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The proposed mosque near ground zero drew hundreds of fever-pitch demonstrators Sunday, with opponents carrying signs associating Islam with blood, supporters shouting, "Say no to racist fear!" and American flags waving on both sides. The two leaders of the construction project, meanwhile, defended their plans, though one suggested that organizers might eventually be willing to discuss an alternative site. The other, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, said during a Middle East trip that the attention generated by the project is actually positive and that he hopes it will bring greater understanding. Around the corner from the cordoned-off old building that is to become a 13-story Islamic community center and mosque, police separated the two groups of demonstrators. There were no reports of physical clashes but there were some nose-to-nose confrontations, including a man and a woman screaming at each other across a barricade under a steady rain. Police separate demonstrators, both against, left, and for the construction of an Islamic Center, August 22, 2010 near the World Trade Center in New York. The rally was held to oppose the construction of an Islamic Center and mosque near Ground Zero. People participate in a rally against a proposed mosque and Islamic community center near ground zero in New York. view NYC Mosque Protests as presented by: Sacramento Bee |
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Crystal Thornburg surfing in Central California. Surf trips come up rapidly, as quick as the swells that show up on surf maps, and the photographers and editors who cover them very seldom have a lot of time to plan their work. Grant Ellis has been the photo editor for Surfer Magazine for almost seven years. He started as a surf photographer and followed professional surfers around the world for three years, having surfed from the age of 8. Surfer works with a large number of photographers and surfers to find and produce the stunning images in the magazine. Ellis says that he can track the swell as it moves across the Pacific or Indian oceans through the emails from his photographers around the world. And if big waves are the greatest thrill in surfing, getting an image in Surfer’s Big issue is the ambition of most surf photographers. Because surf images reflect the many nuances of light and water, editors at Surfer do rounds and rounds of color proofing to make certain each image is just right. The wave comes through, and they do their best to catch it. view The Power of Surf as presented by: Photo District News |
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With four months left in the year, 2010 is already the deadliest year yet for U.S. troops in Afghanistan. 321 have been killed so far (out of 485 total coalition deaths), compared with 313 deaths in all of 2009. As coalition troop size has increased, and moves have been made into Taliban strongholds, attacks are on the rise, and, according to General David Petraeus, "the footprint of the Taliban has spread". As combat operations in Iraq have now ended, the Obama administration says it will focus even more of its attention on the nearly 9-year-old conflict in Afghanistan. Collected here are images of the country and conflict over the past month, part of an ongoing monthly series on Afghanistan. This month marks the 12th entry in the series - I've been putting these together for one year now, and see no reason to stop any time soon. Abdul Qahar, an interpreter with Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, finds one of the few shaded spots during Operation Big Wave in Khanagawr, Afghanistan, Aug. 18, 2010. During the operation the men spent two days in direct sunlight with temperatures reaching more than 120 degrees. The operation was conducted to disrupt the enemy from using supply lines to bring weapons and fighters into Nawa. Cpl Ryan Belgrave with the Canadian Army's 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group, walks through a field of marijuana plants during a patrol near the village of Salavat, in the Panjway district west of Kandahar. A medevac UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter from the 101st Airborne division, Task Force Destiny, is reflected in the glasses of a ground staff member during a refueling operation at Kandahar Air Field (KAF) in Kandahar province. view Afghanistan, August, 2010 as presented by: Boston Big Picture |
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Standing inside a live volcano hoping to catch a chicken or some vegetables for some might be the height of stupidity. For these people on the Indonesian island of Java it serves as a way to provide food for their families despite the incredible danger. The Hindu festival of Yadnya Kasada is the main festival of the Tenggerese people in Probolinggo, East Java. The festival lasts about a month but on the fourteenth day, the Tenggerese make the journey to the volcano of Mount Bromo to make offerings of rice, fruits, vegetables, flowers and livestock to the mountain gods by throwing them into the volcano's caldera. The origin of the festival lies in the 15th century when a princess named Roro Anteng started the principality of Tengger with her husband Joko Seger, and the childless couple asked the mountain Gods for help in bearing children. view Villagers Catch Offerings Thrown Into The Crater Of Volcano as presented by: Telegraph Media Group |
