DNA test for girl in India who looks like Madeleine

Tourists in Leh claim daughter of French/Belgian couple is missing Madeleine McCann

Indian police have taken DNA swabs from the daughter of a French/Belgian couple in the northern city of Leh after tourists alleged that she is in fact Madeleine McCann, the girl who disappeared from a holiday apartment in Portugal four years ago. The girl was spotted by a British tourist last weekend, who was reportedly backed up by other tourists. At one point, according to the Daily Mail, an American tourist attempted to take the girl from her parents, a Belgian man and French woman, who insist the girl is theirs. Private investigators hired by Madeleine’s parents, Gerry and Kate, are in contact with the police and are awaiting the results of the DNA test. Madeleine would now be eight years old. The McCann's spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: "Our private investigators are aware of the reports from India over the weekend about a possible sighting of Madeleine. We are liaising with the Indian authorities over the incident and await the results of the DNA test." For further concise, balanced comment and analysis on the week's news, try The Week magazine. Subscribe today and get 6 issues completely free. Source: The Week UK

Read More........ → March 17, 2014

China to become world's biggest economy

Those who are strong today will lose their strength. The US will yield to China in the economic leadership in 2017. Such is the forecast made by experts of the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) consulting services. They also say that this will not be the final step in the re-arrangement of forces in the world economy and that less than in 40 years Russia will play one of main roles while Europe’s largest economies will be lagging behind. The PwC experts forsee that by 2050 three leading economies will be China, the USA and India. Thus, the USA will yield the palm to the Chinese and that India will move to the third from the tenth place. The size of the future leader’s GDP, meaning China, will be about 54 trillion dollars. Just to compare: today it is under 6 trillion dollars. Executive Secretary of the Russian-Chinese Chamber Sergei Sanakoyev also says that China will be giant No. 1 in the world in the future. He says: "The nation is working which means that it is producing goods. This is a very important factor of growth. Of course, under the conditions of the world financial crisis, when the demand for Chinese goods dropped around the world, had a bad impact on the Chinese economy. However, quick measures on the reorientation towards domestic demand and a flexible credit policy have enabled China to maintain average yearly economic growth rates within the 7 to 10 per cent limits. It is absolutely clear that it is enough for becoming the world’s economy No. 1 by 2017." Experts mention certain risks as well. One of them is an increase in the share of city dwellers. Hence, the issue dealing with the growth of food prices and the cost of work force is becoming urgent enough. A hike in both indices will do damage to the competitiveness of Chinese goods. The Chinese authorities are doing their utmost to prevent this. Meanwhile, Russia’s government reports about economic victories. Russia’s GDP per capita has doubled since 1999, and the unemployment rate in this country was only 5.4 per cent in the end of the year which is very low according to the world standards. Experts from PricewaterhouseCoopers say that Russia’s GDP will increase by many times to reach 8 trillion dollars by 2050. Thus, Russia will rank sixth among the world’s economies, outstripping Germany, France, and Britain and coming close to Japan. This is possible, Director of the Institute of International Business at the National Research University - Higher School of Economics (HSE) – Natalia Karpova says. "Russia and China - two superpowers of the future – are on the rise, and should serious contradictions or cataclysms be non-existent, they will develop faster than all the other countries." The industrialized countries got the hardest hit by the current crisis because all of them relied on excessive loans to stimulate their growth, experts say. Therefore, the industrial growth of the developing markets not burdened with debts will become logical in the future. Especially that of the countries of raw materials – such as Russia and China. Source: Voice of Russia

Read More........ → January 24, 2013

'I'm sorry.' Cycling career was one big lie admits Armstrong

'If there's a truth and reconciliation commission, I'll be the first man in the door,' he tells Oprah

BY Gavin Mortimer, "ONE BIG LIE". That's how Lance Armstrong described a cycling career that brought him seven Tour de France titles and a reputation as the sport's greatest star. The Texan rider finally admitted the truth during an astonishing interview with Oprah Winfrey last night, confessing to the chat show host that he had used banned substances and blood transfusions for most of his career. Armstrong dated his doping back to the mid-1990s and said he continued to cheat for a decade, stressing that when he made a comeback in 2009 he was clean. There were other damning admissions from the disgraced rider, who was described by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) last October as a "serial cheat". Yes, he told Winfrey, he had been a bully. "I was a bully in the sense that I tried to control the narrative and if I didn't like what somebody said, I tried to control that. I was just trying to perpetuate the story and hide the truth". Armstrong verdict: 'clever, calculating, callous and arrogant', He singled out the former masseuse Emma O'Reilly as someone who had suffered particularly as a result of her attempts a decade ago to alert the world to Armstrong's doping. "Emma O'Reilly is one of these people that I have to apologise to," said Armstrong, who had described the Irishwoman as "a prostitute and an alcoholic" in a bid to destroy her credibility. "She is one of these people that got run over, got bullied." O'Reilly was also one of the people who got sued by Armstrong in his aggressive strategy to suppress the truth of what he was doing. Asked by Winfrey how many others he'd sued, Armstrong replied: "To be honest, Oprah, we sued so many people I don't know... I was a guy who expected to get whatever he wanted and to control every outcome. It's inexcusable. There are people who will never forgive - I understand that." Contrary to what many in the cycling world had feared before the interview aired, Armstrong did not try and portray himself as the victim. "I don't look around and say 'Oprah, I am getting so screwed here'. Were there days early on when I said that? Absolutely, but those days are fewer and fewer and further and further in between." Occasionally during the interview, the 41-year-old revealed glimpses of the psychology that had helped him construct his 'one big lie'. "I went and looked up the definition of cheat," he told Winfrey, "and the definition is to gain an advantage on a rival or foe, but I didn't view it that way. I viewed it as a level playing field." In his view, "the issue of performance-enhancing drugs was 'We're going to pump up our tyres and we're going to put water in our bottles, and oh yeah, that too is going to happen'." Ultimately it appears that at the height of his fame Armstrong came to believe his own fairy tale of the cancer sufferer turned sporting champion. "This story was so perfect for so long," he explained. "You overcome the disease, you win the Tour de France seven times - it was this mythic, perfect story, and it wasn't true." Reaction to last night's interview was swift. Travis Tygart, head of USADA, the body who did most to bring Armstrong to justice, said: "Tonight, Lance Armstrong finally acknowledged that his cycling career was built on a powerful combination of doping and deceit. "His admission that he doped throughout his career is a small step in the right direction. But if he is sincere in his desire to correct his past mistakes, he will testify under oath about the full extent of his doping activities." Armstrong didn't address that possibility directly, although he did tell Winfrey: "It's not my place to say 'Hey guys, let's clean up cycling', [but] if there was a truth and reconciliation commission, and I'm invited, I'll be the first man in the door." Nor did Armstrong appear willing to bring others down with him: "It's hard to talk about these things and not mention names, but there are other people in this story," he said. "I didn't invent the [doping] culture, but I didn't try to stop the culture. That's my mistake." Perhaps the hardest word of all for Armstrong to utter was the one that until now had never passed his lips. "I view this situation as one big lie that I repeated a lot of times," he said. "I'm sitting here today to acknowledge that and to say I'm sorry for that." The second part of the interview will be aired tonight (2 am Saturday, UK time). Source: The Week UK

