Fake veteran faces 'stolen valor' charge

(CNN) -- Richard Strandlof said he survived the 9/11 attacks on the Pentagon. He said he survived again when a roadside bomb went off in Iraq, killing four fellow Marines. He'd point to his head and tell people he had a metal plate, collateral damage from the explosion.

Richard Strandlof says he didn't mean to cause harm when he lied about being a military veteran.

None of it was true. On Friday, the FBI arrested him on the rare charge of "stolen valor."

Strandlof, 32, was held "for false claims about receipt of military decorations or medals," an FBI news release said. Charges had been filed in Denver, Colorado, the week before, the bureau said.

"The penalty for his crime is up to one year incarceration and a $100,000 fine," it said.

Before his deception was revealed, crowds ate up his story. He canvassed Colorado appearing at the sides of politicians. Inspiring and seemingly authentic, he spoke on behalf of veterans at the state Capitol.

He formed a group called the Colorado Veterans Alliance.

The whole thing was a lie, he admitted to CNN's Anderson Cooper earlier this year. Watch Strandlof discuss case in June. »

He wasn't at the Pentagon. He was never a Marine. He never served his country. He never graduated from the Naval Academy. He claimed his real name was Rick Duncan.

Where was he on 9/11, the day he said he witnessed heroism firsthand?

"I was in San Jose, California, watching it in horror on TV with a few other people," Strandlof told CNN.

He was at a homeless shelter at the time.

Strandlof denies being a pathological liar. He says he suffered from "some severely underdiagnosed mental illness" and he got caught up in the moment around "people who are passionate and loved what they did."

He told CNN he had put on a "production, which I'm sorry for."

"Hopefully the people that I hurt can in some way gain closure from that, and I myself don't know what I can do, short of leaving them alone and not being in their lives, to make that happen," Strandlof said.

He said he's not sure exactly how he's hurt people. "It's not for me to say, and time will tell," he said.

Hal Bidlack, a former Air Force lieutenant colonel, is one of those people. He ran for Congress as a Democrat and had Strandlof appear with him. Bidlack -- who lost to incumbent Republican Doug Lamborn -- isn't too happy.

"Once one lie fell apart, the whole series of things ... just cascaded into an ocean of lies," he said.

Bidlack was at the Pentagon when it came under attack on September 11, 2001. He now realizes that Strandlof stole portions of his own story.

"Now that we know he's a lying fraud," Bidlack said, "I think he was just parroting my own story back to me."

"There are an awful lot of things that he kept straight to try to fool an awful lot of people for an awful long time."

Doug Sterner has catalogued hundreds of people claiming to be military veterans who never served in the military. He says it's typical for those perpetuating the hoaxes to claim mental illness.

"I don't buy that," Sterner said. "What he was doing was looking for a cause to promote himself. I see this repeatedly. I've had a hundred cases just this year like Rick Strandlof's. ... What they're doing is building a kingdom of self and feeding their own ego."

Sterner has pushed for a federal database listing the names and citations of all decorated military veterans to help put an end to such cases. He said Strandlof has robbed true veterans of their veracity.

"Doing good does not take away from the bad that he did," he said. "Because of Rick Strandlof, the next global war on terrorism veteran that speaks in a school or talks to the media or gets involved in politics is going to be questioned."

Ryan Gallucci, a spokesman for AMVETS, agreed.

"Strandlof's actions dishonor the actual sacrifices of veterans," he told CNN Monday.

"Second, by commissioning his own advocacy group, Strandlof diverted philanthropy dollars for legitimate causes within the veterans community," Gallucci said.

"Personally, it just sickens me," Gallucci added. "As a veteran of the war in Iraq, it's unfathomable that someone would propagate such a lie at a time when American men and women are actually putting their lives on the line, and American families are coping with the loss of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice."

According to the Denver Post, Strandlof came to authorities' attention first in 1997, when he was sentenced to five years on forgery and bad-check charges.

The FBI was investigating him for fraud when he spoke to CNN -- a charge he denied.

"We did not take money to use on non-veterans projects. I did not enrich myself on this. I did not gain any money from this," he said.

He has not been charged with fraud.

That's not the point, said Sterner. "The one thing he robbed from every veteran that comes out now is credibility."

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/12/fake.veteran/index.html

Surprise hit 'Paranormal Activity' scares money out of moviegoers

(CNN) -- The new horror movie "Paranormal Activity" could be filling movie studio marketing departments with fear.

