Beautiful Animals of Arctic

The Arctic is a very cold, windy, and often snowy biome located around the North Pole. When referring to the Arctic, people usually mean the part of the earth within the Arctic Circle (an imaginary circle around the Earth, parallel to the Equator and 23 degrees 28 minutes from the North Pole, that is, above about 75 degrees North Latitude). Although there is no land at the North Pole, the icy Arctic Ocean is teeming with life ranging from the microscopic (like zooplankton) to the huge (like whales). There is also a lot of land within the Arctic Circle (northern parts of Asia, Europe, and North America). Land within the Arctic Circle is tundra, and it supports less life most other biomes because of the cold temperatures, strong, dry winds, and permafrost (permanently-frozen soil). Long periods of darkness (in the winter) and light (in the summer) also affect Arctic life. Animals that live in the Arctic (either full time or seasonally) are adapted to extreme conditions. Many animals who overwinter in the Arctic (like the Arctic fox and the ermine) have a coat that thickens and changes color to white during the winter as camouflage in the snow (blending into the background is called cryptic coloration). Some animals hibernate during the cold season; they go into a very deep, sleep-like state in which their heartbeat slows down. These animals often hibernate in an underground burrow or pit. Some hibernators include skunks, chipmunks, and some bears (but these bears are not true hibernators, they go into a state that is closer to a normal deep sleep). Many animals (like the Arctic tern) spend the summer months in the Arctic, but leave as the weather turns frigid and food becomes scarce (these animals return again the next summer, repeating this pattern year after year). This behavior is called migrating.

The Alaskan malamute is a powerful sled dog from Alaska.

                                 This small, white fox lives farther north than any other land animal.

                                        This white hare lives in the Arctic and has huge hindfeet.

                A small bird that flies from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back again each year.
 

Arctic wolves are carnivores that live in Northern Canada.

                              A small, white, toothed whale that lives mostly in cold, Arctic waters

A wild, white sheep from the Arctic and sub-Arctic of North America.

Ermine also known as stoat or short-tailed weasel, this tiny, ferocious mammal lives in cold areas.

A large, slow-swimming shark with glow-in-the-dark eyes.

Harp Seals live are marine mammals that live in the North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean.

The world’s most-visited ancient ruins

Believe it or not, ancient ruins are very popular among tourists. They are one of the few ways modern man can come into contact with the wonders of ancient technology and art and travel back to times long past. Here a look at the worlds most famous ancient ruins:

Great Wall, Badaling, China

With a name so simple, yet so powerful, the Great Wall stretches for 5,500 miles across China. Its most beautiful section is also easily accessible — within 70 miles of Beijing. While much of what is visible today was built during the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644), construction began on various sections as far back as 770 BC. Annual visitors: 9 to 10 million.

Terracotta Army, Xi’an, China

Discovered in 1974, these 700 life-size terracotta generals, infantrymen, archers and chariot drivers are each unique, with distinct facial features, hairstyles and clothing. The clay statues were arranged in rows in covered pits as part of a necropolis for Emperor Qin Shi Huang. More are believed to still be buried, but work on removing and restoring the soldiers has been halted until a way can to found to keep their bright paint from fading in the air. Annual visitors: 3.6 to 4.5 million.

Pyramids of Giza, Egypt

As one of the original Seven Wonders of the World and certainly the symbol of Egypt, the Pyramids have been venerated for 4,500 years. But how the ancient Egyptians built them is unknown, which adds to their intriguing appeal. The three major tombs for pharaohs that rest at this Unesco World Heritage Site are now surrounded on three sides by the pressures of Cairo, a city teeming with nearly 11 million people. Annual visitors: four million.

Roman Forum, Rome

The social centre of Rome for 1,200 years beginning in the 5th Century BC, this 700-yard-long piazza has been both a marketplace and a government centre. The ruins of sacred temples’ columns and friezes (whether dedicated to Saturn, the god of agriculture, or to the emperors Vespasian and Titus) hint at the Forum’s level of grandeur two millennia ago. Annual visitors: 5.1 million.