Read More........ → January 19, 2013

Analyst: Global 3D market flourishes

The global 3D consumer market is thriving in a dynamic environment marked by clear and discernible growth across its major platforms, including cinema, home video and pay-TV video on demand, with international markets continuing to make major contributions to the industry, according to an IHS Screen DigestCross Platform Intelligence report from information and analytics provider IHS. Worldwide metrics are on the rise for 3D technology as a whole. The number of 3D screens is up fourfold over a period of three years, while 3D box office climbed in the double digits from 2010 to 2011. The 3D home-video market is also showing strong growth, bucking the overall trend of a declining physical video market, with US spending on Blu-ray 3D nearly doubling in 2012 from last year’s levels. More 3DTV channels worldwide are likewise now available, including one just launched in China, with plenty of potential for expansion in the years ahead for 3D Video-on-Demand service. “In an age where consumers have at their easy disposal a virtual treasure trove of entertainment options to draw from, the encouraging growth of the 3D medium is remarkable to behold,” said Tony Gunnarsson, analyst for video at IHS Screen Digest. “The continuing expansion of the industry is especially significant when one considers that 3D is but a small niche of overall digital viewing, and that consumers have to shell out considerably more money for 3D products, which are priced at a premium and not necessarily an easy sell in these economically uncertain times.” The number of 3D screens worldwide has grown dramatically in three years, rising by more than a factor of four from approximately 9,000 screens at the end of 2009 to 43,000 by the third quarter this year. The US continues to have the lion’s share of 3D screens, followed by China, France, the United Kingdom and Germany. Meanwhile, global 3D box-office revenue hit $7.0 billion in 2011—the last full year for which full figures are available—up 16 per cent from $6.0 billion in 2010. 3D accounted for 22 per cent of total world box-office receipts in 2011, up from 19 per cent the previous year. In particular, 3D is stabilising in mature cinema markets like the US, where its share of the overall box office is no longer growing as rapidly compared to the earlier years of the format or in other countries where 3D cinema is just taking off. Increasingly, 3D revenue prospects rely on the quality of the 3D film slate, and the wealth—or relative dearth—of titles during a particular period could spell a big difference in 3D revenue prospects in the mature cinema markets. 3D screen growth is also slowing dramatically in the developed regions, where exhibitors have already made a significant investment in 3D screen infrastructure. The opposite is true in China and other emerging international markets, where the continued expansion of new-cinema screen infrastructure as well as the subsequent up-conversion rate from 2-D to 3D is pushing further growth of 3D screens. Overall, international markets continue to account for a rising share of the worldwide 3D box office—73 per cent in 2011, up from 66 per cent in 2010 and 54 per cent in 2009, with the balance held by North America. In the 3D home-video segment, the U.S. continues to make up the largest market for Blu-ray 3D (BD 3D), equivalent to 51 per cent of global BD 3D spending. And while both value and volume for traditional physical video are decreasing, BD 3D is an exception to the trend, with forecasts showing strong growth even out to 2016. Spending by U.S. consumers on the medium is up 94 per cent this year from 2011 levels, to $220 million, with BD 3D unit sales set to climb 105 per cent, to 9.9 million units. “Despite the relatively small market for BD 3D, the format plays an important role for overall physical video,” Gunnarsson noted. “BD 3D is already being marketed as the ultimate home-video experience, and studios are pricing 3D home-video well above Blu-ray 2-D versions.” Growth is also forecast for the BD 3D home-video market in the three big European markets of the United Kingdom, Germany and France. A total of 37 unique dedicated 3D channels have been launched worldwide since 2010, plus another 38 dedicated 3D event broadcasts. Nonetheless, 3DTV launches slowed considerably in 2012, due to uncertainty about investing in, and maintaining, dedicated linear 3D channels. On the plus side were the positive developments on programming, such as the formation of 3Net, a joint venture among Sony, Imax and Discovery to focus on 3D output including documentaries and other niche genres. Some pay-TV operators have also sought to provide 3D movies on a Video-on-Demand basis. Movies and documentaries—not live or original content—are the basis for 3D VoD, but the overall limited slate as well as the higher price of 3D video-on-demand (VoD) movies—as much as 30 per cent over HD titles—may serve to discourage some consumers from adopting the service in the short term. Even so, the 3D VoD market will overcome such obstacles in the years ahead. U.S. consumers, for instance, will spend $76.1 million for 3D VoD by 2016, up from $11.1 million this year. European viewers, meanwhile, will fork out $32.4 million, compared to just $3.5 million during the same period. Penetration for 3D remains highest in 2012 across cinema-screen infrastructure, driven by higher per-ticket revenue and the continued practice of major studios releasing blockbuster titles in 3D. In homes, 3D penetration is dependent on households upgrading to 3DTVs as well as 3D BD players and the associated 3D glasses. 3D features are becoming a standard on high-end HDTV sets and BD players in the forecast period to 2016, resulting in a growing segment of households in developed markets being ripe for 3D movies viewing. By 2016, the penetration of 3D ready TV households will have surpassed that of 3D cinema screens in select markets worldwide. The largest international footprint overall for 3D cinema this year belongs to China, where more than 8,000 screens had been installed as of the third quarter—more than double from a year earlier—as the rapidly growing screen infrastructure makes a significant contribution. The country’s BD 3D space, however, is still in infancy, owing to the lack of a legitimate physical video market in the country in light of rampant piracy. The ability of Chinese manufacturers to integrate 3D as standard feature will also have a significant impact on 3DTV broadcasts moving forward, after Chinese public broadcaster CCTV launched the first 3DTV channel in the country on a trial basis earlier this year. Source: Advanced Television