"Paranormal Activity" tells the story of a couple determined to discover if their house is haunted.

Using a campaign of limited showings, social media and word-of-mouth fan buzz, the film has managed to become a breakout hit without the aid of a glitzy marketing campaign -- or even a traditional movie trailer.

According to Variety, the very low-budget film (it reportedly cost $11,000), which played in fewer than 200 theaters, raked in $7.1 million over the weekend -- a record for a limited-release film. The film had an impressive $44,163 per-screen average and placement in the top five of the box office ratings over the weekend.

"We think it's exciting that they are taking this grassroots approach to independent film because sometimes independent films do get lost in the shuffle," said Kevin Carr, a writer/reviewer for the site Film School Rejects. "It's a unique test to see if people can demand things outside of standard marketing campaigns."

"Paranormal Activity" bills itself as "the first-ever major film release demanded by you."

The movie, which was an audience favorite at the alternative Slamdance festival in early 2008, was acquired by Dreamworks (then a part of Paramount Pictures) two years ago.

The studio initially planned to remake it using better-known actors. But after studio executives, including Steven Spielberg, viewed it, they decided the film could stand more or less as it was (though director Oren Peli did shorten the film and shoot a new ending).

The movie gained buzz after Paramount began late-night screenings in college towns, and fans took to Twitter and other sites to hail the scary flick, which centers on a young couple who believe their house may be haunted.

Paramount increased the interest by urging fans to sign on to ParanormalMovie.com and demand theaters in their locations show the film.

Peli posted a video on YouTube expressing gratitude to the fans and urging them to continue rooting for the movie.

"I just wanted to take this opportunity to speak directly to the fans and thank you all for the amazing support," Peli said on the video. "It's just been overwhelming especially considering the long road this film had for three years and the studio wanting to do a remake."

More than a million people have heeded the call. The result has been a groundswell of interest rivaling that of big-budget films.

Megan Colligan, co-president of marketing for Paramount, said the studio had a limited budget for advertising the film, so its marketing had to be tightly targeted.

Moreover, condensing its atmosphere into a 30-second TV spot was a challenge, so executives opted to produce a trailer showing fans waiting in line for the movie and their reaction to the film, said Josh Greenstein, who also serves as co-president of marketing for Paramount.

"It was very important that we sold this as an experience and rather than just a movie," he said. "When people saw the movie they loved it so much and there is such a slow build of terror that you have to sit through to experience the full effect of the movie, so we changed the marketing techniques in advertising and online to make it more experiential."

The unique marketing campaign appears to have paid off.

"The fans have really made this their film and they are doing the bulk of the work [to market the film]," Colligan said.

"The film is selling itself," Greenstein added.

Critics have also taken notice, and have showered the film with good reviews.

In giving the movie an A-minus grade, Entertainment Weekly film critic Owen Gleiberman wrote "With its this-is-really-happening vibe, 'Paranormal Activity' scrapes away 30 years of encrusted nightmare clichés. The fear is real, all right, because the fear is really in you."

Overall, the film has earned a strong 85 percent approval rating at review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.

Moviegoers agree. Rajiim Gross, an iReporter who posted a review of the film, said he found "Paranormal Activity" to be much better than "Blair Witch Project," another indie-horror film to which it is being compared. Check out Rajiim Gross' iReport

"It actually scared the hell out of me," Gross said. "I saw it during the day and I would hate to be someone who went home after seeing it late at night."

Gross said he believed the studio was smart to leverage the Internet to spread the word. Watch Rajiim Gross' review of 'Paranormal Activity' »

"The best advertising is word of mouth," Gross said. "People tell 10 friends, they go see it and they tell 10 more friends and soon you have an entire community who wants to see it."

Carr, whose Film School Rejects site has been following the frenzy, said the movie "gets inside of your head" and benefits from the traditional fan support that horror films often enjoy.

That, coupled with the big cinema thrills and chills, should add up to continued box office success, Carr said.

"Watching it with 250 strangers in a movie theater and getting everybody to jump at the same time definitely has an effect," he said. "It's the event film right now of the year, which is something that needs to be experienced

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Movies/10/12/paranormal.activity.movie/index.html

Death sentences for China rioters

A Chinese court has sentenced six people to death for murder and other crimes during ethnic riots in Xinjiang region in July, state media have said.