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The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta is a world-class hot air ballooning festival held in Ashton Court on the edge of Bristol, United Kingdom. Around half a million people from across the country and beyond flock to the event over four days each August. This year, the Fiesta is celebrating the 'golden jubilee' of ballooning. A full complement of 150 balloons are expected at this year's event, a third more than took part last year. Mass ascents of the balloons normally take place from the main arena at 6am and 6pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the Fiesta if the weather permits. Up to 900 flights are set to take place over the four days of the event. A balloonist inflates his hot air balloon before a mass assent flight at the 32nd Bristol International Balloon Fiesta in Bristol, south-west England, on August 13, 2010. Weird and wonderful shapes filled the skies as Europe's biggest hot air balloon festival marked the golden jubilee of modern ballooning. Hot-air balloons begin to rise into the early morning sky during the mass assent at the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta at the Ashton Court estate on August 13, 2010 in Bristol, England. A couple watches as tethered balloons are illuminated by their burners during the nightglow evening event at the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta at the Ashton Court estate on August 12, 2010 in Bristol, England. view Bristol International Balloon Fiesta 2010 as presented by: Sacramento Bee |
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At midnight on Sunday, August 8th, a temporary lake caused by a recent landslide broke loose above the town of Zhouqu, in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, China. The outflow slid down the valley as a wall of mud, wiping out houses and muli-story buildings, and killing at least 1,144 residents - with over 600 still reported as missing. More than 10,000 soldiers and rescuers arrived soon to comb through the mountains of mud that buried several parts of Zhouqu County. Engineers also worked to blast the debris that had passed through the town to partially block the Bailong River, causing further flooding. Collected here are images of the landslide-affected area of northwestern China, part of a series of disasters in Asia caused by recent heavy rains. The foot of a victim killed in a mudslide in Zhouqu County. A member of the military in protective gear pours disinfectant over body bags containing the remains of victims of a landslide in Zhouqu on August 12, 2010 in northwest China. A resident cries for her relative killed by landslide in Zhouqu County on Aug. 12, 2010. Many people held memorial ceremonies for their killed or missing relatives at the landslide area to express their grief on Thursday. view Landslides strike Zhouqu County, China as presented by: Boston Big Picture |
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The most ancient traditions of Islam are going high-tech, with a slew of modern offerings for those observing the holy month of Ramadan, which begins this week. Cell phone applications such as "iPray" or "iQuran" offer a beeping reminder of requisite prayer times, while the "Find Mecca" and "mosque finder" programs help the Muslim traveler in an unfamiliar city find the nearest place to pray. The applications aren't just for Ramadan; there are Islamic-themed programs that help users find the nearest Costco offering foods prepared according to Islamic dietary rules, learn the correct Arabic pronunciations in a daily prayer, or count how many pages of the Quran they've read that day -- all on a mobile phone. The dates of Ramadan still are determined by the lunar calendar, and calculations can differ among Islamic communities around the world. In North America, many Muslims will mark the first day of Ramadan on Wednesday. But Islam never has been at odds with innovation, said Zinnur Tabakci, who runs an Islamic religious book and gift shop in Paterson, N.J. "Islam is not against technology. Now you can do it easier, faster," said Tabakci, who recently supplemented the strings of traditional prayer beads and religious texts he sells with a wall of mobile phone accessories to keep up with demand. A Pakistani flood-affected woman prepares tea for family members before beginning their fast at a makeshift camp in Sukkur early on August 12, 2010, on the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The holy month of Ramadan is bringing nothing but misery for millions of Pakistanis who fled for their lives when catastrophic floods washed away their homes, villages and livelihoods. In this photograph taken on August 10, 2010 an official from the State Islamic University (STAIN), uses a telescope to observe the moon after sunset from the coast of Madura in East Java province of Indonesia on the eve of Ramadan. The exact dates of the start and the end of Islam's holy month Ramadan depend on the sighting of the new moon. Muslims observe the ninth month of the lunar Islamic calendar by abstaining from food, drink and sex from dawn until sunset during Ramadan. The fast is one of the five pillars of Islam. Indonesia has the world's largest population of Muslims. A young Palestinian Muslim girl walks in an alley of Jerusalem's old city holding a traditional Ramadan lantern while celebrating with other children the announcing of the holy month of Ramadan, Tuesday, Aug. 10 2010. Ramadan, when observant Muslims fast from dawn to dusk, will begin Wednesday. view Ramadan Begins as presented by: Sacramento Bee |
