Wen: 100m Chinese live in poverty

Premier Wen Jiabao on Wednesday reiterated that China, though boasting a fairly large economy, is still a developing nation and has more than 100 million people living below the poverty line.


Wen made the remarks while addressing the High-level Roundtable of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20 summit), which opened Wednesday in Brazil's coastal city of Rio de Janeiro.
He said as a developing country, China may boast a fairly large economy, but its per capita income ranks around 90th in the world. Calculated according to a new standard, China still has more than 100 million people living below the poverty line.
He said China faces an uphill journey in promoting sustainable development. "Moreover, pressure from resources and the environment continues to mount, and problems of unbalanced, uncoordinated and unsustainable development remain challenging."

Google to save dying languages

San Francisco - Google on Wednesday set out to save the world's dying languages.

In an alliance with scholars and linguists, the internet powerhouse introduced an Endangered Languages Project website where people can find, share, and store information about dialects in danger of disappearing.

"People can share their knowledge and research directly through the site and help keep the content up-to-date," project managers Clara Rivera Rodriguez and Jason Rissman said in a Google blog post.

"A diverse group of collaborators have already begun to contribute content ranging from 18th-century manuscripts to modern teaching tools like video and audio language samples and knowledge-sharing articles."

The website at endangeredlanguages.com is designed to let users upload video, audio, or text files and encourages them to memorialize recordings of rare dialects.

Only half of the approximately 7 000 languages spoken today are expected to survive past the end of this century, according to an Endangered Languages video posted at Google-owned video-sharing venue YouTube.

"Documenting... languages that are on the verge of extinction is an important step in preserving cultural diversity, honouring the knowledge of our elders and empowering our youth," Rodriguez and Rissman said.

"Technology can strengthen these efforts, by helping people create high-quality recordings of their elders [often the last speakers of a language], connecting Diaspora communities through social media and facilitating language learning."

Google's philanthropic arm seeded the project, leadership of which will be ceded in coming months to the First People's Cultural Council and the Institute for Language Information and Technology at Eastern Michigan University.

WikiLeaks launches crusade over financial blockade

The world`s most famous whistleblowing website WikiLeaks is suing Valitor, formerly VISA Iceland, over suspension of financial services. The hearing is taking place before the Icelandic courts in Reykjavik on Thursday.
In a statement published on its website WikiLeaks announced the case is the first in a series of suits over the “unlawful” banking blockage.
WikiLeaks asserts that the financial blockade has been imposed by Visa Iceland on DataCell, the Iceland-based company processing donations for WikiLeaks, after the site published leaks in December 2010.
“Julian Assange was working in Iceland the winter of 2009-2010. After that, WikiLeaks actually produced a tremendously important leak which exposed corruption within Iceland. It shed light onto why the entire banking system of Iceland collapsed in 2008,” WikiLeaks press spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson explained to RT. He added that WikiLeaks has been “starved of 95 per cent” of its funds.
DataCell signed an agreement with Valitor in June 2011, but after a short period of processing donations for WikiLeaks, Valitor terminated the agreement and closed the gateway, even though it had been previously tested and certified by the company.
Valitor has cited alleged violations by Datacell for collecting donations for a third party. Datacell, however, insists that Valitor was fully aware of the final recipient of donations.

Man caught after stealing car from owner busy rescuing drowning woman

Police have arrested a man suspected of stealing a car whilst its owner rushed to save a couple drowning in the Moscow River.
The hero of the hour had leaped out of his Audi Q7 after seeing a Volvo fall into the water with two people trapped inside.
The thief was detained by police in the south of the capital late on Wednesday night along with the stolen Audi.
According to officers, the suspect had been convicted of robbery twice before, in 2001 and 2006.
The driver of the Audi Q7 did not hesitate to leap to the rescue of those caught inside the sinking vehicle after it lost control and came off the road.
He helped a young woman struggle free of the car, but did not manage to rescue her husband, who drowned in the Volvo.
In the heat of the moment, the rescuer left his car unlocked and with the keys in the ignition, at which point the opportunistic thief took his chance to steal away with the unattended Audi.  (rt.com)

Sweden on nuclear facility alert as explosives found at plant

Sweden has raised the alert at all its nuclear facilities after bomb sniffer dogs discovered an explosive device in the back of a truck near Stockholm’s Ringhals atomic power station. Police are investigating the incident.

Although the device lacked a detonator, officers have evacuated the area around the truck and are questioning the driver. Initial reports point to sabotage, with no immediate suspects.

Police spokesman Tommy Nyman said the driver was unaware of the explosives.
“An outsider has obviously placed them on the truck…we're talking to the truck driver and are trying to map out her movements within the premises throughout the day,” Nyman said.

Swedish bomb technicians noted that due to the lack of a detonator, there was no immediate risk of explosion. Furthermore, officials from the Ringhals power plant say that even had the explosives gone off, they would not have posed any threat to the reactor.

“Under the first step onto the truck there is a fire extinguisher and that is where the explosive had been placed,” Gosta Larsen, Head of Communication at the Ringhals plant, told the Swedish news source TT, adding that the discovery was “worrying”.