Nearly 200 people were killed during the riots between ethnic Uighurs and members of China's dominant Han group.

A seventh person received a life sentence, the official Xinhua news agency said.

These are the first convictions relating to the riots - the worst ethnic clashes in China for decades.

The six sentenced to death at the Intermediate People's Court in Urumqi - Xinjiang's capital - were reported to be Abdukerim Abduwayit, Gheni Yusup, Abdulla Mettohti, Adil Rozi, Nureli Wuxiu'er, and Alim Metyusup.

As well as murder, state media reported that they were convicted of other crimes ranging from arson, leading mobs and causing "economic loss".

Rising tensions

Tayirejan Abulimit was given the lesser punishment of life imprisonment because he admitted to charges of murder and robbery and helped the police capture Alim Metyusup.

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Footage of the rioting between Uighurs and Han in July

The government says most of those killed in the riots were Han Chinese, but the exile activist group the World Uighur Congress (WUC) claims many Uighurs were also killed.

Dilxat Raxit, a spokesman for the WUC, said the trial had been a sham.

"The whole process lacked transparency and was unfair. They were not given any kind of legal aid," he told Reuters news agency.

"Uighurs have no protection under the law."

A protest by Uighurs in Urumqi erupted into violence on 5 July, leaving at least 197 people killed and another 1,700 injured.

Shops were smashed and vehicles set alight and passers-by set upon by rioters.

'Heavy police presence'

Hundreds of people were detained after the violence and, according to Xinhua, 21 people have been charged.

The BBC's Quentin Sommerville says 14 people are still waiting to be tried.

"It is a very long way from Beijing but it is one of the most heavily policed parts of the country," our correspondent says.

"The security forces are really keeping the peace between these two ethnic populations in that part of China."

Further ethnic unrest in Xinjiang was provoked in August by a wave of attacks with hypodermic syringes that many Han blamed on Uighurs.

Growing tensions

The initial protest in July was over an earlier fight in a toy factory in Guangdong province - on the other side of China - that left two Uighurs dead and 14 others seriously injured.

On Saturday a court in Guangdong sentenced Xiao Jianhua to death and Xu Qiqi to a life sentence for their roles in the factory brawl.

The riots broke out in the western region of Xinjiang in July

Nine others were jailed for sentences of between five to eight years for the violence at the Xuri Toy Factory.

Tensions between the mainly-Muslim Uighurs of Xinjiang and Han have been growing in recent years. Millions of Han have moved to the region in recent decades.

Many Uighurs want more autonomy and rights for their culture and religion - Islam - than is allowed by China's strict centrist rule.

According to a government white paper on Xinjiang, released last month, the July riots were caused by Uighur separatists promoting an independent "East Turkestan".

It also noted that during the violence 331 shops and 1,325 motor vehicles were destroyed or burned with many public facilities also attacked.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8302140.stm

At least 75 people are dead and thousands are trapped under rubble after a strong earthquake shook western Indonesia, officials say.

Buildings, including at least two hospitals, were brought down by the 7.6 magnitude quake, centred about 50km (30 miles) off the coast of Sumatra.

Officials say the death toll is expected to rise.

It comes hours after a tsunami from a separate quake killed more than 100 people in the South Pacific.

A tsunami watch issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in the wake of the Indonesian quake has been lifted.

Aid 'on the way'

The coastal city of Padang, capital of West Sumatra province, is among the areas hardest hit.


ANALYSIS
Karishma Vaswani
Karishma Vaswani, BBC News, Jakarta

We've heard that some of the roads to these areas have been cut off and there are concerns about communications - phone lines and electricity have also been cut off.

Indonesia is no stranger to disasters of this sort - the ability to reach people is often criticised and one of the hospitals nearest the epicentre has also collapsed, so there are real concerns about how to get to the places most affected.

At least six disaster management teams are on their way to the city of Padang. We've been told it will take up to 10 hours to get to the areas most affected.

Vice-President Jusuf Kalla said the death toll was likely to continue to rise sharply, as so many buildings including schools, shops and hotels had collapsed.

"We don't know the identity of the victims yet, it's night-time now so it's dark. People are trapped, hotels have collapsed, schools have collapsed, houses have collapsed and electricity has been cut off," he said, quoted by AFP news agency.

Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari said the quake was one of the biggest in Indonesia in recent years.

