MUNDIAL NOTICIAS - 1

Chelsea Flower Show prepares to celebrate 100th birthday

2013-05-19T11:50:00.001-07:00

Chelsea Flower Show prepares to celebrate 100th birthday:

Ben Stansall / AFP - Getty Images

A gardener hangs flowers at the Chelsea Flower Show in London on May 19. The Chelsea Flower Show run by the Royal Horticultural Society celebrates its 100th birthday this year. The show runs from May 21 - 25.

Anybody missing a giant head? College crew team found one floating in river

2013-04-26T14:23:00.001-07:00

Anybody missing a giant head? College crew team found one floating in river:

Matthew Lavian / Marist College via AP

A giant foam head floats on the Hudson River in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., on Monday, April 22.

By Elizabeth Chuck, Staff Writer, NBC News

A huge foam and fiberglass head was discovered floating in New York's Hudson River by a college crew team earlier this week, and days later nobody knows where it came from.
The head, which is at least 7 feet tall and 5 feet wide, was found Monday morning by the Marist College men's crew team.
"The coach, who is in a motorboat, took a quick spin out and investigated it, and was as baffled as anyone by what he saw," said Greg Cannon, spokesman for Marist College. "But because it was a navigation hazard, he felt it was his duty to haul it in. It took about 10 members of his team to haul it in."
Because it was waterlogged, it weighed "at least a couple hundred pounds," he said. The head -- which has a foam core but is covered in a fiberglass shell and has metal rods in it -- has had a home in front of the Marist boathouse since it was dragged from the water.

Tyler Sawyer / Marist College via AP

Members of the Marist college crew team stand by a giant foam head found floating in the Hudson River in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., on Monday, April 22.

It's attracted lots of visitors and theories as to where it came from, including one suggestion that it came from a Mardi Gras parade and floated to Marist, which is located in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., overlooking the Hudson. But there have been no claims of ownership.
"It's not like someone just built it as a hobby, I don't think. It was definitely for an art installation, or a theater project," Cannon said.
The head, which has a gray shell and fleshy tones underneath, is missing some chunks, including its nose.
"It's kind of like a lost puppy," Cannon said. "If the owner shows up, we'll certainly return it, but I think the people will be sad to see it go."

The art of war goes on display in South Korea

2013-04-26T03:41:00.001-07:00

The art of war goes on display in South Korea:

Lee Jae-Won / Reuters

Amphibious assault vehicles of the South Korean Marine Corps launch smoke bombs as they move to shore during a U.S.-South Korea joint landing operation drill in Pohang, about 230 miles southeast of Seoul, on April 26, 2013. The drill is part of the two countries' annual military training called Foal Eagle, which began on March 1 and runs until April 30.
Tension has been fueled by North Korean anger over the imposition of U.N. sanctions after its last nuclear arms test in February. The two Koreas have been technically in a state of war since a truce that ended their conflict, which lasted from 1950 to 1953.

Full moon over Manhattan

2013-04-25T20:53:00.001-07:00

Full moon over Manhattan:

Gary Hershorn / Reuters

A full moon rises over the skyline of New York City above 42nd Street, as seen across the Hudson River in Weehawken, N. J., on April 25, 2013.

Fun with firearms under Canada's strict gun control laws

2013-04-02T23:14:00.001-07:00

Fun with firearms under Canada's strict gun control laws:

Andy Clark / Reuters

A member of the Vancouver Gun Club, which was formed in 1924, takes aim while trap shooting at the club facility in Richmond, British Columbia Feb. 10.

As the first in a series from Reuters on gun culture in various nations, photographer Andy Clark spent time at a public indoor gun range in British Columbia and at the 79-year-old Vancouver Gun Club where members shoot skeet and trap. The shotgun-only club has about 400 regular members and sells an estimated 1,100 day passes each year. Canada has very strict laws controlling the use of handguns and violent crime is relatively rare.

Andy Clark / Reuters

A sporting clay disintegrates after being hit by a bullet.