Officials say the device was like "the size of a small fist, shaped like a plastic explosive". It was discovered during a routine check.  (rt.com)

Algeria spends 560 mn euros to modernise tourism industry

Algeria has set aside 56 billion dinars (560 million euros, $720 million) to modernise its hotels and thermal baths, the tourism minister said Thursday, as the country seeks to boost sectors besides oil.

"Eight thermal baths will be modernised and renovated at a cost of 12 billion dinars," Minister Smail Mimoune said on national radio.

"The remaining 44 billion dinars are for public hotels, which number 58."

The government is currently taking bids for the upgrades, the radio station reported.

The minister said Algeria currently has 95,000 hotel beds -- a number private-sector projects already under way aim to raise by 80,000.

The government is keen to find viable economic sectors other than oil and natural gas -- which the country currently depends on for nearly all its cash income -- and is working to draw foreign visitors to its spas and thermal baths.

Five American Companies In Danger of Extinction

Each year, 24/7 Wall St. identifies 10 important American brands that we predict are going to disappear within a year. This year’s list reflects the brutally competitive nature of certain industries and the reason why companies cannot afford to fall behind in efficiency, innovation or financing.

American Airlines will disappear in 2013 because of its inefficiency. It was the premier carrier in the United States for almost 30 years -- even surviving through periods during which most other carriers went bankrupt. However, it lost its critical advantage of scale when Northwest merged with Delta (NYSE: DAL) and Continental merged with United (NYSE: UAL). Within two years, American became a medium sized carrier.

Research in Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM) may be the best example of an innovative company that lost its edge. As a result, it will disappear in 2013. Five years ago, RIM was the only smartphone of any size and had almost the entire corporate market. But it made one mistake: it failed to adapt its technology for consumer use. In June 2007, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) launched the iPhone and the rest is history.

Pacific Sunwear (NASDAQ: PSUN) no longer has the capital to compete. The retailer will be gone by the end of 2013. In the company’s most recent 10-Q, it said one of its biggest risks was running low on capital and not meeting financial obligations.

A few of the companies we said would vanish are still operating -- barely. American Apparel is now a penny stock. Nokia is another company 24/7 still predicts will go away soon. The former Finnish heavyweight just fired 10,000 employees, or 20% of its workforce.
Read complete news here

Greenpeace demands end to Arctic drilling

Greenpeace is launching a campaign to have the Arctic region declared a sanctuary by the United Nations, backed up by Sir Paul McCartney, actor Robert Redford and the boy band One Direction. The group aims for a million signatures on a petition calling for an end to oil exploration and unsustainable fishing, which will be planted on the sea bed.The first 100 signatories on the new petition include explorers, business leaders, actors and musicians. Film director Pedro Almodovar and his sometime leading lady Penelope Cruz, Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke, actor Javier Bardem and businessman Sir Richard Branson are on the list.

Environment groups are bitterly disappointed that governments have chosen not to press forward on issues such as ending fossil fuel subsidies, enhancing energy efficiency and espousing the idea of a "green economy".                   

The Executive director of Greenpeace International, Kumi Naidoo said: "The Arctic is coming under assault, and needs people from around the world to stand up and demand action to protect it."

With Arctic warming up faster, it becomes easier for companies to prospect for oil and gas, with the US, Canada, Greenland and Russia among countries pursuing this nascent industry.

Greenpeace is calling for an agreement to ban environmentally damaging activities in the Arctic region, just as they were banned in the Antarctic 21 years ago under a protocol added to the Antarctic Treaty.

Headline June 22nd, 2012 / "China's Mandate Of Heaven"

China's Mandate
Of
Heaven

Little known to the world at large is the fact, that in China, even the weather is subject to Beijing's official five year plan. Haha! Let me now move you to Urumqi, the administrative capital of Xinjiang, the vast and rugged region of north west China.

It is an industrial city of over 2 million people, situated astride the old silk road on a semi arid plateau 200 miles south of the Continental Pole of Inaccessibility --the place on earth that is farthest from sea. As a result of its landlocked isolation, the area is bitterly cold in the winter and insufficiently snowy. 

Snow on the ground is desirable because it lies in reserve until spring, and then moistens the land just as the plants and flowers revive. Nature could be so grand if only it would provide. So, the problem in Xinjiang is that the clouds passing overhead are too often dry. 

But the Chinese never submit without a fight. On gray days in Xinjiang, when the sky is pregnant with the promise of precipitation, they aim scores of weapons skywards, and fire into the clouds to induce the snow or rain to fall. In 2008, in the city of Urumqi alone they shot off a thousand rockets, and hundreds and thousands of weapon and canon rounds. 

And this was just a small part of the larger battlefield din. The Xinjiang region, it turns out, is home to the largest cloud-seeding operation in the world. And no one should forget that this is a rare case where no one is blaming global warming for the weather. 

In fact, dry skies are endemic to most of China, which is likely to experience increasingly violent typhoons because of climate change but has suffered from the drip torture of droughts for thousands of years. For equally long the Chinese have been looking for a solution. 

At various times the ancient Chinese responded by making public confessions on the basis of a theory, generally known as 'moral meteorology. The Ancient Chinese held imperial officials liable for the weather, and even persuaded a few of the culprits to burn themselves alive when the rains and the required weather didn't materialise on time and fullness. Hahahaa! 

