School for jihadis on our doorstep

Enrolments may be down, but is the rhetoric going up? ... Senior teacher Hamdan with students at the notorious Al Islam boarding school. Picture: Ardiles Rante Source: Supplied

Australians and Indonesians are preparing to mark the 12th anniversary of the Bali bombings with ceremonies.

AS confirmation of their final disgrace, the shared gravesite of Bali bomb brothers Mukhlas and Amrozi is set apart from the general Muslim cemetery in the village of Tenggulun, in east Java. It is untended, unloved and as barren as their philosophy.

Yet they continue to inspire young men to jihad.

Haris, now aged 25, went to the Al Islam boarding school — located half a kilometre from the graves — in 2005. He wanted to be taught strict Islam and says that Amrozi, a former Al Islam student — by then on death row — was "inspiring to me. A hero."

At Al Islam, his ustad, or teachers, included skilled warrior veterans from Afghanistan, the southern Philippines and internal conflicts in Poso and Ambon. Amrozi's brothers Mukhlas and Ali Imron had both been teachers at Al Islam.

Even though the Al Islam school was by then notorious as a production line for Jemaah Islamiah terrorists and was under close watch, it didn't stop preaching jihad.

Haris learned in jungle "adventure camps" how to kill men with his bare hands. In 2007, a young man named Wildan Mukhollad came to Al Islam from the local village.

Haris became close to Wildan, who in 2010 told him he wanted to join the embryonic struggle in Syria. Harits, who had once sworn to fight the Americans in Afghanistan, had by then abandoned his jihadist thoughts and lost contact with Wildan.

"I learned he got killed with ISIS, early this year," says Haris. "He was a suicide bomber in Iraq."

Suicide bomber ... Wildan Mukhollad, a 19-year-old Indonesian who died in Iraq after previously having fought in Syria. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

They remember Wildan at Al Islam, which due to its reputation for terrorist alumni today has only 100 students, down from 300 in its pre-2002 Bali bomb prime. It's a threadbare and bleak place, and the students — who have come from all over Indonesia — seem downbeat and reluctant.

The senior ustad, Hamdan, says he was "surprised when Wildan passed away".

Hamdan says the school is now trying to "purify its name", but with its attitudes to jihad, that will be tough.

"If we found a young student who wanted to go to jihad in Iraq or Syria, we cannot stop them," Hamdan says. "This is their personal belief."

I ask him: what would you do if you found a student was using narcotics? Hamdan says: "We would call the parents and find a punishment." Why can't you do the same for a young jihadist? "We really can't stop him," he repeats. "This is their belief."

The reality is they don't want to stop them.

'We cannot stop them' ... the senior ustad (teacher), Hamdan at Al Islam boarding school. Picture: Ardiles Rante Source: Supplied

The Lamongan district where the school is located is widely described as an ISIS-recruiting hotpot, and another local ustad, Harits Abu Ulya — who is linked to the modern JI network but claims he is an "observer" rather than a member — has the same position as Hamdan.

Being a Muslim requires a commitment to jihad; so Harits would not discourage any young man who wanted to fight.

"As a teacher, I have to teach how to be proportional," Harits says. He talks of a local Lamongan boy, Zainul, who blew himself up (but no one else) when attacking a police station in Poso last year. Harits considers Zainul's action wasteful, because the Poso conflict was not important at the time.

But he says: "Wildan's and Mubarok's (another local boy who blew himself up in Iraq) response was proportional. The time is right and that's how jihad should be."

The general view among hardliners is that they do not support ISIS, though not so much because of "isolated" ultra-violent events such as beheading journalists, selling and raping women, or executing their enemies.

'As a teacher, I have to teach how to be proportional' ... Ustad (teacher) Harits Abu Ulya, in Lamongan. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

They support the notion of an Islamic State but question the credentials of ISIS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

"We are not clear on his words," says Harits, who has been told he has been hit with a global travel ban for his outspoken remarks, which he delivers with unerring calm.

"His capacity to manage a caliphate is not proven on a global scale. He has a lack of planning for an economy, the law and society."

Yet Harits, like many Muslim faithful, believes in a prophecy that the global caliphate will begin in Sham, or Syria. That prophecy, they think, is now being revealed.

We are seated in a hotel in Surabaya at breakfast with Anif Solchanudin, sentenced to 15 years prison in 2006 for his part in planning the second Bali attacks in 2005, which killed 20 and injured, blinded and maimed more than 100.

Released last year ... Bali bombing terrorist suspect Anif Solchanudin outside Denpasar District Court before his sentencing over his involvement in the 2005 bombings in Bali. Picture: Supplied Source: AFP

Anif once sheltered Noordin M Top, behind Indonesia's worst anti-Western terror attacks, and had been trained to become a suicide bomber for Bali in 2005. At the last minute, his services were not required.

Released from Bali's Kerobokan prison last year after his sentence was almost halved, Anif will only talk for money. The interview is a non-starter.

This year, Anif — who said he wanted to put the past behind him — was seen in a pro-ISIS video shot in a mosque in Solo, in central Java.

Anif claimed he only went along because he was curious about ISIS; but when he found out it was about Iraq and Syria, he wasn't interested.

The police told Anif he was hanging with the wrong crowd, yet again, but did not change his parole conditions.

Ansyaad Mbai, who has just retired after leading Indonesia's counter-terror war for 12 years under two presidents, said Indonesia's laws only allowed police to act against terrorists after an event.

Mbai said when Suharto lost power and Indonesia began reforming in 1998-99, no terror laws were introduced to replace the absolute control Suharto had exercised against terrorists using his authority.

Jemaah Islamiah leader Abu Bakr Bashir returned from exile in Malaysia and began teaching young men at his Ngruki boarding school in Solo, closely linked to Al Islam.