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Back in August, 1995, Russian IL-76TD RA-76842 plane was captured by the militants from Taliban movement. Along with the plane an aircrew was also captured (8 people.) And today the story is going to go about this plane. IL-76 was owned by a private airlines from Kazan called Aerostan. The plane was subleased out by the Afghan government and was shipping ammunition supplies en-route Tirana-Sharjah-Kabul. The cargo was conforming with all norms of ICAO and was permitted for shipping. It was not their first flight to Kabul; special radio waves didn’t air any prohibitions or limitations for the flight. Everything was going alright. But over Afghanistan territory, while the plane was 8,000 meters high, it was captured by MIG-21 fighter jet which was owned by Taliban movement. A short time after the plane was forced to land at the airport of Kandahar city. No sooner than a year passed, 378 days if to be exact, before Russian pilots managed to make an outraging runaway; they played upon a silly blunt of security who allowed them to start repairing the plane. They were acting as sharp and consistently as ever: engineers were shutting the loading ramp, a pilot was starting engines and a radio operator was checking radio lines. Behavior or the air crew didn’t attract a bit of security’s attention. Maybe just the loading ramp made them somewhat uneasy. Slowly but firmly they were heading their way to a take-off which was too short. It’s not a fast thing to speed up a huge aircraft with some militants chasing you on a military car. But another capturing didn’t work this time and the plane got off from the last meter of the runway. view Then Captured Plane as presented by: English Russia |
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On the Havasupai Indian Reservation within Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona you will find the gorgeous Havasu Falls. The picture perfect falls features a blue-green pool below which is excellent for swimming. Havasu Falls is fairly difficult to reach by foot, requiring a drive to Hualapai Hilltop and then a 16 km (10 mile) hike to the Falls via the tiny village of Supai which is 3 km (2 miles) from the falls. For those not up to the long hike, a helicopter ride to Supai can be had, followed up by a horseback ride to the falls. Visitors can camp near the falls, and the village of Supai has one lodge and one cafe. Otherwise the best options for accommodation can be found 177 km (110 miles) away in the town of Seligman. The area also features four other waterfalls: Navajo Falls, Supai Falls, Mooney Falls, and Beaver Falls. view Havasu Falls, Arizona, United States as presented by: Beautiful Places To Visit |
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The United Nations has now estimated that Pakistan will need billions of dollars to recover from its worst floods in 80 years - further straining a country already dependent on foreign aid to prop up its economy and back its war against Islamist militants. Over 60,000 troops are involved in flood relief operations trying to assist nearly 14 million people who are now affected by the flooding. The U.N. has just launched an appeal for $459 million in immediate aid, as Pakistanis have become more frustrated with their government's response and President Asif Ali Zardari's trip to Europe. [This entry is part II of a double-issue today, part I about Russia here] Collected here are recent photographs of Pakistanis as they continue to cope with their flooded country. A man wades through flood waters towards a naval boat while evacuating his children in Sukkur, located in Pakistan's Sindh province. A man marooned by flood waters, alongside his livestock, waves towards an Army helicopter for relief handouts in the Rajanpur district of Pakistan's Punjab. Pakistani flood victim Mohammed Nawaz hangs onto a moving raft as he is rescued by the Pakistan Navy. view Continuing Pakistani Floods as presented by: Boston Big Picture |
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A photography technique that frequently catches my eye is the use of silhouette - placing a subject directly between a primary light source and the camera. The effect can be painterly or haunting or evocative. It can break a subject down to basic ideas conveyed only by line and shape, where an individual might appear iconic. Collected here are a handful of recent photographs from around the world, where we can only see the outlines of the subject, our minds (and the captions) are left to fill in any details in the darkness. Australian freestyle motocross rider Robbie Maddison jumps during an training session in the Sahara desert near the Giza pyramids as the sun sets in Cairo May 11, 2010 in preparation of the second stage of the Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour. Volunteers release flamingo chicks at the Fuente de Piedra natural reserve, near Malaga, in southern Spain August 7, 2010. Around 600 flamingos are ringed and measured before being placed in the lagoon, one of the largest colonies of flamingos in Europe, according to authorities of the natural reserve. South African kids play soccer in open field as sun sets in Soweto, South Africa. view In Silhouette as presented by: Boston Big Picture |