The trap, as with any 'ritual' was that sometimes it seemed to work!!! But self criticism does not naturally come to people, so the imperial officials were able to deflect the blame. The Chinese believed the Dragons controlled the rain!!! Haha! 

So, how far has mankind progressed?? Oh dear!

Many thanks to !WOW! 

And many thanks to the Great Students of Phillipenes for their growing involvement. 

Share us forward and hit the million mark. 

Thank you all the world over! 

Good Night And God Bless!

SAM Daily Times - The Voice Of The Voiceless!

Grable Foundation Awards Grant to Allegheny College for Creek Connections Program

The Grable Foundation has awarded a grant of $30,000 to Allegheny College in support of the Pittsburgh operations of Creek Connections, a partnership between the college’s natural science division and elementary, middle and high schools.

Founded in 1995, the project has grown from five to more than 50 participating teachers at more than 40 schools, most of which are located in western Pennsylvania. In Creek Connections, K-12 students use neighborhood streams as outdoor laboratories for ongoing water quality investigations. The program extends the reach of the schools’ science curricula and provides authentic research experiences for students as well as assistance and materials that otherwise would not be available to teachers.

Creek Connections has partnered with Pittsburgh-area schools since 1998. A full-time field educator, Laura Branby, provides the majority of on-site and on-line support for school participants, organizes the annual student research symposium, represents Creek Connections in environmental outreach events and serves as liaison to collaborators such as Fern Hollow Nature Center, RiverQuest and the many environmental professionals who assist with symposia and Creek Camps.

Creek Connections has received numerous regional, state and national awards for its contributions to environmental education and stewardship. The program is directed by Jim Palmer, associate professor of environmental science and biology at Allegheny College, and managed by Wendy Kedzierski.

The Grable Foundation was founded in 1976 by Minnie K. Grable, the widow of Errett M. Grable. Mr. Grable was a founder and lifetime director of Rubbermaid Inc., which grew into an international housewares manufacturing company. The foundation’s mission is to help children and youth to become independent, caring, contributing members of society by supporting programs critical to a child’s successful development.

Original source here.

Australian judge OKs $2.25M fine against Apple over iPad

Australia's consumer watchdog agency accused Apple of violating the country's consumer law by misleadingly labeling its new iPad as 4G-capable.

An Australian judge has approved a $2.25 million fine against Apple for misleading consumers Down Under with advertising for its 4G iPad.

The settlement, which was proposed and approved by Apple two weeks ago, puts to rest a lawsuit brought by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) in March that accused Apple of violating the country's consumer law by misleadingly labeling its new iPad as 4G-capable. While the branding on the device specifically said "Wi-Fi + 4G," there aren't any 4G networks compatible with the device in Australia.

The third-generation iPad comes in two varieties: one with only Wi-Fi networking and one with wireless network service provided through mobile phone networks. In the United States and some other areas, the wireless network can work with the higher speeds of the LTE standard for 4G networking. In areas where 4G is unavailable, the device works at the slower 3G speeds.

In Australia, though, the 4G service uses an 1800MHz frequency band, while the new iPad's 4G requires 700MHz or 2100MHz for 4G. The Apple store in Australia uses the standard product naming for the 4G-capable model, but the fine print makes mention of using 4G networks only overseas.

Source: cnet

As it plans appeal, Oracle gives up on damages from Google

In one of the fastest hearings of the Oracle v. Google case, Oracle on Monday stipulates to $0 in statutory damages as it tries to build an appeal. 

SAN FRANCISCO--In what might have been the shortest hearing yet during the case of Oracle v. Google, legal teams from both sides met Monday at the U.S. District Court to clean up unresolved financial issues surrounding the case.

There were three major points discussed and finalized during the 25-minute session.

First, Oracle filed a stipulation earlier in the day in which Google has been asked to pay $0 in statutory damages (in reference to the nine lines of code in the rangeCheck method and the test files). Oracle has done this to move proceedings along faster as it works on an appeal. Judge William Alsup asked Oracle's lawyers if there is a catch here. There isn't really except that the damages can be discussed again down the line if Oracle wins an appeal.

Secondly, Google has 14 days to submit application for Oracle to pay legal administrative costs. It's possible that Google could also demand that Oracle pay for legal fees (i.e. billable hours for attorneys) too, but we'll find out in the application.

Finally, while there was no damages phase at all throughout this trial, there were lawyers hired by both sides to determine how much this case was worth overall. Payments for these attorneys hired by Oracle and Google have both been finalized, while the court had another attorney on retainer that analyzed the worth of the case from an objective standpoint for free.

Again, the next item we're waiting for is Google's application for legal cost reimbursement from Oracle.

Judge Alsup acknowledged to the court that he didn't know when he might see everyone involved in this case again. Oracle's lead attorney from Morrison and Foerster, Michael Jacobs, said he hopes after the appeal.

Source: cnet

Microsoft Seeks Reentry With Windows 8 Surface

Microsoft has followed the suit of Apple by keeping its potential next-release a secret from all. The Redmond company manufactured its Surface tablet without letting its partners getting a clue of it until it cropped up before the world few days back.

Windows 8 based Surface can compete not only the iPad but also the Android laden market of tablet computers.

