Sew La Ti Embroidery [Search results for the devastated] 

VIA Metal, Arise! Tour featuring Allegaeon, The Devastated, and The Browning

Country crooner Scotty McCreery was the first to find out he had made it through followed by Lauren Alaina.
In... and out: Alaina celebrates as Haley Reinhart learns she has been eliminated from the show
Haley Reinhart, 20, kept her cool belting out Bennie And The Jets, without shedding a tear.
At the end of the song Haley said: 'You'll be seeing me, this ain't the end of this, this ain't the end of this thing - see you later!'
She then embraced her mother and father in the audience.
Reinhart had always seemed doomed on Idol. Unlike her remaining rivals the wavy-haired singer had been less definable and garnered fewer votes, landing at the bottom as one of the show's low vote-getters four times after weak performances of such songs as LeAnn Rimes' Blue and Blondie's Call Me.
No tears: Haley Reinhart, 20, kept her cool belting out Bennie And The Jets, without shedding a tear
This season's femme fatale found recent success by boldly tackling classic rock tunes.
She earned a standing ovation from the judges two weeks ago for a rousing rendition of The Animals' version of The House of the Rising Sun, and she was lauded again Wednesday for her performances of Fleetwood Mac's Rhiannon and Led Zeppelin's What Is and What Should Never Be.
It was apparently too little, too late for Reinhart after 95 million viewer votes were cast Wednesday.
Well done: After her performance Haley ran to embrace her parents in the audience
While she was finding her groove throughout the finals, McCreery and Alaina had been delivering consistent country and pop performances since their attention-grabbing auditions.
McCreery never appeared at the bottom, and Alaina only did once two weeks ago.
Earlier in the evening as each of the three finalists were filmed visiting their hometowns.
I'll be back: Haley vowed that viewers hadn't seen the last of her
The show also featured a sizzling live performance by Nicole Scherzinger and 50 Cent and the U.S. debut of Italian boy-band and tenor trio Il Volo.
Haley Reinhart made a tearful return to her hometown of Wheeling, Illinois a village 30 miles north of Chicago where she was overwhelmed by the number of fans who came out to see her despite a downpour.
Scotty McCreery returned to his hometown of Garner, North Carolina for an all out concert performance - crying on camera as he was pictured leaving in his limousine.
Homecoming: Scotty McCreery sobs as he makes his triumphant return to him hometown
Emotional: McReery sobbed as he prepared for an all out concert performance in Garner, North Carolina
But the perhaps the most emotional return was for Southern belle Lauren Alaina returned to Rossville, Georgia to visit her old high-school before taking a tour of the nearby area, which was devastated by recent storms and tornadoes.
She wept as she past through the devastated communities meeting with some of the families whose lives had been torn apart by the disaster.
'I'm doing this for you guys,' she told the crowd.
Disbelief: Lauren Alaina returned to Rossville, Georgia to visit her old high-school before taking a tour of the nearby area, which was devastated by recent storms and tornadoes
I'm doing this for you: She wept as she past through the devastated communities meeting with some of the families whose lives had been torn apart by the disaster
McCreery and Alaina will face off Tuesday, with the 10th season Idol champion crowned on Wednesday.
It will mark the youngest finale matchup in Idol history.
Producers lowered the minimum age requirement to 15 years old this season, which allowed Alaina, who's been compared to fourth season Idol winner Carrie Underwood, the chance to audition last year.
Success: The judges are also winners, with a record 95-million votes were recorded after the semi-final show last night
The show featured a sizzling live performance by Nicole Scherzinger, she will co-host the U.S. X Factor
source: dailymail

VIA Lauren Alaina and Scotty McCreery to battle it out in American Idol final... as Haley Reinhart is eliminated

Tornado was rare 'multivortex' twister, reveals National Weather Service
Obama to visit region on Sunday as he says tornado was 'devastating and heartbreaking'

The way things used to be: This Google Street Map view shows the same place as the above picture, before the horrific tornado struck
As shell-shocked residents of tornado-hit Joplin braced themselves for another powerful storm system this evening, new aerial images emerged showing in terrifying detail the path of the twister which destroyed the Missouri city.
The shocking photos reveal for the first time the true extent of the damage caused when the mile-wide tornado that killed at least 122 people blasted much of the city off the map and slammed straight into its hospital.
Forecasters warned residents on Tuesday to prepare themselves for a looming storm system that has all the early signs of spawning more deadly tornadoes.
Devastated: Aerial photo shows 26th street, the main route through the centre of Joplin, Missouri. On the right is St Mary's elementary school
Housing: Whole residential neighbourhoods were destroyed by the powerful tornado when it went straight through the centre of the city that has has 50,000 people
Tonight the stunned residents of Joplin faced the horrifying possibility of more storms - but a tornado warning was cancelled later in the evening.
‘This is a very serious situation brewing,’ said Russell Schneider, director of the Storm Prediction Center.
About 1,500 people are still unaccounted for, it was announced Tuesday, leading to fears that the death count could rise much higher.
Tonight tornadoes touched down in Kansas and Oklahoma - including one on the outskirts of Oklahoma City, which reportedly tore a 50-mile long path through rush-hour traffic.
Blown away: The remains of this apartment block surround what was once a swimming pool. Around 2,000 homes are thought to have been destroyed
Closed for business: The Home Depot do-it-yourself store was where many dead bodies have been recovered. Many of the shop shelves are still intact though
Grocery store: The city's Walmart superstore is barely recognisable in this photo from after Sunday's tornado that killed over 100 people
Shopping mall: This line of shops was severely damaged by the storm system when it struck on Sunday evening at around 6pm
Hospital: The St John's Medical Center was at the heart of the tornado's path through the city. Hundreds of patients had to be evacuated
Fire chief Robert Daus said that 500 people had been injured by the tornado, in addition to the 1,500 people who remain unaccounted for.
But he said the high number of people still recorded as missing could be a reflection of the widespread breakdown of communication systems in the city.
Thunderstorms that are moving across southeast Kansas, central Oklahoma and north Texas this afternoon are forecast to move into the Joplin area between 10pm and 2am tonight.
Destroyed: This incredible aerial image reveals how the tornado tore off the roof of Joplin's Home Depot
Flattened: This aerial photograph shows the scale of the destruction to the Home Depot store