Read More........ → December 31, 2012

EU summit: new plans instead of summing 2012 up

A summit of the European Union took place recently. Initially, it was planned that the summit will sum up the results of the outgoing year. But in the end, the main topics of the agenda turned out to be the financial aid to Greece and the creation of a bank union.

Both topics divided the summit’s participants into two antagonistic parties. Some of the participants believed that it would be better to help Greece, some were concerned that this would only cause more problems. The suggestion to endue the European Central Bank with much broader authorities also stirred a heated debate. However, the sides had to find a certain compromise – and found it. The outgoing year was very difficult for many Europeans – mainly, for Greeks. Representatives of the European Group had to come to Athens to check how Greece was implementing reforms, in exchange for which it received financial aid from several other countries and international organizations, practically every month. However, the reforms went on rather slowly. Since the beginning of this year, Greece’s state debt reached the point of 160% of the country’s GDP. The millions of euros that a number of international creditors allocated, although reluctantly, to Greece, turned out to be of little help. Meanwhile, rating agencies lowered Greece’s ratings nearly with every coming day. In November, it turned out that Greece was standing on the threshold of another financial default. But the authority of Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel and France’s President Francois Hollande, who insisted that another tranche should be allocated to Greece, outweighed the voices of those who were against this – and Greece received another € 50 bln. However, experts say that this sum will most likely be not enough for Greece to cope with the crisis in the next year. Europe should look for some other ways to stop the crisis in Greece, and there already exists a suggestion of creating a bank union. "The main task now is not to let the crisis in Greece spread to neighboring countries," Russian financier Maxim Shein says. "I find it a good idea that the European Central Bank will control the situation in Greece," Mr. Shein says. "But I think that this was in fact done to endue the Central Bank with more possibilities to help European banks if they need this help. This may stop the financial crisis to spread further." At present, there are about 6,000 financial and credit organizations in Europe. Germany and France’s idea is that the European Central Bank should control them all and interfere in their activities if it finds this necessary. Initially, the project even included it that the Central Bank should have the right to veto bargains of amalgamation of banks. But the UK was categorically against this, and its position was also supported by the Czech Republic. As a result, a decision was adopted that the Cenral Bank will be allowed to possess control only over 150 European financial organizations, which have assets in various countries. "The principled position of the UK turned out to be very well-timed," another Russian financier, Alexey Terekhov, says. "The UK has always, to a certain extent, distanced itself from the rest of Europe," Mr. Terekhov says, "and it is not unexpected that the UK now wants independence for its banks as well. Speaking about what is behind the position of the Czech Republic, I would suppose that the reason probably is that the Czech Republic is now experiencing no financial crisis at all. In such a situation, for Czech banks, coordinating their actions with the Central bank would be nothing but unnecessary bureaucracy." In whole, Europe is experiencing a very difficult situation. But many experts believe that there is a chance that the measures suggested at the recent EU summit may help Europe to overcome the crisis, although this will most likely take a long time. It may hardly be expected, experts say, that in the foreseeable future, the measures of tough economy that Greece is trying to implement would help it much. As for the bank union, experts predict that any feasible results of its work will appear not earlier than in 2 years from now. It looks like in such a situation, it is only new wise decisions of politicians that may really help Europe. Source: Voice of Russia

Read More........ → December 20, 2012

Rodin ballet goes to Paris

A St. Petersburg theater company, led by Boris Eifman, has been invited to Paris to produce a ballet dedicated to the great French sculptor Auguste Rodin and his beloved disciple Camille Claudel.

The ballet of the same name, to premiere in March, has already won rave reviews in Moscow, St. Petersburg and New York City. Darrel Wood of the authoritative NYC Dance Stuff magazine hails Rodin as “one of the best ballets of the 21st century.”  TASS, Live Riga, Source:  Voice of Russia

