An animal considered a Canadian icon has resurfaced in Italy after an absence of more than 500 years.

A beaver was captured on camera in northeast Italy, marking the first sighting of the animal in that country since 1471.

Scientists were observing otters last week when the male beaver was seen walking into frame.

While the beaver was valued in Canada for its pelt, the animal was widely hunted and eaten in Italy and other parts of Europe during the Middle Ages and considered white meat — the same as fish — so Catholics could eat them on Fridays.

The animal didn't make a return to Central Europe until the 1980s, when conservationists reintroduced the species with beavers from northern Russia.

Scientists believe the beaver caught on camera is likely a descendant of a group that was introduced by conservationists to the Danube river, which runs through a large swath of Eastern and Central Europe. The European beavers are a distinct species, different from Canadian beavers.</s>HP isn't a name you normally associate with digital photography. So what makes the printer and scanner company think it's got what it takes to go up against the big traditional brands such as Olympus, Canon or Nikon?

Just as history students sometimes make great accountants, Hewlett Packard's strength here is thinking outside the box. Because of this there's a number of features on the R707 that we haven't seen before in a digital camera. The first is the built-in red eye reduction. Now instead of connecting it to a computer then starting up your photo editing suite and then fixing the red eye, you can do the whole lot in the camera on the fly. This of course has a number of advantages mainly that you can fix the red-eye and then print straight from the camera without the need of a PC or Mac.

The second thing that we've never seen in a digital camera before is an image advisor. Rather than just giving you a histogram, which for the most part nobody understands, the camera analyses your images, and in words, explains how you might go about improving the shot for next time. We tested this in macro mode without a tripod. Sure enough the suggestion was that our images were slightly blurry. The advice was that our picture could be improved by steadying the camera as well as making sure there was a better light source. Beyond this, the camera also contains a built-in manual in case you get stuck or need help when you're out in the field.

Novelty features aside the camera has been revamped in both style and usability since any previous outings. The menu system is a breeze to use and the buttons on the rear of the camera surrounding the 1.5in colour LCD all spell out what they do without any real thought. The LCD was clear to see in most conditions, including one of the bright sunny winter days that we tested the camera on. In fact the only problem we can see (although didn't suffer from) is the location of the two shutter buttons on the top of the camera. The larger of the two (see images) is the still capture, while the smaller one is for movie mode. A quick press of the wrong one and you've missed your shot.

The camera has also had a styling overhaul as well and the camera is half brushed stainless-steel and half high impact rubber giving the camera a durable feel to it. The result is a compact that is not only comfortable to use, but also one that feels sturdy enough to be carried about on holiday or down the pub. Connecting to the PC is either via USB2.0 or with an optional camera dock (reviewed here).

As this camera is geared towards the novice user, the R707 sports 10 shooting modes. While not the plethora that normally accompany a Canon or Pentax model (12-14) the 10 should still be enough, if you remember them to suit a picture you are taking: Auto, Aperture priority AE, Portrait, Action, Landscape, Beach and Snow, Sunset, Panorama, Document, Custom ('My Mode'), and Movie (with sound).

To save all your images on the camera comes with 32Mb of memory built-in with the option of expanding this with an additional SD card. The only annoying feature we found was that with a SD card in the camera, you weren't able to access the internal memory without taking the card out. It's really the only blot we could find on the model.

All these features are great, but if the camera's image quality is poor then what's the point. Luckily for HP it has concentrated as much on the stylish and feature of the model as it has on the image quality.

With 5 megapixels at its disposal, the images were detailed. Hewlett Packard also boasts that the R707 features Adaptive Lighting Technology (ALT), which automatically adjusts high-contrast photos to bring faces out of shadows and details out of backgrounds. The photos we took in our tests were well balanced with vivid yet natural colours, proving that this marketing speak actually does make a difference. However in our test shots we did find that large blocks of colour lost some detail (see inside of blue jacket in sample shots) but nothing that would be too concerning at standard print sizes.

The focus managed to capture the detail we wanted rather than picking up stray elements in the picture. The flash did have a tendency to overwork when subjects were close by, and it's a shame you can't decrease the setting manually. The 3x zoom (35-117 equivalent to 35mm) is standard in a camera of this styling and means that it would be ideal for parties and general pictures rather than capturing images from afar.

The camera offered fast start up, fast zoom and fast save times to the internal memory. The two complaints we have are firstly the save time to the SD card as it wasn't very fast. Take three or four shots in succession and you'll have a camera that is out of action for some time as the buffer works away to clear itself. Secondly, the flash can occasionally overcompensate. However, if you aren't planning lots of action shots or those featuring you and your friends in dimly lit environments (like a nightclub and so on) then this offers plenty to the novice digital photographer looking to learn their first digital camera rather than just being confused all the time. As a compact point and shoot the R707 has three good elements. 1. Good looks, 2. Incredibly easy to use and, 3. A picture quality to match the first two.</s>Nikon has announced a world's first for the camera world – a compact coupled with a built-in projector.

