Tail-walk on water

A wild dolphin is apparently teaching other members of her group to walk on their tails, a behavior usually seen only after training in captivity. The tail-walking group lives along the south Australian coast near Adelaide.

One of them spent a short time after illness in a dolphinarium 20 years ago and may have picked up the trick there. Scientists studying the group say tail-walk tuition has not been seen before, and suggest the habit may emerge as a form of "culture" among this group.

Amazing creating a new culture influenced from humans into the dolphins society!

On this day: French invasion of Russia

Better known in Russia as the Patriotic War (Russian Отечественная война, Otechestvennaya Vojna), not to be confused with the Great Patriotic War (Великая Отечественная война, Velikaya Otechestvennaya Vojna). The Patriotic War is also occasionally referred to as the "War of 1812", which is not to be confused with the conflict of the same name between the United Kingdom and the United States.

In an attempt to gain increased support from Polish nationalists and patriots, Napoleon in his own words termed this war the Second Polish War (the "first" Polish war being the War of the Fourth Coalition to liberate Poland from Russia, Prussia and Austria), because one of the official declared goals of this war was the resurrection of the Polish state on territories of former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

Japan’s space lab

A team of astronauts have attached a $1bn Japanese laboratory to the International Space Station (ISS).

The 16-tonne Kibo lab was delivered by the shuttle Discovery. It will be the station's biggest room, for the study of biomedicine and material sciences.

Astronauts Akihiko Hoshide and Karen Nyberg maneuvered Kibo into place, using the space station's robotic arm. The lab was anchored after two crew members had made preparations during a spacewalk lasting more than six hours.

Discovery docked at the ISS on Monday after a two-day voyage. As well as the Japanese laboratory, the shuttle has also brought a pump to unblock the station's toilet, which broke nearly two weeks ago. The crew has been performing manual flushes several times a day.

Food crisis talks begin

Envoys from 26 Latin American and Caribbean countries meet on Friday to discuss the rising cost of food and draw up a united policy for the region.

The talks in Caracas, Venezuela, mark the beginning of a week of meetings on the issue, leading up to a three-day UN food crisis summit in Rome on Tuesday. According to the World Bank, global food prices have risen by 83% over the past three years. The lender has announced a package of food grants totaling $1.2bn.

An influential report on Thursday warned that higher food prices might be here to stay as demand from developing countries and production costs rose. Prices would fall, but only gradually, the report by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said.

They are missing the point once more; there is NO TIME FOR TALK! People are starving to death!

Historic pictures from Mars

A NASA spacecraft has sent back the first historic pictures of an unexplored region of Mars.

The Mars Phoenix lander touched down in the far north of the Red Planet, after a 680 million-km (423 million-mile) journey from Earth. The probe is equipped with a robotic arm to dig for water-ice thought to be buried beneath the surface.

It will begin examining the site for evidence of the building blocks of life in the next few days. A signal confirming the lander had reached the surface was received at 2353 GMT on 25 May (1953 EDT; 0053 BST on 26 May).

Engineers and scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California clapped and cheered when the landing signal came through. "Phoenix has landed - welcome to the northern plain of Mars," a flight controller announced. The final seven minutes of the probe's 10-month journey to Mars were regarded as the hardest part of the mission.

Ovi magazine, Copycats and Nokia

First of all, we want to thank reporters, journalists and bloggers because they are the only ones who have seen what Mr. Nikula missed and hopefully the legal department of Nokia Corporation will not ignore. Mr. Nikula unethically ignored that there was already an Ovi magazine in Finland that had been well-established since December 2004 well before he ever created his copycat.

Read the original story here: http://ovimagazine.com/art/926

The fact that there is an internet link with the same name was a major clue, plus when he was forced to choose a name like Ovi dash something. Actually he missed that there is Ovi Lehti, Ovi Sanomat, Ovi Junior, Ovi Cartoons, Ovi iKritic, Ovi-magazine, Ovi stories, Ovi iBite and many others that belong to Ovi magazine and are registered to Chameleon Project, never forget the Ovi Bad Boys weekly radio show that is announced to all the Finnish newspapers and magazine; none of which are for sale. Fortunately reporters and bloggers did notice and they are aware of the major ethical injustice.