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More than 400 people have died and thousands of others were made homeless as some of the worst floods in Pakistan's history hit this northwestern region, provincial officials said. Hundreds of thousands of people were believed to be unable to evacuate to safer ground while the authorities struggled to reach the worst-affected areas, officials said. The information minister for the Khyber-Pakhtunkwa province, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, put the death toll at 408 in the flooding that followed two days of record rainfall. The region used to be known as the North-West Frontier Province. Hussain warned that the death toll could rise because many towns and villages remained inaccessible, and telecommunication infrastructure had been damaged. Much of the province has been cut off from the rest of the country. Floodwaters have either inundated or damaged all roads and railroad tracks. "This is the worst ever calamity in our history," Hussain said at a news conference. "Whatever that had survived terrorist bombings have been washed away by the floods." Pakistani villagers try to catch trees floating in the flooded Nelum river in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani Kashmir. Pakistani local residents use a rope to flee from rising waters in a flood-hit area of Nowshera. view Flooding Devastates Pakistan's Northwestern Region as presented by: Sacramento Bee |
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The 65th anniversary event at the site of the world’s first A-bomb attack echoed with the choirs of schoolchildren and the solemn ringing of bells Friday as Hiroshima marked the occasion. At 8:15 a.m. – the time the bomb dropped, incinerating most of the city – a moment of silence was observed. On Aug. 6, 1945, during World War II, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. About 140,000 people were killed or died within months when the American B-29 “Enola Gay” bombed Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945. Three days later, about 80,000 people died after the United States also bombed Nagasaki. Japan surrendered on Aug. 15, ending World War II. To this day, the bombings remain the only time nuclear weapons have been unleashed. The United States decided to drop the bombs because Washington believed it would hasten the end of the war and avert the need to wage prolonged and bloody land battles on Japan’s main island. That concern was heightened by Japan’s desperate efforts to control outlying islands such as Iwo Jima and Okinawa as the Allies closed in. A giant column of smoke rises more than 60,000 feet into the air, after the second atomic bomb ever used in warfare explodes over the Japanese port town of Nagasaki, on August 9, 1945. Dropped by the U.S. Army Air Forces B-29 plane "Bockscar," the bomb killed more than 70,000 people instantly, with ten thousands dying later from effects of the radioactive fallout. An unidentified young boy carries his burned brother on his back Aug. 10, 1945 in Nagasaki, Japan. This photographs was not released to the public by the Japanese military but was disseminated to the world press by the United Nations after the war. Arrow marks the spot where the A-bomb struck at Nagasaki, Japan, August 10, 1945. Much of the bombed area is still desolate, the trees on the hills in the background remained charred and dwarfed from the blast and little reconstruction, except of wooden shacks as homes, has taken place. view On War: The dropping of the Atomic Bomb, 65 years later as presented by: Denver Post |
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One of the most popular waterfalls in Yosemite National Park of California in the United States, Vernal fall measures 97 meters (317 feet) high. A hike along the Mist Trail to the fall takes visitors very close to the fall where they become shrouded in its mist. The hike to Vernal Fall is short at only 2.1 km (1.3 miles) long. At the top of the fall hikers enjoy a rest at the Emerald Pool, named for its deep green color, which is a small lake where some visitors choose to swim, though it is against the park rules and can be dangerous if care is not taken. Travelers who wish to visit Vernal Fall should make it a part of a greater trip to the awe-inspiring Yosemite National Park where many other spectacular natural sights can be enjoyed. Accommodation is plentiful at the park and includes hotels as well as campgrounds. There is a $20 fee to enter Yosemite National Park. view Vernal Falls, Yosemite, California, United States as presented by: Beautiful Places To Visit |
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Mission Wolf is a remote wolf sanctuary located 35 miles NorthWest of Walsenburg, Colorado - read lots more at their website. This was an enjoyable (overnight) first stop on our two week Colorado vacation roadtrip. In addition to the pictures below, I have three slide shows of the wolves, wolves w/people, and other misc. pictures. As seen below, you get really close to the wolves! view Mission Wolf, Colorado as presented by: Alek Komarnitsky |
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