Colosseum, Rome

When completed in 80 AD, the arena held 50,000 spectators who watched mythical dramas, re-enactments of land and sea battles, executions, fights-to-the-death and the ghastly slaughter of wild animals. The underground pits where gladiators awaited their fates were opened to visitors in 2010, along with the 110ft-high upper ring of seats, which offer panoramic views of the Eternal City. Annual visitors: 6.9 million.



Believe it or not, ancient ruins are very popular among tourists. They are one of the few ways modern man can come into contact with the wonders of ancient technology and art and travel back to times long past. Here a look at the worlds most famous ancient ruins:


Great Wall, Badaling, China

With a name so simple, yet so powerful, the Great Wall stretches for 5,500 miles across China. Its most beautiful section is also easily accessible — within 70 miles of Beijing. While much of what is visible today was built during the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644), construction began on various sections as far back as 770 BC. Annual visitors: 9 to 10 million.

Terracotta Army, Xi’an, China

Discovered in 1974, these 700 life-size terracotta generals, infantrymen, archers and chariot drivers are each unique, with distinct facial features, hairstyles and clothing. The clay statues were arranged in rows in covered pits as part of a necropolis for Emperor Qin Shi Huang. More are believed to still be buried, but work on removing and restoring the soldiers has been halted until a way can to found to keep their bright paint from fading in the air. Annual visitors: 3.6 to 4.5 million.

Pyramids of Giza, Egypt

As one of the original Seven Wonders of the World and certainly the symbol of Egypt, the Pyramids have been venerated for 4,500 years. But how the ancient Egyptians built them is unknown, which adds to their intriguing appeal. The three major tombs for pharaohs that rest at this Unesco World Heritage Site are now surrounded on three sides by the pressures of Cairo, a city teeming with nearly 11 million people. Annual visitors: four million.

Roman Forum, Rome

The social centre of Rome for 1,200 years beginning in the 5th Century BC, this 700-yard-long piazza has been both a marketplace and a government centre. The ruins of sacred temples’ columns and friezes (whether dedicated to Saturn, the god of agriculture, or to the emperors Vespasian and Titus) hint at the Forum’s level of grandeur two millennia ago. Annual visitors: 5.1 million.

Colosseum, Rome

When completed in 80 AD, the arena held 50,000 spectators who watched mythical dramas, re-enactments of land and sea battles, executions, fights-to-the-death and the ghastly slaughter of wild animals. The underground pits where gladiators awaited their fates were opened to visitors in 2010, along with the 110ft-high upper ring of seats, which offer panoramic views of the Eternal City. Annual visitors: 6.9 million.

Russia denies plans for new navy bases abroad

Russia's Defence Ministry has denied reports Moscow its planning to set up its first new overseas navy bases since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.

Earlier, a news agency quoted Russia's navy chief as saying that Cuba, Vietnam and the Seychelles were being considered as possible sites.

But the ministry said that Vice Adm Viktor Chirkov had never made the alleged remarks.

A lack of money after 1991 led to the closure of most Russian bases abroad.

It closed a base in Vietnam in 2002, and currently has bases only in Ukraine and Syria. President Vladimir Putin has pledged to restore Russia's military might.

In recent years, Moscow has expanded its navy's operations overseas, including by taking part in international anti-piracy operations near Somalia.

"It's true that we are continuing work on providing the navy with bases outside the Russian Federation," the RIA-Novosti news agency quoted Vice Adm Chirkov as saying in an interview.

According to the agency, he added that Moscow was "working out the issue of creating sites for material and technical support on the territory of Cuba, the Seychelles and Vietnam".

'Fantasy'

However, the defence ministry later insisted Vice Adm Chirkov had said no such thing, and that the subject had not been broached during the interview.

