening at Cairo Opera House.

The film, which has "excellent creativity and strong story line," describes "relations between races where shared in a very harmonious manner and promotes peace and harmony," said the organizing committee.

The silver prize for long feature film was given to South Korea's film "The Friends" and the bronze went to another Dutch film "Morrison get a baby sister".

A representitive for the film "The Seven of Daran, Battle of Pareo Rock" holds up the "Golden Cairo" award of the long feature film during the closing ceremony of the 19th Cairo International Film Festival in Cairo, Capital of Egypt, on March 13, 2009.

During the week-long film festival for children, some 315 feature films, animation and TV programs from 53 countries and regions took part in the international cultural event in Cairo.

A number of symposiums on children and children's films were also held on the sidelines of the CIFFC, the only film festival for children in the Middle East.

The Bulgarian Ambassodar to Egypt receives the "Golden Cairo" award of the TV programs on behalf of crews of the Bulgarian TV program "Serenade" during the closing ceremony of the 19th Cairo International Film Festival in Cairo, Capital of Egypt, on March 13, 2009.

Anna Nicole Smith is shown with her attorney Howard K. Stern and Smith's newborn daughter Dannielynn Hope at home in the Bahamas in this publicity photo released to Reuters by 'Entertainment Tonight' television program Nov. 2, 2006.

BEIJING, March 13 -- Anna Nicole Smith's boyfriend Howard K. Stern and a doctor were arrested Thursday on charges of giving thousands of prescription drugs to the former Playboy playmate that led to her 2007 fatal overdose death.

Smith's attorney, Stern and doctor Sandeep Kapoor were arrested and later released from a Los Angeles County jail Thursday night after each posted a $20,000 bond, a police spokesman said.

tern and doctors Sandeep Kapoor and Khristine Eroshevich, who is expected to come Monday, were each charged with three felony counts of conspiracy and several other charges of fraudulent prescriptions.

The doctors and Stern devised a plan to use fake names so that Smith could be prescribed "thousands of pills," California Attorney General Jerry Brown said.

The prescriptions were issued between June 2004 and January 2007, just two weeks before Smith's death.

"These individuals repeatedly and excessively furnished thousands of prescription pills to Smith, often for no legitimate medical purpose," Brown said.

Smith,39, died of drug overdose on February 8, 2007 in Florida. Her death came just months after her 20-year-old son Daniel also died of a lethal combination of drugs. Smith has a daughter, who was born days before the tragic death of her son.

Smith's assets were estimated at 710,000 U.S. dollars in May. As the widow of late Texas oil tycoon J. Howard Marshall II, she had been fighting Marshall's family for years over his estimated 500 million dollars fortune.

On October 18, 2007, Stern had filed his creditor's claim in the Los Angeles Superior Court, citing a contingent fee agreement on file in bankruptcy court.

In the court filing, Stern specified that his 6 percent payment "is conditioned upon recovery in the Marshall litigation."

Larry Birkhead appears with his daughter Dannielynn on the cover of the April 30 issue of OK Magazine in this publicity photo released to Reuters, April 18, 2007. Birkhead was found to be the biological father of the child born to Anna Nicole Smith.

Anna Nicole Smith

Larry is enjoying his new role as a doting dad

Anna Nicole Smith leaves the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington in this Feb. 28, 2006 file photo. The murky circumstances surrounding Smith's death could become clearer Monday, when authorities are expected to release her autopsy results.

Howard K. Stern looks at photos on the back of a digital camera with Anna Nicole Smith during a boxing match at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida in this January 6, 2007 file photo
(Agencies)

An undated handout photo from the University of Florence shows the remains of a female "vampire" from 16th-century Venice. Italian researchers believe they have found the remains of a female "vampire" from 16th-century Venice, buried with a brick in her mouth to prevent her feasting on plague victims. Matteo Borrini, a forensic anthropologist from the University of Florence, said the discovery was the first confirmation of a Medieval belief that vampires were behind the spread of epidemics, such as the Black Death.

Models present creations in folk style by famous Tunisian designers during a fashion show in Tunis, on March 13, 2009

Models present creations in folk style by famous Tunisian designers during a fashion show in Tunis, on March 13, 2009.

A model presents a creation in folk style by famous Tunisian designers during a fashion show in Tunis, on March 13, 2009.

Javaris Crittenton (R) of Washington Wizards shoots the ball over Dwight Howard of Orlando Magic during the NBA basketball game against Orlando Magic in Washington, the United States, March 13, 2009. Orlando Magic won the match 112-103.

Rashard Lewis (L) of Orlando Magic vies for a rebound with Caron Butler of Washington Wizards during the NBA basketball game in Washington, the United States, March 13, 2009.

JaVale McGee (3rd R) of Washington Wizards shoots the ball during the NBA basketball game against Orlando Magic in Washington, the United States, March 13, 2009.

Tony Battie (C) of Orlando Magic vies for a rebound with Caron Butler (L) and Javaris Crittenton of Washington Wizards during the NBA basketball game in Washington, the United States, March 13, 2009.

Rafer Alston (R) of Orlando Magic passes the ball during the NBA basketball game against Washington Wizards in Washington, the United States, March 14, 2009

Dwight Howard (front) of Orlando Magic breaks through during the NBA basketball game against Washington Wizards in Washington, the United States, March 14, 2009.

olympic spirit

British woman starts voyage across Indian Ocean

Walk 18 Dalmatian pups all at once!

Solar halo appears in south China

Museum reveals secrets of drug smuggling

Spectacular oasis in Sahara desert

Pianist Chen Jie plays in Mexico

Bayern Munich crushes Bochum 3-0

Japanese MSDF destroyers ready for Somalia

Largest grave forest in bronze culture era confirmed in S China

Colombian helicopter crashes into house

Dutch film wins golden prize at Cairo children film festival

Anna Nicole Smith's boyfriend, doctors charged

Female "vampire" unearthed in Venice plague grave

Tunisian folk style creations on display

Orlando Magic beat Washington Wizards 112-103

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