Lavish Design

Something that is going to give tough time to iPad must have premium quality built and must feel comfortable in hand. Windows maker has risen to that point in designing and manufacturing its new slat to that level. It looks dashing in first looks and it tempts you to get one for yourself with its colorful range of keyboards.

The Popularity Of OS

Albeit, Windows based tablets have not gained much popularity due to its limitation of operations and less number of applications available for the end user. But it might change soon with Windows 8 as it has been developed by Microsoft by keeping in mind the requirements of people. The adoption level of this newly born operating system for mobile devices is gradually gaining its pace and its success is rumored in a time to come.

Approach In The Market

Unlike the iOS which Apple keeps to itself, Microsoft plans to distribute its OS to other OEMs just like Google does with its Android and due to it the chances of its adoption and success are higher in future and it will give consumers another tasty choice in the market.

Given these three factors Microsoft can harvest its hopes that its new product will bring the company back to the surface where currently the market is driven by the likes of Android running tablets and iPads. 

Source:http://www.etechmag.com/2012/06/21/microsoft-seeks-reentry-windows-8-surface.html

EBay Plans Data Center That Will Run on Alternative Energy Fuel Cell

EBay plans to build a data center to handle its billions of dollars in retail transactions that will draw its power from alternative energy fuel cells rather than the national power grid, which is heavily dependent on coal plants.

It will be the first major tech company to use alternative power as a primary source for energy-hungry data centers, although the new center will connect to the electricity grid for backup. Environmental groups have issued a series of rebukes to Internet companies because of their heavy reliance on coal-fired power to run their centers.

Some companies already use alternative energy to run the data centers that power social networks, stream entertainment or manage commercial transactions, but only as a supplemental source.

EBay plans to use about six million watts of power generated on-site by fuel cells, which are a substantially cleaner and more efficient source of energy than coal, in its new data center in South Jordan, Utah

Academics seek 2000 jobs

HIGHER ED - Jeannie Rea, new National President
of the NTEU.

THE National Tertiary Education Union has fired the first shot in the enterprise bargain negotiations to occur at universities across the country in the coming 12 months.

The union will push for a 7 per cent a year pay rise for four years at all universities "to compensate for cost of living increases, productivity gains and to maintain domestic and international competitiveness".

In a significant move in the debate over creating teaching-only academics, the union calls for the creation of 2000 new permanent positions "to substantially and permanently reduce" the "unacceptably high level of casual academic employment".

According to the NTEU, this will create permanent positions for 20 per cent of casually employed university teachers who now do half the teaching across universities but have no paid research time.


"We want to provide opportunities for career advancement for younger academics locked out of the system," NTEU federal president Jeannie Rae said after a weekend strategy forum.

Executive director of the Australia Higher Education Industrial Association Stuart Andrews said the 7 per cent claim was "ridiculously high . . . If the NTEU is serious about its desire to protect jobs and create opportunities for casual staff to gain more secure employment, it needs to abandon its high pay demands". He said other union policies hindered employment opportunities for casual staff.

Tech training center underway in Antipolo

MANILA, Philippines - Antipolo City Mayor Nilo Leyble and Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo recently led the groundbreaking ceremony for a three-story Technical and Skills Training Center at Dalig National High School.

Education is one of the priority projects under Leyble’s nine-point agenda NILO CARES, including a vocational program to train dropouts on job-specific courses at the center.

The training center also forms part of the city’s flagship projects for 2012 to be funded by the Performance Challenge Fund (PCF) and the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) provided by the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

After Antipolo City was declared a qualified recipient of the Gawad Pamana ng Lahi award last year along with the Seal of Good Housekeeping, it received a share in the LGSF and PCF amounting to P50 million and P2 million, respectively.

International School of Hotel Tourism Management offers global approach

(Philippines) THE International School of Hotel Tourism management (IS-HTM) offers a global approach to education. Its students are members of the Global Café of the American Hospitality Academy, an interactive network of hospitality students worldwide. Members of the Global Café of the American Hospitality Academy communicate with students all over the world to share their academic and personal learning experiences.

The hospitality and culinary school aims to develop the passion, creativity and professional growth in its students with a curriculum focused on hotel operational skills, management practices in the tourism and hospitality industry, and the skills needed for continued learning in a changing global business environment.

“We aim to develop the total personality and communication skills of our students and so we have integrated Personality and Professional Development in our curriculum to give students the added confidence they need to face the challenges of the business world upon graduation,” says Joji Ilagan-Bian, chief executive officer of the school.

The school also provides a Career and Internship office dedicated to support and assist students in their internship or workplace experience in any country of their choice.

Students in IS-HTM are also given a chance to have a dual or Multiple International Certification.