"Issues concerning international relations are not part of the responsibilities of the commander-in-chief of the navy," the ministry said in a statement posted on its website.

It added that the reported remarks were a "fantasy of their author, who preferred to prioritise sensationalism above competency and professional ethics".

In 2002, during Mr Putin's first term as president, Russia pulled out of the Cam Ranh base in Vietnam, opened in its then-communist ally at the height of the Cold War in 1979.

The closure came after the the original 25-year lease expired and Vietnam demanded a higher rent, but analysts say a desire to improve relations with the United States also played a role.

The country's remaining overseas bases are in Sevastopol, in Ukraine, where Russia's Black Sea Fleet is housed, as well as a small logistical support base in the Syrian port of Tartus.

Boris Johnson chides Mitover London Olympicst Romney

The mayor of London has hit out at US presidential candidate Mitt Romney for comments suggesting Britain is not ready to stage the Olympic Games.

Boris Johnson fired up a large crowd in Hyde Park, saying: "There's a guy called Mitt Romney who wants to know whether we're ready. Are we ready?"

Earlier, Mr Romney backtracked after meeting UK PM David Cameron and predicted a "very successful" Olympics.

The Republican will take on Barack Obama in November's election.

Mr Romney's remarks came on the first official day of a week-long tour that is to include stops in Israel and Poland.

It is the first foreign visit Mr Romney is making as a presidential candidate and correspondents say his campaign is aiming to boost the foreign policy profile of the former governor of Massachusetts.

In the contest for the Republican nomination, Mr Romney made much of the fact that he delivered a successful Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City in 2002, when he was chief executive of the event.

Bo Xilai scandal: Gu Kailai charged with Heywood murder

The wife of disgraced Chinese political leader Bo Xilai has been charged with the murder of UK businessman Neil Heywood, state news agency Xinhua says.


Gu Kailai and Zhang Xiaojun, employed at Mr Bo's home, were "recently" prosecuted by a Chinese court, Xinhua said, without giving further details.

Mr Heywood was found dead in a hotel in Chongqing on 15 November 2011.

The apparent murder of Mr Heywood triggered Mr Bo's downfall in a scandal that has rocked Chinese politics


Local officials initially said Mr Heywood died of excessive drinking, but the government announced in April it was investigating Mr Bo's wife in connection with the case.

The two accused have been charged with intentional homicide by the Hefei Municipal Procuratorate (state prosecutor's office) in the eastern province of Anhui.

Britain welcomed the news, saying it was "glad to see" China is continuing the investigation into Mr Heywood's death.

Political influence?

The timing of the announcement is significant, as is the fact that Ms Gu is being prosecuted in Anhui, some distance from Chongqing, where the crime allegedly took place, says BBC Chinese.com editor Yuwen Wu.

Legal experts told BBC Chinese that authorities would have had concerns about the political influence Bo Xilai and his family may still exert in Chongqing and whether that would affect a fair trial.

Analysts also say the authorities are keen to resolve the case quickly before China undergoes its politically sensitive once-in-a-decade party leadership change at the Communist Party congress this autumn.

Users of China's Sina Weibo website - the equivalent of Twitter- were quick to express their shock at the abrupt announcement, but "Gu Kailai" remains a censored keyword.

A number of users criticised the timing of the report, alleging that the authorities wanted to divert attention from recent deadly floods in Beijing.


High-flyer
Investigators have concluded that Ms Gu and her son had conflicts with Mr Heywood over economic interests, and that worries about a possible threat posed by Mr Heywood to her son's personal security may have led Ms Gu, along with Mr Zhang, to poison Mr Heywood to death, according to Xinhua.

"The facts of the two defendants' crime are clear, and the evidence is irrefutable and substantial," said the agency's report, which was also read out on state television.

The exact nature of Mr Heywood's role and his relations with the Bo family are unclear, and have been the subject of much speculation inside and outside China. At the very least, there were close business contacts between the Bo family and Mr Heywood.

