• Dubbed ‘the drug that eats junkies’
• Majority of addicts die within one year of first hit
• 1.2million addicts in Russia
• Cases now reported in Germany

A deadly drug which rots the flesh of users – and kills the majority of addicts within a year of their first hit – is spreading across Europe.

Krokodil originated in Russia but is now reportedly on sale in Germany – where several deaths have been blamed on its use – leading the Czech Republic’s national drug agency to warn of its dangers.

Dubbed ‘the drug that eats junkies’, it rots from the inside, causing such severe damage to tissue that users suffer from gangrenous sores which open all the way to the bone.

The condition can lead to limbs being amputated, but life expectancy for addicts is at the most two to three years, with the majority dying within a year.

Extraordinarily, around 1.2 million Russians are believed to have been ravaged by the narcotic, Time magazine has reported.

The drug, whose name means ‘crocodile’ – reportedly a reference to the way it turns users’ skin scaly – also rots their brains.

Krokodil is a sickening cocktail of over the counter painkillers, paint thinner, acid and phosphorus. In some cases, petrol is also added.

The resulting mixture is called desomorphine – a derivative of morphine – and is extremely addictive.

At just £4 per injection it is a much cheaper alternative to heroin, especially in Russia where the painkillers are available without prescription.

The drug’s prevalence in Russia has led to the Czech Republic’s national anti-drug agency to warn heroin addicts not to switch to the alternative.

Spokesman Michal Hammer said that although no cases had been reported in the country, its arrival in Germany would eventually see it cross the border. (Daily Mail)

ShareThis

A Google Maps satellite has spotted a series of bizarre structures during a sweep of the Gobi desert in China.

The internet is buzzing with theories about what their purpose is, with suggestions ranging from giant QR readers to practise targets for military satellites.

To add to the intrigue, they are located on the borders of Gansu province and Xinjiang in northwestern China – an area that the superpower uses to build military, space and nuclear equipment.

In fact, some of the sites are less than 100 miles from Jiuquan, where China’s space programme headquarters and launch pads can be found.

Some internet users have been trying to overlay one of the strange structures on to various U.S. city maps, worried that there may be a sinister military purpose behind them.

Others have pointed out that if China wanted to attack a U.S. city, it doesn’t need a practise map in the desert.

What’s also fuelling the mystery is that it’s just too difficult to tell what the structures are made of – whether they are painted on or dug into the landscape.

However, upon zooming in, planes and burnt-out trucks can be seen on some of the photographs, which hints that they may indeed be targets of some kind.

This is the second time in a number of days that the search giant has published photographs of possibly secret facilities.

Last week it published pictures of Iranian facilities which the UN says may be used to develop nuclear weapons.

Satellite images of Arak and Natanz show changes to the facilities in the areas when compared with images taken in October 2010.

The overhead pictures were released by Google following a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) which expressed ‘serious concerns regarding possible military dimensions to Iran’s nuclear programme’. (Daily Mail)

ShareThis

Surfing is a very popular past-time in the sunny state of California – so much so that it appears even a local goat has a penchant for riding the waves.

The animal was seen balancing on a surfboard as it caught a wave to the beach earlier this week.

The pet, named Goatee, took to the water with its owner Dayna McGregor, who was celebrating his birthday on Grover Beach.

Dayna said: ‘She did pretty well, she got up on a couple of waves. I say got up – we put her on a couple of waves.

‘She was pretty successful.’

He originally bought the female goat to eat the weeds in his garden but soon took her in as a pet.

Goatee is by no means the only animal in the Golden State who enjoys getting on a surfboard.

California’s Huntingdon Beach is home to an annual surfing contest for dogs.

This year’s event, called Surf City, Surf Dog, saw 40 canines compete in the two-day competition. (Metro)

ShareThis

A mum-of-two diagnosed with terminal cancer blew her last £30,000 and piled on four stone eating in posh restaurants – only to be told she was CURED.

Sue Pickard, 47, was devastated when doctors gave her 18 months to live after cervical cancer spread to her lymph nodes.

She received a £30,000 insurance pay-out and drew up a ‘bucket list’ of final wishes to fulfil before she died.

The grandmother-of-three splashed out £10,000 doing up her home in Bedworth, Warks, and thousands of pounds on a flat-screen TV and luxury sofas.

She also forked out on holidays with her husband Tony, 54, and thousands more eating out every night at restaurants and pubs.

In just a few months she had ballooned in weight after piling on nearly four stone until she tipped the scales at 19 stone 11lbs.

But in September, just weeks before she was expected to die, doctors told Sue her radiotherapy and chemotherapy had worked and the cancer had vanished.

The mother-of-two said: "I was shell-shocked when the doctors told me I wasn’t going to die.