Returning power ... Jemaah Islamiah leader Abu Bakr Bashir. Picture: Dimas Ardian. Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images

"And then it rained bombs," Mbai told News Corporation, lamenting that the irony of Indonesia's new-found freedoms is that it has tolerated the invective of Muslim hardliners.

Indonesia outlawed ISIS this year, but cannot stop people from using the climate ISIS has provided to push for an Islamic caliphate under Sharia law.

Mbai says it is thought 300 Indonesian jihadists have gone to Syria and Iraq to fight, but said thousands of students were studying in Yemen, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. No one really knows how many have left to join ISIS.

The fear is they will return home and the bombs will rain again; and that hardline clerics will do nothing to dissuade jihadists from striking hard within Indonesia.

Machmudi Hariono, better known as Ucup, 38, was arrested a month before the 2003 JW Marriott bomb attack, which according to al-Qaeda statements at the time was mostly aimed at Australia.

Aimed at Australia ... a policeman tries to keep order at the front entrance to the JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta after a powerful car bomb exploded killing at least ten and injuring around 150 people. Picture: Supplied Source: AP

Ucup, who knew Mukhlas and Ali Imron and once attended an Al Islam training camp, was sent in the late 1990s by Indonesian jihadists to learn war craft as a volunteer mujahedeen, or fighter, with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Mindanao, in the Philippines.

There he learned to make bombs and watched with satisfaction when the Filipino military carted away its dead and wounded soldiers in helicopters.

Ucup says he disagreed with the first Bali bombing, which killed 202 people including 88 Australians; he says his intention was to return to join the Muslim fight against Christians in Poso and Ambon.

But when he returned from the Philippines, the Poso and Ambon conflicts had cooled down. Approached by Jemaah Islamiah to help with jihad, he rented the apartment above his own in Semarang to Abu Tholut, who used it to store 600kg of explosive.

At the time, a year after the first Bali bombing, JI had huge stores of bomb material hidden all over Java — some of which would soon be used in the JW Marriott and the Australian embassy Jakarta car bombing the following year.

Recurring threat ... a victim is evacuated in front of the Australian Embassy following an explosion in Jakarta, Indonesia. Picture: Achmad Ibrahim / AP Photo Source: AP

Ucup claims he never knew Tholut was hiding explosives in the flat. He was not believed and served five years in jail. He was in remote Nusakambangan prison, in southern Java, in 2008, when Amrozi, Mukhlas and Imam Samudra were taken from their cells and shot.

Tholut, incredibly, was out after only five years — even though the explosives he had concealed were three times the amount used in Bali in 2002.

Tholut was again arrested in 2010 at a JI guerilla training camp in Aceh that had been organised partly by Bashir. Ucup, on the other hand, gives some hope that jihadists can reform.

He is one of Noor Huda Ismail's success stories. Noor, who studies in Melbourne, came out of Bashir's Ngruki boarding school and saw former friends jailed for terrorism, leading him to set up the Institute for International Peace Building, a de-radicalisation program for jihadists.

De-radicalisation program ... Mahmudi Haryono (Yusuf), serves coffee to counterterrorism expert Noor Huda Ismail, at a cafe in Semarang, central Java. Yusuf spent five years in jail for helping the JW Marriott Hotel bombers in 2003. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

Noor started a small restaurant in Solo, where men such as Ucup could serve food to members of the public — including the foreigners they were taught to believe were infidels — in order to reacquaint them with society.

Ucup, by his own account and others, has moved on. He remains intimately connected to the radical network, which allows him to quietly persuade others to give terror away. But it's not easy when so many believe that jihad is intrinsic to Islam.

Two of Noor's Jakarta-based staff, Dete Aliah and Ekayanti, try to establish ties with jihadists, both in and out of prison, and talk them around.

"We're trying to control the ISIS narrative, because the issue is getting stronger here," says Dete, who says there are 20 online jihad recruitments site in Indonesia, and that the student rallies calling for the rejection of democracy and the creation of a caliphate are growing.

They recently visited bomb maker Umar Patek in his Surabaya prison. He was the last big name brought in from the 2002 Bali bombing after being extradited from Abbottabad, Pakistan, in 2012, the same town where Osama bin Laden was shot dead.

Patek expressed remorse when sentenced to 20 years but, nonetheless, he told Dete and Ekayanti that he was not a terrorist, but a mujahedeen — a warrior for Allah.

He is concerned that his family is suffering while he serves his time and wants Noor Huda's organisation to help them establish a food stall.

In Australian terms, Patek's request for help would be seen as contemptible. But this is Indonesia, where our sharp distinctions on crime and punishment don't apply so easily.

Eka says her own aunt was injured in the Santa Ana church bombing in Jakarta in 2001.

"It would be easy to think that Umar Patek should not need help," she says.

"But with that perspective, nothing will change. Every time I meet a terrorist, their statements are against what I believe. Some see killing as the right way. But I have to listen."

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What we’ve learned from the B20

What is the G20 B20 why is there so much excitement ahead of the November meeting of G20 leaders in Brisbane?

Turbocharged plan for growth ... Treasurer Joe Hockey, and Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Source: News Corp Australia

AUSTRALIA will attempt to lead the world by example, revealing a turbocharged growth plan at next weekend's G20 leaders' summit

All participating nations must submit growth plans at the Brisbane meeting, with the goal of increasing combined economic output over the next five years by an extra 2 per cent or more than $US2 trillion ($A2.3 trillion).

To assist with reaching this target, international teams of business leaders — led by Australian-based bosses — have made recommendations which would deliver even bigger benefits.

News Corporation has learnt that themes raised by the B20 underpin Australia's plan.

A late draft, part of which has been seen by News Corp, commits the Abbott Government to a strategy to "create new jobs, restore the structural integrity of government finances and to improve living standards".

