Millions of people in western India are suffering their worst drought in more than four decades, with critics blaming official ineptitude and corruption for exacerbating the natural water shortage, AFP reports.
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Millions of Indians facing worst drought in decades
- Wednesday, 06 March 2013 09:08
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Russian activists set to march against foreign adoptions
- Saturday, 02 March 2013 10:27
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Activists from pro-Kremlin children's advocacy groups were set on Saturday to march through Moscow to call on authorities to ban all foreign adoptions and demand the return of an adopted boy whose brother died in Texas, AFP reports.
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Calcutta illegal market hit by deadly fire
- Wednesday, 27 February 2013 19:30
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At least 19 people have been killed in a fire that swept through an illegal market in the eastern Indian city of Calcutta, police officials say.
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The Surya Sen Market was housed in an old multi-storey building in the crowded Sealdah area of the city.
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Several people were also seriously injured, and officials say the death toll could rise.
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The deadly blaze was contained in three hours and it is thought there is no one left trapped inside.
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The fire in the paper and plastic market broke out early on Wednesday morning while some people were sleeping inside the complex.
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The head of the fire services Gopal Bhattacharya told AFP news agency that they "found dozens of people lying unconscious with severe burns" and that most of the victims had suffocated in their sleep.
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Toxic gases were also released from the flammable materials present in the building, which hampered the rescue operations.
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State Fire Services Minister Javed Khan told AFP: "The market has only one exit point and those who stayed in the market at night were trapped after the fire broke out."
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Mr Khan also said the market was illegal and action would be taken "against the authorities for not having any fire safety arrangement".
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'Unplanned buildings'
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, visiting the scene, promised a full investigation.
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She said there were many such illegal or "unplanned" buildings in the city and that "no-one follows any safety norms".
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She announced compensation amounts of 200,000 rupees ($3,714; £2,461) for the families of those who died and 50,000 ($930; £610) rupees for the injured.
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At least 25 fire engines were sent to the scene and the injured were taken to nearby hospitals.
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The reason for the fire remains unknown, but some local officials said a short circuit due to faulty electrical wiring could be to blame.
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A police investigation into the cause is now underway and Ms Banerjee said they will have a report ready within three days.
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There have been several major fires in Calcutta in recent years.
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In December 2011, around 90 people died in a blaze at a hospital. A year before that, 43 people died in a fire at the historic St Stephen's Court building on the city's Park Street.
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In 2008, more than 2,500 shops were destroyed in a huge fire at one of the city's largest markets.
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India arrests man accused of spying for Pakistan
- Tuesday, 26 February 2013 14:05
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Indian police say they have arrested a man suspected of passing military secrets to arch-rival Pakistan.
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The man, an Indian citizen, was held in the western state of Rajasthan near the two countries' border.
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Police say he passed details of military exercises held last week to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence.
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India and Pakistan frequently accuse each other of spying. The arrest comes after weeks of tension over the disputed territory of Kashmir.
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The alleged spy is accused of "passing information related to Indian defence installations and military activities", senior police officer DS Dinkar told AFP news agency.
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One report says his telephone calls to a relative in Pakistan, who it is alleged works for Pakistani intelligence, were intercepted.
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The man was arrested by army intelligence at his house in a village near the town of Pokhran on Sunday and is being questioned by security agencies.
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He appeared in court in Jaipur on Monday and was remanded in custody, police sources said.
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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Pranab Mukherjee both attended the war games, codenamed "Iron Fist", which were held near Pokhran on Friday.
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Pistorius' brother faces own homicide trial
- Sunday, 24 February 2013 18:12
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Brother of South African athlete, on trial for murdering girlfriend, also faces charges of killing woman in 2010.
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The brother of Oscar Pistorius, the Paralympic star on trial for murdering his girlfriend, is also facing charges for killing a woman, local media have reported.
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The trial of Carl Pistorius, who is charged with culpable homicide, will start at the end of the month, Oscar's lawyer, Kenny Oldwage, confirmed to South Africa's eNCA TV.
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The woman was reportedly killed on her motorcycle in a traffic accident in 2008, which the car being driven by Carl was also involved in.