We like to emphasize this ‘not for sale’ because the Ovi magazine is not just an internet magazine but it is an idea with a heart and soul that hosts from its establishment in 2004 the ideals of democracy, freedom of speech and the exchange of opinion. Human rights, domestic abuse, the plight of children have been among just a few of the worthy causes we have championed, while simultaneously offering a platform for the work of new writers and illustrators, from Finland and from all around the world. That makes us a universal family that cannot be estimated in money.

Unfortunately, through leaks to the press, we discovered that Mr. Nikula is negotiating the sale of his copycat magazine and the Ovi trademark to Nokia Corporation. We trust that this is just a wishful thought and that Nokia Corporation will search a little bit better as to what is going on behind the name Ovi magazine.

Our four years of hard work advocating freedom of speech was recognised and rewarded by Newropeans, while we have had cooperation with many national and international magazines, such as Ydin magazine, Europe & Us, Agenda magazine, Books from Finland, EU-MAN, Free magazine, Newropeans-Magazine, OneWorld, Psihadi magazine and more. We have relationships with Non-Governmental Organizations, such as Reporters without Frontiers and Finland's International Cultural Center CAISA, and the site receives well-over 20,000 visitors a week - the numbers literally increase day after day. We are considered a well-established magazine and trademark internationally and Ovi magazine has been reference for hundreds of sites and blogs from all around the world.

We have always believed that this was an issue of ethics should it ever come to a court house – where, as we are well-informed by experts, we can easily win the case – and it comes as a surprise that, according to leaks to the press, some representative of the Nokia Corporation said that they had never heard of us. It is a simple enough task for them to Google, Yahoo, MSN, Ask Jeeves or whatever else to locate the name Ovi and then find us straight away. Of course we didn’t financially invest in the promotion and push of Ovi magazine, like an international corporation can do, but the thousands of articles, the thousands of links and references to our work, even from Wikipedia and most of all the thousands readers keep us on the top in every search engine.

The fact that the copycats of the printed Ovi magazine ignored us, despite the fact that we could open a case anytime demanding a large percentage of their profits, which they knew, doesn’t excuse an international corporation like Nokia maintaining the same attitude. We are expecting their telephone call before investigating our legal rights on what they plan to pay the copycat because we want to know whether it is true and not a wishful greedy act of somebody who wants to increase his lost popularity.

It has been a justifiable question as to why we didn’t take the case to the court. From the very first moment, other than the support that came from every side and every corner of Finland including employees of the certain magazine, we believed that there is justice that punishes the unethical and the failure of the magazine from its second issue to reach anybody in Finland was proof.

Regarding the money behind this case, we believe that the people who read this magazine and have seen the path we have followed and the fights we have given over the last four years for democracy, for justice, against poverty and have realized the hours, the effort and the financial cost we have put in this magazine will know in their heart of hearts whether we are after the money!

The Ovi Team

Ellen to wed

US talk show host Ellen DeGeneres is to marry her partner, actress Portia de Rossi, after California lifted its ban on same-sex ceremonies.

"I am announcing I am getting married," DeGeneres told the audience during a recording of The Ellen DeGeneres Show. "It is something of course that we have wanted to do and we wanted to be legal, and we are just very, very excited."

DeGeneres came out in 1997, and was in a relationship with actress Anne Heche until 2000. She has been with Portia de Rossi, who appeared in the TV series Ally McBeal, for about four years.

Congratulations is the only thing you can say!

Winning a Nobel was a disaster

Nobel Prize-winning author Doris Lessing has said winning the prestigious award in 2007 had been a "bloody disaster".

The increased media interest in her has meant that writing a full novel was next to impossible, she told Radio 4's Front Row. Lessing, 88, also said she would probably now be giving up writing novels altogether. Her latest book is the partly fictional memoir entitled Alfred and Emily.

Since her Nobel win she has been constantly in demand, she said. "All I do is give interviews and spend time being photographed." Speaking about her writing, she said: "It has stopped; I don't have any energy any more.”This is why I keep telling anyone younger than me; don't imagine you'll have it forever.

"Use it while you've got it because it'll go, it's sliding away like water down a plughole." Lessing is the 11th woman to win the Nobel Prize for literature in its 106-year history. Her best known works include The Golden Notebook and The Good Terrorist.

The disaster is that she’s not writing anymore and makes you think the cost of these …ten minutes for the ones who could do without the Hollywood style fame.

Sex and the City

Hundreds of screaming fans have greeted the stars of the Sex and the City movie at its world premiere in London.

Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon all got a noisy reception as they arrived on the red carpet in Leicester Square. "This is a miraculous and simply unforgettable night for all of us," Parker said. Fans have waited four years to see the big screen version of the hugely popular TV series.

Judging from the hat …it is fruitless the whole thing!!!

Falcons take up city-centre

Usually their nests are found in remote areas, often around the coast, resting on cliff edges and rocky outcrops. To see them would require specialist climbing gear and a long lens.

But in Worcester, a pair have nested bang in the city centre - it is possible to clearly see the adults coming and going during the day and now the chicks have begun to hatch, one is often seen standing guard over the nest.

They have built their nest on St Andrew's spire, known locally as The Glover's Needle.

700 Archeological Sculptures Were Stolen From South American Countries and Sold in Europe

This is a photo of one of the 700 archeological sculptures recovered by the Spanish police recently. They were in the possession of a couple, in La Rioja. This couple stole historical and archeological sculptures of incalculable value from Peru, Colombia and Ecuador and used to sell them in Europe to different clients, mainly in France.

Money buys everything, even the heritage and culture of the so-called Third World! Who are the true underdeveloped barbarians?

Photo by EPA/Juanjo Martin

Microsoft away from Yahoo

Software giant Microsoft has dropped its three-month-old bid to buy internet firm Yahoo because the two sides cannot agree on an acceptable sale price.

Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer formally withdrew the offer in a letter to Yahoo chief executive Jerry Yang. Mr. Ballmer said Microsoft had raised its original offer from $44.6bn to $47.5bn - $33 per share.

But he added that Yahoo had insisted on at least $53bn or $37 a share - more than Microsoft was prepared to pay. The software giant had wanted to do a deal to be able to compete with Google, which dominates the lucrative market for internet advertising.

Bill gates must have a sad weekend!!!

Volcano prompts evacuation in Chile

A volcano has erupted in southern Chile, scattering ash over the surrounding area and forcing more than 1,000 people to leave their homes.

The eruption of the Chaiten volcano caught local authorities by surprise, as experts say it has been dormant for at least 450 years. But on Friday morning, it blew a thick cloud of ash high into the air. This prompted the evacuation of sick and elderly people from the town of Chaiten, just six miles away.

Residents have been told not to drink the water, because the reservoirs in the area are covered in a layer of ash. Emergency workers are handing out face masks to help people breathe more easily. The eruption also dumped a layer of ash in neighboring Argentina, forcing the closure of schools and a regional airport.

Chile is one of the most volcanic countries on Earth, with more than 100 active volcanoes. Of those, experts say about 20 are in danger of erupting at any time.

Dan Dare still inspires

Classic comic hero Dan Dare fired the imagination of young Britons in the 1950s and heralded the birth of hi-tech Britain, an exhibition at the London Science Museum reveals.

A British-built nuclear bomb and a prototype of the BT Tower are on display as part of the show. The museum says the Eagle comic's space hero not only reflected but influenced the UK's wealth of inventions during the 1950s and 60s. Portable televisions and radio alarm clocks are among the collection, capturing the upbeat spirit of Eagle.

I always loved those funny spaceships and I have to admit I always found funny the film they made inspired by Dan Dare sometime in late 80s!

Snipes in jail for three years

Hollywood actor Wesley Snipes has received a three-year prison sentence for tax offenses.

A federal judge handed down the maximum term requested by prosecutors - a year for each of Snipes's convictions of willfully failing to file a tax return. Snipes's lawyers had called for leniency, arguing that the offenses were misdemeanors and that the star was of good character.

But prosecutors said an example should be set because of Snipes's fame. In February, Snipes was found guilty of deliberately failing to file tax returns for 1999, 2000 and 2001, but was cleared of more serious fraud and conspiracy charges.

The first vampire in prison!!! Sentenced for drinking tax!!!

Elvis's secret UK visit

Veteran rock star Tommy Steele has admitted he took Elvis Presley on a secret tour of London in 1958.

For more than 50 years, Presley fans have believed the only time he ever set foot in the UK was during a stop-over at Prestwick Airport in March 1960. But theatre producer Bill Kenwright revealed Steele's secret on Radio 2.

In a note passed to the Daily Mail, Steele said he "swore never to divulge publicly" what took place and he "regrets" that news leaked out. The 71-year-old, who is currently appearing in a production of Dr Dolittle in Woking, said: "I can only hope he can forgive me.