The plan says Australia — which currently holds the G20 presidency — will reduce regulation, tax and government spending while increasing infrastructure investment, competition, trade and workforce participation.

B20 Chair Richard Goyder explains why he thinks that global business leaders must play a vital role in avoiding another GFC.

One of the big-ticket items the plan says will help Australia deliver its share of the bonus 2 per cent growth target is a $5 billion incentive scheme which rewards states that sell assets and use the proceeds to fund productive infrastructure. The plan also relies on moves to reform welfare, cut red tape, create "self-reliant industries" and contribute to global trade liberalisation. On that front, it is expected that Australia will sign a free-trade agreement with its largest trading partner, China, during the leaders' summit.

The full growth plan will be revealed next week, but its key themes echo recommendations the B20 has made to their political counterparts.

The B20 — a forum through which the private sector advises the annual meeting of the Group of 20 — says increasing growth and creating jobs should be top priorities now the global financial system has been stabilised.

B20 support ... ANZ Chief Mike Smith. Picture: Hollie Adams Source: News Corp Australia

B20 support ... Telstra CEO David Thodey. Source: News Corp Australia

The B20's top recommendations include removing impediments to trade and setting infrastructure investment targets.

It says its ideas on trade and infrastructure have the potential to add $US9.4 trillion ($A10.9 trillion) in economic output and 150 million jobs.

B20 chairman Richard Goyder said the views of the group are resonating more than ever because governments and central banks no longer have the resources to boost growth — after stimulating their economies during the GFC, coffers are empty and official interest rates in many countries are at zero.

"Business is the only group that can get on and do more things and generate jobs and growth," said Mr Goyder, who is also CEO of Australia's seventh-largest company, Wesfarmers, worth $50 billion.

Corporate heavyweight coming to Brisbane ... Harold McGraw III of McGraw Hill Financial. Source: News Corp Australia

'Business ... is the only group that can get on a do things' ... Wesfarmers chief executive Richard Goyder. Source: News Corp Australia

He called on big business to help address the childcare crisis in Australia by subsidising spots. The pay-off for those firms — and the economy — would be attracting more new mothers back into the workforce.

And Mr Goyder implored universities to produce graduates in areas the nation actually needs.

For example, he said, "in this country we are just training too many lawyers".

He also called for a debate on subsidies for failing industries, because it only delays the inevitable.

The B20's blueprint has drawn on leading business brains from around the world but been led by Australian-based executives including Telstra CEO David Thodey and ANZ boss Mike Smith.

Among the international corporate heavyweights to hit Brisbane next weekend will be Harold McGraw III, chairman of the $28 billion US company McGraw Hill Financial, and Peder Holk Nielsen, president of $14 billion Danish biotechnology company Novozymes.

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Orphaned one-week old baby sea otter saved

Baby sea otter Pup 681 is receiving round-the-clock care. Picture: Brenna Hernandez/Shedd Aquarium Source: Supplied

MEET Pup 681, the beautiful orphaned sea otter whose life was saved by an aquarium.

The newborn was rescued on the southern California coast at just a week old, weighing just a kilogram.

A month on, fluffy little pup is receiving round-the-clock care at her permanent home.

Pup 681 was discovered at the end of September on Coastways Beach, when a passerby heard her cry.

State wildlife officials determined that she was alone and transported her to Monterey Bay Aquarium, where she could be stabilised.

"On arrival at Monterey Bay Aquarium, 681 weighed 1.0kg, which is tiny for a newborn sea otter, and she had been separated from mom for at least 16 hours," said Karl Mayer, Animal Care Coordinator for the Sea Otter Program. "This meant it was critical that we begin to get calories into her as quickly as possible."

There are only a handful of aquariums in the United States with the facilities to care for the endangered sea otter.

The endangered newborn is learning to swim at an aquarium. Picture: Brenna Hernandez/Shedd Aquarium Source: Supplied

She is drinking formula and some solid food, including shrimp. Picture: Brenna Hernandez/Shedd Aquarium Source: Supplied

The water helps the baby otter to cool down. Picture: Brenna Hernandez/Shedd Aquarium Source: Supplied

Pup 681 was heard crying by a beach walker. Picture: Brenna Hernandez/Shedd Aquarium Source: Supplied

At five weeks old, weighing just three kilograms and measuring 57cm long, she was transferred to Shedd Aquarium, to begin learning how to be an otter.

She is now practising grooming, foraging and feeding, as well as regulating her own body temperature by getting in and out of the water.

Otters spend up to four hours a day grooming their thick, double layered coat, which keeps them warm in place of blubber.

If they do not keep it immaculate, they risk getting cold and dying of hypothermia.

The fluffy otter is also learning to dry her coat to avoid hypothermia. Picture: Brenna Hernandez/Shedd Aquarium Source: Supplied

Sea otters have a double layer of fur in place of blubber. Picture: Brenna Hernandez/Shedd Aquarium Source: Supplied

The aquarium is one of the just a handful equipped to teach Pup 681 essential survival skills. Picture: Brenna Hernandez/Shedd Aquarium Source: Supplied

She still weighs just three kilograms. Picture: Brenna Hernandez/Shedd Aquarium Source: Supplied

"Pup 681's situation was urgent," said Tim Binder, Vice President of Animal Collections for Shedd. "It truly takes a village to rehabilitate a young sea otter."

The gorgeous pup is now developing fast: taking formula from a bottle, eating solid foods such as shrimp and clams and even climbing up on to towels when she gets wet.

The southern sea otter population is just 2944 and has failed to grow consistently despite decades of federal and state protection.