Andy Clark / Reuters

A Vancouver Gun Club member peeks out from behind the hut where sporting clays are fired.

Andy Clark / Reuters

A member of the Vancouver Gun Club rests his shotgun on his shoulder while waiting for his turn at the club's 39-acre facility on Feb. 17.

Andy Clark / Reuters

Rich Korbus reacts after missing his shot while trap shooting.

Andy Clark / Reuters

Sporting clays shooters walk through a wooded area to their next position. the game is shot in a group of at least three shooters. One person operates the throwing machine, one is the scorekeeper and the third shoots at the station.

Andy Clark / Reuters

A range officer holds a woman steady while she fires a shotgun at the DVC Indoor Shooting Centre in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia on March 22. The DVC is the only indoor shooting center in the province that rents firearms to the public without a license.

Andy Clark / Reuters

A visitor of DVC Indoor Shooting Centre fires a pistol on their range.

Andy Clark / Reuters

Mona Kambo, center, holds up her shooting target while her friend, Kylie Cronin, right, takes a picture at the DVC Indoor Shooting Centre where Friday night is 'Ladies Night.'

Landmarks around the world glow blue for World Autism Day

2013-04-02T23:12:00.001-07:00

Landmarks around the world glow blue for World Autism Day:

Altaf Qadri / AP

Humayun's Tomb is lit up in blue to mark World Autism Day in New Delhi, India, April 2.

Franco Silvi / EPA

The Tower of Pisa in Pisa, Italy

Tomasz Gzell / EPA

The Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, Poland.

Salvatore Di Nolfi / EPA

Jet d'Eau in Geneva, Switzerland

Maurizio Degl'innocenti / EPA

The lodge 'dei Lanzi' in Florence, Italy

Dead fish fill Rio lagoon

2013-03-16T14:39:00.001-07:00

Dead fish fill Rio lagoon:

Christophe Simon / AFP - Getty Images

Tons of dead fish float on the waters of the Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon, beside the Corcovado mountain in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on March 13, 2013.

Christophe Simon / AFP - Getty Images

Municipal workers collect dead fish floating on the waters of the Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon, beside the Corcovado mountain in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on March 13, 2013.

A storm earlier this week washed organic matter into a lake in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil leading to the deaths of 12 tons of fish, reports the Montreal Gazette.

Moon pairs up with Comet PanSTARRS for big show

2013-03-16T14:38:00.001-07:00

Moon pairs up with Comet PanSTARRS for big show:

Mike Massee

Comet PanSTARRS and the crescent moon loom over a mountaintop row of wind turbines near Mojave, Calif., on Tuesday night. The pairing of the comet and the moon made for one of the year's best opportunities for astrophotography.

By Alan Boyle, Science Editor, NBC News

Follow @b0yle

Two elusive superstars came out on Tuesday evening to greet their adoring fans — in L.A. and Vegas, as well as in California's Mojave Desert and the mountaintops of Arizona and California. As a matter of fact, observers around the world could catch a glimpse of Comet PanSTARRS and the barely lit crescent moon, as long as the skies were clear.

Like most superstars, Comet PanSTARRS doesn't always live up to its advance billing. For months, skywatchers have been looking forward to PanSTARRS as one of the top sights in the night sky. The long-period comet is now thought to be at its brightest, due to the fact that it has just come out of its close approach to the sun. But finding it has proved more difficult than expected, because it's so easily lost in the glare of sunset.
XCOR Aerospace's Mike Massee acknowledged that it wasn't easy to capture his comet shot, which was taken in the last light of dusk from the Mojave Air and Space Port in California, where the XCOR rocket venture has its headquarters.
"At 7:20, neither the moon nor the comet were visible, but about five minutes later you could barely make out the sliver of the new moon. According to XCOR's resident astronomy guru, Randall Clague, the comet would appear about eight moon diameters to the left of the moon. So I set up an image with the moon on the right side of the frame and made some exposures," Massee said in an email.
"After a few minutes I could zoom in and see the comet in my camera, but not with the naked eye," he wrote. "As the sky grew darker the comet became more and more visible, and eventually you could just make out a fuzzy spot with your naked eye, but the camera was still the best way to review it after the shot was taken."
Over the next couple of weeks, Comet PanSTARRS will be better positioned for viewing by Northern Hemisphere observers in the western sky after sunset, but each night it's expected to grow dimmer. If there are clear evening skies, grab your binoculars and try to pick out PanSTARRS. This viewing guide can help.
While you're waiting for those dark, clear skies, check out this photo album, which includes a special shout-out to the Mount Lemmon SkyCenter's Adam Block and all those who contributed through NBC News' FirstPerson photo-upload website.