"It was an event shared by two young men sharing the same love of their music and the same thrill of achieving something unimaginable." Speaking to Radio 2 presenter Ken Bruce, Kenwright revealed Presley struck up a friendship with Steele after ringing him up.

Don’t be surprised now if you hear that somebody saw Elvis the other day walking around Trafalgar square!

Coral spawn turns Palau seas pink

The annual mass spawning of corals on the Palau archipelago in the western Pacific has occurred right on cue.

With Sunday night's full moon, coral polyps let forth a huge swathe of sperm and egg, to seed the next generation. The event was short-lived - only about 30 minutes - but so vast in its scale that it turned the sea water pink.

Scientists from Palau, Australia and the UK are studying the practicality of collecting coral larvae to help restore damaged reefs elsewhere.

Soyuz returning to Earth

A Russian Soyuz spacecraft is due to return to Earth within hours after successfully undocking from the International Space Station (ISS).

The Expedition 16 crew includes South Korea's first astronaut, 29-year-old Yi So-yeon, who spent about 11 days at the station conducting scientific tests. Also on board are Yuri Malenchenko from Russia and Peggy Whitson from the US. The landing capsule of the Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft is due to land in the Kazakh steppe at about 0830 GMT.

Yuri back in space! Well not the ...original Yuri but still a Yuri!!!

Japan temple rejects torch

A major Buddhist temple has withdrawn from plans to host Japan's opening stage of the Olympic torch relay.

Zenkoji Temple, in the city of Nagano, had been due to serve as the starting point for the parade on 26 April. An official said the monks were worried about safety but also linked the decision to concern over recent unrest in Tibet.

Meanwhile the torch has arrived in Thailand in preparation for a parade through the capital city, Bangkok. The relay has been dogged by protests over Tibet, with chaotic scenes in London, Paris and San Francisco.

What more do they need to understand that Tibet must be free?

Man leaves £180k violin on train

A £10,000 reward is being offered for the return of a valuable 17th Century violin which was left on a train.

Robert Napier, from Wiltshire, had just had the 1698 Venice-made Goffriller valued by a London dealer at £180,000. He got off a Paddington to Taunton train at Bedwyn on 29 January with the family heirloom still on board.

"It was just one of those terrible moments when I realised, as the train was steaming off, that I had left it on the train," he said.

That is going to be an expensive …music trip!

Moon roses

Scientists with the European Space Agency (Esa) say the day when flowers bloom on the Moon has come closer.

An Esa-linked team has shown that marigolds can grow in crushed rock very like the lunar surface, with no need for plant food. Some see growing plants on the Moon as a step towards human habitation.

But the concept is not an official aim of Esa, and one of the agency's senior officials has dismissed the idea as “science fiction”. The new research was presented at the European Geosciences Union (EGU) meeting in Vienna, the largest annual European gathering of scientists studying the Earth, its climate and its neighbours in space.

Bernard Foing, a senior scientist with the European Space Research and Technology Centre (Estec) in the Netherlands, believes growing plants on the Moon would be a useful as a tool to learn how life adapts to lunar conditions, and as a practical aid to establishing manned bases.

Imagine moon roses and moon …asparagus!

Eurovision song sparks French row

A French MP has said he is outraged that the song chosen to represent the nation in the Eurovision song contest has English lyrics. Jacques Myard, of the UMP party, has urged the company that runs most of France's TV networks to reconsider.

Sebastien Tellier's entry, entitled Divine, combines both English and French lyrics with electro music.

France's culture minister has defended the song, saying the country should fully support his bid for victory. A total of 43 countries are taking part in a contest that draws some 200 million viewers from Europe and beyond. "Sebastien Tellier has great talent, he has a real international dimension," Christine Albanel told Agence France Presse.

Some people have serious issues, most related to sex some to …language!!!

Sea level rises

Sea levels could rise by up to one-and-a-half meters by the end of this century, according to a new scientific analysis.

This is substantially more than the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) forecast in last year's landmark assessment of climate science. Sea level rise of this magnitude would have major impacts on low-lying countries such as Bangladesh.

The findings were presented at a major science conference in Vienna. The research group is not the first to suggest that the IPCC's forecast of an average rise in global sea levels of 28-43cm by 2100 is too conservative.