There are less than 3000 southern sea otters left. Picture: Brenna Hernandez/Shedd Aquarium Source: Supplied

Pup 681 is receiving specialised care to make sure she thrives. Picture: Brenna Hernandez/Shedd Aquarium Source: Supplied

The five-week-old is gradually gaining in confidence. Picture: Brenna Hernandez/Shedd Aquarium Source: Supplied

The tiny, rare creature was lucky to survive after losing her mother. Picture: Brenna Hernandez/Shedd Aquarium Source: Supplied

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Student too drunk for massacre

Too drunk to commit school massacre ... Sash Alexander Nemphos. Nemphos, 16, told police he planned to use a stolen handgun to kill his parents, then drive to his high school and kill students and teachers. Picture: AP / Baltimore County Police Source: AP

A schoolgirl in Pennsylvania has been held by Police after plotting a mass shooting at Radnor High School. Courtesy FOX 29

A SIXTEEN-year-old boy who planned to blow up his school with explosives said he got too drunk and forgot to pack the explosives in his backpack.

Sash Alexander Nemphos, who attends George Washington Carver Centre for the Arts and Technology in Towson, Maryland, told Baltimore County Police that he made two homemade explosives and stole his dad's .38 calibre with the plan to kill his parents, students, teachers and a school police officer, according to documents cited by The Baltimore Sun.

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Nemphos planned to bomb his school on Halloween and put the revolver in his backpack but forgot the explosives after drinking whiskey and becoming intoxicated.

He planned to try again on Monday but he was arrested on Saturday after employees at a restaurant reported items had been stolen from their unlocked vehicles and a teenager boy had been hanging around. Another witness said he had tried to buy cigarettes and had noted the registration plates of a car he got into.

The car belonged to Nemphos' father and police went to the family home. Nemphos was questioned and his father pulled an officer aside and said his revolver had been stolen and he suspected his son.

Nemphos eventually admitted he had stolen the gun and hidden it in a plastic container in his bedroom.

"Officers responded to the suspect's Monkton home, where he showed them a handgun and devices believed to be explosive," police stated in a release after that arrest.

"These were crude, homemade devices made of readily available components. They also found tools and components that could be used to make additional devices."

He told officers that he was going to kill his parents and then drive to the school and shoot the school police officer. He said he then would take the school officer's gun and kill as many students and teachers as he could, according to court documents.

Police documents indicated Nemphos told officers he had been bullied at the school for years and despite informing teachers, they had taken no action.

Nemphos, treated as an adult, was charged with possession of a destructive device, theft and a handgun violation. He is being held in custody.

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When sex goes very, very wrong

Researchers at Flinders University have revealed how the intimate act of sexual intercourse first evolved in our deep distant ancestors. Courtesy Flinders Creations

When sex goes wrong ... New TV show details couples embarrassing and awkward sexual encounters. Picture: Supplied. Source: Supplied

IF you thought the TV show Embarrassing Bodies was bad, wait until you see Sex Sent Me to the ER detailing couples embarrassing sexual antics.

Sex Sent Me to the ER, a second series of four episodes to premiere on the TV network TLC, will reveal the real life horror stories from between the sheets or, as is often the case, elsewhere that end up in a visit to a hospital.

International Business Times reported that production company GRB Entertainment wanted to make the show to see how couples cope when things don't go to plan.

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Awkward ... The show is told by emergency room physicians and the couples' themselves. Picture: Supplied. Source: Supplied

"The show is retold by emergency room physicians and the actual couples who, in the heat of the moment, got themselves into a fix and needed a doctor to fix it," the network explained.

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So how bad are some of these stories?

In the first episode viewers meet Gregg, a 24-year-old virgin whose girlfriend, Jen, wanted to take their relationship to the next level. However Gregg who weighs 199.6kg (440 pounds) didn't quite realise his strength.

Their first time resulted in Gregg accidentally sending his girlfriend's head through the wall.

Humiliating ... Stories reveal a broken penis, ongoing orgasm and more. Picture: Supplied. Source: News Corp Australia

"My initial reaction was, 'I killed her,'" Gregg told the New York Post. "'This is my first time. And Jen is dead.'"

Fortunately for Jen she lived to tell the tale managing to pull her head out of the wall. But a trip to the ER revealed she has concussion.

Other stories include a guitarist and singer who collapsed after a "wall-shaking" romp, a man with a broken penis and a "complicated situation," and an orgasm that went on and on … for two hours.

There's also the couple who falls into a grave while copulating in a cemetery to a duo that gets bitten by a giant centipede during the deed.

The four-part series will premiere on TLC on Saturday, December 28, at 10pm. Encore presentations can be caught on Discovery Fit & Health on Fridays at 10pm starting January 3.

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9/11 terrorist featured in awkward ad

Turkish hair removal company, Epila has accidentally used 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to promote its hair removal products.

Khalid Sheik Mohammed in his hairy heyday. Source: AP

A COSMETICS company has used a photo of the terrorist behind the 9/11 attacks in an advert for a hair removal product.

The Turkish firm published the image of the hirsute Khalid Sheikh Mohammed along with the slogan: "That hair will not shed itself."

The former senior al-Qaeda officer is seen looking unshaven and red-eyed, his chest and back hair sprouting out of a scoop-necked white T-shirt.

The company that produces Epila said it had not realised the photo showed the notorious terrorist, who is currently incarcerated in Guantanamo Bay.

Mehmet Can Yildiz told the Hurriyet Daily News the firm had found the image on Turkish social network Sozluk.

"We didn't know that he was a terrorist," said Mr Yildiz. "This image is in popular use in Turkish memes on the internet. Most were related to insomnia.

"The guy is quite hairy, so we thought his body was a good fit for our ad.

"We didn't want to imply anything political. We didn't know that it could become an international story. I repeat: We featured him for his hair, not terrorism."

It is not the first time that a Turkish advert has used questionable imagery to promote a product.

Two years ago, a TV commercial for shampoo featured footage of Adolf Hitler with the words: "If you're man, you use Biomen."

