Latest news with #Murty
Toronto Sun
28-04-2025
- General
- Toronto Sun
Her pet donkey went missing. Neighbours combed the woods for days to find him.
Published Apr 28, 2025 • 4 minute read Deirdre Carter reunited with her donkey, Murty, after he went missing in the woods for two days. MUST CREDIT: Darren Derby jpg Just before 7 a.m., Deirdre Carter did her regular check on the animals in her barn. Murty, one of her donkeys, usually greets her right away. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account 'Murty is always the first one I see,' said Carter, who lives on a 30-acre property in Berkshire County, Mass. She and her husband have six pets: two horses, two donkeys and two dogs. But that morning, April 20, Murty was missing. 'I just absolutely panicked,' Carter said, explaining there were 'signs of struggle' in the barn, including items knocked off a shelf, mats flipped over on the ground and fresh dirt on the floor. She also spotted bear tracks. 'I was sure a bear took him,' Carter said. 'I thought, 'Oh my gosh, Murty has been killed.' ' Carter, a retired nurse, and her husband Jerry, a retired psychiatrist, started searching their property, and then into the surrounding wooded area. They have lived there in the small town of Lanesborough for nearly 11 years. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'There was not a trace,' Carter said. They called 911, and local police arrived, as well as Lanesborough Animal Control and Massachusetts Environmental Police. 'This was like a crime scene. They had flashlights; they were looking in the barn for any hair or blood,' Carter said. Officers told the Carters that Murty was likely still alive since they didn't see blood in the barn. 'But I just couldn't imagine Murty running away,' Carter said. She and her husband rescued Murty – whom they think is in his early 20s – about 13 years ago. They believe he was abused before they took him in. 'He's very traumatized, very distrustful, very skittish,' Carter said, noting that he can sometimes be 'feisty' with other animals. But with her, 'he is just a sweetheart. He loves to be snuggled; he loves to be brushed.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The Carters and local officials searched for Murty until dark. Friends and neighbours put their Easter plans on pause to help. 'Everybody was in the woods looking for Murty,' Carter said. Karen Gold, who lives on a neighbouring property, saw a Facebook post from Lanesborough Animal Control about Murty, and she and her husband went looking right away. Their grandchildren also drove around the area searching for him. 'Any of us who have ever had any pets or are animal lovers, your heart just breaks thinking about them being lost and frightened,' Gold said. Bill Matthiesen and his wife, Liz Stell, who live next to the Carters, were part of a neighbourhood group that divided up to cover as much ground as possible. 'I think something like this really brings people together,' Matthiesen said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Darren Derby, an officer with Pittsfield Police Department, also joined the effort after seeing a Facebook post. Although he works in a neighbouring municipality, he lives in Lanesborough. 'It was Easter Sunday, I was off, and I was like, 'I might as well give it a shot,' ' Derby said. 'It's just a donkey to some people, but this is their family pet. I would want somebody to do the same for me.' Derby used a drone to try to track down the donkey that day, but didn't have any luck. The Carters were growing increasingly concerned. 'I just kept getting up all night looking outside for Murty, hoping he would come home,' Carter said. 'I was losing any hope as the hours ticked by.' The next morning, Derby went out again with his drone, and the Carters took their other donkey, Charly, to the top of a hill where they thought Murty might be. Murty and Charly are best friends, Carter said, 'and we were hoping that the other donkey might start calling for Murty.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. That plan didn't work. Then, around 5:30 p.m., after another day of searching for Murty, Derby spotted the donkey with his drone. Murty was in the woods about a mile from the Carters' property. 'I was ecstatic; it was like finding a needle in a haystack,' Derby said. 'He was on his back rolling around, having a good time.' Derby called Animal Control and also got in touch with the Carters. 'I screamed, I was so happy,' said Carter, who dashed out with her husband to get Murty. 'He is so skittish, there is nobody else I trusted to get him.' She brought carrots, Murty's favorite snack. Carter said she shed a few tears of relief to see Murty safe, and immediately gave him a back rub. She put a harness on him and led him out of the woods. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. When they got home, 'we popped a bottle of champagne,' Carter said. She also started installing an electric fence around the perimeter of the barn to prevent bears from getting in. The Carters are still not sure what caused Murty to go missing, but they've revised their theory. Since Murty was unscathed (aside from a small scrape on his nose), 'my whole idea has changed,' Carter said. 'We think he jumped out of his stall to go after the bear to protect the other horses, and that he was the attacker, not the attackee. We think he actually just chased the bear and ended up getting lost.' In any case, Murty is back. 'Right now, he's rolling in the dirt which is something he loves to do,' Carter said, adding that he also enjoys listening to classical music. Although Murty's escape was stressful, Carter said, the way her community rallied to find him was heartening. 'I could not believe the outpouring of care and support and help from so many people who didn't even know this donkey,' she said. 'We're lacking humanity in this time, and what I witnessed was just amazing.' Federal Elections Celebrity NFL Celebrity Sunshine Girls
The Independent
01-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Sunak and wife Murty unveil new charity focused on tackling numeracy problems