"I was thrilled but I just thought to myself ‘My God I’ve spent £30,000 and I’m the size of a house.’

"I couldn’t believe it, I’d prepared myself for death and even planned what songs to play at my funeral.

"After I was diagnosed with cancer I had chemotherapy and radiotherapy to try and reduce the tumour but I always thought it might only give me a few months more.

"Tony and I decided to enjoy every last second we had left together so blew the money on eating out and holidays.

"Me and Tony always loved pub meals so ate out all the time.

"We went away in our caravan most weekends and lived it up.

"I would always have chips and we’d have curries, fish and chips and chicken in the basket seven days a week."

Sue, who has two grown-up daughters, worked full-time at a GP surgery before her devastating cancer.

Doctors discovered a 7.5cm (3ins) tumour in her cervix in February last year.

After a CT scan doctors found the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes.

Sue said: "The consultant said he was really sorry but he estimated I had between 12 and 18 months left.

"I was absolutely devastated and didn’t know what to do. I just sat and sobbed."

Sue began gruelling chemotherapy sessions three times a week days after her diagnosis last February and also underwent 10 weeks of radiotherapy this summer.

She and husband Tony, an engineer with E.ON, received a £30,000 pay-out after taking critical care cover on their mortgage years earlier.

Sue said: "The money was supposed to cover the mortgage repayments in the event of either me or Tony getting critically ill.

"Tony told me he wanted me to enjoy my last few months.

"All our family agreed and we just spent it all.

"I didn’t cook once, we just went out to the pub or restaurant or got takeaways.

"I didn’t care about putting the weight on because in my mind I was going to die anyway so what was the point of dieting?

"I even gave my bike away and just indulged myself by eating lots of food I enjoyed."

Sue was given the surprising all-clear in September and doctors told her she does not need any further treatment but must have a check-up every three months to ensure the cancer does not return.

She has now enlisted the help of hypnotherapist Russell Hemmings, who runs Bridge Therapy Clinic in Coventry, to help her lose the weight.

He said: "Sue has already overcome incredible odds to beat terminal cancer so losing weight will not be a problem for her.

"She is absolutely motivated and wants to succeed which is half the battle." (The Sun)

ShareThis

A sperm-shaped bike is being used to transport samples to fertility clinics in the US city of Seattle.

The custom-designed two-wheeler, which is almost ten feet in length, can hold up to 30 samples, which are stored in a special vacuum container cooled with liquid nitrogen.

The motorised bike, which features an oversized model of a sperm cell, has been developed to quickly and efficiently move donated sperm, and is being used by the Seattle Sperm Lab to service nearby reproductive centres and fertility clinics.

‘It’s getting a lot of looks. People are stopping. They don’t quite understand what’s going on,’ said Gary Olsem of Seattle Sperm Bank.

Olsem says the bike is not only green-friendly, but also helps to raise awareness about the need for sperm donation.

‘It is not only cutting CO2, but I think it’s really getting the word out about the need for sperm donors,’ he said.

‘At first, people are shocked and surprised, but then they tell us what a great idea it is.’

The first Sperm Bike was used by Seattle Sperm Bank’s sibling company, the European Sperm Bank, in Copenhagen. (wrapup)

ShareThis

Students at this school in China have a harder time than most skipping class.

Pupils in Pili – in the rugged northern Xinjiang Uygur region – have to cross a pass 1,500ft above a sheer drop down a precipice to get to their lessons.

Guided by parents and staff, the youngsters scramble over the sloping rock face finding foot and handholds that would make even a goat think twice.

One teacher joked: "It’s very steep but we’re mountain people here and used to walking like this. We haven’t lost one yet – there are severe penalties for truancy." (The Sun)

ShareThis

An anorexic mum has told how she proudly wears clothes belonging to her daughter aged seven.

Frail Rebecca Jones, 26, tips the scales at just 5st — that’s 9lbs less than schoolgirl Maisy.

And, despite nearly dying as a result of her eating disorder nine months ago, she insists her tiny dress size makes her proud.

Medical secretary Rebecca often buys two outfits in the same size when out shopping — one for little Maisy and another for herself.

She said: "Wearing the same clothes as Maisy gives me a sense of pride. It’s wrong, but it makes me feel good. I don’t think I’m thin, I always see myself as bigger."

Desperate Rebecca is now on an NHS waiting list to see a psychologist. She said: "I’m terrified I won’t see Maisy grow up.

"I’d love to eat. I can think of nothing nicer than going out for lunch with Maisy — but I can’t."

Yet Rebecca is determined to ensure her daughter does not follow in her footsteps. She said: "If she wants chocolate, I say yes — I don’t want to deny her food."