Flattened: Damage is seen a day after the tornado tore through Joplin killing at least 122 people in Joplin, a town of about 50,000
Decimation: Residential buildings are shown flattened in this aerial shot over Joplin
Razed to the ground: Joplin's Walmart store was completely destroyed by Sunday's devastating twister
Wasteland: The horror of Sunday's tornado is laid bare by this harrowing panoramic shot of Joplin
Horseshoe: A destroyed neighbourhood is seen in Joplin on Tuesday after a big tornado moved through much of the city

Ruins: The winding path of the devastating tornado is seen in this aerial picture of Joplin, Missouri
Savaged: The path of the powerful tornado is seen in an aerial photo over Joplin, Missouri
Destroyed: The tornado ruined thousands of houses in Joplin, Missouri
From the sky: Uprooted trees and building without roofs lie devastated in Joplin, Missouri after the tornado hit on Sunday
Flattened: Members of Missouri Task Force One search-and-rescue team work at the tornado-damaged Home Depot store in Joplin
Shock: Joplin residents are still coming to terms with the loss of their homes as rescue workers continue efforts to find survivors
Recovery: Beverly Winans, left, Debbie Spurlin and Austin Spurlin look for what they can salvage from their home after it was destroyed
Lost: Carra Reed looks at a friends home that was destroyed when the massive tornado passed through Joplin, Missouri
Missing: Rescue workers and neighbours search for victims and survivors
The President says he wants Midwesterners whose lives were disrupted by the deadly storms last weekend to know that the federal government will use all resources at its disposal to help them recover and rebuild.
Obama spoke in London, the second stop on his four-country, six-day tour of Europe.
Obama is due back in Washington Saturday night.
Little hope: Ryan Harper pauses in the shadow of a splintered tree as he searches for a missing friend after who may have been pulled away by the twister

A time for coming together: A couple drenched by the heavy rain walk arm-in-arm towards a building ravaged by the killer storm, and right, a woman whose life has been shattered overnight by the tornado breaks down in tears and has to be comforted by a friend
Frantic: Volunteers claw through the rubble in search of survivors, but grey storm clouds loom overhead threatening to disrupt the efforts
'Heartbreaking': Barack Obama, speaking in London today, vowed to visit Missouri on Sunday to console victims
President Barack Obama called Nixon after details of teh tragedy emergedand offered his condolences to those affected, assuring the governor that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) would provide whatever assistance was needed.
'Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to the families of all those who lost their lives in the tornadoes and severe weather that struck Joplin, Missouri, as well as communities across the Midwest today,' the President said in a statement sent from Air Force One as he flew to Europe.
'We commend the heroic efforts by those who have responded and who are working to help their friends and neighbours at this very difficult time.'
New dawn: The sun rises over devastated Joplin on Tuesday as the search for survivors continues
Heartache: Two women fight back the tears as they hug in front of a house ripped apart by the tornado. In a symbolic show of strength, the U.S. flag flies from a tree behind them
Wiped off the landscape: Meghan Miller stands in the middle of a destroyed neighbourhood as she checks on her sister-in-law's home, which only days before had stood in the same spot
source: dailymail

VIA Shocking before and after images reveal how giant tornado ripped apart Joplin's city landmarks

