Mr Putin said he had thanked God that no big fragments of the meteor - which was thought to be made of iron and travelling at some 30km (19 miles) per second - had fallen in populated areas.

BBC: Russia sends clean-up team to meteorite-hit Urals

The foursome had been planning the trip for months, and Berkman said he didn't want to let his friends down (until, God forbid, he had no other choice).

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She said she had no choice in her calling, and had to follow the path set for her by God, even if her work sometimes brought as much criticism as praise.

CNN: PASSAGE

"We hadn't beaten England at Twickenham for God knows how long before this year and I've always said that what's happened in the past has no bearing on what happens next Saturday, " Jones added.

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