The Coolpix S1000pj is a move that's certain to shake up both the projector and camera market, Nikon believes that the camera can project images up to 40 inches in size (and as low as 5 inches) and there's also a remote control in the package, so you can set up your own image slideshow on the go.

The camera itself holds a 12MP sensor, 5x optical zoom and a 2.7-inch TFT LCD. ISO levels can be cranked up to 3200 at full res.

As with every compact out at the moment, you can reduce image blur in-camera and there's also a whole host of other features, including a Skin Softening function – which will make your leathery looking grandmother look like Cameron Diaz in no time.

The Nikon S1000pj is out in September and will set you back £399.

And if you want to read if it's any good, the folks at T3 online have been busy and put up a hands-on with the camera already.</s>Can you help to find missing man Dayle Rostron?

The 26-year-old was last seen leaving his home in Hemel Hempstead at around 6.15pm on Wednesday, (December 5).

He is described as being white, around 5ft 11in tall, of medium build with ginger hair.

Mr Rostron was last seen wearing a black corduroy jacket with a woollen collar, a plain black t-shirt, black tracksuit bottoms with a grey stripe, and black trainers with white soles.

He may have also been wearing a dark grey beanie hat with a white tag and was carrying a black rucksack.

He has a silver nose ring and tattoos on his forearm, shoulder and leg.

If you have information about Dayle’s whereabouts please contact police on 101, if you are with Dayle now or have seen him in the last few moments please call 999.</s>Police have launched a search for a missing 79-year-old man, who was last seen with his dog.

David Collins, who is described as being 5ft 9 inches tall, was last seen in the Buckley area in Flintshire.

He has a white beard and was last seen wearing a grey striped beanie hat, a dark blue jacket and dark blue trousers.

He was last seen walking his dog.

North Wales Police have not revealed exactly how long he is thought to have been missing for.

If anyone has seen David or know of his whereabouts, phone 101 quoting W174685.</s>After the success of Stree, producer Dinesh Vijan announces a quirky comedy named 'Bala' starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Bhumi Pednekar

After the success of Stree, producer Dinesh Vijan announces a quirky comedy named 'Bala' starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Bhumi Pednekar. The film has Ayushmann as a prematurely balding guy and Bhumi as a dusky small-town girl.

After Dum Laga Ke Haisha and Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, the duo who are gearing up to complete a hat-trick will reunite for this quirky laugh riot.

The film will be directed by Amar Kaushik who directed one of this year's biggest hits, the horror-comedy Stree. The film is expected to roll in March 2019 and is set to release in September same year.

Bala revolves around a guy who is balding prematurely and a dusky girl who is grappling with her own complexes brought on by her complexion. "Through their journey, the film impresses on the fact that most of us are usually attracted to outward beauty and don't go beyond that to understand the real person. That's one of the reasons so many relationships are falling apart today!" says Dinesh.

The maker of off-beat entertainers like Stree and Irrfan Khan's educative Hindi Medium, Dinesh reasons, "It's a hilarious story but at the same time, it makes you think. The two characters are very interesting and easy to relate with, so is their small-town milieu."

Quiz him on whether the 34-year-old actor was the obvious choice, Dinesh insists that Ayushmann is second to none in this quirky space given his comic timing and his interestingly innovative films, from Vicky Donor and Dum Laga Ke Haisha to Shubh Mangal Savdhaan and Badhaai Ho. "I'm really happy to be doing our film with Ayushmann." he asserts. And will the role call for prosthetics? "Partly," admits Dinesh, saying that they are getting the best guys in the business from the West to come down and set the look for the character. "I can't wait to get started," he says excitedly.

He's equally excited to collaborate for the first time with Bhumi, pointing out that she's a terrific actress with an interesting body of work. "In this film too she has an author-backed role of a modern-day woman trying to feel beautiful in a country that has long celebrated fair and lovely," he asserts.

Confirming the news, Amar said, "I am completely in love with the way the script of Bala is shaping up and really excited about having Ayushmann and Bhoomi on board with us, two of the most talented actors of our times.

Bala is going to be a fun and a very relatable film for the audience, bringing fore problems that many of us face everyday. Associating with Dinesh and the team of Maddock Films once again is just so lovely and also emotional after the super experience we had on Stree."

When asked Dinesh, Why is the film titled, Bala?