Emergency workers say thunderstorms are hampering efforts to find survivors as 1,500 rescuers search for missing
Family and friends of the missing post moving appeals for information on Facebook and blogs
Storm Prediction Center says more violent weather expected with further tornadoes through the middle of week
Devastation: Destroyed homes and debris cover the ground as a second storm moves in on Monday in Joplin, Missouri
Thousands of people were left without homes to go tonight after the deadliest single tornado to strike the United States in over 60 years touched down on Missouri, reducing the city of Joplin to rubble, ripping buildings apart and killing at least 116 people in a 6-mile path of destruction.
Authorities said they had rescued seven people alive on Monday, but emergency warned that the death toll could climb higher as heavy winds, strong rain and hail quarter-sized hail stones hampered the search effort.
Meteorologists issued a new tornado warning for the devastated city as forecasters warned large swathes of the country to brace for more big storms on Tuesday.
Path of destruction: No house escaped the wrath of nature in some of Minneapolis
A tornado watch was issued on Monday for Oklahoma and parts of southern Kansas due to an 'evolving tornado threat', said Russell Schneider, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center.
'We are currently forecasting a major severe weather outbreak for Tuesday over the central United States with strong tornadoes likely over Oklahoma, Kansas, extreme northern Texas, southwest Missouri,' Mr Schneider said.
The National Weather Service said the tornado packed winds of up to 198 mph.
The weather service's director, Jack Hayes, said the storm was given a preliminary label as an EF4 - the second-highest rating given to twisters. The rating is assigned to storms based on the damage they cause.
Hayes said the storm had winds of 190 to 198 miles per hour. He said survey teams from the National Weather Service are on the scene and will make a final determination on the rating Tuesday.
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard to help out after one of the worst disasters in the state's history.
Homeless: Ted Grabenauer sleeps on his front porch the morning after a tornado ripped off the roof of his home when it hit Joplin, Missouri
Ruins: A view of the devastation after a tornado blew the roof off the St John's Regional Medical Center, rear, where about 180 patients cowered and were eventually evacuated
Desolation: A residential neighbourhood in Joplin is seen after it was levelled by the tornado
President Barack Obama called Nixon and offered his condolences to those affected, assuring the governor that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) would provide whatever assistance was needed.
'Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to the families of all those who lost their lives in the tornadoes and severe weather that struck Joplin, Missouri, as well as communities across the Midwest today,' the President said in a statement sent from Air Force One as he flew to Europe.
Map: Infrared image of the powerful tornado that spun through a densely populated part of Missouri
'We commend the heroic efforts by those who have responded and who are working to help their friends and neighbours at this very difficult time.'
Caring for the injured was made more difficult because the main hospital, Saint John's Regional Medical Center, had to be evacuated after suffering a direct hit - the tornado ripped off its roof and smashed all its windows.
Cries could still be heard early Monday from survivors trapped in the wreckage.
Despair: A tree stripped of bark and leaves frames St John's Regional Medical Center
Eye of the storm: The tornado tore a 6-mile path across southwestern Missouri
Relief: Maggie Kelley and her husband, Trey Adams hug their dog, Saint, after finding him amid the rubble of her home in Joplin
Mr Nixon said he feared the death toll would rise but also expected survivors to be found in the rubble.
‘I don't think we're done counting,’ he said. ‘I still believe that because of the size of the debris and the number of people involved that there are lives to be saved.’
Crews found bodies during the night in vehicles the storm had flipped over, torn apart and left looking like crushed cans.
Triage centers and shelters set up around the city quickly filled to capacity.
At Memorial Hall, a downtown entertainment venue, nurses and other emergency workers from across the region treated critically injured patients.

Efforts: Rescue workers in lime-green jackets search for bodies and survivors inside St John's hospital
Re-united: A man carries a young girl who was rescued after being trapped with her mother in their home
Devastation: Emergency personnel walk through a neighbourhood severely damaged by a tornado near the Joplin hospital. There are are no firm details on the number of dead or injured, as the hospital is out of action
Memories: Evelyn Knoblauch looks at a picture in what is left of her daughter's house
At another makeshift unit at a Lowe's home improvement store, wooden planks served as beds.
Outside, ambulances and fire trucks waited for calls. During one stretch after midnight on Monday, emergency vehicles were scrambling nearly every two minutes.
On Monday morning, survivors picked through the rubble of what were once their homes, salvaging clothes, furniture, family photos and financial records, the air pungent with the smell of gas and smoking embers.
Others wandered through the wreckage with nowhere to go, their homes or apartments destroyed.
Kelley Fritz, 45, of Joplin, rummaged through the remains of a storage building with her husband, Jimmy.
Search: An emergency vehicle drives through a severely damaged neighbourhood in Joplin
They quickly realised they would never find the belongings they stored there, and that they had lost much of what was in their home after the tornado ripped away the roof.
Their sons, aged 20 and 17, went outside after the storm and saw that every home was destroyed.
‘My sons had deceased children in their arms when they came back,’ Mrs Fritz said. ‘My husband and I went out and saw two or three dead bodies on the ground.’

Soul destroying: Jean Logan surveys the damage to her home in Joplin after the tornado. She had taken refuge in her laundry room with her granddaughter
A total mess: Rachel Hurst picks through her belongings that were strewn about from her garage that was blown away in Minneapolis on Sunday
Mrs Fritz said she was surprised she survived. ‘You could just feel the air pull up and it was so painful. I didn't think we were going to make it, it happened so fast.’
Tornado sirens gave residents about a 20-minute warning before the tornado touched down on the city's west side.
Staff at St John's Regional Medical Center rushed patients into hallways before the storm struck the nine-storey building, blowing out hundreds of windows and leaving the facility unusable.
The hospital was among the worst-hit locations.
Emergency: Extensive damage can be seen at the St John's Regional Medical Center in Joplin, Missouri. An emergency agency spokesman says fatalities had been reported but was unsure of the exact figure
The Joplin twister was one of 68 reported tornadoes across seven Midwest states over the weekend, stretched from Oklahoma to Wisconsin, according to the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center.
One person was killed in Minneapolis. But the devastation in Missouri was the worst, eerily reminiscent of the tornadoes that killed more than 300 people across the South last month.
Residents said the damage was breathtaking in scope.
‘You see pictures of World War II, the devastation and all that with the bombing. That's really what it looked like,’ said Kerry Sachetta, the principal of a flattened Joplin High School.
‘I couldn't even make out the side of the building. It was total devastation in my view. I just couldn't believe what I saw.’
Emergency management officials rushed heavy equipment to Joplin to help lift debris and clear the way for search and recovery operations.
Governor Nixon declared a state of emergency, and President Barack Obama said the Federal Emergency Management Agency was working with state and local agencies.
Raised to the ground: Blocks of homes lie in total destruction after the devastating tornado
Unbelievable: Destroyed vehicles are piled on top of one another in the parking lot of the Joplin Regional Medical Centre