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Foxy Knoxy’s surprising new day job

Amanda Knox is working as a reporter for her local paper. Picture: Mark Lennihan / AP Source: AP

WRITING about organic cashew milk, eczema and local theatre productions is a long way from life in an Italian jail cell.

But that's the new reality for convicted murderer Amanda Knox who has scored a job with her local paper, the West Seattle Herald.

Online editor Patrick Robinson told The Daily Beast the woman who once captured international headlines and was dubbed 'Foxy Knoxy' has been working freelance for the organisation in a bid to provide her with a 'normal life'.

"We simply asked her as we would ask anyone of that age and stage, if they would be interested in writing for us as a qualified writer of that scale and this level of journalism," he told The Daily Beast.

Amanda Knox captured global headlines in 2007 after the death of her friend and flatmate. Source: AP

Knox shot to notoriety in 2007 after her friend and roommate Meredith Kercher was found dead in their home in Perugia, Italy.

Knox and her boyfriend at the time Raffaele Sollecito, along with a local bar owner, were arrested and charged for her murder.

MORE: Read the full story here

They were found guilty in 2009 and spent time in prison before being acquitted in 2011. Knox immediately returned to the US, however in early 2014 a court upheld the original guilty verdict and sentenced her to jail.

The case is being appealed and Knox has avoided extradition to Italy so far.

Meredith Kercher. Pic: Franco Origlia/Getty Images. Source: Supplied

Knox has since written a book about the event and been the subject of two movies including a fictionalised account starring Cara Delevigne.

Mr Robinson said she started writing for the paper under a pseudonym but eventually decided to use her real name.

He said he's "flabbergasted" at her photography skills but denied hiring her because of her fame.

"It doesn't matter what people say or think — the truth is that she's a West Seattle resident, she grew up here."

"Why not give her the opportunity to be an actual human being versus a celebrity?"

"It's really about giving a young, talented writer an opportunity at a normal life."

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‘Worst hair in world cricket’

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Hybrid animals to give you nightmares

Artist Sarah Derememer named this dog-vulture hybrid a Fierce Schnowlzer. Source: Picture Media

THESE disturbing pictures show what hybrid species might look like.

An inventive artist from California merged photos of different animals together to create a startling series of images.

Sarah Derememer, 25, said she deliberately combined the adorable with the terrifying to achieve the most ridiculous-looking creatures she could.

A cross between a seal and a blue tit gives us the Sleepy Pirdy. Source: Picture Media

A black labrador and a killer whale make an adorable combination. Source: Picture Media

A monkey is transformed with the face of a white tiger. Source: Picture Media

They may look sweet individually, but mix a cat with a pomeranian and behold the Papillat. Source: Picture Media

The evil Angry Beavussy — a cross between a cat and a beaver. Source: Picture Media

"I really enjoy the juxtaposition between cute and scary animals, such as a growling wolf on a pygmy marmoset, or a snarling tiger on a baby monkey," she said.

"It's hard to pick a favourite, but I really enjoy both the 'Birboon' and 'Little Bit' because they're such adorable little birds with such character from the yawning animals.

"I also really love the White Tiger Monkey because the two animals included are so drastically different but go together so well."

Sarah said she began the project to improve her Photoshop skills, but soon became transfixed by the myriad possibilities.

A lion and a llama make a mouthy merger. Source: Picture Media

This shark-spider (Shider) combines many people's worst fears. Source: Picture Media

A moose-bear looks surprisingly real. Source: Picture Media

The majestic eagle-deer could be something out of a fantasy movie. Source: Picture Media

Each image can take up to four hours to complete and she works with 20 layers on the picture to make the combinations seamless.

The bizarre results range from a killer whale with the face of a labrador to a monkey with the face of a white tiger.

The colours are carefully blended to produce new species that are by turn ferocious and laughable in appearance.

Would you pet any of them?

This sperm whale/giraffe bears the brilliant moniker African Blue Whirrafano. Source: Picture Media

A rat mixed with a macaque becomes a Rankey. Source: Picture Media

A red panda and a yak — the funny-looking Highland Red Pandow. Source: Picture Media

Would you hang out with the Laughing Hamstyna (hyena-hamster)? Source: Picture Media

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Torah Bright the latest casualty on DWTS

After a shocking performance with her partner Robbie, Torah opens up on her medal winning past and use that as her inspiration moving forward into the next round.

Torah Bright pulls out of Dancing With The Stars / Picture: Channel 7 Source: Channel 7

OLYMPIAN snowboarder Torah Bright is the latest contestant to be forced to pull out of competing on Dancing With The Stars, making it three celebrities who have departed the reality dancing show this year.

The 27-year-old injured her big toe in rehearsals and has quit under her doctor's advice after undergoing tests at a Melbourne hospital.

Torah Bright And Robbie Kmentoni / Picture: Channel 7 Source: Channel 7

Torah Bright pulls out of Dancing With The Stars / Picture: Channel 7 Source: Channel 7

Dancing with the Stars contestants Torah Bright and Robbie Kmetoni are forced to retire hurt. Picture: Mike Keating. Source: News Corp Australia

"This show, it waits for nobody. If you can't walk, you can't dance," said Bright after finding out the toe was not broken but seriously bruised and swollen. "It could be just a really good toe jam and in a week the swelling will be all right but for now, I'm just keeping it elevated and staying off my feet."

Torah Bright And Robbie Kmentoni. Torah has been forced out after injuring her big toe. Source: Channel 7

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Big Brother love rat’s girlfriend emerges

Candice Leeder pictured outside her Perth home. Source: Diimex

BOTH Big Brother "love rat" Lawson and his girlfriend outside the house have been spending a lot of time with a Cat recently.

But one of those Cats has gotten one half of the long-time couple into a lot more trouble than the other.

Candice Leeder, Lawson's girlfriend of five years, has gone to ground since the cheating scandal between her boyfriend and his fellow housemate Cat erupted inside the Gold Coast compound.