"This is a high-scale disaster, more powerful than the earthquake in Yogyakarta in 2006 when more than 3,000 people died," he said.

Rustam Pakaya, head of the health ministry's crisis centre, said a major city hospital was among the collapsed buildings.

At least six rescue teams were on their way to Padang from neighbouring provinces, he said, but would not arrive for at least 10 hours.

Local media reported the roof of the city's airport had also collapsed.

Mukhlis Rahman, mayor of the Pariaman District, one of the worst hit areas, said the weather was hindering efforts to clear up after the disaster.

''The quake was followed by a very heavy rain. Many houses and some building are flattened in my area. But I cannot yet verify too much. We will try to compile the data and distribute aid once the rain subsides,'' he told the BBC.

'Extreme panic'


MAJOR INDONESIAN QUAKES
Map of earthquake off the coast of Sumatra
26 Dec 2004: Asian tsunami kills 170,000 in Indonesia alone
28 March 2005: About 1,300 killed after a magnitude 8.7 quake hits the coast of Sumatra
27 May 2006: Quake hits ancient city of Yogyakarta, killing 5,000
17 July 2006: A tsunami after a 7.7 magnitude quake in West Java province kills 550 people

In pictures: Sumatra earthquake
Animated guide: Earthquakes

Witnesses said residents ran out of buildings in Padang - which has a population of 900,000 - and surrounding cities.

"A number of hotels in Padang have been destroyed," Rahmat Triyono, from the Indonesian geophysics and meteorology agency, told AFP news agency.

"Up to now we haven't been able to reach Padang, communications have been cut," Mr Triyono added.

An unnamed witness told Reuters there was "extreme panic" in the city, with bridges down and flooding caused by broken water pipes.

The earthquake struck at 1716 local time (1016 GMT) some 85km under the sea, north-west of Padang, the US Geological Survey said.

Reports said the shaking could be felt in high buildings in the capital, Jakarta, and was also felt in Singapore and Malaysia.

The quake was along the same fault line that spawned the 2004 Asian tsunami that killed more than 230,000 people in a dozen countries.

That much more powerful earthquake struck roughly 600km north-west of Padang.

Geologists have long warned that Padang could one day be completely destroyed by an earthquake because of its location.

Western Sumatra is a mainly rural area with dense tropical forest.

It has several national parks and many of its beaches are popular with surfers.

Are you in the area? Have you been affected by the earthquake?CLICK HERE

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8282670.stm

Life on planet hip-hop

Thirty years after the Sugarhill Gang's Rapper's Delight became the first mainstream rap song to hit the US charts, how and why has hip-hop spread to different parts of the world?

Public Enemy rapper Chuck D famously once said rap was "CNN for black people".

In the years following its emergence in 1970s New York, hip-hop culture has manifested itself around the world - most notably in the many rap acts that now exist across the globe.

Ben Herson is founder of the Nomadic Wax record label

Ben Herson is the founder of fair trade record label Nomadic Wax, which is committed to bringing acts from developing countries into the wider public consciousness by distributing music online, pressing records and making documentaries.

He argues that Africa is the true "birthplace of hip-hop".

"It travelled through the transatlantic slave trade to the US, via the Caribbean - that's what created this culture," he says.

"Hip-hop is the missing connection between the US and Africa. It's about a conversation within the African diaspora. There was Creole culture, the blues, jazz, rock'n'roll and it has become hip-hop."