Desperate: Amy Langford carries items from her house that she was in with her husband Mark when the tornado hit their home in Joplin
Jeff Lehr, a reporter for the Joplin Globe, said he was upstairs in his home when the storm hit but was able to make his way to a basement closet.
The storm tore the roof off his house, but he was safe. When he emerged, he found people wandering through the streets, covered in mud.
‘I'm talking to them, asking if they knew where their family is,’ Mr Lehr said. ‘Some of them didn't know and weren't sure where they were. All the street markers were gone.’
Justin Gibson, 30, huddled with three relatives outside the tangled debris of a Home Depot. He pointed to a black pickup that had been tossed into the store's ruins and said it belonged to his roommate's brother, who was last seen in the store with his two young daughters.
Mr Gibson, who has three children of his own, said his home was levelled and ‘everything in that neighbourhood is gone. The high school, the churches, the grocery store. I can't get hold of my ex-wife to see how my kids are.
‘I don't know the extent of this yet,’ he said, ‘but I know I'll have friends and family dead.’
In Minneapolis, where a tornado killed one person and injured 29, authorities imposed an overnight curfew in a 4-square-mile area, including some of the city's poorest neighbourhoods, to prevent looting and keep streets clear for emergency crews.
Levelled: Red Cross representatives say 75% of Joplin is gone - here, vehicles and houses in the vicinity of Twenty-fourth and Main Streets are a jumble of rubble after a the tornado swept through
Condolences: President Barack Obama talks on the phone with Missouri Governor Jay Nixon during his visit to Dublin, Ireland. The President extended his condolences to all impacted by the deadly tornadoes
Widespread devastation: Another tornado in Minneapolis damaged at least 100 homes, toppling hundreds of trees and injuring at least 29 people
Community spirit: Residents of Joplin help a woman who survived in her basement after a tornado tore a path a mile wide and four miles long destroying homes and businesses
Mayor RT Rybak said one liquor store was looted right after the tornado hit late Sunday and a few burglaries took place overnight.
He said it wasn't immediately clear how many homes were affected, simply saying: 'It's a lot.'
Though the damage covered several blocks, it appeared few houses were totally demolished. Much of the damage was to roofs, front porches that had been sheared away and fences.
The tornado left part of a garage door in a tree and many large trees were left leaning against houses.
Pat Trafton said her family escaped unharmed after a tree was left leaning against her house.
Mrs Trafton, 67, said: 'It's been a crazy day.
'They say it was a monster tornado. It all just happened so fast.'
It was the first tornado to hit the city since August 2009. 'There was no doubt right away,' the meteorologist said.
North Minneapolis resident Tiffany Pabich was taking a nap just as the tornado blew through.

Bettered streets: Debris is scattered about in Minneapolis. On Sunday night a tornado warning was issued for several areas in central states
Crushed: Vehicles were picked up and dumped across the city by the tornado which left 30 people dead and dozens injured
In the north-east Kansas, powerful storms spawned funnel clouds and hail that ripped limbs off of trees and shattered windows.
About 200 homes were damaged in and around Reading with the tornado sweeping through the small town around 9:15pm Saturday night, said Kansas Division of Emergency Management spokeswoman Sharon Watson.
A man was pronounced dead shortly after being taken to Newman Regional Hospital in Emporia, about 20 miles from where the tornado hit, hospital supervisor Deb Gould said.
Ms Gould said two other people were brought in with injuries but she had no further details.
Five people were injured in all, along with the person killed, said Ms Watson.
Reading, a town of about 250 people is 50 miles south of the Kansas capital city, Topeka.
Carnage: Rescue vehicles line up along northbound Rangeline Road in Joplin, Mo. after a fatal tornado swept through the city
Reverend Lyle Williams, who is a pastor for about 10 worshippers at the Reading First Baptist Church, said the church suffered extensive damage: 'Yeah, it's pretty bad,' he said. 'My daughter was out there and told me about it.'
'I'm not going to be able to have church today that's for sure,' he added, saying he's been a pastor at the church for 21 years.
In Jefferson County, a mobile home was destroyed with an elderly couple was trapped inside, Ms Watson told CNN. She said responders cleared the debris and rescued the couple unhurt.
Wreckage: A man stands amid the remains of a Wal-Mart store, after it was hit by the tornado, in Joplin
Power had been restored in the town by early Sunday and a shelter was being set up at a local school.
The National Weather Service confirmed that a tornado also touched down in Topeka and northeast of the city near Lake Perry, where damage was reported at a nearby campsite, Ms Watson said.
While many states have been struck by severe storms this spring, Kansas has been having one of its lightest tornado seasons in decades, according to the National Weather Service.
A taste of spring? Trees were stripped of branches and many were left resting against houses
Flattened: Reading - a town of about 250 people, 50 miles south of capital city Topeka
Twister tragedy