And now Ms Leeder has been pictured for the first time since her beau went into the house, taking her own cat for a walk on a leash outside her Perth home.

There were intense rumours Ms Leeder would enter the Big Brother house, which Nine has since denied. Source: Diimex

After Lawson's straying ways, one can't help but think that her cheating partner might also be kept "on a leash" if the pair are able to reconcile after he is evicted from the house.

Rumours were rampant that Ms Leeder was set to enter the Big Brother house to stir the pot even further, but host Sonia Kruger recently told Kiss FM Ms Leeder was reluctant.

"We have extended the invitation to Candice," Kruger told Kyle and Jackie O, "she's in the middle of exams at the moment, she's doing her masters. But yeah, we are in communications with her."

Candice has a pretty good looking Cat of her own. Source: Diimex

Ms Leeder has gone to ground since the scandal broke. Source: Diimex

Discussing Candice's reaction to the TV love affair, Kruger added: "Look, she's not happy. Obviously you wouldn't be would you?

"At this point, she's been pretty clear about wanting to focus on her exams. But, things change, people change... something might happen this week that could actually propel her to want to talk to us, and I think the best thing for Candice to do is talk to us because the media will stay on it until they can say something."

Big Brother star Lawson Reeves and his girlfriend Candice Leeder, in happier times. Source: Supplied

Cat and Lawson began their relationship almost a month ago in the house after they kissed while spending a night in the Sanctuary together.

The pair were an unlikely couple, Lawson a 23-year-old electrician in a long-term relationship and Cat, a 31-year-old divorced midwife.

The pair's relationship instantly created tension in the house, with many housemates making their disapproval of the situation known.

Cat and Lawson have been in a relationship inside the house for about a month. Source: Channel 9

Sonia Kruger with Cat before she entered the house. Source: Supplied

Recent evictee Jason slammed the pair's antics in his farewell video to the house saying: "I completely don't agree with it.

"My heart goes out to Candice, she's been in a committed three year relationship with him. It takes two to tango so they're both equally to blame but it's cheating, in the simpler sense, so I don't agree with it."

Again referring to Ms Leeder he added: "There is a girl on the outside who is hurting. My heart breaks for her every single day that I see them together, because I can only imagine the pain she's going through on the outside watching someone that she called a partner being intimate with another girl."

It all began with a kiss. Source: Facebook

Lawson breaks down in the diary room. Source: Channel 9

While Aisha added: "He knows what he's doing is wrong."

At one point Lawson and Cat both said "I love you" to each other, after which Lawson broke down in the diary room, apologising for cheating and "ruining (Candice's) life".

"I never intended to hurt Candice," he said through tears.

"I can't even imagine how she would feel; Embarrassed I would assume. She's a really good person. I'm not. She definitely didn't deserve this. I think I'm sorry for ruining her life."

Ms Leeder was forced to shut down her social media profiles and has maintained a dignified silence ever since the scandal broke.

But there has been an outpouring of support for her from fans of the show who have slammed Lawson as a "love rat" and labelled his behaviour "disgusting".

Cat and Lawson both said "I love you" to each other while in the house. Source: Supplied

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Tigger caught in ‘full blown sex’

Iron Man, Spider-Man, and even Rocket Raccoon show off their strides in this upcoming sequel of Disney Infinity 2.0.

A favourite with children ... Tigger with Owl in the Winnie the Pooh movie. Source: Supplied

TIGGER, the Disney cartoon character, was seen by a three-year-old girl having "full blown sex" in a baby changing room.

A man, wearing the costume, was seen having sexual intercourse with a naked woman in the toilets in the town of Dawlish in Devon, UK, reported Exeter Express and Echo.

The "disgusting act' was posted by Maryanne Saunders on Dawlish Neighbourhood Police's Facebook page. She called the police to report the incident.

A Disney favourite ... 'Tigger' from the Winnie the Pooh books is a regular at family events. Source: News Limited

Ms Saunders said that her daughter took her granddaughter to the toilet.

"There was a couple in the baby changing room having full blown sex," she wrote on Facebook.

"They slammed the door in my granddaughter's face and caught her hand in the door resulting in bruising to her fingers.

"This is a disgusting act and in a baby changing room.

"They were about 30ish, the man had a Tigger outfit on, the woman was undressed.

"It's not very nice for a three-year-old child."

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Whale man: Mum thinks I’m an idiot

Man climbs onto whale carcass as feeding sharks circle off West Australian coast. Footage courtesy Channel 7.

Sharks circle a whale carcass off the coast of Rottnest – at one point, a man was sitting on the creature. Picture: Seven News Source: Supplied

THE Perth man who risked his life diving into shark-infested waters to climb on to a rotting whale carcass says he won't do anything like it again and even his parents think he's an idiot.

Harrison Williams, of Quinns Rock, north of Perth, said: "I was out on the boat with the boys and one of my mates said it would be pretty funny to surf the whale so I did it."

The 26-year-old said he saw the sharks, including a massive great white, but they did not deter him from getting into the water.

"They were too busy chomping on the whale so it wasn't too bad," he said.

Mr Williams told Seven News it was not until he was on top of the whale that he realised the danger and stupidity of his actions.

"Definitely not (wouldn't do it again) ... I've done it, I don't need to do it again. Definitely it was a stupid act, didn't mean to disrespect anyone, mum thinks I'm an idiot, dad's not too proud either," he said.

Authorities reportedly won't fine Mr Williams because the whale was already dead and he did not remove any part of it.

'DAFT': Whale expert slams whale rider

GALLERY: Man on whale, sharks v whale

That same whale carcass has now washed up, forcing the closure of one the city's most popular beaches.

The carcass washed up on Scarborough Beach this evening, with about 10 big sharks part of the feeding frenzy lurking about 15 metres from shore.

