A group of climbers have scaled Africa’s highest mountain – wearing just their shorts.

Dutch daredevil Wim Hof, known as the ‘iceman’, led a group of 26 people to the summit of the world’s highest free standing mountain – Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

In just 48 hours the group climbed all 5,895m (19, 340ft) without succumbing to hypothermia or altitude sickness – an achievement considered impossible by experts. Clearly, they were in peak condition.

Eleven of the team climbed the mountain dressed just in shorts and without tops – to arrive unhurt at the mountain’s peak, where the temperature is a brutal -20C.

Before the project started, the Dutch Mountaineering and Climbing Federation and expedition medics considered this impossible.

The success rate of reaching Uhuru Peak in a regular mountaineering expedition is 41 per cent.

At the summit the amount of oxygen is less than 50 per cent of the amount of oxygen at sea level – usually for a climber going up, it takes five to seven days to acclimatise.

Whim believes a combination of training focus, breathing and training at low temperatures made it possible for the participants to gain control over altitude sickness.

The participants of this expedition, aged between 29 and 65 years, were without any real mountaineering experience and some suffered conditions such as rheumatism, asthma and chrones disease.

Wim Hof, who sat in an ice bath for one hour 13 minutes to break the world record, said: ‘Until now the world thought that only I was capable to conquer extreme cold and altitude.

‘These heroes have shown that everybody is able to do what I am doing.

‘My method offers people the possibility to influence their mind and body, and in particular their nervous system.

Mr Hof claims that he can alter his body’s heat using just the power of his mind.

At least six people died Tuesday in protests in Kiev, officials said.

The casualties occurred after protesters set fire to the headquarters of the ruling Party of Regions and as violence roiled the capital for the first time in more than two weeks.

The Ukrainian Interior Ministry said that more than 47 people were hurt in Tuesday’s clashes; the protesters’ medical service put that figure at more than 150.

Violence erupted Tuesday, after the speaker of the parliament would not let opposition members register amendments that would have led to a vote to limit the rights of the President and restore the constitution to the way it was in 2004.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has ordered changes to a draft of new criminal legislation in response to an international outcry warning it would severely limit justice for victims of domestic abuse, his spokesman said Monday.

Afghanistan’s parliament had passed a new criminal procedure code that would ban relatives from testifying against alleged abusers. While the legislation awaited signature from Karzai, human rights organizations and several of Afghanistan’s Western allies — including the U.S. and European Union — voiced strong concerns it would effectively curb prosecutions involving violence against women, where relatives are often the only witnesses.

Karzai’s spokesman, Aimal Faizi, said the president was “well aware” of the critiques and reports and decided at a Cabinet meeting Monday that the legislation must be changed.

“This law will not bar any relative or any family member to testify against each other or another member of family,” he told the Associated Press. “It will be up to them. They will have the freedom.”

Powered by three jet engines and hitting speeds approaching 400mph, this is one lorry you won’t get stuck behind.

This is Shockwave, the world’s fastest jet-powered truck.

The four-tonne Peterbilt Semi generates an incredible 36,000 horsepower and can cover a quarter mile in just six-and-a-half seconds.

Driver and owner Neal Darnell, 64, said: ‘It’s an awesome experience, you won’t believe it until you see it.’

Shockwave, which could outrun a Japanese bullet train, holds the world record for fastest jet-powered full-size truck, at 376mph.

It holds 190 gallons of fuel and burns 180 gallons per performance.

Mr Darnell’s son Chris, 31, who also drives Shockwave and took his first ride aged just seven, said: ‘The added afterburners double the horsepower and thrust, so Shockwave literally has six times the power of the jet aeroplane these engines came in.

Shockwave, first built by Les Shockley in 1984, is now in its 30th year.

The father and son, who bought and rebuilt the iconic vehicle in 2012, will be celebrating by tearing up the tarmac at special performances across the U.S. and Canada.

He has worked as a photographer, a teacher, a film executive, an emotional support consultant and a river rafting guide.

Jubanashwa Mishra has spent 28 weeks trying out 28 jobs  – a challenge that has seen him travel more than 15,000 miles across India.

The 29-year-old started the project in May 2013 after leaving his job as a software engineer in Chennai because he was not passionate about it.

He said he hoped the challenge would inspire youngsters to explore their own passion and discover a profession they really want to do.

‘There is a growing trend in India toward stereotypical higher education in medicine and engineering,’ he said. ‘There are a lot of other possible professions which a kid may want to do, but those dreams are killed during adolescence.’

‘Through my one job a week project in India, I have tried to break this trend. I hope it will inspire the youngsters of tomorrow to follow their dreams.’

Mr Mishra’s challenge saw him travel to 28 Indian states via different modes of transport, including plane, train, bus,  car, taxi, auto rickshaw and motorbike.

He took on jobs in Manipur, Bihar, Rajasthan, Kerela and Gujurat and other places – before returning home, where he now works as a writer and motivational speaker.

A bus traveling on a dangerous highway in Indian-administered Kashmir Sunday plunged off the road, killing 14 passengers and injuring 28 others, officials said.

The overloaded bus hurtled down a 300-foot-deep gorge after the driver lost control of the vehicle, a senior government official said.

“Fourteen passengers died on the spot, and 28 others were wounded, some of them critically,” Shant Manu, divisional commissioner of the Jammu and Kashmir district, told CNN.

He said contingents of the Indian army and police were deployed immediately to rescue passengers.

The bus was completely destroyed in the accident.

Accidents on the strategic, serpentine highway connecting the Muslim-majority Kashmir to rest of the country are common because of speeding and the treacherous nature of the road.

The highway is often blocked by snow and landslides. The road was closed to traffic several times this winter, which has had multiple heavy snowfalls.

 World Radio Day recognizes the unique role and impact of a medium that reaches the largest audience worldwide.

This year’s observance highlights the need for radio broadcasters everywhere to promote the voice of women and to enhance the role of women within broadcast organizations.

The airwaves have frequently lagged behind when it comes to gender equality.

Not nearly enough women’s voices are heard — either in front or behind the microphone.

Not nearly enough stories about women and girls are being told.

And women make up only a quarter of the members of the boards of the world’s media enterprises.

I encourage radio stations to be more inclusive by equally recognizing women in their staff and in their audience.

Radio can also help dismantle stereotypical and imbalanced programming.

This is an opportunity for everyone.  Let us celebrate this World Radio Day by saluting women in radio today — and doing our utmost to nurture the new voices for tomorrow.

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