Former prime minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty have unveiled a new charity dedicated to improving numeracy across the UK. The venture, which has been named The Richmond Project after the area of North Yorkshire where they live and which Mr Sunak represents as an MP, will support creative ways of tackling numeracy problems. It aims to help children struggling at school, families lacking in number confidence and adults who never mastered basic maths. Since leaving Number 10 after the election in July, the MP for Richmond and Northallerton has become an ambassador for Prostate Cancer Research and accepted visiting academic posts at Oxford and Stanford. Meanwhile, Ms Murty has been a headline speaker at India's leading literary festival alongside her mother Sudha Murty. Mr Sunak said: 'Akshata and I are passionate about the importance of education – particularly numeracy, and the culture around it. 'If we can change the way people think about and approach numbers, we can build confidence and transform lives. 'We're calling it The Richmond Project – named after the place where we live and the constituency I am proud to represent. 'It'll be a UK-wide charity which will focus on breaking down some of the barriers that exist in families around numeracy – whether you're at primary school, secondary or indeed as an adult.' In 2023, while Mr Sunak was still in office, Ms Murty launched her Lessons At Ten programme in which thousands of children came to Downing Street on Friday mornings for lessons on a range of subjects, including numeracy and maths. Writing in The Times on Saturday, Ms Murty said: 'Since leaving No 10 Rishi and I have talked about what really matters to us now, and why. 'We've been fortunate in many ways, so what can we do to give back: to continue our commitment to public service. 'We've asked ourselves some fundamental questions – what drives us, what will make a real difference, and ultimately what will change lives? 'All our conversations have led us back to our passion – education. We did our research and concluded that within the sphere of education, numeracy stands out and would benefit from further attention. 'Great work is already being done, and we want to add to that. 'So, we've decided to set up The Richmond Project. The mission: To transform lives, by numbers. 'Building confidence with numbers changes lives. 'The Richmond Project will identify and support innovative solutions that drive social mobility by helping families break down barriers to numeracy. 'From starting school, through teenage years and into adulthood, if you find numbers a struggle, you'll find day to day living a struggle. 'Lack of understanding leads to fear and fear creates a vicious cycle that's hard to break. 'It can start young and blight your entire education, leading to limited job prospects and long-term social and financial consequences.' The project will champion a range of numeracy-related innovations. Its work is expected to include original research and financial, organisational and delivery support for specialist organisations. The charity's trustees are Mr Sunak, Ms Murty and Eleanor Shawcross, a former director of the No 10 Policy Unit.
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sunak and wife Murty unveil new charity focused on tackling numeracy problems
Former prime minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty have unveiled a new charity dedicated to improving numeracy across the UK. The venture, which has been named The Richmond Project after the area of North Yorkshire where they live and which Mr Sunak represents as an MP, will support creative ways of tackling numeracy problems. It aims to help children struggling at school, families lacking in number confidence and adults who never mastered basic maths. Since leaving Number 10 after the election in July, the MP for Richmond and Northallerton has become an ambassador for Prostate Cancer Research and accepted visiting academic posts at Oxford and Stanford. Meanwhile, Ms Murty has been a headline speaker at India's leading literary festival alongside her mother Sudha Murty. Mr Sunak said: 'Akshata and I are passionate about the importance of education – particularly numeracy, and the culture around it. 'If we can change the way people think about and approach numbers, we can build confidence and transform lives. 'We're calling it The Richmond Project – named after the place where we live and the constituency I am proud to represent. 'It'll be a UK-wide charity which will focus on breaking down some of the barriers that exist in families around numeracy – whether you're at primary school, secondary or indeed as an adult.' In 2023, while Mr Sunak was still in office, Ms Murty launched her Lessons At Ten programme in which thousands of children came to Downing Street on Friday mornings for lessons on a range of subjects, including numeracy and maths. Writing in The Times on Saturday, Ms Murty said: 'Since leaving No 10 Rishi and I have talked about what really matters to us now, and why. 'We've been fortunate in many ways, so what can we do to give back: to continue our commitment to public service. 'We've asked ourselves some fundamental questions – what drives us, what will make a real difference, and ultimately what will change lives? 'All our conversations have led us back to our passion – education. We did our research and concluded that within the sphere of education, numeracy stands out and would benefit from further attention. 'Great work is already being done, and we want to add to that. 'So, we've decided to set up The Richmond Project. The mission: To transform lives, by numbers. 'Building confidence with numbers changes lives. 'The Richmond Project will identify and support innovative solutions that drive social mobility by helping families break down barriers to numeracy. 'From starting school, through teenage years and into adulthood, if you find numbers a struggle, you'll find day to day living a struggle. 'Lack of understanding leads to fear and fear creates a vicious cycle that's hard to break. 'It can start young and blight your entire education, leading to limited job prospects and long-term social and financial consequences.' The project will champion a range of numeracy-related innovations. Its work is expected to include original research and financial, organisational and delivery support for specialist organisations. The charity's trustees are Mr Sunak, Ms Murty and Eleanor Shawcross, a former director of the No 10 Policy Unit.