This means students at IS-HTM is capable of receiving a separate Diploma or Certificate from its partner schools in Australia with full international recognition, as well as a separate Diploma from IS-HTM. (mb.com.ph - Manila Bulletin)

Rise of gadgets doubles costs of lightning damage

The cost of insurance claims for lightning strikes nearly doubled between 2004 and 2011, even as the actual number of claims shrank dramatically, and an industry trade group says fancy new TVs and videogame consoles are to blame.
The Insurance Information Institute, in a study released on Thursday, found insured losses related to lightning strikes reached nearly $1 billion in 2011. That was actually down from a year earlier, and the number of total claims also fell.
The institute, which acts as a communications and research arm for the industry, said the increased use of lightning protection equipment in homes was responsible for the decline in claims. In fact, from 2004 to 2011, the number of paid claims fell 33 percent.
Yet even with the sharp decline in total claims, the average cost per claim rose 93 percent to $5,112 over that period.
One of the biggest culprits, the III said, was the increased home use of electronics like flat-screen TVs, computers and videogame consoles, all of which are susceptible to power surges related to lightning strikes.
According to the Consumer Electronics Association, from 2007 to 2011 shipments of consumer electronics (like TVs and consoles) rose 15 percent, supporting the notion that more homes have more surge-prone items than in the past.
Replacement costs are also on the rise, according to the III study, in part because last year's earthquake in Japan and floods in Thailand disrupted many companies' supply chains, leading to shortages and price increases.
The National Lightning Detection Network recorded nearly 23.4 million lightning flashes nationwide in 2011.

Huawei to launch Windows 8 phones, new branding campaign

China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, the world's No.6 handset maker, may produce computer tablets running Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system after choosing the same system for its handsets, a senior executive said on Thursday.
The Shenzhen-based firm, which wants to increase its market share by selling mobile phones under its own name, will also spend $200 million on advertising this year to boost its brand awareness, said Shao Yang, chief marketing officer of Huawei Device, the division that sells dongles, handsets and tablets.
"We need to learn how to get close to people and understand people. That's something we lack," Shao said in an interview.
To boost margins in the highly competitive handset market that has eroded margins of some handset makers, Huawei is pushing into the higher-end segment. As a result, its average selling price doubled this year from last year, Shao said, without giving details.
Huawei plans to ship 50-60 million smartphones globally this year, up from 20 million last year and 3 million in 2010. The company's gross profit margin dropped 6.5 percentage points to 37.5 percent last year.
Huawei, founded by chief executive Ren Zhengfei in 1987, has diversified into consumer devices with its Vision smartphones and MediaPad tablets as its core telecoms gear market has stalled. Last year, Huawei recorded sales of 44.62 billion yuan ($7.02 billion) for consumer devices, a rise of 44.3 percent.

Gigapixel camera offers super sharp shots

A camera capable of creating images with "unprecedented detail" has been unveiled by US engineers.

The prototype machine - dubbed AWARE2 - is capable of of taking pictures with resolutions of up 50 gigapixels, equivalent to 50,000 megapixels, according to the team from Duke University in North Carolina.
It works by synchronizing 98 tiny cameras in a single device.
The machine is likely to be used first for military surveillance.
Undetected images The camera was developed by a team led by engineer David Brady and Michael J. Fitzpatrick, professor of Electric Engineering at Duke's Pratt School of Engineering, along with scientists from the University of Arizona, and the University of California.
They received funding from Darpa - the United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
The prototype camera itself is two-and-half feet square and 20 inches deep.
"Each one of the microcameras captures information from a specific area of the field of view," Mr Brady said.
"A computer processor essentially stitches all this information into a single highly detailed image. In many instances, the camera can capture images of things that photographers cannot see themselves but can then detect when the image is viewed later."
Getting smaller Most consumer cameras currently on the market are capable of taking photographs ranging from eight to 40 megapixels.
Pixels are basically individual "dots" of data - and the higher the number of pixels, the better resolution of the image.
The researchers believe that within five years, as the electronic components of the cameras become miniaturised and more efficient, the next generation of gigapixel cameras should be available to the general public.
"The camera is so large now because of the electronic control boards and the need to add components to keep it from overheating," Mr Brady said.
"As more efficient and compact electronics are developed, the age of hand-held gigapixel photography should follow." (BBC)

Actress Jolie donates $100,000 to Syrian refugees

GENEVA: Hollywood star Angelina Jolie has donated $100,000 to aid Syrian refugees, the United Nations refugee agency said on Wednesday. The Oscar-winning actress is a special envoy of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and made the donation on World Refugee Day. In a statement marking the occasion Jolie said the solutions to the world's growing number of displaced people were political as well as humanitarian. "The international community should rededicate itself to preventing conflict, addressing it when it erupts, and solving it more quickly," she said. "For that is the only way to create durable solutions for the refugees whose strength inspires us on this World Refugee Day." Tens of thousands of Syrians have fled their country amid a bloody crackdown on dissent by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime, with most going to Turkey and Lebanon. Jolie, a goodwill ambassador for the agency since 2001, was promoted to special envoy earlier this year. (AFP) AFP

Chinese Disneyland-style Theme Park Goes Global

At the end of the year 2012, the Fantawild Theme Park is up for its completion and be opened for operations in Esfahan, Iran. The Fantawild Theme Park is a Chinese Disneyland-style of amusement park dedicated to bring about enjoyment for all the people who visit there. It was said that the establishment of Fantawild Theme Park in Iran is considered as a great stepping stone for wider expansion of the company.

The Shenzhen-based Fantawild Holdings who is the park's owner has already set an affirmation through signed export agreements with Ukraine and South Africa. Fantawild Holdings Vice President Liu Daoquiang confirmed that the same projects will also be thoroughly prepared to establish Chinese Disneyland-style of amusement parks in those countries. Furthermore, he also added that the Fantawild site in China will be the one to export the entire package of original brands, innovative technology, latest equipments and even management operations.