Joplin Missouri 2011 Tornado May 23rd 2011 Massive Monster Killer Twister Tornado EF 5 MO 2011

I WILL PRAY ~Joplin Missouri Tornado Tribute~ (5/22/11)

source:dailymail

VIA America's deadliest tornado for 64 years: Terrifying twister cuts six-mile swathe through a Missouri town, leaving up to 116 dead

Last picture: Just hours before his death, Ryan (left) tweeted this photograph of him enjoying a night out with friends
Police said they found the burning wreckage of his 2007 Porsche 911 GT3, which was capable of reaching 190mph, in the woods off the road fully engulfed in flames.
His body was so badly burnt that he had to be identified by his tattoos, NBC Philadelphia reported.
Just hours before the accident, Dunn tweeted a picture of himself with two male friends, all of whom were holding alcoholic drinks.
Sources told TMZ that Dunn drank at least three light beers and three shots between 10.30pm and 2.10am at Barnaby's of America bar before the accident.
Wreckage: The charred remains of the Porsche 911 GT3 are towed away as police survey the scene
Where the night started: Dunn spent the evening at Barnaby's bar in West Chester before the accident
Investigation: Police are still trying to determine the cause of the accident
Crash scene: Black marks on the road show where Dunn's car skidded out of control
Damage: Dunn's vehicle drove through a guardrail and into the woods
Crowd: News crews and onlookers arrived at the the site today following Ryan Dunn's horrific accident
Fellow Jackass co-stars also paid tribute to Dunn today.
Stephen 'Steve-O' Glover was too distraught to speak but later tweeted: 'I don't know what to say, except I love Ryan Dunn and I'm really going to miss him.'
Dunn's name began trending on Twitter soon after the news of the crash broke, with fans and celebrities quickly expressing their condolences.
It was Margera's mother, April, who first confirmed Dunn's death by calling into Jackass members Preston Lacy and Steve-O's radio show on WMMR 93.3.
She described him as being like a son to her and said he had even called her on Mother's Day.
A tearful April said: 'We just found out a few hours ago - it is the worst possible news.
'I have not been able to talk with Bam as he is in Arizona but I cannot believe that his friend is dead – I felt like I lost one of my own sons when I heard that Ryan Dunn had died.
'Ryan was a wonderful person he really was the sweetest and nicest guy - he was like my extra son, everybody loved him.'
Tributes: Flower were laid by the side of the road in memory of the reality star who died in the crash
President of MTV Networks Music/Films Group Van Toffler said in a statement: 'We are devastated by the tragic loss of Ryan Dunn – a beloved member of the MTV family for more than a decade.
'He made us all laugh and had the tireless enthusiastic approach to life of your favourite middle school friend,' the statement continued.
'Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Ryan’s family and friends. The Jackass brotherhood will never be the same.'
'He had a longterm girlfriend and she will be absolutely devastated - she has turned off her phone just now.
'It’s just so sad we cannot believe Ryan has gone - I’m too upset to say anything else just now.'
April said she is 'worried' about her son, adding that he is 'devastated' by the death of his firmed.
Dunn was born in Ohio and moved at age 15 to Pennsylvania, where he met Margera on his first day of high school.
Sports car: Dunn pictured in his Porsche 911 GT3 with a female companion on June 12

The crew: Dunn (far right) was part of the cast for MTV show Jackass
Jackass 3D | trailer #1 (2010)

source:dailymail

VIA Jackass star Ryan Dunn dies in horror crash

The pyramids at Meroe, some 200 kilometers (125 miles) north of Sudan's capital, Khartoum, are rarely visited despite being a UNESCO World Heritage site like those in Egypt. Sanctions against the government of longtime President Omar al-Bashir over Sudan's long-running internal conflicts limit its access to foreign aid and donations, while also hampering tourism.

The site, known as the Island of Meroe because an ancient, long-dried river ran around it, once served as the principle residence of the rulers of the Kush kingdom, known as the Black Pharaohs. Their pyramids, ranging from 6 meters (20 feet) to 30 meters (100 feet) tall, were built between 720 and 300 B.C. The entrances usually face east to greet the rising sun.

The pyramids bear decorative elements inspired by Pharaonic Egypt, Greece and Rome, according to UNESCO, making them priceless relics. However, overeager archaeologists in the 19th century tore off the golden tips of some pyramids and reduced some to rubble, said Abdel-Rahman Omar, the head of the National Museum of Sudan in Khartoum.

On a recent day, a few tourists and white camels roamed the site, watched by a handful of security guards. Sudan's tourism industry has been devastated by economic sanctions imposed over the conflicts in Darfur and other regions. Al-Bashir's government, which came to power following a bloodless Islamist coup in 1989, has struggled to care for its antiquities.

Qatar has pledged $135 million to renovate and support Sudan's antiquities in the last few years. But Omar said Sudan still receives just 15,000 tourists per year.