Hip-hop around the world Most recent 250 comments Most recent 500 comments (May slow your computer down) Audio (7) Video (5) Close 3000 miles 3000 miles © 2009 Microsoft Corporation © 2009 NAVTEQ © 2009 Microsoft Corporation © 2009 NAVTEQ 2D 3D Road Aerial Bird's eye Labels See this location in bird's eye view Bing Maps 3D has finished updating Mr Herson is particularly interested in the "CNN" factor, whereby "music affects politics and affects social change", meaning that people from all around the world can relate to rap. "Hip-hop, at its most basic form, reminds people across the world of a poetic culture. Most cultures have an oral poetic tradition." But Mr Herson is right to point out that it has taken off across Africa in particular, in many styles. Sudanese rapper Emmanuel Jal, for example, has risen to prominence in world music for work that draws on his experiences as a former child soldier. In Ghana, hiplife - a blend of west African highlife and hip-hop - is ubiquitous in nightclubs and bars, while Senegal's rappers have a reputation for political commentary. Rap has been used as a powerful political weapon by Senegalese youth - most notably in 2000 when politically charged songs that were highly critical of the government received regular airplay on a popular radio station. These protest songs are thought to have played a part in the then ruling party losing that year's national election. "In 2000, rappers spoke about how we could change the nation. People understood and we changed the government. Until we spoke people didn't believe this could happen," says Baay Bia, a 32-year-old award-winning rapper from Dakar. The artist, who has had three albums and largely focuses on what he sees as the repeated failings of African governments, says he wants to "inspire" people. "I chose hip-hop to express myself - it gives me more detail in my music and message. If I was just singing I wouldn't be able to share all I wanted to say." It's one of the most important tools in music nowadays because it's the only type of music talking about reality and connected to the people Mahmoud Jreri Rapper The rapper, whose real name is Birane Diouf, raps in Wolof and says this style of music is so popular in his country because it is "something familiar", since it chimes with the griot tradition of storytellers and praise-singers in the country. Using rap to carry political and social messages is not a uniquely Senegalese, or even African, phenomenon. DAM, a Palestinian hip-hop group consisting of three members, rap in Arabic, Hebrew and English and have been active since 1999. And they're just one group in the Middle East's burgeoning hip-hop scene. Group member Mahmoud Jreri recalls there being no hip-hop scene in Israel when he was growing up. He says he "felt connected" with American rappers like Tupac and Nas, who he saw in music videos of the late 90s, because "they were talking about social and political problems" and, like him, seemed to live in poverty. Now the group says there's a big hip-hop scene in the West Bank and Gaza. DAM's lyrics touch on issues from the Palestinian situation to women's rights in Arabic society. The theme of rap as a medium for protest recurs again in France, where hip-hop is seen as one way that the immigrant population in the suburbs express discontent. But, just as US rappers often court controversy, rap in France - has its critics. Nineties rappers like Tupac Shakur influenced artists worldwide In 2005, about 200 MPs urged the country's justice ministry to prosecute seven rap groups over allegedly provocative lyrics, following claims by some political figures that rap music fuelled suburban rioting in France. In one particularly controversial song, entitled FranSSe, rapper Monsieur R called France a prostitute. The artist said it was a diatribe against French leaders who had neglected ethnic minorities, not an attack on France in general. And earlier this year Orelsan, a 27-year-old rapper from Normandy, saw 10 of his concerts cancelled after former Socialist presidential candidate Segolene Royal and other politicians complained that his lyrics encouraged violence against women. A political row over censorship ensued after Ms Royal threatened to withdraw the public subsidy from a prestigious festival, Les Francofolies in La Rochelle, in her capacity as head of Poitou-Charentes regional council. But why has this style of music, and the culture it engenders, taken off all over the world? "It's one of the most important tools in music nowadays because it's the only type of music talking about reality and connected to the people," says Jreri. The Palestinian rapper thinks the music's appeal is that it gives a voice to outsiders. "It has started to be one language of the minorities. One language of the people who wanted to express themselves and describe the situation that they are living in - talking about political, social and personal issues." Meanwhile, Herson says rap's simplicity is the key. "It's the most basic form of music. All you need is a beat and a voice. "If you want rock and roll, you need money for instruments. With hip-hop you can bang on a table and rap. In its rawest form it's very easy to make." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/8286310.stm

The 'youngest headmaster in the world'

Around the world millions of children are not getting a proper education because their families are too poor to afford to send them to school. In India, one schoolboy is trying change that. In the first report in the BBC's Hunger to Learn series, Damian Grammaticas meets Babar Ali, whose remarkable education project is transforming the lives of hundreds of poor children.

At 16 years old, Babar Ali must be the youngest headmaster in the world. He's a teenager who is in charge of teaching hundreds of students in his family's backyard, where he runs classes for poor children from his village.

The story of this young man from Murshidabad in West Bengal is a remarkable tale of the desire to learn amid the direst poverty.

Babar Ali's 'school' has some 800 students

Babar Ali's day starts early. He wakes, pitches-in with the household chores, then jumps on an auto-rickshaw which takes him part of the 10km (six mile) ride to the Raj Govinda school. The last couple of kilometres he has to walk.