Adam Block

The sunset glow lingers in the skies over Mount Lemmon SkyCenter in Arizona as Comet PanSTARRS and the crescent moon shine on Tuesday night. Even the dark portion of the moon glows faintly, due to reflected "Earthshine" from our own planet.

Gene Blevins / Reuters

David Schaefer of Pasadena, Calif., uses an iPad to help him spot Comet PanSTARRS over Southern California. The comet should be visible from the Northern Hemisphere until the end of March in western skies after sunset.

Gene Blevins / Reuters

Comet PanSTARRS takes its place next to the waxing crescent moon in the skies over Los Angeles on Tuesday.

Craig Yacks via FirstPerson

Craig Yacks says he took this photo of Comet PanSTARRS (left) and the moon (right) from Highlands Ranch, Colo., "as the clouds opened up just after sunset." The photo was taken with a Nikon D800 camera, set for ISO 1000 with a four-second exposure. "Zoomed in to give a better view of the comet and the moon," Yacks said.

Cast your eyes on pictures featuring PanSTARRS, Hale-Bopp and other crowd-pleasing comets.

More PanSTARRS photos from FirstPerson fans:

Robert Schmidt from Newport News, Va.: "Comet PanSTARRS over the James River in Newport News. ... Spotty cloud cover made spotting the comet a bit difficult."
John Melson from San Marcos, Calif.: "Comet PanSTARRS and the moon ... from Double Peak Park in San Marcos, taken with a Sony A77 at 7:43 p.m."
Sergei Timofeevski from Carlsbad, Calif.: "Comet PanSTARRS next to young moon over the Pacific Ocean, San Diego, Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, March 12, Nikon D7000, 110mm, f5.6, 8-second exposure, ISO 3200."
Richard Dervan, Atlanta, Ga.: "PanSTARRS over midtown Atlanta."
Kathy Newman, Rosamond, Calif.: "PanSTARRS and crescent moon."
Michael Wood, Honolulu, Hawaii: "Comet PanSTARRS over Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Oahu, Hawaii."

Update for 7:15 p.m. ET March 13: So where's Comet PanSTARRS now? It's well below the moon, and you'll need binoculars to spot it. To get a fix on the comet, you can consult this sky chart from SpaceWeather.com.
Wednesday evening's images from Jens Riggelsen in Aarhus, Denmark, illustrate how tricky it can be to see the comet. The moon is high in the sky, but PanSTARRS is just a speck amid the glow of sunset. "The comet wasn't visible to the naked eye, but figured I might be able to capture it with the camera. And indeed, there it was," Riggelsen told SpaceWeather.com.
Can you spot the comet in this brand-new view from Jamie Cooper?

Jamie Cooper

Comet PanSTARRS is a glimmer in the sky after sunset, far below and to the right of the crescent moon. This picture was taken by Jamie Cooper from Northampton in England on Wednesday.

No smoke? Birds keep chimney cam viewers riveted

2013-03-16T14:31:00.001-07:00

No smoke? Birds keep chimney cam viewers riveted:

Reuters Tv / Reuters

A seagull stands on the chimney on top of the Sistine Chapel, during the second day of voting for the election of a new pope at the Vatican on March 13.

Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images

Birds fly off the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel on March 13 in Vatican City.

By Jonathan Sanger, NBC News

Birds squatting on the chimney on the Sistine Chapel have stolen the spotlight at the Vatican on Wednesday. Do they have some inside knowledge into who the next pope might be?
Related: Papal Seagull, harbinger of new pope, thrills Internet

A seagull is taking social media by storm by "tweeting" the bird's eye view from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. NBCNews.com's Dara Brown reports.

Swarming locusts descend on Israel

2013-03-16T14:29:00.001-07:00

Swarming locusts descend on Israel:

Uriel Sinai / Getty Images

Bedouin children play as a swarm of locusts arrive over their vilage in the Negev desert near the Egyptian-Israeli border on March 12, 2013 at the Bedouin village of Bir Hadage, Israel. Egypt and Israel have been swarmed with millions of locusts over the past few days, causing widespread disturbance.

Uriel Sinai / Getty Images

A Bedouin boy collects locusts as a swarm arrives over his vilage in the Negev desert near the Egyptian-Israeli border on March 12, 2013.

'Smoke watch' draws Americans in Rome

2013-03-16T14:28:00.001-07:00

'Smoke watch' draws Americans in Rome:

On purpose and by chance, Americans join crowd in St. Peter's Square to watch for signs of a newly elected Pope

By John Brecher, Sr. Multimedia Editor, NBC News
What do you if you're an American Catholic and you happen to be in Rome during a papal conclave? If you're Angelique Porres, you brave cold, rainy weather and stand in St. Peter's Square to watch for smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel. The opportunity to maybe see a newly-elected pope emerge "is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for us." "The future of our faith is here," she added, "It's everything." Watch this video to see other Americans talk about their encounter with papal history in Vatican City. Read the full story.

Massimo Percossi / EPA

US faithful hold signs as the wait for the first smoke in Saint Peter Square, Vatican City, 12 March 2013. At right, a woman holds a sign putting forward Len Brennan, a fictional bishop from the TV comedy 'Father Ted', for Pope.

Andrew Medichini / AP

Cardinals from around the world gather in the Vatican to elect the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

Ingenious Russian creates DIY vehicle ready for Siberia off-roading

2013-03-16T14:27:00.001-07:00

Ingenious Russian creates DIY vehicle ready for Siberia off-roading:

Ilya Naymushin / Reuters

Alexander Yushkov, 49, lights a blowtorch to warm up the engine of his self-made three-wheeled cross-country vehicle called "Bolivar," on March 11, 2013.

Ilya Naymushin / Reuters

Yushkov drives his self-made vehicle near the frozen Mana river in a remote taiga area, some 37 miles southeast of Russia's Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, on March 11, 2013.

Alexander Yushkov, 49, a boiler room operator in a local mining company, has made a three-wheeler called "Bolivar." Yushkov uses it for off-road travel across the taiga through all possible weather conditions near the frozen Mana river in a remote taiga area, some 37 miles southeast of Russia's Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk. The vehicle was made by modifying and reconstructing a 1971 Soviet made "Izh Planeta" motorcycle.
-- Reuters

Ilya Naymushin / Reuters

Yushkov modifies a truck tire for use on his self-made three-wheeled cross-country vehicle, on March 11, 2013.

Ilya Naymushin / Reuters

Yushkov drives his self-made three-wheeled cross-country vehicle in the village of Ovsyanka, on March 11, 2013.

Ilya Naymushin / Reuters

Yushkov makes tea after driving to his self-built hunting lodge river in a remote taiga area, outside of Russia's Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, on March 11, 2013.

Ilya Naymushin / Reuters

Yushkov drives his self-made three-wheeled cross-country vehicle along the frozen Mana river, on March 11, 2013.