It is up to the City of Stirling to remove the carcass, while a Surf Life Saving WA spokeswoman said the decision to close the beach would be reassessed tomorrow morning.

Surf Life Saving WA closed Scarborough Beach about 4.30pm today as the whale carcass had drifted within around 1km from shore.

The Channel 9 helicopter captured footage of a massive 5.5m shark circling a 7m boat not far from a whale carcass off Rottnest. Picture: 9 News Source: Channel 9

The Channel 9 helicopter captured footage of a massive 5.5m shark circling a 7m boat not far from a whale carcass off Rottnest. Picture: 9 News Source: Channel 9

Sharks circle a whale carcass off the coast of Rottnest. Picture: Seven News Source: Supplied

The incredible photographs, taken by crew members on the Seven News helicopter, show a shirtless man sitting on the massive carcass as several other men watch on from a nearby boat.

Crew on the Westpac Lifesaver Helicopter snapped photographs yesterday of two huge sharks feeding on the whale, which was floating in the ocean about three nautical miles northeast of Rottnest.

Mr Williams told the Daily Mail Online he was trying to help the whale but clearly he was too late.

It is not known if those photographs were taken before or after the man jumped on the carcass.

A Surf Lifesaving WA spokesman said the man was not on the whale carcass when the Westpac Lifesaver Helicopter flew over it.

●SURFER HOLDS GROUND AGAINST 'CURIOUS' SHARK

Meanwhile, a bootcamp fundraiser will take place in Perth next Saturday for Sean Pollard, who lost both hands when he was attacked by a shark while surfing near Esperance.

One month after the attack, the 23-year-old Bunbury electrician is continuing his recovery from the traumatic injuries at Royal Perth Hospital. He has undergone multiple surgeries and the medical team has developed a recovery plan from each procedure, a message to his supporters said.

"What is aiding Sean's recovery is his physical fitness as a result of his healthy lifestyle and active sporting interests," a statement on Renegade Bootcamp's website states.

"However, his injuries are severe so there will be a long road ahead. Sean has said his first goal is to stand and receive a group hug from his family, such is the character of this remarkable young man."

The fundraiser will be held at Brighton Beach Reserve on Saturday, November 8. Check-in is at 8.30am, with the bootcamp from 9am-10am.

It costs $25 to take part, with all money going to Mr Pollard. For more information, go to renegadefx.com.au.

Originally published as Whale man: Mum thinks I'm an idiot

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Lined up and killed one by one

New attack ... Sunday's brutal murder of at least 50 people in the Anbar province comes just days after IS militants lined up 30 Sunni men and shot them dead. Picture: AP Photo Source: AP

ISLAMIC State extremists lined up and shot dead at least 50 tribesmen, women and children in Iraq's Anbar province Sunday, officials said, the latest mass killing committed by the group.

The attack against an Anbar Sunni tribe took place in the village of Ras al-Maa, north of Ramadi.

There, the militant group killed at least 40 men, six women and four children, lining them up and publicly killing them one by one, Sheikh Naim al-Gaoud, a senior figure in the targeted Al Bu Nimr tribe, told The Associated Press.

Ruthless terror ... in this file photo, IS militants parade in a commandeered Iraqi security forces armoured vehicle. Picture: AP Source: AP

Another 17 people were kidnapped by the militant group, he said.

An official with the Anbar governor's office corroborated the account, speaking on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to brief journalists.

SHOCK DEVELOPMENT: IS acquires air defence missile system capable of shooting down passenger airlines

The militant group killed another 50 members of the Al Bu Nimr tribe late Friday, and at least 48 people on Thursday, according to various officials who spoke to the AP.

Heavily armed ... in this file photo, IS fighters terrorise Iraqi locals in a display of force. Picture: AP Source: AP

The militant group has overrun a large part of Anbar province in its push to expand its territory across Iraq and Syria.

HOME SUPPORT: Facebook riddled with Australian Muslims supporting IS

The United Nations mission in Baghdad said that at least 1273 Iraqis were killed in violence in October, a slight increase compared to last month amid the Islamic State group's assault.

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Top chef dishes on ‘lazy’ gen Y

Celebrity chef Luke Mangan shows you how to make his seared scallops with corn puree for a simple Christmas entree.

ONE of Australia's most successful chefs has taken aim at a lazy work ethic he believes is hurting the industry he loves.

Luke Mangan will open his 20th restaurant this year in the Maldives and is already planning his next foray possibly in the US.

The 44-year-old who also creates business class menus for Virgin Australia said his success was born out of hard work, and being in the right place at the right time.

THE TRUTH: Chef debunks airline food myths

Paradise...Luke Mangan in the Maldives at the site of one of his new restaurants. Picture: Supplied. Source: Supplied

Not happy...Luke Mangan is frustrated by people in the hospitality industry who only want to work 38-hours a week. Picture: News Corp Australia Source: News Corp Australia

When he started his apprenticeship in Melbourne as a restless 15-year-old, he routinely racked up between 70 and 80 hours a week.

Now, he said, "the kids look at their watch at 38-hours".

"You do not learn a profession by taking short cuts or just doing the hours you have to do," said Mr Mangan in an exclusive interview on the One and Only Hayman Island.

"You've got to put in hard work and commit to it and I think I've done that."

Started young...Luke Mangan started his apprenticeship in Melbourne as a restless 15-year-old, he routinely racked up between 70 and 80 hours a week. Picture: Supplied. Source: Supplied

He also expressed his frustration that there was too much focus on "celebrity" and not enough on genuine chefs of "substance".

Despite being one of the first in Australia to earn the tag of "celebrity chef" along with Neil Perry, Mr Mangan said he did not like the term.

"A lot of the chefs now just want to be on TV, do a cookbook and work 38-hours for it," Mr Mangan said.