Sun doctor Dr Carol Cooper said: "Eating disorders often run in families. I’d be pretty worried about Maisy.

"Her mum seems to attach a lot of importance to weight." (wrapup)

ShareThis

Single Aimee Robinson auctioned the chance to escort her to her brother’s wedding — and got 18 bids on eBay.

The winner has stumped up £535 to join her at the reception next month.

Now Aimee, 25, is getting her mum to check out her date beforehand.

She said: "We have no pictures and very little information, so the end result could be interesting.

"But if someone’s brave enough — and I’m brave enough to put myself out there — then maybe we’ve something in common."

PR consultant Aimee, of Greenwich, South East London, advertised for a man aged 24-45 with his "own hair and teeth".

The money will go to charity Diabetes UK.

She said: "There’s pressure to bring someone. I’d like to avoid sad stares." (The Sun)

ShareThis

At first glance, you could be forgiven for mistaking these images for a beach house, with the floors dusted in a layer of sand and walls made from stone.

But in fact everything in this incredible South American hotel is made from salt – including most of the furniture.

The Hotel de Sal, near Colchani, Bolivia, hosts guests who have come to visit the stunning salt flats where vast expanses of salt lakes give the surreal impression of the earth meeting the sky.

Tourists typically stay for a few days to see the natural wonders of Bolivia’s most notorious attraction before moving on to the next stop of their journey.

For £84 a night, lodgers can rent a double room – complete with their own salt bed of course – and breakfast.

Tour guide Pedro Pablo Michel Rocha, of Hidalgo Tours, works with the hotel to provide trips in the south of the country.

He said: ‘I love it when visitors come to this place for the first time.

‘They can’t get over the fact that everything is made out of salt and I’ve even seen a few people lick the furniture to make sure!

‘It is a wonderful experience to come somewhere like this where they’ve used the natural materials available to create something like a hotel.’

The infamous salt flats in Salar de Uyuni were formed as a result of transformations between several prehistoric lakes.

The plains are covered by a few feet of salt crust which has an unusual flatness and covers a pool of brine which is exceptionally rich in lithium.

Although tourists have long been visiting the area, it wasn’t until around five years ago that interest grew in extracting the 5.4m tons of lithium which is found just below the surface of the salt.

The lithium in the area makes up half the world’s supply and is used in batteries for mobile phones and computers, as well as being a key element in electric cars. (Mail Online)

ShareThis

At first glance, Berlin’s Sauvage restaurant looks much like many of the German capital’s other trendy eateries.

But take a closer look at the chalkboard out front and you’ll discover they are embarking on a culinary shake-up that takes its inspiration from the Stone Age.

Proudly announcing a ‘Real Food Revolution – Paleolithic cuisine!’, there is no cheese, bread or sugar available, only fare accessible to our hunter-gatherer ancestors more than two million years ago.

The restaurant menu shows a stereotypical image of modern humanity’s forbearer, the jutting profile of a hirsute caveman.

Inside, diners eat at candle-lit tables with a contemporary cave painting hanging in the background, according to Spiegel Online.

Sauvage, which is also the French word for ‘savage’ or ‘wild,’ is part of the Paleolithic diet movement and claims to be first of its kind in Europe.

That means serving only organic, unprocessed fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, and herbs.

The truly obsessed build an entire lifestyle around the concept, mimicking caveman-era exercise.

This can involve lifting boulders and running barefoot, with some even emulating the blood loss they believe Stone Age hunters might have experienced in pursuit of their dinner by donating blood every few months.

But guests at Sauvage can try ‘Paleo’ without feeling obligated to take on a strictly Stone Age lifestyle.

Sauvage’s Boris Leite-Poço told Spiegel Online of the growing interest in caveman cooking.

He said: ‘Many people think the Paleolithic diet is just some hipster trend, but it’s a worldwide phenomenon, with an online community that spans the globe.

‘The trend is probably strongest in the United States, where people who have had enough of the fast food way of life and generations of illness have taken it up.’

The menu includes salads with olives, capers and pine nuts; gluten-free bread with nut-based butter or olive tapenades; smoked salmon with herb dressing; and other various meat and fish dishes.

Gluten- and sugar-free cakes, like a spicy pumpkin pie, are available for those Stone Age diners who don’t want to skip desert.

Earlier this year, thousands of people rated the Paleo diet the best way to lose weight, despite a report claiming it was ineffective.

A U.S. News and World Report said the regime, otherwise known as the Caveman diet, would ‘likely disappoint… and was the least effective for weight loss.’

But a poll beneath the review revealed that 3,292 people said that the diet had worked for them, compared with just 85 who said that it didn’t. (Daily Mail)

ShareThis