Biologists warn against feeding whale sharks in the Philippines

2013-03-16T14:25:00.001-07:00

Biologists warn against feeding whale sharks in the Philippines:

David Loh / Reuters

A juvenile whale shark approaches a feeder on a paddleboat off the beach of Tan-awan, Oslob, in the southern Philippines island of Cebu February 28.

David Loh / Reuters

Whale sharks looking for food approach paddleboats off the beach of Tan-awan, Oslob, in the southern Philippines island of Cebu, March 1.

David Loh / Reuters

A whale shark approaches a feeder boat off the beach of Tan-awan, Oslob, in the southern Philippines island of Cebu March 1.

David Loh / Reuters

Snorkelers swim next to a whale shark as it approaches a feeder boat off the beach of Tan-awan, Oslob, in the southern Philippines island of Cebu March 1. Tan-awan, in the southern Philippines island of Cebu, used to be a sleepy village that never saw tourists unless they were lost or in transit. Yet now they flock there by the hundreds - to swim with whale sharks, the world's largest fish. Whale sharks are lured to the Tan-awan coastline of the Oslob district by fishermen who hand feed them small shrimp, drawing divers and snorkelers to see the highly sought-after animals, known as gentle giants of the sea. But the practice has sparked fierce debate on the internet and among biologists, who decry it as unnatural.

By David Loh, Reuters
Tan-awan, in the southern Philippines island of Cebu, used to be a sleepy village that never saw tourists unless they were lost or in transit. Yet now they flock there by the hundreds - to swim with whale sharks, the world's largest fish.
Whale sharks are lured to the Tan-awan coastline of the Oslob district by fishermen who hand feed them small shrimp, drawing divers and snorkelers to see the highly sought-after animals, known as gentle giants of the sea.But the practice has sparked fierce debate on the internet and among biologists, who decry it as unnatural.
"Some people are asking that we stop feeding, but if we stop feeding, what is our livelihood?" said Ramonito Lagahid, vice chairman of the Tan-awan Oslob Sea Warden and Fishermen Association (TOSWFA). "We have to go back to fishing."

Celebrations honor women in Romania at the start of spring

2013-03-03T02:15:00.001-08:00

Celebrations honor women in Romania at the start of spring:

Bogdan Cristel / Reuters

A man performs during a male striptease show held in celebration of International Women's Day at a club in Bucharest, March 2.

Romanians dedicate both March 1, which is traditionally Romania's first day of spring, and March 8 to honor women and their contribution to society. International Women's Day is March 8.

Bogdan Cristel / Reuters

Women watch a male striptease show.

6 Usos Top para Bluetooth no seu telefone Android

2013-03-02T11:26:00.001-08:00

6 Usos Top para Bluetooth no seu telefone Android:
Bluetooth tem sido uma tecnologia impressionante sem fio para permitir que todos os tipos de funcionalidades legal com dispositivos múltiplos. Embora tenha sido bastante limitada durante as fases iniciais da sua vida, Bluetooth tem evoluído para ser capaz de abundância de comunicações de dados diferentes. Especialmente agora que as últimas revisões das especificações Bluetooth incluir algum grande eficiência energética, é agora melhor do que nunca para conectar dispositivos ao seu Android telefone via Bluetooth.
Aqui estão alguns dos usos principais para essa grande tecnologia.

Hands-Free

Sem Bluetooth, seria muito mais difícil de imaginar um mundo de mãos-livres falar. Fones de ouvido Bluetooth e sistema de som com Bluetooth carro permitir que você mantenha o seu telefone no bolso, enquanto você fala. Embora a idéia de ter um sistema com um microfone e alto-falante - como um headset estéreo ou de carro - é bastante simples, a natureza sem fio torna perfeita e ideal.

Música

Mas por que parar em fones de ouvido apenas e outras características de mãos-livres? Há também Bluetooth fones de ouvido disponíveis que permitem cristalina transmissão de áudio, bem como aparelhos de som de carro que pode jogar a música fora de seu telefone. Muitos sons de carros também tem botões ou dispositivo em si ou no volante do carro que lhe permitem mover-se entre as músicas, dando-lhe algum controle ao lado do áudio sem fio.