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His trial was supposed to have started earlier this month, one day before Oscar's began. It was unclear why it was delayed.Â
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A family statement said Carl appeared before a judge on Thursday and would be in court again.
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Carl declined comment as he entered the home of an uncle in Pretoria on Sunday. The house where Oscar, 26, has been staying since being granted bail on Friday until his trial for the premeditated murder of model Reeva Steenkamp on February 14.
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Oscar denies murder, saying he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder.
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The family statement quoted lawyer Kenny Oldwage as saying: "There is no doubt that Carl is innocent and the charge will be challenged in court. Carl deeply regrets the accident.
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"Blood tests conducted by the police at the time proved that he had not been under the influence of alcohol, confirming that it was a tragic road accident after the deceased collided with Carl's car."
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Contacted by Reuters, Oldwage declined further comment. The family statement said charges had at one stage been withdrawn but then reinstated.
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China reports year's second fatal case of bird flu
- Saturday, 23 February 2013 11:11
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A man in southwestern China has died of bird flu, health authorities said Saturday, becoming the second fatality from the H5N1 virus this year, AFP reports.
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Pistorius jail sentence is almost assured
- Friday, 22 February 2013 13:03
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The lead lawyer prosecuting Oscar Pistorius on murder charges has told a Pretoria bail hearing the sprinter knows a long spell in jail is ‘‘almost guaranteed’’ and is a flight risk.
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16 dead and 119 wounded in India's Hyderabad twin blasts
- Friday, 22 February 2013 12:27
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Hyderabad: A little over 12 hours after two bombs exploded in Hyderabad's crowded Dilsukhnagar yesterday, Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde visited the site this morning and also hospitals where the injured are admitted. 15 people have died and 119 are injured, five of them critically.
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Breaking News: Serial Blasts rocked Indian hi-tech city Hyderabad
- Thursday, 21 February 2013 14:42
- S.S.Fahad Hussain - Deputy Editor in Chief - The Oslo Times
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Hyderabad, India 21st February, 2013 – The hi-tech mega polis of Hyderabad has been rocked by serial blasts. First blast happened at around 7:01pm in Dilsukhnagar one blast took off at Konark theatre, second blew off at bus stand, the third blast reported at Vecantry Theatre and the site of remaining two are yet to be confirmed by the police.
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Tibetan teens in rare double immolation: reports
- Thursday, 21 February 2013 13:27
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Two Tibetan teenagers died after they set fire to themselves in protest at Chinese rule, reports and Western rights groups said, in a rare instance of a double self-immolation in the restive region, AFP reports.
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Pistorius tale of cry and murder of her Girlfriend
- Tuesday, 19 February 2013 09:17
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Paralympian Oscar Pistorius started crying in court on Tuesday as his lawyer denied that the alleged murder of his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp was pre-meditated.
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Pistorius, 26, stood with his head bowed as murder charge read out to him
- Saturday, 16 February 2013 13:21
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Blade Runner Oscar Pistorius broke down in tears in court today as he was formally charged with the murder of his model girlfriend.
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The Paralympic superstar held his head in his hands as one count of murder was read out to him in Pretoria Magistrates' Court this morning.
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He did not enter a plea to the charge that he killed FHM cover girl Reeva Steenkamp, 29, in the early hours of Valentine's Day, but his family and management company later said he disputed the allegation 'in the strongest terms'.
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Prosecutors told the court they would argue it was pre-meditated murder, a more serious charge than murder which carries a mandatory life sentence.
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Overcome with emotion, Pistorius was comforted by his father, brother and sister as gasps were heard throughout the packed courtroom.
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The hearing came as a picture emerged of the weapon, believed to be a 9amm pistol, allegedly used in the killing. It was seen in a clear plastic bag being carried by a police officer.
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According to media reports in South Africa this morning, security guards at the complex found Pistorius by Steenkamp's body in the bathroom after she had been shot four times through the door.
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More than 100 people packed into Courtroom C, including dozens of photographers and videographers.Â
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Pistorius's father Henke, brother Carl and sister Aimee gathered in court to support the athlete who arrived dressed in a grey suit and blue tie.
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The celebrated runner began sobbing, covering his face with his hands, as the charge against him was read out.
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Chief magistrate Desmond Nair told him: 'Take it easy. Come take a seat.'