The school is the best in this part of West Bengal. There are hundreds of students, boys and girls. The classrooms are neat, if bare. But there are desks, chairs, a blackboard, and the teachers are all dedicated and well-qualified.

As the class 12 roll-call is taken, Babar Ali is seated in the middle in the front row. He's a tall, slim, gangly teenager, studious and smart in his blue and white uniform. He takes his notes carefully. He is the model student.

Babar Ali is the first member of his family ever to get a proper education.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Everything I have and everything I am today is thanks to my education

Mustafa Yorumcu, London

"It's not easy for me to come to school because I live so far away," he says, "but the teachers are good and I love learning. And my parents believe I must get the best education possible that's why I am here."

Raj Govinda school is government-run so it is free, all Babar Ali has to pay for is his uniform, his books and the rickshaw ride to get there. But still that means his family has to find around 1,800 rupees a year ($40, £25) to send him to school. In this part of West Bengal that is a lot of money. Many poor families simply can't afford to send their children to school, even when it is free.

Chumki Hajra is one who has never been to school. She is 14 years old and lives in a tiny shack with her grandmother. Their home is simple A-frame supporting a thatched roof next to the rice paddies and coconut palms at the edge of the village. Inside the hut there is just room for a bed and a few possessions.

Chumki Hajra, a pupil at Babar Ali's school, describes her day

Every morning, instead of going to school, she scrubs the dishes and cleans the homes of her neighbours. She's done this ever since she was five. For her work she earns just 200 rupees a month ($5, £3). It's not much, but it's money her family desperately needs. And it means that she has to work as a servant everyday in the village.

"My father is handicapped and can't work," Chumki tells me as she scrubs a pot. "We need the money. If I don't work, we can't survive as a family. So I have no choice but to do this job."

But Chumki is now getting an education, thanks to Babar Ali. The 16-year-old has made it his mission to help Chumki and hundreds of other poor children in his village. The minute his lessons are over at Raj Govinda school, Babar Ali doesn't stop to play, he heads off to share what he's learnt with other children from his village.

At four o'clock every afternoon after Babar Ali gets back to his family home a bell summons children to his house. They flood through the gate into the yard behind his house, where Babar Ali now acts as headmaster of his own, unofficial school.

Lined up in his back yard the children sing the national anthem. Standing on a podium, Babar Ali lectures them about discipline, then study begins.

Babar Ali gives lessons just the way he has heard them from his teachers. Some children are seated in the mud, others on rickety benches under a rough, homemade shelter. The family chickens scratch around nearby. In every corner of the yard are groups of children studying hard.

Babar Ali was just nine when he began teaching a few friends as a game. They were all eager to know what he learnt in school every morning and he liked playing at being their teacher.

Without this school many kids wouldn't get an education, they'd never even be literate Babar Ali Did school change your life?

Now his afternoon school has 800 students, all from poor families, all taught for free. Most of the girls come here after working, like Chumki, as domestic helps in the village, and the boys after they have finished their day's work labouring in the fields.

"In the beginning I was just play-acting, teaching my friends," Babar Ali says, "but then I realised these children will never learn to read and write if they don't have proper lessons. It's my duty to educate them, to help our country build a better future."

Including Babar Ali there are now 10 teachers at the school, all, like him are students at school or college, who give their time voluntarily. Babar Ali doesn't charge for anything, even books and food are given free, funded by donations. It means even the poorest can come here.

"Our area is economically deprived," he says. "Without this school many kids wouldn't get an education, they'd never even be literate."

Seated on a rough bench squeezed in with about a dozen other girls, Chumki Hajra is busy scribbling notes.

Her dedication to learning is incredible to see. Every day she works in homes in the village from six in the morning until half past two in the afternoon, then she heads to Babar Ali's school. At seven every evening she heads back to do more cleaning work.

Chumki's dream is to one day become a nurse, and Babar Ali's classes might just make it possible.

The school has been recognized by the local authorities, it has helped increase literacy rates in the area, and Babar Ali has won awards for his work.

The youngest children are just four or five, and they are all squeezed in to a tiny veranda. There are just a couple of bare electric bulbs to give light as lessons stretch into the evening, and only if there is electricity.

And then the monsoon rain begins. Huge big drops fall as the children scurry for cover, slipping in the mud. They crowd under a piece of plastic sheeting. Babar Ali shouts an order. Lessons are cancelled for the afternoon otherwise everyone will be soaked. Having no classrooms means lessons are at the mercy of the elements.