Teclados e Ratos

Comunicação de áudio e mãos-livres é um grande uso de Bluetooth, mas há muito mais que possa fazer. Se você precisa para ser produtivo no seu telefone (ou mesmo um tablet Android), pode ser útil para emparelhar-se de um teclado para o dispositivo. Eu sempre digitado muito mais rápido em um teclado físico, e eu não tenho encontrado muitas pessoas que preferem telas sensíveis ao toque para digitação rápida. Alguns dispositivos permitem que você mesmo para emparelhar um rato, a fim de usá-lo tanto como um desktop completo.

Transferências de arquivos

Você quer rápida e segura transferir um arquivo de um dispositivo para outro? Se ambos estão com Bluetooth, você pode fazer isso! Por exemplo, você pode facilmente enviar um arquivo do seu computador compatível com Bluetooth para o seu telefone Android usando a interface do computador para iniciar a transferência do arquivo. Em seu telefone Android, você vai precisar instalar um aplicativo chamado Bluetooth File Transfer que pode cuidar do resto.
Esta é uma excelente alternativa se você não usar (ou não quiser usar), software de sincronização nuvem como Dropbox para enviar arquivos para seu telefone.

Compartilhamento de Internet

Telefones Android rodando as versões mais recentes do Android são capazes de compartilhamento de Internet via Bluetooth. Não há realmente nenhuma etapa adicional - basta ligar o Bluetooth, conectar com o dispositivo desejado, e escolha a opção tethering Bluetooth para habilitá-lo. Você pode encontrá-lo no menu hotspot Tethering & portátil, ao lado da USB e opções de tethering Hotspot.

Como emparelhar dispositivos

Se você não está muito experiente com o uso de Bluetooth, é fácil a dispositivos de pares, a fim de fazer uso de todos esses recursos legais! Primeiro, certifique-se de que a funcionalidade Bluetooth está habilitada e ativa em ambos os dispositivos. Em seguida, certifique-se que pelo menos um dos dispositivos está definido para ser visível - por padrão, todos os dispositivos Bluetooth não são visíveis para evitar que estranhos de encontrá-lo e tentar emparelhar com você. Agora, vá para o outro dispositivo e encontrar o dispositivo visível na sua lista de dispositivos Bluetooth. Toque no dispositivo para se conectar.
Dependendo do dispositivo, pode ser necessário introduzir um PIN (como 0000) em um ou ambos os dispositivos, ou verifique se o PIN gerado aleatoriamente que aparece em ambos os dispositivos, quando um pedido de emparelhamento é feito é o mesmo. Uma vez que seus dispositivos estão emparelhados, que deve iniciar automaticamente fazer o seu trabalho sempre que a função desejada é ativo (como aparelhos de som de automóveis receber chamadas ou tocar música), ou sempre que você configurá-lo (como transferências de arquivos ou compartilhamento de Internet).

Conclusão

É claro que há uma série de outras utilizações grandes para Bluetooth, mas o acima listados são definitivamente as mais comuns. Se você acha que um dispositivo de seu pode ser capaz de qualquer destes usos, dar-lhe uma tentativa! Se não, você pode precisar de definir alguma coisa primeiro ou, eventualmente, atualizar o dispositivo. Eu comprei recentemente um Nexus 4 , então eu não tinha idéia de que compartilhamento de Internet através de Bluetooth fosse possível até que ele apareceu na lista de métodos de amarração disponíveis.
Que outras funcionalidades que você acha que podem ser adicionados à especificação Bluetooth no futuro? Você acha que o Bluetooth está aqui para ficar, ou outra coisa pode substituí-lo? Deixe-nos saber nos comentários!

Signs of Spring at Kew Gardens

2013-03-02T02:56:00.001-08:00

Signs of Spring at Kew Gardens:

Dan Kitwood / Getty Images

Raindrops hang on to Crocuses at Kew Gardens on March 1, 2013 in Kew, England. Today marks the first day of Spring, though the Met Office have said that temperatures are likely to be below average throughout March.