Read More........ → December 16, 2012

Sonia, Manmohan among world's most powerful: Forbes

Washington: Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh are ranked 12th and 19th, respectively, on the Forbes list of 'The World's Most Powerful People'. US President Barack Obama retains his top position. As leader of India's ruling party, Sonia Gandhi, 65, who was ranked sixth on Forbes list of Power Women, "has the reins of the world's second-most-populous country and tenth-largest economy", the US business magazine said. "Son Rahul is next in line to take over India's most famous political dynasty," it suggested. Listing Manmohan Singh, 80, 19th on the power list, Forbes says: "The Oxford- and Cambridge-educated economist is the architect of India's economic reforms, but Singh's quiet intellectualism is increasingly seen as timid and soft." German Chancellor Angela Merkel moves up to number two from fourth place last year, followed by Russian President Vladimir Putin (No.3), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Co-chair Bill Gates (No.4) and Pope Benedict XVI (No.5). Rounding out the Top 10 are US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S Bernanke (No.6), Saudi Arabian King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud (No.7), European Central Bank Ppresident Mario Draghi (No.8), General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Xi Jinping (No.9) and British Prime Minister David Cameron (No.10). Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg (No.25) dropped out of the Top 10 to 25, from No.9 in 2011. Pakistan Army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani is listed 28th on the list, while Zaheer ul-Islam the "new head of Pakistan's notorious intelligence service" Inter-Services Intelligence is ranked 52nd. Among the 14 newcomers to the list are LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman (No.71), the world's most powerful venture capitalist and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk (No.66), the entrepreneur behind Paypal, Tesla Motors and the private space industry. They are joined by President Francois Hollande (No.14) of France, North Korea Supreme Leader Kim Jong-Un (No.44) and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer (No.46). Among the drop-offs are Chinese President Hu Jintao, who is on his way out of office and US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton - both of whom have announced they won't return to their powerful posts for Obama's second term. Forbes said it assembled the list using four criteria: power over lots of people, financial resources controlled, whether the person has power in various spheres of life, and whether that person actively uses the power. Source: News Bullet

Read More........ → December 09, 2012

Q3 roundup of global retail leaders

In the third of this year's regular series of updates, IGD retail have rounded up the main developments at the leading global grocery retailers - Carrefour, Tesco, Metro and Walmart - since August. Divestment has been key feature for Carrefour: (1) In the fourth quarter Carrefour announced the sale of its business in Colombia to Cencosud, and of its Malaysian operations to Japanese retailer Aeon. Carrefour is clearly prioritising resource allocation to more mature markets where it holds a strong position, and emerging markets where it can harness growth potential (2) At the first half results presentation, when a 0.9% increase in net sales was reported, CEO Georges Plassat also outlined three areas of future focus: assets, merchandise and people (3) A survey by French trade magazine Linéaires revealed that Carrefour significantly lowered prices over the first half, closing the gap with price leader Leclerc and showing that in France, the group is well on the way to delivering EDLP. The price initiatives are beginning to kick in, and Q3 results indicated signs of improvement in French hypermarkets, especially in food sales (4) Carrefour has identified e-commerce as an area where it can accelerate in 2012. In line with this, it launched trials of virtual shopping walls at train stations in Lyon and Paris, during September and October, Tesco: improving UK performanceTesco: In China, Tesco closed four stores to concentrate on fewer regions and on key strategic areas. In South Korea, a sale and leaseback deal generated GBP300m which is likely to be invested back into the development of Tesco's business in the country. First half results revealed modest group sales growth and improving UK performance, alongside a fall in group trading profit, as the retailer invests in its plan to build a better Tesco. Performance from international operations was mixed, impacted by local economic conditions. Online has been a focus, both at home and internationally. Tesco is growing its network of dark stores in the UK, and plans to open two more over the next 18 months. In China, Tesco became the first supermarket retailer to launch a website offering recipe ideas, nutritional information and food education. Slovakia became the latest country to welcome online grocery shopping this year, following the launch of the service in the Czech Republic and Poland. Metro confident on positioning: Third quarter sales, reported last week, were up 2%, but EBIT was down 39%. European performance was mixed, with a sales fall of 2% in Germany, and divestments (Makro UK and Saturn France) impairing growth in western Europe. In Asia/Africa, sales were up 32.2% (+19% in local currency). Despite the difficulties and the uncertain economic outlook, Metro CEO Olaf Koch is confident that the group is on the right track with the strategic measures taken so far. The group continues to expect a rise in sales for the full year. In central and eastern Europe, Metro is to continue expanding the Real hypermarket business in Ukraine, while there have been rumours that it is considering the sale of operations in Russia. Metro revealed a new management structure at Real, as it attempts to realign the business and improve its profitability. Further east, more cash & carry outlets are expected to open in India by the end of the year, taking the total to 15. Metro sees potential for more than 100 Indian stores in the long term. Walmart's multichannel developments continue: At the annual analysts' meeting in October, Walmart outlined its plans for growth. These include accelerating small format store growth in the US, investing in price and e-commerce. Multichannel developments have continued apace. The launch of an advanced search engine for Walmart.com, tests of a self-scanning app and same-day delivery for online, and this week's collaboration between Mattel and Walmart Canada all reinforce the importance of e-commerce, in which CEO Mike Duke has said "we will play to win." Second quarter results, at the end of August, indicated ongoing momentum at home, with four successive quarters of positive comparable sales growth delivered in the core US stores. Although international growth slowed, these operations continue to be Walmart's main growth engine. Source: Fresh-Plaza