The IPCC was unable to include the contribution from "accelerated" melting of polar ice sheets as water temperatures warm because the processes involved were not yet understood.

Queen plan stage musical

Queen guitarist Brian May has revealed a sequel to the stage musical We Will Rock You will be bought to the stage.

"We are planning the sequel," he said. "It is a real challenge." The 60-year-old said about two million people had seen We Will Rock You, written and directed by Ben Elton, since it opened in London in 2002.

May also say the band were preparing for their autumn tour and new album. "The long arm of Queen has pulled me back in at the moment. It is a beast." He added: "We've pressed the button to go on tour this autumn so already the preparations are very consuming.

"We've chosen our set; we've chosen our environment on tour. It is very exciting, very exciting indeed. Very time consuming but Queen always was consuming." Productions of We Will Rock You, based on the songs of Queen, have since opened in Australia, Spain, Russia, the US, Japan and Germany.

The musician was speaking at a formal ceremony to install him as the Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University.

Elephant 'had aquatic ancestor'

An ancient ancestor of the elephant from 37 million years ago lived in water and had a similar lifestyle to a hippo, a fossil study has suggested.

The animal was said to be similar to a tapir, a hoofed mammal which looks like a cross between a horse and a rhino. Experts from Oxford University and Stony Brook University, New York, analyzed chemical signatures preserved in fossil teeth. These indicated that the animal grazed on plants in rivers or swamps.

The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could shed light on the lifestyle and behavior of modern elephants. Dr Erik Seiffert, co-author of the study has said: "It has often been assumed that elephants have evolved from fully terrestrial ancestors and have always had this kind of a lifestyle.”Now we can really start to think about how their lifestyle and behavior might have been shaped by a very different kind of existence in the distant past.

"It could help us to understand more about the origins of the anatomy and ecology of living elephants."

Democrat rivals defend the right for abortion

The two Democratic rivals for their party's presidential nomination have both affirmed their support for abortion rights.

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama were speaking at a forum on faith and politics in Pennsylvania, where the next key primary vote is to be held. Both candidates professed their Christian faith as they were questioned on a range of issues.

Republican candidate John McCain declined to attend the forum. Senator Obama leads Senator Clinton in terms of delegates won in the primaries so far. He is hoping to seal his lead with a victory in Pennsylvania ahead of the party's nominating convention in August.

What the ones against abortion miss is that if somebody wants to do it will do it under any circumstances even if that costs them their own lives, isn’t it better to be protected in a healthy environment with experts around? This is the simplest argument!

Doctors attack 'supersize' drinks

Increasingly large pub measures are pushing customers towards unsafe levels of drinking, the Royal College of Physicians has warned.

RCP president Ian Gilmore accused the pub industry of acting irresponsibly and urged it to put its house in order. Some 14% of licensed premises say they now offer only 250ml sized wine glasses - equivalent to a third of a bottle.

The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers hit back that it was in the business of offering customers choice. The 125ml wine glass used to be the standard size but now just 16% of pubs and bars say it is their normal size. Customers give their view of larger measures.

Supersize drinks lead to supersize heart attacks!

A drug against damage from radiation

A drug which may protect the body against damage from radiation has been developed by US scientists.

It is hoped it could make radiotherapy safer for people with cancer and could also be used in the event of a "dirty bomb" or nuclear disaster. Known as CBLB502, and so far tested in animals, it switches on a biological mechanism that helps healthy cells survive blasts of radiation.

The findings published in Science are set to be tested in clinical trials. Radiation kills cells by causing damage which encourages cell suicide, or apoptosis. But healthy cells may be killed alongside tumour cells in the process which is why radiologists need to target the tumour as specifically as possible.

Obama calls for Beijing boycott

Barack Obama has called on US President George W Bush to boycott the opening of the Beijing Olympics if China fails to improve its human rights record.

The Democratic presidential hopeful made his call a day after a similar appeal by his rival, Hillary Clinton. The US stage of the Olympic torch relay passed off amid confusion and tight security in San Francisco on Wednesday.

The route was totally changed at the last minute and the closing ceremony took place on a motorway fly-over. Throughout the route, the torch-bearers were immersed in a cocoon of security, surrounded by dozens of police officers and track-suited Chinese guards.

Is it just me or has anybody else notice that this man makes announcement that he knows will bring controversy and votes after he makes sure that a lot of voices have said the same from all the sides?