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The hearing came after a two-hour delay while Pistorius's lawyers objected to the scrum of local and international reporters packed into the courtroom.
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Pistorius said nothing during the 40-minute hearing. Henke and Carl Pistorius sat directly behind him, occasionally leaning forward to give him a pat on the shoulder.
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State prosecutor Gerrie Nel told the sportsman that he intends to argue that he took part in a 'premeditated murder'.
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At this, Pistorius once again slumped forward with his head in his hands.
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While, under South African law, there is only a charge of murder, anyone committed of a murder that has an element of pre-planning faces an automatic life sentence, unless the court can find an exceptional reason not to grant life.
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If Pistorius is sent to prison for 'life', that, in a South African context, would mean that he will spend at least 25 years in prison. Â He would not be eligible for parole until he is 51.
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His defence lawyer said the Paralympian is in a 'traumatised state of mind'.
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A bail hearing is scheduled for next Tuesday and Wednesday, with police expected to oppose the application.
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The hearing was adjourned and Pistorius will be held at a local police station until his next court appearance.
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Afterwards, his family and management company issued a statement, saying: 'Firstly, and most importantly, all our thoughts today must be with the family and friends of Reeva Steenkamp.
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'Oscar Pistorius has appeared in court here in Pretoria this morning formally charged with the murder of Reeva Steenkamp. The alleged murder is disputed in the strongest terms.
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'Oscar Pistorius has made history as an Olympic and Paralympic sportsman and has been an inspiration to others the world over.
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''He has made it very clear that he would like to send his deepest sympathies to the family of Reeva.
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'He would also like to express his thanks through us today for all the messages of support he has received - but as stated our thoughts and prayers today should be for Reeva and her family, regardless of the circumstances of this terrible, terrible tragedy.'
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Meanwhile, police said today that an autopsy on the body of the victim was taking place. Lt Col Katlego Mogale said the results of the autopsy would not be published.Â
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The court opened at just before 7am GMT today, as he arrived.
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He was seen coming out of the police station where he had been held overnight covering his face with the jacket of his suit.
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Henke and Carl Pistorius hugged each other in a show of solidarity before following the police escort that took the double amputee to the courthouse. Both looked tired and strained.
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Pistorius was swept into the courthouse, hidden in the back of a police car, which had its windows blocked with paper to prevent anyone seeing the alleged murderer's face.
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Pistorius had initially been expected to appear in court yesterday, but the hearing was postponed to allow forensics more time to study his mansion.
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As he awaited his hearing, the Afrikaans-language Beeld newspaper claimed Miss Steenkamp had been shot four times, in the head, chest, pelvis and hand through the bathroom door.
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Police said an application for bail by Pistorius's lawyer Kenny Oldwage would be opposed when he appears in court.
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Dressed in a grey hooded jacket, tracksuit trousers and trainers, Pistorius, 26, walked with head bowed from the Boschkop police station yesterday before being taken to Pretoria's Mamelodi Day Hospital in a police convoy.
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Brig Beukes said the medical examination was 'standard procedure'.
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Pistorius's spokesman, from the Fast Track agency in London, said he was 'assisting the police with their investigations' but no further comment could be made until matters became clearer.
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Initial rumours suggested the shooting may have been a Valentine's Day surprise gone wrong.
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The couple had only been going out since November.
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Miss Steenkamp, a model and law graduate, tweeted the day before Valentine's Day: 'What do you have up your sleeve for your love tomorrow??? £getexcited £ValentinesDay.'
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Pistorius appeared to have serious concerns about his safety and was said to sleep with a revolver by his side.
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The paper, which carried the headline 'Death behind a door', quotes unnamed residents who say they had spoken to security guards at his gated complex.
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'The security guards found Pistorius by Steenkamp's body in the bathroom,' the paper said on its website, citing a neighbour. 'The door had bullet holes right through it.'
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It is not clear whether the door was locked at the time of the shooting.
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Initial reports suggested the model may have been mistaken for a burglar, but Brigadier Denise Beukes later said police were 'very surprised' by that suggestion, adding: 'These allegations did not come from us.'