Read More........ → November 16, 2012

Carscoop’s A to Z Guide to the 2012 Paris Motor Show

By Andrew Tsaousis, The European car market may be in trouble because of the financial crisis that’s been dragging on for a long time now, but carmakers are gearing up to display their latest models in the City of Light. From September 29 until October 14, the Paris Expo at the Porte de Versailles will host some of this year’s most important world premieres. The French automakers have chosen the 2012 Paris Auto Show to launch models like the all-new Renault Clio, the Peugeot 208 GTi and the Citroen DS3 Cabrio. Ford will also have a strong presence with a raft of new models like the new Mondeo and no less than three SUVs, while Jaguar will display the production version of its long-awaited F-Type, Mazda the impressively styled 6 in saloon and station wagon shapes, and Cadillac its 3-Series fighter, the ATS. Compact hatchbacks are Europe's second most popular segment accounting for nearly 3 million units in 2011. Paris will be the place where some of the most important contenders in the C-segment will be launched. The best-selling model of 2011, the VW Golf, may look like an updated version of its predecessor from the outside, but under the skin, it’s brand-new as it’s based on the group’s all-new MQB modular platform. The new Leon uses the same architecture, though Seat has changed the bodywork dramatically in an effort to ramp up sales. Toyota, on the other hand, has done the exact opposite from VW for its second-generation Auris, keeping essentially the same platform but wrapping it up in a much sharper bodywork and Opel has merely freshened up the Astra range, having concentrated on launching the Fiat 500-rivalling Adam city car instead. Every world-class auto show worthy of its name has its fair share of concepts and Paris, won’t be an exception. McLaren will finally display the successor to the iconic F1 after 20 years, Smart will preview the styling of its new models with the ForStars CUV and Peugeot will entice visitors with the Onyx, a futuristic supercar that in all likelihood will remain just a chance for its designers to sharpen their pencils on. Carscoop’s preliminary guide to the 2012 Mondial de l’Automobile follows the break and will be constantly updated, so stay tuned! Source: Carscoop

Read More........ → September 22, 2012

Future Cars: 2013 Maserati Quattroporte Sports Sedan

It is hard to believe that the current Pininfarina-designed Maserati Quattroporte has been with us since 2004. Yes, it may be getting old but arguably, it looks better now than ever. Nevertheless, the Italians aren't keen on resting on their laurels and have been hard at work on the Quattroporte's successor, which is expected to make its world premiere at the 2013 Detroit Motor Show - unless Maserati surprises us in Paris next month. Based on a set of patent drawings and spy shots/videos, I have brought a fresh visual perspective of how the next Quattroporte may look. The gentleman's express features similar design elements to the Kubang SUV, but arguably shares more in common with the GranTurismo. With its aggressive grille ready to inhale oxygen and wildlife, the new car throws a much bigger visual punch. The surface language is more dynamic and sculptured, which lends to a sleeker and more modern look. There are still some similarities with the old car. The roofline and glass area have been thoroughly massaged and carried over, while the car now features frameless side windows. The signature side vents make it to the new car as do the central hood creases. Will the next Quattroporte have what it takes to go head to head with its main rivals? Well, only time will tell but one thing is for sure; the Porsche Panamera and Mercedes-Benz AMG limos won't make things easy. By Josh Byrnes, Design Credits: Josh Byrnes for CarScoop, Source: Carscoop

Read More........ → August 12, 2012

USA dominated 100m swimming events

By Yulia Monakhova, On Monaday, July 30th American swimmers dominated 100m Backstroke events by taking home two gold medals and one silver. In addition American veteran Matthew Grevers set a new Olympic record along the way. The 27-year-old Grevers remained in a full body length lead over his teammate. On the turn Grevers was second but he pulled his strength in the final straight and won with 52.16 seconds. The previous record-holder was also an American swimmer Aaron Piersol who won gold in 2008 Beijing Olympics with a record of 52.54 seconds. Back in 2008 Grevers took home the silver medal.Grevers' teammate Nick Thoman claimed the silver in 52.92 seconds. Bronze went to the Japanese swimmer Ryosuke Irie, whoi came just 0.05 seconds later. Irie was chased by Camille Lacourt of France, who was 0.11 seconds apart. Fifth place of the event was taken by Liam Tancock of Great Britain, who finished 0.27 seconds later. Tags: 2012 Summer Olympics , gold, sport, News, Sports, Olympic Games , World, Читать далее, Source: Voice of Russia. 

Read More........ → August 05, 2012

One million “turn on” to Nissan Leaf

The Big Turn On, Nissan's ambitious on-line campaign designed to get one million people ‘turned on' to electric vehicles, has hit its target ahead of time. The campaign encourages communities to support electric vehicles, and the city with the most “turn ons” will be given 30 Quick Chargers. The Big Turn On is a 100 day campaign to demonstrate the benefits of electric vehicles, and to bust the myths that surround, them through online influencers, owners, and celebrities. The initial plan was to reach the one million mark in 100 days, however the campaign has so captured the imagination of the public that the milestone was reached on 21 June, 15 days ahead of schedule.

Read More........ → August 05, 2012

US overtakes China on Olympic medals table

Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei of China take part in badminton mixed doubles gold medal competition, at London 2012 Olympic Games in London, Britain, on August 3, 2012. [Photo: Xinhua]

The United States overtook China on the top of the medals table, although the latter won a badminton gold
and a trampoline gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games on Friday. China's mixed doubles players Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei beat their teammates Xu Chen and Ma Jin to win the first gold medal in badminton, while two Chinese shuttlers are to play for another in women's singles. Dong Dong of China scored 62.990 points to take the men's trampoline gold medal, with Russian Dmitry Ushakov getting the silver in 61.769 and Chinese Lu Chunlong getting the bronze in 61.319. The United States now leads the medals count with 43, including 21 gold. China is in second place with 20 gold, 13 silver and nine bronze. American swimmer Michael Phelps won the men's 100m butterfly yesterday for his 17th Olympic gold and 21st medal overall. He clocked 51.21 seconds for the 100m title, adding to his victories earlier in the 200m IM and 4x200m freestyle relay. Until Thursday no man had won an Olympic swimming title in three separate Games, Phelps ended that record with his win in the 200m medley and Friday's win means he has repeated the same feat in this race. Fellow American Missy Franklin also claimed her third gold medal of the games with a world record-breaking swim in the 200m backstroke. The 17-year-old, who had already won the 100m backstroke and formed part of the US women's 4x100m freestyle relay, touched home in 2:04.06, eclipsing the previous best set by Kirsty Coventry in Rome in 2009. Fifteen-year-old Katie Ledecky, the youngest member of the US team, upset local favorite and defending champion Rebecca Adlington in the 800m freestyle in 8:14.63. In the last event of the night, Frenchman Florent Manaudou denied a US clean sweep by taking the men's 50m freestyle in 21.34 seconds, edging American Cullen Jones into second in 21.54 and Brazilian world record holder Cesar Cielo third in 21.59. Source: Article, Image