Yahoo
26-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
I fell in love with ‘nerdy' Rishi ‘on the spot' over his love for UK, says Akshata Murty
Akshata Murty fell in love with 'nerdy' Rishi Sunak 'on the spot' over his deep affection for the UK, the wife of the former prime minister has said. In an interview with The Sunday Times, Indian-born Ms Murty claimed she was charmed by her future husband after learning that he shared a similar love for his country as her father. The pair met while studying for an MBA at Stanford University in California, where Mr Sunak announced earlier this week he will take up a visiting fellowship as he seeks to forge a new path after his premiership. 'One of the first conversations I had with Rishi when we met aged 24 was how much he loved the UK: he wanted other young people to have the same experiences that transformed his family. That was it for me. I fell in love on the spot,' Ms Murty said. 'He was definitely not the cool kid on campus. He was nerdy, he bought his clothes from Oxfam and drove a second-hand Volkswagen. But in so many ways my dad was that person too. Dad cared so much about India, he made my mum fall in love with him.' Ms Murty is the daughter of one of India's richest businessmen. Hailed as the 'Bill Gates of India', Narayana Murthy co-founded tech empire Infosys in 1981, with the family now boasting a net worth of $5.1 billion (£4.1 billion), according to Forbes. The Sunaks are thought to be the wealthiest couple to have ever lived at Number 10 and are worth around £500 million between them. Speaking to The Sunday Times in some of her first public comments since vacating Downing Street, the heiress said her upbringing in a business family prepared her for the toll of her husband's political career. She said that, as her own father worked long hours, she and her brother 'sacrificed' having their father around just as her own daughters did with Mr Sunak. Ms Murty added that while there are 'a lot of punches in politics,' she is unfazed by it as doing your duty is what matters most. 'It's a central tenet of Hindu philosophy and something my mother lives by. Our elder daughter, Krishna, is in Year 9 and I think she's quite a grounded 13-year old because even in the thick of politics, she's seen us live by those values,' she said. Sudha Murty, the former prime minister's mother in law, also told the Sunday Times she made similar sacrifices while helping her husband build Infosys, including leaving three-month-old Ms Murty in the care of her grandmother. 'Maternity leave didn't exist for women in India, so after Akshata was born I flew from Pune with my 90-day-old baby to Hubli, and left her with my mother. I said, 'From today, you are her mum,'' she said in the joint interview. She said she cried 'every day' over the painful separation but added: 'Nothing in life is free. For everything there is a price, except mothers' love.' The Sunaks are now thought to be splitting their time between the UK and US, after the former prime minister announced earlier this week he will also take up a position at the University of Oxford's Blavatnik School of Government. The ex-PM, who studied philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford before earning a business degree at Stanford, said he was 'delighted' to be joining the two institutions. Mr Sunak is also planning to stay on as the Tory MP for Richmond and Northallerton after being ousted from No 10 at the general election. He is thought to be in talks about establishing a private office alongside Ms Murty to pursue initiatives that will make a positive contribution to Britain, including education. Mr Sunak said while in office that it was the 'closest thing as a silver bullet there is' and the reason 'why I came into politics', while Ms Murty invited thousands of children into Downing Street on Friday mornings for lessons on topics including business, beauty, cooking and chemistry. She told The Sunday Times: 'Rishi and I are now in the next phase of our journey. We're passionate about education and we're exploring ideas together. We want to pass values and opportunities not just to our children but to as many young people as possible.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