Dan Kitwood / Getty Images

Buds emerge at Kew Gardens on Friday.

Dan Kitwood / Getty Images

A woman walks past Crocuses at Kew Gardens on Friday.

Spectacular star trails dazzle over Bulgaria

2013-02-15T18:42:00.001-08:00

Spectacular star trails dazzle over Bulgaria:

Vassil Donev / EPA

epa03586135 A 25-minute-long exposure shows stars trailing across the sky over a chapel near Sofia, Bulgaria, 15 February 2013. EPA/VASSIL DONEV

A 25-minute-long exposure shows stars trailing across the sky over a chapel near Sofia, Bulgaria, 15 February 2013.

Love is in the air (literally) as couples wed before Valentine's

2013-02-15T04:37:00.001-08:00

Love is in the air (literally) as couples wed before Valentine's:

Reuters

Prasit Rangsiyawong, 29, kisses his bride Varuttaon Rangsiyawong, 27, during a wedding ceremony ahead of Valentine's Day in Prachin Buri province, east of Bangkok on Feb. 13. Three Thai couples took part in the wedding ceremony arranged by a Thai resort, aimed at strengthening the relationships of the couples by doing fun activities.

Reuters

Prasit Rangsiyawong, 29, and his bride Varuttaon Rangsiyawong, 27, jump in a pond during a wedding ceremony ahead of Valentine's Day in Prachin Buri province, east of Bangkok on Feb. 13.

By Jonathan Sanger, NBC News

Most couples are happy when their wedding goes according to plan. Some Thai couples, though, look for a day full of the unexpected. A day before Valentine’s Day, three Thai couples took part in an adventurous wedding ceremony that involved being chased by pirates, dangling from cables, and falling into water.

Reuters

Chutima Imsuntear, 37, falls as she runs with Sopon Sapaotong, 41, during a wedding ceremony ahead of Valentine's Day in Prachin Buri province, east of Bangkok on Feb. 13.

Reuters

Sorawich Changtor, left, 28, and Rungnapa Panla, 30, run to escape a man dressed as a pirate as other couples look on during a wedding ceremony ahead of Valentine's Day in Prachin Buri province, east of Bangkok on Feb. 13.

Sochi Olympic site rises high above the clouds

2013-02-15T04:35:00.001-08:00

Sochi Olympic site rises high above the clouds:

Leon Neal / AFP - Getty Images

A skier sets off from the peak of Mount Aigba in the Rosa Khutor Extreme Park, around 31 miles from Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi, on Feb. 13.

Kai Pfaffenbach / Reuters

A brand new gondola system extends above the clouds on the plateau of Rosa Khutor, a venue for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics near Sochi on Feb. 13.

Leon Neal / AFP - Getty Images

A skier sets off from the peak of Mount Aigba in the Rosa Khutor Extreme Park, around 31 miles from Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi, on Feb. 13.

With a year to go until the Sochi 2014 Winter Games, construction work continues as tests events and World Championship competitions are underway in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
There is nothing to suggest any concern over readiness. Construction will be completed by August 2013 according to organizers. The Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics opens on February 7, 2014.
-- Agence France-Presse, Reuters

Kai Pfaffenbach / Reuters

Two free skiers plan their route down from top of the mountain at the plateau of Rosa Khutor, a venue for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics near Sochi on Feb. 13.

Mikhail Mordasov / AFP - Getty Images

The Winter Olympics arrive in Sochi on Feb. 7, 2014. A look at how the Russian city is shaping up for its moment in the spotlight.

Scuffles force Georgian president to find new speech venue

2013-02-08T18:25:00.001-08:00

Scuffles force Georgian president to find new speech venue:

David Mdzinarishvili / Reuters

Protesters scuffle outside the National Library in the Georgian capital Tbilisi on Feb. 8, 2013.