The children climb onto the porch of a nearby shop as the rain pours down. Then they hurry home through the downpour. Tomorrow they'll be back though. Eight hundred poor children, unable to afford an education, but hungry for anything they can learn at Babar Ali's school.

---

Here are some of your comments. You can send your own comment with the form at the bottom of this story.

Babar Ali is a hero (and I don't use that word often). He, and his loyal pupils, deserve not only our total respect, but our support and encouragement too.
Rob Baker, Newport, S. Wales

"Be the change you want to see in others"- Babar leads by example- such a humbling story that encourages everyone. Thank you!
Mari, London

The news is really an eye-opener. We always blame others including Government, but Babar Ali proves that we can return back to the society if we want.
Pradosh Debnath, Kolkata, India

If there are saints in this world, Babar Ali is one of them. He sees the problems of others. If the corrupt officials could learn from this young boy, they would not waste huge public funds that could educate millions.
JK, DSM, Tanzania

In world were you are measured by the materials you own, (house, cars, clothes etc) it's amazing to see a young making the most of what resource there is. Trying to improve not only the quality of his life, but others around him. A truly magnificent story about a remarkable young man.
Andrew Anastasi, London

Babar Ali is indeed a rare soul, who at such a young age is filled with a sense of duty, direction and patriotism. Maybe if more youths of today were like him, the world would be a better place. After reading the hardship these children go through, I cannot help but think how lucky Malaysian children are. It's human nature to take things for granted, some say. But I will share this story with my students. In hope that more will be inspired to be like someone like Babar Ali.
Teacher Jason, Penang, Malaysia

I too read this story with my mouth open and with tears in my eyes. What an inspiration this young boy is. This article should be read by teenagers in the western world who take their education for granted and think that they are entitled to whatever they want without lifting their little fingers. I'll definitely read this article to my teenage daughter.
Fayrouz, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire

Every student in every senior school in the UK should be given a copy of this at the beginning of each school year; to remind them of how privileged they are living in this country.
Ian Redding, Burscough, Lancashire, England

What BABAR ALI is doing is unquantifiable. I wish the local authority could give him a helping hand in order to take this 'school' to where he has in mind. He is a young man of vision and the whole world should stand up to help the guy. It's high time we stopped wasting our resources on things that doesn't have a good end result. This is a project that could go a long way in alleviating illiteracy if given the necessary support. Say me well to him and tell him we are praying for his success.
Agboola Olawale, Ilorin, Nigeria

Very inspiring! it takes me back 30 years as my uncle used to do exactly the same in my native village which had one school where he used to work and had his informal classes for poor students at home. Mr. Baber Ali, I salute you.
Srinivas Patnala, Grahamstown, South Africa

What a truly remarkable chap ! But hold on, isn't this India, the world's largest democracy? Doesn't anyone there want to legislate to make education state funded and available for all? What about abandoning their nuclear weapons and space programme to allow this to be funded.
Tim Stokes, Sittingbourne, Kent

A powerful example set by Mr. Babar Ali. After reading this article, I feel like going back home to my village in India and do something like this.
Shiv Sharma, Vermont, USA

Just Phenomenal! Stories like Babar Ali's are inspirational and life-changing. If the smallest percentage of readers the world over get inspired to give back in some form to further education in such villages, the Indian story will be one of enlightenment.
Rahul S, New York, NY

It's young people like this who really make the world turn and people stand up and realise that there is more outside of our little corners that is far more remarkable than we could ever achieve.
Donna, Milton Keynes

This is a great story. I come from Calcutta, W Bengal near to the place Babar Ali is doing this great job. I am going to Calcutta in November. I will positively visit the school, meet Babar Ali and will donate anything my resources will permit to support his mission.
Amit Ray, River Hills, USA

To influence one life is itself amazing, and here is Babar, at 16, influencing and changing 800 lives for their betterment. Hats off to him and I hope somebody from the West Bengal Education department read this story and hopefully reacts soon!!
Rakzeen, Detroit, Michigan, USA

A little ray of light in all that darkness. I reckon this guy deserves the Nobel prize for peace right now. Obama could have waited a year.
Reinhard Adolf, Yokohama, Japan

I have no words. It just makes me think that I should not complain about anything and take things for granted.
Florence Nesamani, Pune, India

Quite Amazing! Does this happen here in our planet? Ali is doing something which many other could think to be fictitious.
Wondwossen, Adds Ababa

The United States and all other other 1st world countries should support this young person give him the nobel peace prize, more education more peace I believe.