Read More........ → August 04, 2012

McDonald's focusing on value in slowing global economy

McDonald's Corporation today reported its results for the second quarter ended June 30, including a 3.7 percent increase in global comp sales. Broken down by segment: (1) McDonald's U.S. generated comp sales growth of 3.6 percent, leveraging its everyday value offerings, menu variety and reimaged restaurants; Europe's comp sales were up 3.8 percent behind value options balanced with premium product introductions and reimaged restaurants; (2) Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA) posted a modest comp sales increase of 0.9 percent. Solid performances in Australia and China were offset by a still-recovering Japan. Heading up his first earnings call since taking over as CEO, Don Thompson noted McDonald's continued solid performance despite a slowing global economy and stronger headwinds on both the top and bottom lines. The company will continue to focus on its Plan to Win and three strategies: optimizing the menu, modernizing customaner experience and broadening accessibility. U.S. results: Thompson said the U.S. system continues to build sales and guest counts, albeit at a slower pace because of increased competition from convenience store and grocery segments, as well as the fast casual segment. "For us, we just need to remain focused on what is in our realm of control. That is beverages, premium products, breakfast, promotional food events like the Chicken McBites and value," he said. "We just need to make sure we're appealing to customers more and focus on our business plan." The breakfast daypart continues to experience strong momentum, as do beverages and value promotions. For example, a recent focus on the 20-piece Chicken McNugget offering helped increase total sales of chicken by nearly 11 percent versus the same period last year. Thompson said customers can expect several new beef and chicken products within the next year, including wraps and premium sandwiches such as the pub burger, as well as additional innovations in the beverage and breakfast spaces. Europe: The United Kingdom and Russia delivered strong sales for McDonald's during the quarter, and the U.K., France and Spain systems have gained market share to drive Europe's overall performance. Thompson said the company is re-engineering its 2012 plans to drive traffic in Europe, including a stronger focus on value and promotions and the expansion of breakfast and beverages. In France, McDonald's plans to increase its media spend to strengthen its voice. And in Germany, the chain will continue to step up its value messaging, which has contributed to strong sales and guest counts. APMEA: Thompson said the company is witnessing fragile consumer confidence in Australia, as well as a difficult economy and continued disaster recovery in Japan. In China, tier I cities are experiencing an economic slowdown and competition has increased. Still, McDonald's is on track to open 225 to 250 new restaurants this year while focusing on conveniences like McDelivery and dessert kiosks. Also, the company will continue to add to breakfast, the fastest growing daypart, which now represents more than 9 percent of sales in the country. In response to all APMEA activity, the company has introduced value platforms to build traffic short term, with the objective of maintaining that traffic long term while building tickets as customers trade up. "Let me be clear: we're not satisfied. But we have a resilient business model, a talented system, and experience in every type of operating environment," Thompson said. "We understand what we are facing – from the macro economic environment to increasing competition. We've been in these situations before and we'll draw on that experience and stay focused on the things that differentiate us." Image Link Flickr, Source: QSRweb.com

Read More........ → August 02, 2012

Biofuel consumption growth wanes in Europe

EurObserv’ER has just released its latest renewable energy barometer, this time looking at biofuels. According to the latest data available for 2011, the growth in biofuel consumption slowed down in 2011, although more sustainable growth is envisaged over the long term. EurObserv’ER’s latest Biofuels Barometer shows that overall biofuel consumption continued to increase by 3% in Europe between 2010 and 2011, which translates into 13.6 million tonnes of oil equivalent (toe) used in 2011 compared to 13.2 million toe in2010. Biofuel consumption for transport in Europe Union, 2011 (toe):  However, according to the authors of the report, European Union governments no longer view the rapid increase in biofuel consumption as a priority, and this has contributed to a decline in the growth of biofuel consumption in transport from, 41.7% between 2007 and 2008, 24.6% between 2008 and 2009 and 10.7% between 2009 and 2010, to only 3.0 % between 2010 and 2011. “The European Union’s attention has shifted to setting up sustainability systems to verify that the biofuel used in the various countries complies with the Renewable Energy Directive’s sustainability criteria,” finds the report. The reason for this downslide is the 2020 target that requires less effort than that of the 2003 Biofuel Directive (which aimed at a 5.75% 