Shakh Aivazov / AP

Anti-Saakashvili protesters scuffle with opponents outside the National Library where Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili was to give his last state-of-nation address in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Feb. 8.

Zurab Kurtsikidze / EPA

Protesters scuffle outside the National Library in Tbilisi, Georgia on Feb. 8.

David Mdzinarishvili / Reuters

Georgia's President Mikheil Saakashvili delivers a speech at his residence in Tbilisi, where he was forced to make his speech.

By Margarita Antidze, Reuters
Hundreds of protesters who accuse Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili of flouting human rights and stifling dissent forced him to change the venue of his annual address to the nation on Friday.
Political tensions have engulfed Georgia since Saakashvili's party lost parliamentary elections in October to a group led by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili. Now prime minister, Ivanishvili is experiencing a difficult cohabitation with the president.
Scuffles broke out as protesters barred officials from Saakashvili's party entering Georgia's National Library, the venue for the speech that was due later in the day.

David Mdzinarishvili / Reuters

A woman looks out of a window as protesters gather outside the National Library in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi on Feb. 8.

Calm before the blizzard in Boston

2013-02-08T18:23:00.001-08:00

Calm before the blizzard in Boston:

Brian Snyder / Reuters

A woman plays with her dogs as snow accumulates along Commonwealth Avenue in Boston, Massachusetts February 8, 2013 during what is forecasted to be a major winter snow storm.

Matt Campbell / EPA

A dangerous winter storm churned Friday into the Northeast as forecasters warned of a whiteout.

Japan town demands underwear for Michelangelo's David

2013-02-06T07:49:00.001-08:00

Japan town demands underwear for Michelangelo's David:

Okuizumo Government via AFP - Getty Images, file

A replica of Michelangelo's Renaissance masterpiece sculpture David at a public park in Okuizumo, Shimane prefecture, western Japan, in a photo taken by a local official on Aug. 28, 2012.

Desperate Greeks scuffle at free food handout

2013-02-06T07:47:00.001-08:00

Desperate Greeks scuffle at free food handout:

Louisa Gouliamaki / AFP - Getty Images

People reach out for a bag of oranges during a free distribution of fruit and vegetables by Greek farmers outside the Agriculture Ministry in Athens, part of a farmers' protest against high production costs on Feb. 6, 2013.

John Kolesidis / Reuters

Athens residents reach out to take fruit and vegetables distributed for free by farmers.

Greek farmers distributed more than 50 tons of free fruit and vegetables on the streets of Athens on Wednesday as part of a wide-ranging labor protest against the budget cuts and reforms that the government says are needed to satisfy international lenders.
On Tuesday, the government invoked emergency legislation to order striking seamen back to work, threatening to arrest them unless they ended a walkout that has cut off dozens of islands from the mainland and caused shortages on grocery shelves.

Cenário espetacular capturada pelo mochila Trekker Streetview de uma ponte no Grand Canyon

2013-02-05T19:28:00.001-08:00

Cenário espetacular capturada pelo mochila Trekker Streetview de uma ponte no Grand Canyon:

Herring worth millions in exports dies in Icelandic lake

2013-02-05T19:20:00.001-08:00

Herring worth millions in exports dies in Icelandic lake:

Brynjar Gauti / AP

Herring worth billions in exports are seen floating dead Tuesday Feb. 5 2013 in Kolgrafafjordur, a small fjord on the northern part of Snaefellsnes peninsula, west Iceland, for the second time in two months. Between 25,000 and 30,000 tons of herring died in December and more now, due to lack of oxygen in the fjord thought to have been caused by a landfill and bridge constructed across the fjord in December 2004. The current export value of the estimated 10,000 tons of herring amounts to ISK 1.25 billion ($ 9.8 million, euro 7.2 million), according to Morgunbladid newspaper.

Brynjar Gauti / AP

Workers clear up dead herring worth billions in exports on Tuesday.