YTFD

I can't believe this, what a remarkable young man! I read this article with my mouth open. Thanks for this article BBC it makes me truly, truly humbled.
Olu, Stevenage, Hertfordshire

Babar Ali is a great soul. He will change lot of young lives. This is truly a remarkable story. The higher education system in Great Britain USA and should recognize Babar Ali and help him all the way in his noble cause.
Sunil Parikh, Davie, Florida

This article is like a cold shower that woke me up. my parents pay thousands of euros to my uni every year to give me an education. Realising that with the same amount of money all these children could much easily get education hurts. It hurts realising i have the chance and the means to learn, but I'm even complaining for having "too much to study". To see i have Facebook open instead of a book. We do need articles like this, we do need to wake up.
Melisa, Rome

No doubt, wherever Mr Babar Ali goes, even highly educated and positioned people will stand and respect him. I salute Babar Ali and pray for the future to be bright and prosperous for 'The Head Master' and his 'Pupil'. May God, through the Government, fulfil their desire.
S.Vijayan, Chennai, India

What an extraordinary story!! It nearly brought tears to my eyes. What dedication and commitment in such dire poverty from all these people. I personally never had any such problems and quite frankly could never dream of any as I was blessed to be in free state schooling in the UK. However, when I read the story of Babar Ali and his students, it makes me feel tiny. Thank you for bringing this story BBC.
Sajjid Abbasi, Saudi Arabia

What a wonderful kid, if only we can get his type within our community, we could be better off. Instead of our graduates to be sitting down under trees to argue unnecessarily they can borrow a leaf from Babar Ali.
Ahmad Ibrahim, Kano, Nigeria

The world needs people like these with the conviction to make a CHANGE in others lives.
Syed, Muscat

This boy deserves the highest recognition by the world's highest human rights institutions. He should be awarded a price in form of a school built near his home and named after it. He should be assisted to train as an educator in order for him to carry on his noble duties to his community
German Lungu, Lusaka, Zambia

I was deeply humbled by Babar Ali's story. So many people so many parts of the country take education funded by the government for granted. Deliberately missing lessons etc. And here are some 800 kids who'll do anything to get educated, to be better, thanks to this extremely remarkable teenager. We should be ashamed with our selves if we at some point took things for granted.
Farah, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

It's cost over $50K for my education as a primary school teacher. I wish I could have sent it to them instead!
Kimberly Luedke, Milwaukee, WI United States

India is in the process of a social change and it is the youths like Babar Ali who are trying to bring this change. It is people like him who are trying their bits and they have kept alive the hopes of numerous people in India whose lives are not rosy but every night they sleep in the hope that tomorrow will bring something good.
Bhavna Karki, Delhi, India

No comment. It's just wonderful.
Sally, Algeria

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8299780.stm

Microsoft readies bumper update

Microsoft will issue its biggest ever security update on 13 October.

The update will include 13 bulletins that between them tackle 34 vulnerabilities.

Microsoft said that eight of the bulletins were rated as critical - the most serious sort of vulnerability.

The security patches will close loopholes in many different programs including different editions of Windows, Internet Explorer and some elements of Office.

One update, rated as critical, tackles a loophole in Internet Explorer 8 running under Windows 7. The next version of Microsoft's operating system is due to be released on 22 October.

Most people will get the updates automatically but links to download them can also be found on Microsoft's security pages. Once applied to a PC, the machine will need to be re-started before the fixes take effect.

In a blog posting giving an outline of the updates, Jerry Bryant, a Microsoft security expert, said two of the fixes were for problems flagged up in earlier advisories.

One of those loopholes, for the File Transfer Protocol (FTP) bundled in with Microsoft's Internet Information Server, is already being exploited by some hi-tech criminals.

Windows is by far the most popular target for cyber criminals and the vast majority of the millions of malicious programs, including worms and trojans, are aimed at the operating system.

Prior to the bumper October security update, Microsoft's biggest every update was released in June 2009. That package of 10 fixes tackled 31 vulnerabilities.

Microsoft typically issues its updates on the second Tuesday of every month. It started this regular monthly update system in late 2003.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8302286.stm