He adds Ayushmann's character in the film is named Bala. "It's his nickname really but I thought it was an apt title. It is also a tongue-in-cheek pun on his life story. Bal Aa Aaa Aaa," says laughingly.

Also Read: Ayushmann Khurrana: Films I'm Doing Are Extension Of My Street Theatre

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates</s>Seeing the success of the ultra-slim compact cameras, Sony has decided to release one of its own - the DSC-T1. This 5 mega pixel camera is the size of a pack of cards - but is performance affected by cramming so much into such a small space? We took a look to find out.

Cased in metal, the camera’s biggest asset is the large 2.5” LCD display on the rear of the camera. This achievement isn’t without its downside. Those looking for an optical viewfinder will be disappointed, as the camera doesn’t have one. The front boasts a non-protruding Carl Zeiss lens protected by a sliding cover.

The camera is connects to PC or Mac using a USB2.0 docking station. While this makes for easy and fast connection to a computer, Sony has failed to allow you to directly connect a USB cable. This lack of connection means that if you are hoping to connect it to a friend’s machine, the docking station has to come with you. Throw in the very large and cumbersome power supply unit and you’ve got a camera that’s not as portable as it first appears.

Inside the body, the camera offers 5.1 mega pixels, 8 scene modes and presets for white balance, focuses, ISO settings up to 400 and the usual black & white or sepia effects. The modes do offer some help when taking pictures and the auto mode will adjust the DSC-T1 to the relevant setting for the job at hand.

Images themselves gave mixed results with the DSC-T1 having issues with focusing. This produced pictures that were often slightly blurred - see some of our sample shots. However when the camera got it right, the results were very good, clear, crisp with well balanced colours. The macro mode proved very good, although the camera was very sensitive to camera shake at that range.

If you are looking for a style camera with 5 mega pixels then this is currently the only one out there, however you have to ask whether you really need that many pixels for the job that this camera is likely to be employed for. Canon's Ixus I might have one less mega pixel down, however it comes across as a better camera, plus you get more images for your memory card and faster saving times. In a market that is fast adopting the PC model, more pixels doesn't mean better photographs. There are just too many worrying elements here that put together don't make for a perfect camera.</s>Pocket-lint is among the first in Europe to get access to the new R817 5 megapixel digital camera from HP. So does it build on the popular R707 range or should Hewlett Packard stick to the photo printers and business desktop machines? We climbed a volcano to find out- but unlike Dangerman adventures, brought it back to tell the tale

HP is continuing its push its into the digital camera market with little sign of stopping and it’s easy to see why. The more digital photos taken, the greater chance someone, like you, is going to want to print them out. As Hewlett Packard offers a bigger range of photo printers than ever before, the compelling reason to get you taking those pictures in the first place is blatantly apparent.

In steps the R817, a small compact camera that tries it’s hardest to stand alongside the Canons and Nikons of this world. The body and design, while reduced considerably since the last outing in the R707, is still a tiny bit chunky and clunky. Thumb groves have been carved out of the design making it comfortable to hold, but for some reason we could never get past the image of a clay model still sitting in the studio waiting for approval. That’s not to say its bad. It’s just not spectacular.

The front of the camera offers the 5x Pentax optical zoom lens - more than most, and the rear houses the 2.5in screen, which while large, isn’t sun reflective. What makes matters worse is that like many camera manufacturers, HP has opted not to include an optical viewfinder. Take this model to the beach, or anywhere sunny for that matter, and you’ll be finding yourself shooting pot luck.

Get past the design and the camera is geared toward the digital camera newcomer. The list of scene modes is as long as your arm as is the cameras built in features. 15 optimised shooting modes including action, landscape and ‘burst’; get great results at concerts and plays with theatre mode.

HP pride themselves on making things easier for those who don’t necessarily know how to and the inclusion of red-eye reduction, imaging enhancing and other such gems is welcomed.

New to the R817 is the ability to take panoramic images and then stitch them in-camera negating the need for software and a nearby PC. On its own the idea doesn’t seem like something digital photographers are screaming out for, but then add it to HP’s new Photosmart 385 printer that can print 10cm x 30cm panoramic prints direct from a memory card and you can see why the option and technology suddenly increases in usefulness.

Images are saved down onto the camera’s 32Mb of internal memory - never enough - and the quality is as you’d expect for a 5 megapixel camera in this class. The Pentax lens does its job and the results are bright and crisp. Skin tones, masses of the same colour and contrasting edges don’t show any major issues on our test shots. However, a faster shutter reaction time would have been helpful (we tried taking a picture of a whale surfacing for air and it ended up being a bit hit and miss as to whether or not we got the shot- unlike the glossy ad campaign for a rival brand).