The Fantawild Adventure Park was firstly established in Wuhu in central Anhui province in China. The entire park has a total land area of 1.25 million square meters featuring a wide-arrayed variety of amusement facilities highlighting modern technology integration. One of which is the 4-d animation which provides more realistic effects to viewers.

Last year, the six Fantawild Adventure Theme Parks operating in China has productively gained a total revenue amounting 1.62 billion yuan or 199 million U.S dollars. As a matter of fact, the Fantawild Theme Park in Wuhu alone has recorded 11 million visitors since its successful opening in April 2008. The Fantawild Holdings VP has determinedly announced that Fantawild is planning to establish at least 10 to 13 more theme parks spread around China with an estimated annual gross of ticket sales amounting 3 billion yuan by the end of the year 2015.

The park is said to be remarkably unique from any other theme parks in China. With its amazing rides and amusing attractions, the park is just incomparable. Moreover, all of the facilities are conceptualized, designed, developed and built proudly in China.

Just like Disney, Fantawild Holdings is also dedicated to produce quality animation. Fantawild Holding actually produced animation outputs of 18,512 minutes in the previous year making it the longest duration in the field of animation in China. The Fantawild animations were immensely aired at home and exported to some other countries. The Fantawild Holding VP added that the constant improvement in animation had also made significant impact to all of the Fantawild's amusement facilities making them very outstanding in this venture. The Fantawild aspiration continues to soar to bring amazing experience nearer to more people in all parts of the globe.

G20 endorse tourism as driver of economic growth

World leaders at the G20 summit in Mexico have for the first time recognised the importance of tourism as a driver of jobs, growth and economic recovery.

The Leaders’ Declaration from the annual meeting, this year held in Los Cabos, stated: “We recognise the role of travel and tourism as a vehicle for job creation, economic growth and development, and, while recognising the sovereign right of States to control the entry of foreign nationals, we will work towards developing travel facilitation initiatives in support of job creation, quality work, poverty reduction and global growth.”

This is the first time that tourism has been included in the G20 Leaders’ Declaration and is the culmination of long-term efforts by the industry, led by WTTC and UNWTO, to encourage world leaders to see the potential of tourism to create millions of new jobs and billions of dollars of GDP.

According to WTTC the industry directly will contribute $2 trillion in GDP and 100 million jobs to the global economy in 2012.

When the wider economic impacts of the industry are taken into account, tourism is forecast to contribute some $6.5 trillion to the global economy and generate 260 million jobs - or one in 12 of all jobs on the planet.

Research by UNWTO and WTTC, released at the T20 Ministers Meeting last May, showed that the G20 could boost their international tourist numbers by an additional 122 million, generate an extra US$ 206 billion in tourism exports and create over five million additional jobs by 2015 by improving visa processes and entry formalities.

Findings showed that of the 656 million international tourists who visited G20 countries in 2011, an estimated 110 million needed a visa, many of whom were deterred from traveling by the cost, waiting time and difficulty of obtaining a visa.

Facilitating visas for these tourists, many from some of the world’s fastest growing source markets such as the BRICs, could stimulate demand, spending and ultimately create millions of new jobs in the G20 economies.

Speaking after the publication of the G20 Leaders’ Declaration, UNWTO secretary-general, Taleb Rifai and WTTC president David Scowsill said: “We commend the G20 world leaders for recognising the importance of Travel & Tourism as a driver of economic growth and job creation for the first time and stand ready to support all efforts by the G20 countries in this respect.

“This is a significant success for the industry, facilitated by the relationship between our two organisations and widely supported throughout the industry.

“By facilitating visas, the G20 countries stand to gain five million jobs at a time of rampant unemployment across the world.

“These are in addition to the hundreds of millions of direct and indirect jobs already being supported every day by the sector.”

(Source: BreakingTravelNews)

The Last Echo (The Body Finder, #3) by Kimberly Derting

Violet kept her morbid ability to sense dead bodies a secret from everyone except her family and her childhood-best-friend-turned-boyfriend, Jay Heaton. That is until forensic psychologist Sara Priest discovered Violet's talent and invited her to use her gift to track down murderers. Now, as she works with an eclectic group of individuals—including mysterious and dangerously attractive Rafe—it's Violet's job to help those who have been murdered by bringing their killers to justice. When Violet discovers the body of a college girl killed by "the girlfriend collector" she is determined to solve the case. But now the serial killer is on the lookout for a new "relationship" and Violet may have caught his eye...

Famous sports painter 'LeRoy Neiman' dead at 91

NEW YORK (Reuters) - LeRoy Neiman, whose distinctive, vibrantly colored paintings of sports figures and athletic events made him as famous as many of the athletes he drew, died on Wednesday at age 91.

Neiman, a showman known for his handlebar mustache, sometimes painted live on television during major events such as the Olympics and the Super Bowl, helping make him one of the world's most commercially successful contemporary artists.

Among his subjects were boxing's Muhammad Ali, former New York Jets football star Joe Namath and baseball greats Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio.

Neiman had just published his memoirs, "All Told," which came out days before his 91st birthday on June 8.

"He had a happy birthday. He was so happy to see his memoir published," said Gail Parenteau, his publicist.