"People want to get somewhere too quick, they don't want to put in the hard work.

"There are no shortcuts in this industry."

On the side...Cookbooks are par for the course for chefs these days, although Luke Mangan's are in more kitchens than most. Picture: Supplied. Source: Supplied

He also offered some words of advice to young restaurant owner chefs.

"It's so hard to just survive in just one restaurant," he said.

"I'm lucky I've got a lot of streams of income that can help prop up a restaurant but a lot of the younger kids still think it's all about the food.

"It's not all about the food, it's the whole package as a restaurant and you've got to be creative and get other streams of income if you want to survive because you won't survive in a restaurant."

One of the best...Spanish chef Ferran Adria has mastered the art of "molecular gastronomy". Picture: AP Photo. Source: AP

On the topic of food, Mr Mangan revealed he was not a fan of "molecular gastronomy" pioneered by the likes of Heston Blumenthal and Ferran Adria, and now being copied worldwide.

"To me it's not real food, it's fluff and puff and I like real food," he said.

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Here’s what we know about Marvel’s Black Panther

The latest celebrity news including Marvel expanding their line-up of super-heroes slated to hit the silver screen. John Russell reports.

Robert Downey Jr., Chadwick Boseman and Chris Evans onstage during Marvel Studios fan event. Source: Getty Images

ON TUESDAY, Marvel announced that it was expanding its cinematic universe to include several new superheroes:

Established, franchise-leading figures like Iron ManandCaptain Americawill soon be joined by Captain Marvel, Doctor Strange, the Inhumans, and, finally, the Black Panther — the first black superhero to get his own movie from Marvel Studios. (The Blade films, which starred Wesley Snipes, were produced by New Line Cinema.)

Chadwick Boseman will play the movie's eponymous monarch-superhero, and considering his impressive work in recent biopics Get on Up and 42, the movie is already starting out on the right foot.

But for those film fans who don't know the Black Panther story, what can we look forward to? Here's a brief primer.

The first thing to know about the Black Panther is that he's an interesting combination of brains and brawn. His real name is T'Challa, and he was born an heir to the throne of Wakanda, a fictional, isolationist African kingdom that also has some of the world's most advanced technology.

Chadwick Boseman will play the Black Panther. Source: AP

T'Challa's path to inheriting the Wakandan throne and becoming the Black Panther was far from direct. T'Challa's mother died in childbirth, and when T'Challa was a teenager, his father was murdered by a Dutchman bent on stealing Vibranium, a rare Wakandan metal. (Some might remember that Vibranium was also the metal used to forge Captain America's shield.) After attending schools in America and Europe, T'Challa returned to Wakanda for a ritual tournament, wherein he defeated and replaced his uncle S'yan as the nation's ruler, also called the Black Panther. The feat earned him the Heart-Shaped Herb that made him a superhero: The herb links its bearer's spirit to Bast, the Panther God, and imbues the newly crowned Black Panther with superhuman senses and extraordinary strength and speed.

And that's all in addition to the Black Panther's awesome gear. His uniform is bulletproof, he has super-sharp claws, and he has a "Kimoyo Card" that's basically a very advanced smartphone. (He once commandeered and remotely landed a jumbo jet with it.) For footwear, he has boots that let him climb up the sides of buildings and walk on water. To top it all off, the outfit has cloaking technology that lets him walk down the street looking like an average Joe.

Robert Downey Jr. and Chadwick Boseman onstage during Marvel Studios fan event. Source: Getty Images

Like the Avengers team itself, the Black Panther was a creation of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. He was one of the first mainstream black superheroes, and he was created a mere three months before the Black Panther Party formed. His first appearance was in a Fantastic Four comic in 1966, and after several supporting roles, he got his first starring appearance in 1973, with a new series launching in the following issue. The series, written by Don McGregor, ran for three years, and it wasn't just the Black Panther's race that made history: Critic Jason Sacks has credited the early "Panther's Rage" comics as Marvel's "first graphic novel," since they followed one titled and self-contained story arc over 13 issues.

The Black Panther has also accrued lots of extras along the way. On top of his powers and gadgets, he has a doctorate in physics from Oxford University, is a member of the Illuminati (Marvel Illuminati, not the Illuminati), and is widely considered (including by his enemies) one of the eight smartest people in the Marvel Universe. He's travelled to America to battle the Ku Klux Klan. He was married to Storm … But like most high-profile marriages, it didn't last, and news of the split stirred up controversy among fans.

As for friends and enemies, the Black Panther is a frequent ally to both the Fantastic Four and the Avengers. His arch nemesis is Ulysses Klaw, the same Dutch physicist who killed the Black Panther's father in pursuit of Vibranium to complete his fearsome sound transducer. It was the first time the Black Panther ever saw gunfire as a child, and in response, he stole Klaw's weapon and used it against him, shattering his hand and scaring him off — for the time being. They've obviously had lots of run-ins since.

The Black Panther is coming. @Marvel Source: Twitter

When it comes to his personality, our Wakandan monarch-superhero is known for his calculating mind, and also for the endless balancing act he performs between his duties and desires. He might have as many resources as Iron Man, the strength of Captain America, and a Batman-like persona, but he has more responsibility than any of them: He runs an entire kingdom.

Marvel Studios' movie won't be the first Black Panther adaptation for the screen. A few years ago BET collaborated with Marvel Animation to produce a motion-comic-style prime time series with Djimon Hounsou voicing the superhero. The show premiered in Australia in January of 2010 and was released to DVD a year later. Wesley Snipes was also slated to play the Black Panther in a Columbia Pictures adaptation in the '90s, but the movies never materialised. The BET-Marvel animated series might be the closest we get to a Black Panther adaptation before Marvel's Black Panther movie in 2017, and you can watch a trailer for the series below.

This article was originally published in Slate.

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