share in 2010) and has also pushed back the date by which Member States must incorporate biofuel into their national markets. Today’s priority is to ensure that the biofuel consumed within their national boundaries meets the sustainability criteria set in the Directive. Thus Germany, France and other EU countries have set a threshold before they decide on any future increase in their incorporation rate. Some impor­ter countries (primarily Central European) have lowered their incorporation rate or kept it low to ease their economies as they ride out the recession. Between 2010 and 2011, just a handful of countries decided to increase their biofuel incorporation rates in the fuel total – namely, Finland (4 to 6%), Poland (5.75 to 6.2%), Italy (3.5 to 4%), Spain (5.83 to 6.2%), Bulgaria (3.5% to 5% in volume), the Netherlands (4 to 4.25%) and Denmark (first quota set at 3.5%). Biodiesel is still the main biofuel in European transport witha 78% share of total consumption, as against 21% for bioethanol. Biogas fuel consumption (0.5%) is still a purely Swedish phenomenon and vegetable oil consumption has reverted to marginal status (0.5%) since Germany started taxing this product Sales of E10, a fuel made up of 90% unleaded petrol and 10% bioethanol by volume in some countries are behind the faster growth in bioethanol consumption (6.2% up on 2010) compared to biodiesel (2.4%). The European Commission would like E10 to be the main petrol fuel used in all the Member States by 2013. In 2011 the situation is just as tense as it was for European biodiesel last year. The European Biodiesel Board’s (EBB) first estimates are that European Union production receded for the first time, dropping 8% from 9 570 000 tonnes in 2010 to 8 800 000 tonnes in 2011. The EBB says it will publish firmer figures in October. This means that European industry did not gain from the slight increase in biodiesel consumption. For the first time European plant capacity utilisation, put at 22 117 000 tonnes in 2011, should drop below the 40% mark, which has put a number of European operators in dire straits. The Spaniards in particular have been forced to close their plants and lay off workers. Where does this leave the 2020 targets? As it stands, biofuel consumption in transports (13.6 Mtoe in 2011) is lower than anticipated in the National Renewable Energy Action Plans (14 Mtoe in 2010), amounting to a level a little over one year behind schedule. The data published in these NREAP plans was compiled then updated by ECN in November 2011 in its report “Renewable Energy Projections as Published in the National Renewable Energy Action Plans of the European Member States”. This publication forecast 14 038 ktoe of biofuel consumption in transports in 2010 (2 871 ktoe of bioethanol, 10 956 ktoe of biodiesel, 211 ktoe of other biofuels), 19 778 ktoe in 2015 (4 968 ktoe of bioethanol, 14 542 ktoe of biodiesel, 268 ktoe of other biofuels) and 29 745 ktoe in 2020 (7 307 ktoe of bioethanol, 21 649 ktoe of biodiesel, 789 ktoe of other biofuels) (graph 3). “Given the Directive deadline, which was still nine years away in 2011, this delay gives no cause for concern. The 2020 target,” find the authors of the Biofuels Barometer. “As a matter of course and based on the more intense use of second-generation biofuels, consumption growth should be more buoyant in the second half of the decade. This conservative view partly reflects the forthcoming developments of sustai­nability criteria, primarily involving factoring in the Iluc effect. A number of countries such as Germany have also deliberately cut back the development of 1st-generation biofuels to leave considerable room for 2nd-generation biofuels to expand. However, in the light of the efforts required to develop them industrially, this growth cannot start until the second half of the decade.” The authors go on to say that prospects for first-generation development in Europe are limited by the dearth of dedicated farming land and the trends in global demand. For instance, Brazil, which only a short while ago was the leading bioethanol exporter has now become its leading importer. The drop in domestic production, as a result of a bad harvest, has even prompted the Brazilian government to reduce the incorporation rate in petrol from 25 to 20%. American bioethanol exports, which are currently frustrating European industry sales, could also end up lessening. Continued high prices paid for petrol in the US have increased pressure to increase the bioethanol incorporation rate there, which is already almost up to 10%. In January 2011, EPA, which is responsible for regulating biofuel incorporation, authorised petrol blends with 15% ethanol for vehicles made after 2001, which means that about two-thirds of the vehicles on the road in the United States can use E15. The 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act provides for increased consump­tion of 9–36 billion US gallons of ethanol by 2022 (34–136 billion litres), which means that American consumption will steadily grow. Accordingly, the development of second-generation biofuels could start much sooner than expected – as early as the middle of the decade. The use of ligno-cellulosic biomass and algae will lead to clearer environmental benefits and relieve the pressure on farming land. Source:  Renewable Energy Magazine

Read More........ → July 30, 2012

China, India set course for naval strength

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Refitted Vikramaditya (Admiral Gorshkov) [File photo]

By Shi Yang: The INS Vikramaditya aircraft carrier (former Admiral Gorshkov), which Russia refurbished for India, left its berth at the Sevmash shipyard in Russia's northern city of Severodvinsk and sailed into the White Sea to undergo trials on June 8. The trials were scheduled to last 120 days, and after initial sea trials in the White Sea, the carrier will test aircraft takeoff and landing in the Barents Sea. Russian and Indian crews will board the carrier for the sea trials, however Indian sailors will only act as observers. The Vikramaditya is a modified Kiev-class aircraft carrier which was formally called the "Admiral Gorshkov". The Admiral Gorshkov entered service in 1987 and was sent for repairs in February 1992. However, due mainly to a funding crisis, the Russian navy decided to withdraw it from service. At the same time, the Indian navy was considering buying a large out-of-service carrier. Subsequently, in 2004, Russia and India signed a deal for the refurbishment of the Admiral Gorshkov. The carrier itself was free, however India had to get it refitted at the Sevmash shipyard at a cost of US$750 million and buy Russian-made MiG-29K fighters as its carrier drones. The delivery time was originally set for 2008, but due principally to underestimated workload and the shipyard's lack of experience in building and refurbishing aircraft carrier, the delivery time was continually postponed, with costs jumping to more than US$2.3 billion. According to the requirements of the Indian navy, Russia completely refitted the Admiral Gorshkov. The improvement involved stripping all of the armaments and radar from the foredeck and greatly enlarging the surface of the flight deck. The foredeck was also turned into a ski-jump. The refitted Vikramaditya will be better equipped than India's current serving carrier. MiG-29K fighters are superior to the old British Sea Harrier fighters, and the carrier's comprehensive fighting force can compare with that of the nuclear-powered French aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle. India is currently engaging in building up its naval force. It is now in the process of constructing an Air Defense Ship, which is actually an aircraft carrier, as well as three missile-guided destroyers, and three invisible missile frigates. In addition, it has ordered a number of missile frigates from Russia. If all these plans are carried out successfully, India will not only consolidate its dominant position in the Indian Ocean, it will also have one of the world's top five most powerful navies. The former Soviet Union had the world's second largest navy during the Cold War. However, since the crumbling of the USSR, the Russian navy has been forced to decommission many of its ships due to a lack of funds and broken industrial chain. Russia's naval power cannot really compare with that of the former USSR during the Cold War. Economic woes have prevented Russia from undertaking large-scale shipbuilding to replace those decommissioned ships. Source: China.org.cn

