World News

Meet the world’s oldest animal - Jonathan the tortoise, 176!

Meet the world’s oldest animal - Jonathan the tortoise, 176!London, Dec 4 : A photograph taken in 1900 during the Boer War has led to the discovery of the world’s oldest living animal - Jonathan the tortoise.

In the photograph taken, a tortoise can be seen nibbling grass as a Boer War prisoner and guard posed in the background.

At the time the picture was taken, Jonathan was already 70-years-old, and now he has reached the age of 176, and is still fully functioning in every sense of the word, though he can’t see out of one eye.

It’s easy to ‘steal’ the Empire State Building in 90 minutes!

It’s easy to ‘steal’ the Empire State Building in 90 minutes!New York, December 3 : In less than 90 minutes, the 2-billion dollar Empire State Building was stolen with the help of fake documents, notary stamp and transfer property deed.

According to the New York Daily News, the system, which under the office of the city register, did not require clerks to verify the information.

Facebook, MySpace being used to fight terrorism

Facebook, MySpace being used to fight terrorismWashington, Dec 2 : Web sites like Facebook, MySpace, and others had been created as a platform for social interaction, but they are now fast becoming weapons for a positive social change.

The sites are now being seen as powerful tools of social and political change, and activists from around the globe are using them to get the message across.

“We are seeing communications technology as a powerful force for social and political change,” Fox News quoted Matthew Waxman, an associate Professor at Columbia University, as saying.

Financial meltdown and food crisis may cause increased malnutrition in developing countries

International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) Washington, Dec 2 : A new analysis by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) has determined that the combined impact of the current financial meltdown and the food crisis could cause major increases in malnutrition in developing countries, resulting in 16 million more undernourished children in 2020.

Many developing regions have experienced high economic growth in recent years. Between 2005 and 2007, developing countries in Asia grew at an annual average rate of nine percent, while African economies grew at six percent.

Taiwan museum mulls showing Chinese treasures in Britain, Japan

Taipei - Taiwan's National Palace Museum, which holds the world's largest collection of Chinese artifacts, plans to hold an exhibition in Britain and Japan, the museum said Tuesday.

"We are negotiating with the British Museum for an exchange of exhibitions - we hold an exhibition of Chinese treasures at the British Museum and they display their collection of Greek sculptures at the National Palace Museum," a museum press officer told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

"The negotiation is still going on. We don't know when the exhibitions can be held, because even after we have reached agreement, we have to wait till both museums have the space to hold the exhibitions," she said, asking not to be named.

Norwegian crown princess gets award for combating HIV/AIDS

Oslo  - Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit was Monday awarded the country's Plussprisen prize for her efforts to combat HIV/AIDS.

The prize - announced in connection with World AIDS day - was awarded by the Norwegian group HivNorway that was formed to safeguard the rights and interests of people infected and affected by HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

The princess is a goodwill ambassador for the joint United Nations programme, UNAIDS.

The 35-year-old princess shared the prize with Ragnhild Backstrom, who has worked to prevent discrimination against HIV-positive children.

Backstrom works to spread awareness about HIV in kindergartens, schools and local neighbourhoods.

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