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POPSLa Paz celebrates Day of the Skulls Earlier this month the Church called on the faithful to stop using human skulls at special mass celebrations. The Archbishop of La Paz, Edmundo Abastoflor, urged followers of the Andean rite to "let them rest in peace". Some inside the Church even link the practice to the occult. However, some priests believe they have no other choice than to let people pray Catholic prayers to their skulls, and even allow them to go to church with them. "I receive them and not as enemies of the Catholic faith," the cemetery's Roman Catholic priest, Father Jaime Fernandez, told the BBC after giving an informal blessing to thousands of skull-carrying devotees at the cemetery's chapel. "Officially the Catholic Church does not recognise such a thing," Father Fernandez adds. But, let's be honest, in the end, who am I to stop their uncontrollable faith?"
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POPSIs the Catholic Church a Force for Good in the World? I saw this debate on BBC yesterday and it was really good. They poll people both before and after the debate about how they see the Catholic Church and the results were a bit surprising, but then again, not. Make up your own mind. (5 parts)
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POPSBBC Save the Sounds What is BBC World Service?World Service Newsroom We are the world’s leading international broadcaster providing programmes and content for radio, television, online and mobile phones in English and 31 other languages. Hundreds of reporters and specialist correspondents bring impartial news reports, documentaries and analysis from around the globe. We also offer a rich mix of other programming from arts, business and culture to drama, science and sport. BBC World Service is one part of the collected international-facing television, radio and online services which form BBC Global News.
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POPSNew row over Colombia-US accord Venezuela has broken off diplomatic relations with Bogota and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has warned that Colombian military bases could be used by the US to attack his country. Other countries in the region, including Brazil and Chile, have also expressed concern. The BBC's Jeremy McDermott, in Colombia, says Colombia is increasingly isolated in the region, but does not seem to care, just so long as it has US support.
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POPSA letter to the Mail
It is just over thirty years since Sgt Ray Beamish 1st Fld Reg RhA, and others were murdered by terrorists they were 'converting', much against what the mass of voices were screaming silently from within Army itself. It was in 1964 that the police in Aden city turned their guns on the Brits soldiers and were 'put down' by 45 Commando and the Gordons. Yesterday 5 more young men, and probably more, were gunned down by a rogue policeman and Brown still waffles out his venal apologies to the Nation, and his supporters swallow it hook line and sinker. In N. Ireland the situation is as desperate as when I stood the barricades exactly 40 years ago, and everyone tells how much improved it all is. Get real. The only thing that has happened is that far too many Brits have died, the taxpayer has forked out billions to immoral politicians, both here and abroad, bankers have got richer and politicians haven't the slightest notion of why they have got us into so much doodoo. The question I want an
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POPS Nature Picking Up Obama's Slack Bear kills militants in Kashmir By Altaf Hussain BBC News, Srinagar A bear killed two militants after discovering them in its den in Indian-administered Kashmir, police say. Two other militants escaped, one of them badly wounded, after the attack in Kulgam district, south of Srinagar. The militants had assault rifles but were taken by surprise - police found the remains of pudding they had made to eat when the bear attacked. Animal attacks Wildlife experts say the conflict in Kashmir has actually resulted in an increase in the population of bears and leopards. Following the outbreak of the insurgency people had to hand in their weapons to police - which put a halt to poaching. As a result, there has been a greater incidence of man-animal conflict, say experts. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8339549.stm
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POPSChina Rescues Kidnapped Children Increased wealth and freedom of movement in China have made human trafficking both more profitable and easier, analysts say. Beijing has promised to do more. A national DNA database was set up this year to help trace missing children.
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POPSUS warned on deadly drone attacks The dear ol' UN....helping Iran and concerned about how terrorists are eliminated. I wonder if they are concerned about the recent deaths perpetrated by terrorists in Kabul, Baghdad, and Pakistan.
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POPSdistraction as an energy-saver wonder how many faces it can recognise (say in a household of a family of 5)..... also, what if someone fell asleep facing the tv? would that face still be recognised?
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POPSThe BBC's amazing U-turn on climate change The oceans, he says, have a cycle in which they warm and cool cyclically. The most important one is the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO). For much of the 1980s and 1990s, it was in a positive cycle, that means warmer than average. And observations have revealed that global temperatures were warm too. But in the last few years it has been losing its warmth and has recently started to cool down. These cycles in the past have lasted for nearly 30 years.
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POPSFrom the Abyss BBC About half way through there is some great footage of the "dumb bell octopus". Amazing looking creature. It has ears like "dumbo" :lol:
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POPSHymens: Now Made in China In places where honor killings are practiced against women who can't prove they were virgins on their wedding nights, this little, seemingly innocuous sex toy has opened quite a can of worms.
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POPSBBC opens world's biggest online zoo more: Starting with 370 animals, including four octopuses and a solitary starfish, the databank of clips and still pictures will be reinforced on a daily basis. BBC staff are combing through hundreds of wildlife programmes, from spectaculars such as Planet Earth to regional TV news items, to create an unprecedented collection. Early stars in terms of hits online include Darwin's frog, a tiny resident of forests in Chile, which gives birth through the mouth of the male. The process is repeated in slow motion – another feature of the archive's ability to spy on Earth's wild creatures to an unprecedented extent.