Author: Maggie Michael | Source: The Associated Press [April 26, 2015]

'It was the worst phone call I ever got in my life waking up to that,' the 31-year-old wept.
Raw grief: Bam could barely hold it together as he gave an interview to a local news station
Margera, who was in Arizona at the time of the crash, visited the crash scene in Philadelphia on Tuesday evening.
He was visibly overcome with emotion, rocking back and forth in agony at the guardrail that the car crashed through.
'I've never lost anybody that I cared about. It's my best friend,' he told local TV station WPXI, weeping.
'Worst phone call of my life': He paid tribute to his childhood friend and asked how he would cope with the loss he wept: 'I can't, I can't'
'He was the happiest person ever, the smartest guy. He had so much talent, and he had so many things going for him. This is not right, not right.'
Margera stood at the guardrail that Dunn pierced with his Porsche Monday morning with such force that the car slammed through about 40 feet of trees before exploding into flames.
When asked how he'd get through this ordeal, Bam replied: 'I can't. I can't.'
Dunn's brother, Eric Dunn, said in an emailed statement to the AP that his family was 'devastated'.

Memories: The cast of Bam's show Viva La Bam, a spin-off from Jackass, featuring Bam, front centre, his father Phil, far left, mother April and Dunn, back centre which ran for five seasons between 2003 and 2005
Emotional: Close friends of Dunn visited the spot where his car smashed into a guardrail before careering off the road and into woodland and exploding into flames
In good spirits: A new picture shows Jackass star Ryan Dunn in high spirits as he parties at a bar with friends and fans shortly before he crashed his Porsche yesterday morning, killing himself and another passenger
Childhood friends: Ryan and Bam, pictured back in November 2003
Wreckage: The charred remains of the Porsche 911 GT3 is towed away as police survey the scene

Investigation: Dunn's Porsche was found engulfed in flames in woods beside the road
Margera, who appeared in her son's MTV show 'Viva La Bam' with Dunn, says he was not the type of person to get behind the wheel while drunk.
'He is going to be missed by everyone,' April tearfully told the NBC Today Show.
'I have yelled at him for lots of things but he was not a big drinker and he was always responsible as far as I know, so I cannot believe he would do that.
'I am sick because it is a waste, sick because I loved him, sick because he was talented and sick because he is gone.'
Meanwhile the passenger killed in Dunn's fatal car crash has been identified.
Police have confirmed Zachary Hartwell, 30, perished in a fireball car crash in the early hours of yesterday morning.
Hartwell, from West Chester, Philadelphia, had been with Dunn at Barnaby's and appeared in one of the last photographs to be taken of the daredevil before the accident.
The two were drinking with a third unidentified male in a Twitter picture, which was posted hours before the accident.
Speaking out: Bam Margera's mother April says she does not believe Dunn was driving drunk at the time of his death
While Hartwell was not a member of the Jackass crew, he is listed as a production assistant on the second Jackass movie.
He is also credited on IMDb as a 'car stunt driver' in Bam Margera's film Minghags.
He was reportedly a recently married Iraq war veteran
Dunn who was famous for his vulgar stunts in the multimillion-dollar TV and movie franchise Jackass, was driving his 2007 Porsche on a highway when it left the road, flipped over a guardrail and crashed into woods before bursting into flames.
Speed may have been a factor in the crash, West Goshen Township police said.
The force of impact shattered the vehicle into several twisted and blackened pieces, leaving the Porsche 911 GT3 unrecognisable except for a door that was thrown from the crash and not incinerated. A 100-foot-long tyre skid marked where the car left the road.
Police said they were able to identify Dunn through his tattoos and hair.
Dunn appeared on MTV shows Jackass and Viva La Bam and the three Jackass big-screen adaptations. He also was the star of his own MTV show, Homewrecker, and hosted Proving Ground on the G4 cable network.
G4 spokesman Dave Welch said Proving Ground, which premiered on June 11 with the second episode due to air today, was being shelved until the network could discuss its future.
Dunn's long-time friend and fellow Jackass daredevil Johnny Knoxville tweeted last night: 'Today I lost my brother Ryan Dunn. My heart goes out to his family and his beloved Angie. RIP Ryan, I love you buddy.'
Passenger: Zachery Hartwell (right) was killed in Dunn's fatal car crash yesterday. The pair were at a bar with an unidentified friend in Philadelphia before the accident
Dunn also starred in the yet-to-be-released film Living Will. The film's website describes Dunn's character as a 'party bum slacker (who) returns from the dead as a mischievous and perverted ghost'.
MTV praised Dunn's tireless humour and enthusiasm and said he would be missed.
'We are devastated by the tragic loss of Ryan Dunn - a beloved member of the MTV family for more than a decade,' said Van Toffler, president of MTV Networks Music/Films Group. 'The Jackass brotherhood will never be the same.'
Dunn was born in Ohio and moved at 15 to Pennsylvania, where he met Bam Margera on his first day of high school, according to a biography on his website.
Dunn, Margera, Christopher Raab (known as Raab Himself) and Brandon DiCamillo, under the moniker CKY for 'Camp Kill Yourself', started making videos that featured them skateboarding and performing stunts.
Where the night started: Dunn and Hartwell were both at Barnaby's in West Chester hours before the accident
Dunn was working as a welder and petrol station worker when Knoxville, a friend of Margera's through the skateboarding circuit, asked the crew to allow their videos to be part of the series Jackass, which became a hit on MTV and ran from 2000 to 2002.
Perhaps his most famous stunt, in 2002's Jackass: The Movie, involved inserting a toy car into his bottom and going to a hospital casualty unit, where he made up a story that he was in mysterious pain after passing out at a fraternity party. Dunn's X-ray from the hospital became a popular T-shirt for Jackass fans.
In a 2000 stunt, he dived into a tank at a raw sewage plant wearing flippers, a mask and a snorkel.
Crash scene: Black marks on the road show where Dunn's car skidded out of control
Devastation: Dunn's car span off the road, through a guardrail and into the woods
Bam Margera Breaks Down After Hearing About Ryan Dunns Death

source: dailymail

VIA Raw grief of Jackass star's best friend: Heartbreaking video shows inconsolable Bam Margera as he visits spot where Ryan Dunn died in fiery crash