Breakthrough at Stonehenge dig

Archaeologists carrying out an excavation at Stonehenge say they have broken through to a layer that may finally explain why the site was built.

The team has reached sockets that once held bluestones - smaller stones, most now missing or uprooted, which formed the site's original structure. The researchers believe that the bluestones could reveal that Stonehenge was once a place of healing.

The dig is the first to take place at Stonehenge for more than 40 years. The team now needs to extract organic material from these holes to date when the stones first arrived.

Six-way kidney transplant

US doctors have carried out what is believed to be the world's first simultaneous six-way kidney transplant.

Six recipients received organs from six donors in operations at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Maryland. The procedure was made possible after an altruistic donor - neither a friend nor relative of any of the six patients - was found to match one of them.

Five patients had a willing donor whose kidney was incompatible with theirs, but it did match another in the group.

Medicine bring hope, at least there is something in this world that does so.

Bob Dylan wins Pulitzer

Singer-songwriter Bob Dylan has received an honorary Pulitzer Prize for his "profound impact on popular music and American culture".

The special music award recognised the 66-year-old's "lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power". Prize administrator Sig Gissler said the honour "reflects the efforts of the Pulitzer board to broaden the scope of the music prize".

The time has come!

Eurotunnel shows profit

Wow! Believe it or not, Eurotunnel has reported its first annual profit, boosted by its huge programme of debt restructuring.

The company that runs the tunnel between Britain and France reported a net profit of 1m Euros in the whole of 2007. That included a 3.3m euro exceptional profit from its capital restructuring.

The company has struggled with its debt levels since the tunnel was opened in 1994, but it finally reached agreement with its creditors last year. "The year 2007 proves that the new Eurotunnel group has broken with its past," the company said in a statement.

You never know now, Euro-Disney in Paris might report profits as well!!!

'Ex-slave' takes Niger to court

A former slave is suing Niger's government, accusing it of failing to implement laws against slavery introduced in 2003.

Hadijatou Mani took the case to the Community Court of Justice of Ecowas, the Economic Community of West African States, based in Nigeria. This is the first such case brought by a former slave in Niger.

The government says it has done all it can to eradicate the practice and says the problem has been exaggerated. Ms Mani appeared in court with her lawyers, family members and anti-slavery activists. The government was represented by a high-powered team including the prime minister, justice minister and speaker of parliament. The case is due to last for five days.

At last it started, for decades slavery has been the cancer of Niger and yes in the 20th century and the 21st century. There are even books from ex-slaves who were sold in UK and France.

Diana unlawfully killed

Princess Diana was unlawfully killed due to the "gross negligence" of driver Henri Paul and the paparazzi, an inquest jury has found. The jury reached the same verdict for her companion Dodi Al Fayed.

The jury also specified that Mr Paul's drink-driving and the fact that neither Mr Fayed nor Diana were wearing seatbelts contributed to their deaths. The inquest into the 1997 Paris crash that killed them and Mr Paul lasted six months. The jury returned joint verdicts of unlawful killing through grossly negligent driving - or gross negligence manslaughter.

Princes Diana was killed when Mr Paul crashed a hired Mercedes into a pillar in the Alma underpass in Paris in the early hours of 31 August, 1997. Mr Fayed's father Mohamed al Fayed left the High Court without commenting as did Diana's sister Lady Sarah McCorquodale.

Coroner Lord Justice Scott Baker thanked the jury for their "considerable devotion" to duty over the past six months and said it was "almost astonishing" that they had been present on every day without having any absences.

WHO 60th anniversary: our health, our future

Today marks the 60th anniversary of WHO. This special occasion presents WHO with an opportunity to celebrate achievements in global public health over the last 60 years, demonstrate the impact of WHO's work and address challenges for the future.

WHO's 60th anniversary celebrations (WHO60) consists of a variety of activities and events that will continue to unfold throughout the year, covering a range of public health issues and particularly emphasizing issues linked to WHO's six-point agenda.

WHO: www.who.int/en/

Solar System's 'look-alike' found

Astronomers have discovered a planetary system orbiting a distant star which looks much like our own.

They found two planets that were close matches for Jupiter and Saturn orbiting a star about half the size of our Sun. Martin Dominik, from the St Andrews University, UK, said the finding suggested systems like our own could be much more common than we thought. And he told a major meeting that astronomers were on the brink of finding many more of them.