She said he died at Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan of natural causes. He had been hospitalized there in 2010 with vascular problems that required life-saving surgery to remove his right leg above the knee, she said.

By coincidence, his latest work - a multicolored golf ball 4 feet in diameter and completed in April - went on display in Chicago on Wednesday, said his archivist, Tara Zabor.

Neiman was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, on June 8, 1921, and was of Turkish and Swedish descent "as near as I can figure out," according to his official website.

A child of the Great Depression whose father abandoned his family at a young age, Neiman enlisted in the U.S. military in 1942, later taking part in the invasion of Normandy and fighting in the Battle of the Bulge, according to a biography provided by Parenteau.

On returning home, he attended Chicago's School of the Art Institute on the G.I. Bill.

He became a contributing artist for Playboy magazine in the 1950s and established a friendship with its founder, Hugh Hefner, one of many famous friends including Frank Sinatra and Ali.

He painted about a dozen portraits of Ali, Zabor said, befriending the boxer when he was still known as Cassius Clay.

Milan Menswear Fashion Week Schedule

Running June 23-26, Milan Menswear Fashion Week will see some of the world's biggest labels including Prada, Versace and Dolce & Gabbana uniting in the Italian fashion capital to present their Spring/Summer 2013 collections. For more details visit: http://www.cameramoda.it/en/.


Saturday June 23
09:00 CORNELIANI
10:00 JIL SANDER
11:00 ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA
12:00 ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA
13:00 COSTUME NATIONAL HOMME
14:30 DOLCE & GABBANA
15:30 FRANKIE MORELLO
16:30 BURBERRY PRORSUM
17:00 LES HOMMES
18:00 JOHN VARVATOS
19:00 NEIL BARRETT
20:00 VERSACE
20:30 CARLO PIGNATELLI

Sunday June 24
09:30 BOTTEGA VENETA
10:30 ERMANNO SCERVINO
11:30 DIRK BIKKEMBERGS
12:30 SALVATORE FERRAGAMO
13:15 ROCCOBAROCCO
14:00 CALVIN KLEIN COLLECTION
15:00 VIVIENNE WESTWOOD
16:00 DAKS
17:00 TRUSSARDI
18:00 PRADA
19:00 MONCLER GAMME BLEU
20:00 ROBERTO CAVALLI

Monday June 25
09:30 EMPORIO ARMANI
10:30 ICEBERG
11:30 JOHN RICHMOND
12:30 GUCCI
14:00 ETRO
15:00 Z ZEGNA
16:00 CANALI
17:00 UMIT BENAN
18:00 MOSCHINO
19:00 MISSONI
20:00 FENDI

Tuesday June 26
09:30 DSQUARED2
10:30 GIORGIO ARMANI
11:30 DIESEL BLACK GOLD
12:30 PORTS 1961
13:30 ENRICO COVERI

Dorian Gray (2009)

Dorian Gray is a 2009 fantasy, thriller, drama film adaptation of Oscar Wilde's 1890 novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. This version is directed by Oliver Parker, written by Toby Finlay (his first screenplay), and stars Ben Barnes as Dorian Gray and Colin Firth as Lord Henry Wotton.

Plot: When a naïve young Dorian Gray (Barnes) arrives in a train to Victorian London, he is swept into a social whirlwind by the charismatic Lord Henry Wotton (Firth), who introduces Gray to the hedonistic pleasures of the city. Lord Henry's friend, society artist Basil Hallward (Ben Chaplin), paints a portrait of Gray to capture the full power of his youthful beauty. When the portrait is unveiled, Gray makes a flippant pledge: he would give anything to stay as he is in the picture—even his soul.

Gray meets and falls in love with young budding actress Sibyl Vane (Rachel Hurd-Wood). After a few weeks, he proposes marriage to her, but after Lord Henry tells Gray that having children is "the beginning of the end", he takes Gray to a brothel. This breaks Sibyl's heart as Gray leaves her; drowning herself soon after. Gray learns of this next day from her brother "Jim" (James), who tells Gray that Sybil was pregnant. Jim then tries to kill Gray before being restrained and carried off by the authorities. Gray's initial grief disappears as Lord Henry persuades him that all events are mere experiences and without consequence, and his hedonistic lifestyle worsens, distancing him from a concerned Hallward.

Gray goes home to find the portrait of himself warped and twisted and realises that his pledge has come true; while the portrait ages, its owner's sins are shown as physical defects on the canvas. The chaos of the portrait of Gray starts, leading him to brutally kill Hallward after telling him his secret, dumping the body in the River Thames.

The film, which was released in the United Kingdom on 9 September 2009, competed in the Official Fantàstic Competition at the 2009 Sitges - Catalonian International Film Festival.

Oracle chief Larry Ellison buys Hawaiian island

The billionaire boss of technology giant Oracle is to buy 98% of the Hawaiian island of Lanai, Hawaii's governor says.

Larry Ellison's asking price for the 141 sq mile (365 sq km) island was said to be between $500m (£318m) and $600m.

Known as "Pineapple Island", Hawaii's smallest publicly accessible island is home to 3,200 residents and now boasts several luxury resorts.

It was previously famous for its pineapple plantations but has seen tourism take over as its key business in recent decades.