Working at the Graeco-Roman temple and village site of Hosn Niha, high in the central Biqa' Valley of Lebanon, the team led by Dr Paul Newson (Department of History and Archaeology, American University of Beirut) and Dr Ruth Young (School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester) have described the value of exploring conflict damaged sites in the archaeological journal Antiquity.

Dr Newson said: "Shocking recent footage showing apparent damage to world heritage and archaeological sites at Hatra and Nimrud in Iraq include scenes of the bulldozing of irreplaceable buildings. Aerial photographs of living ancient cities such as Homs and Aleppo in Syria taken before the war have been compared to images from the last few months, and the extent of damage to houses, mosques, and heritage structures is brutal and widespread.

"Of course the human cost in any conflict is the first and highest priority; however, archaeology and heritage are extremely vulnerable to attack and damage during conflict and conflict continues to inflict damage on numerous sites, both large and small, around the world today."

Dr Young added: "Rather than simply ignoring sites that have been badly damaged by conflict, we have taken on the challenge of investigating a site previously considered too badly damaged by conflict to warrant systematic archaeological investigation.

"Our research at the Graeco-Roman temple and village site of Hosn Niha in Lebanon has shown that with the right methods and questions, it is possible to obtain a great deal of original and important information from sites that have suffered badly through conflict.

"Using a range of up-to-date surface survey methods we were able to answer some important questions about the site. The first of these was an accurate assessment of site damage, what had been done and where, and the effects of various actions, be it bulldozing or clandestine looting of the site. Through this exercise, we learned that bulldozing and other damage actions had effectively erased the heart of the settlement, but significantly sized sections of settlement beyond remained quite well preserved. From recording and collecting surface finds from across the settlement area as a whole we were able to begin to understand both the morphology and development history of the settlement."

The authors suggest the settlement was firmly established by the 1st century CE with a dense core area and more dispersed courtyard dwellings on the periphery. By the early Islamic period the settlement appears less robust and permanent occupation may have ended for a time. Surprisingly, they also recovered some evidence for an early medieval re-occupation of the site, perhaps a fortified farmhouse. They acknowledge the initial results are preliminary and that more research and analysis of the results is on-going.

Hosn Niha, along with many other sites in Lebanon was severely damaged as a consequence of decades of civil war and the associated unruliness and accelerated looting that went with this.

The authors state: "Sites that have been badly damaged by various causes may be disregarded by professionals who consider that their archaeological or heritage potential has been too badly affected to warrant any investigation. Instead, as demonstrated by the Hosn Niha project, the opposite should become automatic: archaeologists should view conflict-damaged sites as opportunities to gain information and explore sites and regions with new agendas.

"Conflict is impacting the lives of many millions of people, and the archaeology and heritage of many nations. All conflict-damaged archaeology and heritage can play a vital role as resources to help re-build damaged communities and offer hope of employment and reintegration to those impacted by war. Being able to offer ways of thinking of how to deal with damaged sites, gain as much information from them, and consider them a valuable resource rather than an inevitable casualty of war is critical to moving forward, and regaining control over land and identity."

The Central Biqa' Archaeological Project is based at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon (AUB). The project has been supported by the Department of Antiquities, Lebanon and the University of Leicester, and is funded by the American University of Beirut through its University Research Board (URB).

Source: University of Leicester [May 01, 2015]

Choked up: The tears falling down her face, Gaga struggles to compose herself
She will be performing at the awards, which take place on Saturday, which have been renamed Video Music Aid Japan and will raise money for the Japanese Red Cross.
Today Gaga broke down as she spoke about her love for the country.
She said: 'I am always so inspired when I come to Japan, inspired by the spirit, the passion, the love, the absolutely infectious joy of Tokyo.'
Hello, Tokyo: Gaga arrived at the press conference in her new aquamarine wig and black Aladdin pants
And she encouraged people from all over the world to visit the country, which has seen a huge plunge in tourism since the disaster, the nation's biggest recorded earthquake struck.
It created a tsunami that caused widespread destruction and set off a crisis at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant about 140 miles (220 kilometers) north of Tokyo.
It killed almost 20,000 people, tens of thousands more were left homeless and thousands of others were forced to leave homes near the plant because of the radiation danger.