The St Andrews researcher said this planetary system, and others like it, could host terrestrial planets like Earth. It was just a matter of time before such worlds were detected, he explained. "We found a system with two planets that take the roles of Jupiter and Saturn in our Solar System. These two planets have a similar mass ratio and similar orbital radius and a similar orbital period.

"It looks like this may have formed in a similar way to our Solar System. And if this is the case, it looks like [our] Solar System cannot be unique in the Universe. There should be other similar systems out there which could host terrestrial planets."

About time!

Microsoft gives Yahoo three weeks

Microsoft has given Yahoo a three-week deadline to respond to its offer to buy out the internet company for $44.6bn.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said his company would take its case directly to Yahoo's shareholders if Yahoo's directors did not respond by 26 April. Microsoft made an unsolicited bid on 31 January, but Yahoo's board rejected it as substantially underrating its value. Yahoo has since explored alliances with other firms, but no offer has surfaced.

In a letter, Mr Ballmer acknowledged that such negotiations were underway, but wondered why Yahoo was not talking to Microsoft too. "This is despite the fact that our proposal is the only alternative put forward that offers your shareholders full and fair value for their shares," he wrote. "During these two months of inactivity, the internet has continued to march on, while the public equity markets and overall economic conditions have weakened considerably," he added.

Mr Ballmer said his company's offer - 62% above Yahoo's market value at the time - had grown stronger as time had passed. "We believe that the majority of your shareholders share this assessment," he wrote, adding that Microsoft would take its case directly to them and work to elect a new board of directors if they did not respond within three weeks.

Last month, Yahoo estimated it would almost double its operating cash flow over the next three years and generate $8.8bn in revenue after costs in 2010. "Yahoo provides meaningful strategic value and warrants a significant acquisition premium above its equity value in a potential change of control transaction," it said.

The only thing you can add to that is …Bill Gates obviously thinks that he plays monopoly and the scary thing is that he …wins!

Ben Hur dies

Charlton Heston, who won a best actor Oscar for his starring role in the epic Ben Hur has died, a spokesman for the star's family has said.

Heston died on Saturday at his home in Beverly Hills with his wife Lydia, whom he married in 1944, at his side. Heston also portrayed Michelangelo, El Cid and other heroic figures in movie epics of the 1950s and 1960s.

He stepped down as president of US gun lobby, the National Rifle Association (NRA), in 2003, citing ill-health. The previous year, he had revealed he had symptoms consistent with Alzheimer's disease.

Heston was born John Charles Carter in Evanston, Illinois.

Sarkozy aide 'misquoted'

Pity, because I don’t misquote when I read all these things going on in Tibet! Bloody petit policies; did the Chinese promised to buy airplanes from France?

France's human rights minister has denied setting conditions for President Nicolas Sarkozy's attendance at the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony. Rama Yade said Le Monde newspaper had misquoted her as listing "conditions" for Mr. Sarkozy's presence at the event. "The word 'conditions' was never used," she said. Le Monde stood by its story.

Ms Yade had been quoted as saying Mr. Sarkozy would miss the event unless China freed political prisoners and agreed to talk to the Dalai Lama. Le Monde had quoted Ms Yade as saying: "Three conditions are essential for him to attend: an end to violence against the population and the liberation of political prisoners; light shed on the events in Tibet; and the opening of a dialogue with the Dalai Lama."

And he people of Tibet continue ...misquote and let’s hope that somebody will have the balls to say something and mean it!

Swedes find Viking-era Arab coins

Swedish archaeologists have discovered a rare hoard of Viking-age silver Arab coins near Stockholm's Arlanda airport.

About 470 coins were found on 1 April at an early Iron Age burial site. They date from the 7th to 9th Century, when Viking traders travelled widely.

There has been no similar find in that part of Sweden since the 1880s.

Most of the coins were minted in Baghdad and Damascus, but some came from Persia and North Africa, said archaeologist Karin Beckman-Thoor.

High-ranking Finnish peacekeepers involved in bribes?

The state prosecutor is charging two high-ranking Finnish peacekeeping officers with turning a blind eye to bribes collected by two junior peacekeepers in Afghanistan.

Furthermore, they are accused of neglecting to disclose information during the preliminary investigation. I suppose they did so respecting the fact that Finland is ranking on the top of the less corrupted countries!!!