Billionaire David Murdock has owned Lanai since 1985 through private company Castle & Cooke.


Confiming the successful bid, Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie said on Wednesday: "It is my understanding that Mr Ellison has had a long standing interest in Lanai.

"He is also a businessman whose record of community involvement in medical research and education causes is equally notable. We look forward to welcoming Mr Ellison in the near future."

A co-founder of Oracle, one of Silicon Valley's traditional tech giants, Mr Ellison is listed sixth on Forbes' list of global billionaires, with a net worth estimated at $36bn.

Arianna Huffington Speaks To The Nightingale School's Senior Class Of 2012

Last week, Arianna Huffington, president and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post Media Group, addressed the senior class of 2012 at The Nightingale School, an all-girls educational institution in Manhattan. Below is the speech she gave to the graduating class, their friends and family, and the school community.

Ms. Hutcheson, Mr. Burke, Ms. Köprülü, members of the Class of 2012: It is a great pleasure and an honor to be here with you today. And I know it doesn’t matter, and it’s not as important as everything else, but you look amazing! So, you made it –- from those of you who have been here four years to those who have been here 13 years: the survivors. Congratulations.

Ever since you invited me to be your speaker here today, I have been on a mini journey of my own, getting to know you, the class of 2012. And you are a pretty amazing group. I love your class Facebook page, “World Domination.” I love that when your debate team went to Harvard last year for a tournament, the judge told the boys’ team you were debating to “go easy” on you. And as Francesca said, “It was nice to wipe the floor with them.” And I love that during your recent class trip to Vermont, you had the choice of taking a hike through the woods or milking a cow. And the entrepreneurs among you wanted to sell the milk to those who were thirsty from the hike.
Read complete news here

Pacquiao wins WBO review, re-match recommended

(Reuters) - The World Boxing Organization (WBO) ruled Wednesday that Manny Pacquiao should have won his controversial defeat to Timothy Bradley and has recommended a re-match between the fighters.

American Bradley won a split decision at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on June 10 that prompted disbelief from the sporting world and had many calling the outcome corrupt.

The WBO met with five international judges to evaluate video of the match and they unanimously scored the fight in favor of Pacquiao, though they do not have power to overturn the initial ruling and the result will still stand.

Pacquiao has indicated that he would prefer a rematch over Bradley forfeiting the belt, according to Bob Arum, the promoter for both fighters.

Yuvraj Singh wants return to action after cancer treatment

Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh is hoping to return to action this year after undergoing cancer treatment.
The 30-year-old was diagnosed with lung cancer in February and has been undergoing treatment in America.

"Playing for India is going to be a huge challenge for me because the body has been under a lot of shock which nobody can understand except me," said the former Yorkshire player.


"Only a cancer patient can understand what I am going through."

Yuvraj, who last played for India in a home Test series against West Indies in November, has featured in 37 tests, 274 one-day internationals and 23 Twenty20 matches since his international debut in 2000.

He has already begun light training and is hoping for a return in time for the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka, which gets under way in September, but knows he faces a hard few months.

"I've done six or seven sessions of very light training and light yoga. I'm just getting back into the groove of being a normal person, breathing normally, which is a lot of excitement and fun for me at the moment.
"So it's going to be a big challenge for me to come back and play for India again."

Blatter eyes goal-line technology

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has renewed his call for the introduction of goal-line technology after a controversial incident in England's 1-0 win over Ukraine helped eliminate the co-hosts. Marko Devic's shot crossed the line in the game in Donetsk but was not given.

Goal-line technology could be approved by the International Football Association Board on 5 July.


"After last night's match ‪#GLT‬ is no longer an alternative but a necessity," Blatter tweeted.
Uefa president Michel Platini prefers the system of five match officials.

But he stated on Monday that he expects the IFAB meeting in Zurich to give one of two goal-line systems currently being tested the go-ahead.

If that is the case, individual associations can decide whether to use the technology in their competitions. That means Uefa could still decide not to implement the system.

The Premier League has previously stated its willingness to make the change.

Uefa's chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina has defended the officiating at the tournament, claiming two similar decisions in previous games were correct.

Collina said: "We made a mistake. I wish we hadn't made the mistake but we did. Referees are human beings and human beings make mistakes."  (BBC.co.uk)

Drogba signs for Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua

Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has signed for Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua on a two-and-a-half-year deal.
He will team up again at Shanghai with ex-Blues colleague Nicolas Anelka.
Drogba, 34, said: "I considered all the offers I have received in the past few weeks, but feel Shanghai Shenhua is the right move for me at this time."
The Ivory Coast forward's last act in a Chelsea shirt was scoring the winning penalty in the Champions League final defeat of Bayern Munich in May.


One of his first games will be against Manchester United with Alex Ferguson's team playing Shanghai Shenhua on 25 July as part of their pre-season tour.
Drogba joined Chelsea from Marseille for £24m in the summer of 2004, becoming one of Jose Mourinho's first signings.
He helped the Blues to win three Premier League titles, four FA Cups and two League Cups during his eight-year spell. In that time he climbed to fourth on the list of Chelsea's all-time goalscorers with 157 and is also the club's leading scorer in European competition with 34. However, he decided to leave the Premier League club after their Champions League triumph.