Please visit: Gaga urged tourists to come to Japan declaring it 'beautiful' and 'safe'
Wearing a long aquamarine wig, she said: 'I can't say enough to people all over the world that the majority of Japan right now, Japan in general, is very safe. It's fine to come here. It's beautiful.
'The most important thing, and the best thing, we could do for Japan right now is to boost tourism.
'I would like to use my position here today and all week long to run around Tokyo enjoy the beautiful city and kiss all the beautiful little monsters and scream at the top of my lungs that everyone should come visit this beautiful place.'
Thirsty work: Gaga sipped from a china tea cup which had Japanese characters that read 'Pray For Japan' across it
For luck: The singer kisses an Okiagari-Koboshi, a traditional Japanese doll
During the press conference, she sipped tea from a china cup that was painted with Japanese characters that read 'We pray for Japan'.
She was also presented with an 'Okiagari-koboshi' - which means 'getting up little priest' - a Japanese traditional tumble doll that is considered a good-luck charm and a symbol of perseverance and resilience
GaGa arrived in Tokyo on Tuesday, days in advance of her performance on Saturday's Music Aid Japan benefit concert which will be broadcast live to an estimated 30 million households in Japan, Korea, Singapore and China.
For her Little Monsters: Gaga stopped to sign autographs as she left a restaurant last night...
... and kept her faithful followers happy as she stopped to greet fans at the airport
Last night she was bombarded by fans as she left Shabuzen, a popular restaurant that specialise in a common Japanese dish called Shabu-shabu, which is a Japanese hot pot, in the trendy night life area of Roppongi, in Tokyo.
But ever gracious to her 'Little Monsters', she happily stopped and signed autographs for them, just as she did when she arrived at Narita International Airport.
Just put your paws up: Gaga gives her trademark claw-hand sign and then waves to her fans as she heads out of the airport
Lady Gaga at the MTV Video Music Aid Japan press conference (june 2011)

source: dailymail

VIA An emotional Lady Gaga wipes away tears as she remembers Japanese earthquake victims

VIA Jackass Star Ryan Dunn dead at 34

At the site, Nepali police soldiers shovel broken bricks and sand into garbage baskets. They're much more cautious cleaning up here than at many other devastated places: There's a chance they could still find precious, centuries-old statues and other artifacts in the rubble.

Volunteers stand precariously atop a two-story-high pile of crumbled bricks, scouring it for relics. A temple nearby, part of the site's hilltop complex, has big cracks and looks like it could topple and crush them at any minute.

This is dangerous, important work, says Nepal's undersecretary of the Department of Archaeology, Suresh Shrestha, who's peeled off his dust mask and is taking a break in the shade.

"There are so many artifacts because in Hinduism and Buddhism, there are lots and lots of gods and goddesses," he says.

Nepal's government says at least 70 ancient, sacred sites in the Kathmandu Valley were severely damaged or destroyed by the earthquake. The area is home to seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites; Swayambhunath is one of them.

With help from the United Nations, every ancient object that's found intact at the site from now on will be inventoried and stored in a secure place to protect from looters. Archaeologists fear that in the chaos following the quake, some artifacts were lost or stolen.

The oldest structure there, a Buddhist monument known as a stupa, dates from the fifth century. "It is intact," says Christian Manhart, UNESCO's country representative for Nepal. "We are lucky."

Manhart says it's difficult to know at this point how much of the Swayambhunath complex can be restored. But, he says, "I'm rather optimistic. We have all these architectural features like sculptures, carved wooden beams, cornerstones, which can be reused for construction."

Despite the damage, the most sacred rituals are continuing — including worship five times a day.

"We have [a] very big problem, but we do not stop the praying," says Ashok Buddhacharya, a priest who says his family roots at the temple extend back to the fifth century. "Ritual praying is continuing."

Buddhacharya sits on a mat underneath a large, blue tarp. It's where he and his wife and children and other families are cooking and sleeping, since their living quarters here were reduced to rubble.

"These are historical, more than 1,000 years old, the stupas, the metal things, the statues," he says. "We cannot make a repeat, you see."

That is, they can't just rebuild them.

That's why archaeologists feel a sense of urgency, here and at other sites, as they work around the clock to recover what they can.

Author: Kirk Siegler | Source: NPR [May 03, 2015]

Moving forward: The leggy model put on a daring animal print dress for her first night out
Kelly ventured out with the support of friends after two weeks of laying low at her farmhouse in Kent, where she was being comforted by family and friends including fiancé Thom Evans.
But the beautiful brunette seemed determined to make her first tentative steps towards moving forward with her life, stepping out in a slinky pink animal-print dress and towering heels.
Kelly appeared to be enjoying her night out in London as she chatted to her girlfriends in the back of a cab, while fiancé Thom was nowhere to be seen.
Heartache: Kelly lost her baby five months into her pregnancy earlier this month
The day before Kelly was spotted out for the first time since the terrible news emerged on May 10.
She ventured out on her own on a shopping trip near her home.
Wearing a backless summer frock and a Panama hat, the Piranha: 3D star was pictured carrying groceries to her car, including a large bunch of roses.
Miss Brook was almost five months pregnant when she lost the daughter she was expecting with ex-Scottish rugby international Thom Evans, 26.
Tragic loss: Kelly looked subdued as she carried a large bunch of roses to her car
The former TV presenter was said to be ‘over the moon’ at the prospect of becoming a mother for the first time.
She had announced she was pregnant after only four months of dating Evans.
After news that she had lost the child, friends described her as ‘devastated’. One said: ‘She’s at home and she’s being looked after by Thom and her mum Sandra.
‘There’s nothing you can say to anyone at a time like this – she just needs to be allowed some time alone to grieve.’
source: dailymail

VIA Brave Kelly Brook smiles for the cameras on her first night out since tragic baby loss

VIA RIP "Macho Man" Randy Savage