Two other high-ranking Finnish officers working in Afghanistan, who were previously named in the case, were not charged. Recently, the two junior peacekeepers were sentenced to unconditional prison sentences. The men accepted bribes worth tens of thousands of Euros from Afghan companies from the years 2004 to 2006 in exchange for lucrative construction deals.

According to the sentenced men, taking money for such deals is the custom in Afghanistan. However, they said they did not demand payment.

So it was bribe for the non-corrupted Finns, it was …multiculturalism!

Dancing with the …whales!

Julia Petrik, had to cut through ice one foot thick to get in to the -2C (28F) water off the north-west coast of Russia.

Miss Petrik, 38, one of the world's top free divers, swims underwater with no air tanks and can hold her breath for up to two minutes.

After entering the water she grabbed hold of a passing Beluga Whale for a lift - a moment captured by British photographer Dan Burton.

Street art to Tate's walls

A series of giant graffiti-style murals are to be painted on the walls of London's Tate Modern gallery for its summer season.

The works, which will adorn the river-facing wall of the building, will be created by six artists including Blu, who is interested in death.

The artworks will be displayed for three months from 23 May.

Only Tate could be open to any kind of contemporary art!

U2 and Live Nation

U2 have signed a 12-year deal with concert promoter Live Nation to handle the band's merchandising, digital and branding rights.

The deal follows the ground-breaking recording and touring contract Madonna signed with the company last year. U2, however, will continue to release records through Universal Music. "We've been dating for over 20 years now," said singer Bono. "It's about time we tied the knot." Live Nation has managed U2's tours since 1980.

Financial details of the deal have not been disclosed. In the end is all about money!

Jules Dassin dies

American film director Jules Dassin has died in an Athens hospital after a short illness, at the age of 96. Blacklisted in Hollywood after WWII, he went to Europe where he married the late Greek actress and later culture minister Melina Mercouri.

Melina Mercouri starred in Mr. Dassin's most famous film, Never on Sunday. After her death in 1994, Mr. Dassin fought to realize her main goal: the return of the Parthenon, or Elgin, marbles from Britain to Greece.

A spokesman for Hygeia hospital in Athens said Mr. Dassin had been admitted for treatment two weeks ago. "Greece grieves the loss of a rare human being, an important creator and a true friend," Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis said in a statement.

Art is going to miss a great creator!

The Ovi magazine today

Noam Chomsky on the Politics of the Essence of the Human Mind by Emanuel L. Paparella

Noam Chomsky is considered one of the pivotal linguists of our time. He follows a long heritage on the nature of language which begins with the ancient Greeks and continues with Giambattista Vico in the 18th century.

Whither Democracy in America? Part 3: Myths and Lessons of Athenian Democracy by Dr. Habib Siddiqui
The word democracy derives from the ancient Greek dēmokratia (literally, rule by the people) formed from the roots dēmos "people," "the mob, the many" and kratos "rule" or "power."

"Charles Darwin and a pool party" by Alexander Mikhaylov
"Perhaps no person can be a poet, or can even enjoy poetry, without a certain unsoundness of mind." - Thomas Babington Macaulay

"I wish" by Bohdan Yuri
"Poets are mysterious, but a poet when all is said is not much more mysterious than a banker." - Allen Tate

'Killing Fields' journalist dies

A Cambodian-born US journalist whose enslavement and escape from the Khmer Rouge became the subject of the famous film, The Killing Fields, has died.

Dith Pran died at a hospital in New Jersey from pancreatic cancer at the age of 65, according to his former New York Times colleague, Sydney Schanberg.

They were in Cambodia in 1975 to report the fall of Phnom Penh to Khmer forces.

Mr. Dith was not allowed to leave, and had to endure four years of torture and starvation before escaping to Thailand.

In 1980, Mr. Schanberg described his colleague's ordeal in a magazine article, and later a book, called "The Death and Life of Dith Pran". It became the basis for the Oscar-winning Hollywood film, The Killing Fields.

Pran was a true reporter, a fighter for the truth and for his people!

Don’t forget, summer time

Don’t forget, summer time at 3 AM Sunday morning when the clock is shifted one hour forward. The shift to summer time will bring some interruptions in banking services and affect rail travel.

The annual switch to summer, or daylight saving time is established practice within the European Union and takes place on the same day and at the same stroke of the clock in all member countries.