Read More........ → July 27, 2012

All-New Kia Carens / Rondo Minivan to Bow at the Paris Motor Show

With the promise to combine "sporty looks with spacious functionality and an emotional appeal", Kia will perform the world premiere of the all-new Carens MPV, a successor to the minivan sold as the Rondo in North America up until 2010, at the Paris Motor Show on September 27. The new generation of the Carens makes use of a modified version of the Cee'd's platform shared with the Hyundai i30 (called the Elantra GT in North America) and at least in Europe, it will likely be offered with 1.4-liter and 1.6-liter petrol and diesel engines. The sketches released by Kia suggest that the new Carens will draw heavily on the design of the latest generation Cee'd. The Korea company said that the minivan will sport a "fresh, sleek, cab-forward design, lower roofline, longer wheelbase, larger wheels (up to 18-inch) and chrome beltline accent." Back in May, a Kia official had said that the company would present "a five-seat and seven-seat compact minivan that will replace both the Carens and Carnival" at the Paris Motor Show. From what we understand, the car pictured here is the five-seat version of Kia's new minivan proposal. Whether Kia will offer the new Carens in other markets around the world including North America is something that remains to be seen. Source: Carscoop

Read More........ → July 26, 2012

Nobel winner says AIDS cure could come by 2050

THE Nobel laureate, Francoise Barre-Sinoussi, who helped to discover HIV says there is hope for an AIDS cure following recent discoveries. She cited a patient in Berlin who appears to have been cured through a bone marrow transplant, "which proves that finding a way of eliminating the virus from the body is something that is realistic." Other sources of optimism are the small minority of patients - less than 0.3 per cent - who exhibit no symptoms of the virus without ever receiving treatment; and a small group in France who received antiretroviral drugs and now live without treatment or symptoms, Ms Barre-Sinoussi said. "There is hope ... but don't ask me for a date because we do not know." She also said that it would be possible "in principle" to eliminate the AIDS pandemic by 2050, if barriers to drug access could be eliminated. Barriers such as economic, political and social. Source: Sam Daily Times

Read More........ → July 22, 2012

ArcelorMittal preparing for massive job cuts in Europe

Arcelor  Mittal, the world's largest steelmaker is preparing plans for thousands of job cuts in Europe due to the continuing economic turbulence in world's second-richest continent. The Luxembourg-based steelmakers yesterday said that it is planning to "optimise its support services" at its European flat carbon steel division, which unions have said world lead to thousands job losses.At the company's European work's council meeting held this week in Luxembourg, ArcelorMittal's Flat Carbon Europe division gave a presentation on guiding objectives on future organisation in regards to support services, which includes administration, human resources, technology and purchasing, according to report from AFP news agency. "To face economic difficulties in Europe, the Flat Carbon Europe division considers it vital to improve and insure competitively of its activity at all levels," ArcelorMittal said in a written statement to AFP. Edouard Martin, of the French CFDT union told the news agency that the entire exercise is a "hidden layoff plan" which will lead to thousands of job cuts in Europe. The CFE-CGC union of France envisages between 3,000 and 5,000 jobs could be cut from the 10,000 support jobs mainly in Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, Poland, and Romania. Lakshmi Mittal, chairman and CEO of ArcelorMittal had last week told the Financial Timesthat the ''sustained collapse in European [steel] demand has created a severe imbalance with potential supply (of the metal)'' and that the overall problems for the world economy remained ''very concerning.''  He also ruled out further site closures in Europe as the global steel industry currently has an overcapacity due to the slowdown in demand and consumption in China. Brussels-based World Steel Association had last month in its monthly report said that the European Union remained slow as production fell 5.5 per cent to 15.3Mt against 16.1Mt in May 2011. Germany produced 3.7Mt of crude steel, a decrease of 9.7 per cent over May last year. Italy's crude steel production for May 2012 was 2.6 Mt, down by 3.3 per cent. France produced 1.5 Mt of crude steel, up by 1.3 per cent compared to May 2011. Spain's crude steel production for May 2012 was 1.3 Mt, a massive 13.9 per cent lower than May 2011. While Lakshmi Mittal had earlier forecaste global steel consumption to grow by 4 per cent in 2012 and 2013, the World Steel Association earlier this year projected that steel consumption in Europe was expected to shrink by 1.2 per cent this year to 150.9 million tonnes due to the sovereign debt crisis. ArcelorMittal produced 92,629,000 tonnes of steel last year or 6 per cent of the global steel output, 37 per cent of it was produced in Western Europe, while 11 per cent was in Central and Eastern Europe. The company has already temporarily shut several plants in Europe since last year and idled many more, citing structural over-capacity in Northern Europe amid a difficult European market. Source: Domain-B

Read More........ → July 16, 2012

European leaders push ahead with plans but drop demands for all nations to be included .........For Now!

Britain will be spared a swingeing new tax on City transactions as European leaders confirmed they will press ahead with plans for a single currency superstate. Eurozone leaders vowed to plough on with the Robin Hood tax plans alone yesterday as they declared that a Brussels summit next week will be a ‘defining moment’ in EU history. Nine countries yesterday vowed to impose new taxes on financial deals – which Britain thinks will cripple economic growth – but demands for all 27 EU nations to be included were dropped. In a sign that next week’s summit will usher in new measures to set up a eurozone superstate, Germany, France, Italy and Spain all agreed it will lead to a ‘clear medium and long-term vision for greater integration’. German Chancellor Angela Merkel told the meeting in Rome: ‘The lesson from the crisis is not less Europe but more Europe.’ Spanish PM Mariana Rajoy said the leaders had agreed on the need for ‘a political, banking and fiscal union’. Italian prime minister Mario Monti warned that leaders may have just one week to save the euro with Spanish banks teetering on the brink of collapse.Source: The Coming Crisis

Read More........ → July 05, 2012