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There had been previous incidents of a 'domestic nature' at the property on the exclusive, gated Silver Lakes Golf Estate in the South African capital Pretoria, she added.Â
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A 9mm pistol was recovered and, according to unconfirmed reports, four shots were fired.
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Police spokeswoman Lt Col Katlego Mogale said: 'Paramedics declared the woman dead on the scene and police proceeded with their investigation.
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'The woman sustained wounds to her head and the upper body.'
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A journalist from the Daily Mail interviewed him last summer and noted: 'This being South Africa, one baseball bat and one cricket bat lie behind Pistorius's bedroom door.
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'A revolver is at his bedside. A machine gun by his window.'
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The athlete made history at the London 2012 Olympics becoming the first amputee sprinter to compete in the able-bodied Games, running in the 400m and 4x400m relay.
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The star was born without fibulas and underwent below-the-knee amputations at just 11 months old.
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He had to win a legal battle over his blades with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in 2008 for the right to compete in able-bodied competition.
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Pistorius's father said his son was 'sad' following the shooting.
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Henke Pistorius told SABC radio news: 'I don't know the facts. If anyone makes a statement, it will have to be Oscar. He's sad at the moment.'
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The couple were dubbed the Posh and Becks of South Africa.
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On her Twitter biography, Miss Steenkamp described herself as a 'Model, Cover Girl, Tropika Island Of Treasure Celeb Contestant, Law Graduate, Child of God'.
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Tropika island Of Treasure is a TV show she was due to appear on this weekend.
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Miss Steenkamp's publicist Sarit Tomlinson paid tribute to her, saying she was 'the sweetest human being and an absolute angel on earth'.
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She added: 'She was the kindest, most unbelievable girl.'
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She told Sky News: 'It's shocking. No one knows what happened. We're waiting for information.
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'There are people we are waiting to speak to, to validate some of the stories.'
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Asked about Miss Steenkamp's relationship with Pistorius, Ms Tomlinson said: 'They had been together for a couple of months and it's been a fabulous relationship - a healthy, fabulous relationship.'
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Miss Steenkamp's friend Mashadi Motsogi broke down in tears.
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The distressed model said she heard the news of Miss Steenkamp's death on Twitter.
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'I have lost a friend,' she said, telling reporters that Miss Steenkamp's death in a secure complex did not make sense.
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'Look, security here is safe. We moved to this area for security reasons. It does not make sense to me that my friend was shot, mistaken for an intruder.'
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Man moves into a 100-year-old GRAVE after losing his house
- Saturday, 16 February 2013 12:01
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A homeless man has told how he began sleeping with the dead when he moved into a cemetery 15 years ago.
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Bratislav Stojanovic, 43, has shared the burial plot with the ashes of a a family who died out more than 100 years ago in Nis, Serbia.
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But after giving the grave a changing tombs-style makeover the former construction worker said he feels at home.
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He said: 'It is dry and it is warm. I have some lamps and my personal possessions.
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'It isn't a palace but it is more comfortable than the street.'
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Mr Stojanovic, who has never had a regular job, lost his home in the town after running up debts.
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He moved into the grave after dossing down in the streets for months and now spends his time foraging in the out of use cemetery for candles.
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Mr Stojanovic said that living with the dead isn't as scary as some might think. He said: 'I was afraid in the beginning, but I got used to it in time. Now I am more afraid of the living than of the dead
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'Whenever I want to crawl out I first check if there's someone around, otherwise I could scare a person to death.
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'People are very kind to me, they sometimes bring me food or clothes.
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'Sometimes I have to get my food from rubbish bins but it can be very nutritious. It's amazing what people throw away," he explained.
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'It doesn't frighten me to sleep in a grave. The dead are dead. I'm more frightened of being hungry.
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'And if I die in the night, at least I'm in the right place.'
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Mr Stojanovic lives on a diet of food he collects from the rubbish and collects cigarette butts he finds on the ground.
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His tomb spans only two-square yards and the ceiling is one yard high.
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Officials at the cemetery say their squatter can stay as long as he does not disturb other visitors.
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'The family who owned the tomb are long gone so technically it belongs to no-one. If he behaves himself there are no plans to evict him,' said a spokesman.
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The name of the family who owned the tomb is unknown as the names have eroded from the gravestone.
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