So should you be ditching the Canon compact and becoming a HP photographer? If you are new to digital photography it's certainly worth a look as the consumer angle is very refreshing. The camera will happily give you image advice on the shots you've taken, plus includes a manual in the camera for any simply queries and the whole approach to the menu system is one of ease. Combine this with the ability to print panoramic shots straight to a printer to re-live that APS experience, but with a better quality print, and HP is offering a really good package here. However, for the more advanced photographers out there looking for a good field camera it's probably best to stick with a model from the big boys.</s>Sony has officially announced the arrival of its latest super-zoom camera, the Cyber-shot HX1.

The 9.1MP shooter makes use of an Exmor CMOS sensor – which helps with speedy picture taking – 20x optical zoom and the ability to record Full HD video clips. The camera also houses a tilt-angle 3.0-inch LCD.

With these kind of stats it is plain to see why the Cyber-shot HX1 is being touted as Sony's flagship camera model.

To help with image processing, the Exmor sensor – which was last seen in Sony's Alpha range of cameras – works alongside a BIONZ image processor. According to Sony, this technology "delivers outstanding images with reduced noise, especially when shooting in high ISO settings."

The HX1 also boasts a new camera mode: 'Sweep Panorama'. Turn this on and the camera will stitch together an extra-wide, high resolution image from the shots you take.

For those who want to take HD movies with the camera and have a Bravia TV setup, you'll be pleased to hear that the camera uses BRAVIA Sync, which brings quick and easy playback of your movies.

Although no prices have been announced, expect the HX1 to hit shelves in April.</s>The F10 boasts the companies new, 1/1.7-inch Super CCD HR sensor that uses a full 6.3-million gross pixels rather than the interpolated, dual pixel elements of yore. Fujifilm's Super CCD technology has been with us for some time now and it just keeps getting better and to prove the point the F10 has its best incarnation yet in a camera of this class.

Look over the camera which, it has to be said, seems a tad conservative design wise given many of today's stylish-looking models, it is still quite svelte and very well made with an all-mental body that oozes class.

A large four-position switch on the top plate switches the camera between its scene, auto and manual shooting modes and the excellent 640x480-pixel, 30fps with sound movie capture setting; a central shutter release button completes the top plate controls apart from…

A power switch, which sits adjacent to the four-way controller and must be held down for around a second to switch the camera on preventing accidental activation. On the camera's back, a large 2.5in and 115,000-pixel screen hogs the real estate, pushing all the other camera controls over to the right. These are quite small and the four-way controller has a central Menu/OK button.

A playback button (which, like the power button, can be held for around a second when the camera's off to activate playback without opening the lens) and an ‘F' button are above the four way control. The ‘F' button accesses the camera's separate menus for image size and quality settings and is simple to use.

The camera lacks the usual gamut of scene modes plumping instead for four basic scene modes (portrait, landscape, sports and night scene modes) and a natural light mode. There's an auto shooting mode for, well, point and shooting plus a manual position that provides an extended menu system offering slightly more advanced settings for exposure compensation to +/-2EV in 1/3rd f-stop steps and white balance control. There's no control for shutter or apertures though.

All of these must be mastered through a slow and initially fiddly menu system that takes some getting used to. However, the menu glitches are more than outweighed by the camera's performance, which is pretty much class-leading in terms of responsiveness, lack of shutter lag and the rechargeable battery life - in our tests it lasted up to 500 shots on a single charge in normal shooting.

If you switch to a neat High Speed shooting mode, the focusing speed is dramatically increased and the effective focus distance is altered slightly from 1m to infinity (you can get from 7.5cm in ‘normal' macro shooting for example) and it reduces the battery life significantly too but you still get around 300-shots on a single charge, still very respectable. My test bore this out as a single charge lasted almost a week worth of snapping including reviewing and plenty of flash work too.

The built in flash is quite good, though it overpowered some of my closer portraits, and the recycle time is very slow indeed when compared to the speediness of the rest of the camera.

Image quality can be summed up quite succinctly as excellent. The level of detail outstrips many of the 7-megapixel digicams on the market. This fact is largely due to the very nice, sharp, F2.8 to F5, 3x optical zoom lens that gives a focal range from 36mm to 108mm (35mm equiv.), it has to be said however, that it's still a fairly standard lens range for today's digital compacts.

Colour and exposure is consistent and spot on, focusing is similarly reliable and noise, or lack thereof, is superbly controlled. Even at the camera's top ISO 1600 sensitivity setting, you get a noise level normally arrived at ISO 400 on other digital cameras. Only very slight pixel fringing on contrast boundaries are image demerits of note.
A beaver is seen in Northern Italy on camera, a species that has not been seen in the country since 1471.