Mr Bo, the former high-flying leader of the south-western Chinese mega-city of Chongqing, was sacked in March and is under investigation for allegedly flouting Communist Party rules.

He made his name tackling corruption in the sprawling city of Chongqing and had been expected to be elected to an important position during this year's leadership change.

Mr Bo also implemented a drive to promote China's communist past, which included public performances of Mao-era songs in Chongqing. There have been claims that his anti-crime drive involved cases of torture.

One of China's most charismatic politicians, his status as the son of former party elder Bo Yibo made him one of the "princelings" of Chinese politics - a term used to describe the descendants of senior party figures in the early years of communist rule.

His downfall was triggered when his police chief, Wang Lijun, fled to the US consulate, reportedly to seek asylum after falling out with Mr Bo over his investigation into the death of Mr Heywood.

The Xinhua report about Ms Gu's prosecution made no reference to Mr Bo or any investigation into him.

Earlier this month, French architect Patrick Devillers, who is alleged to have links to Mr Bo and Ms Gu, was arrested in Cambodia before voluntarily flying to China. A Chinese official said he was wanted as a witness.

On Tuesday, he was reported to be in "good shape" after meeting French diplomats earlier in the week.

Businessman Neil Heywood died on 15 November in the Chinese city of Chongqing

Japanese women fall behind Hong Kong in longevity

Japanese women have fallen behind Hong Kong in global life expectancy rankings for the first time in 25 years.

This was partly due to the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit the country in March 2011, said an annual report by Japan's health ministry.

The expected lifespan for Japanese women dropped from 86.30 years in 2010 to to 85.90 years in 2011.

The official life expectancy for women in Hong Kong last year was 86.70 years.

The March 2011 earthquake and tsunami contributed to pushing life expectancy figures down

Japan has topped the women's rankings for a quarter of a century, with longevity attributed in part to a healthy traditional diet.

The magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami that left more than 20,000 dead or missing pushed the life expectancy down.

However the report noted that even without the disaster Japanese women would still have dropped behind Hong Kong in the statistics.

Other factors contributing to the dip included a rise in the number of suicides among Japanese women, disease and other natural death causes, the report said.

The life expectancy for men in Japan also declined from 79.55 in 2010 to 79.44 last year.

The men dropped from fourth place in 2010 to eighth last year in the global life expectancy ranking, said Japan's Kyodo news agency.

The white elephants that dragged Spain into the red

Europe has already bailed out Spanish banks, now Spain's regions are clamouring for money from central government - and one of the reasons for this is their lavish spending on white elephant building projects, such as the airport at Ciudad Real, south of Madrid.

It has one of the longest runways in Europe but today there are no planes, only hawks and falcons gliding in the still heat over the arid yellow landscape of Don Quixote's Castilla La Mancha.

Rabbits pop up around the state-of-the-art terminal, built of steel, glass and gleaming white concrete.

The airport of Ciudad Real opened in 2008 but it closed in April 2012. The luggage trolleys are now trussed together in the car park gathering dust and cobwebs.

It is not the only white elephant to stomp across Spain's landscape. It is merely one of the herd, a monument to the country's burst construction bubble which brought down its banks.

When a local construction magnate came up with the idea of an airport in Ciudad Real, money was sloshing around Spain for public works.

It was the 1990s and every town in every region had a grand project to set itself apart and bring in the visitors. Bilbao was getting its own Guggenheim museum, so why shouldn't Ciudad Real have its own airport?

"We had an attack of wealth, we didn't know how but suddenly we were rich," says Miguel Angel Bastenier, senior columnist at the left-of-centre daily El Pais. "There was such a frenzy for investing money and people got inebriated."

The airport in Ciudad Real was to be a private project, for private profit, but the business people behind it had no problem getting political support.

Before their collapse, Spain's local savings banks (the cajas), were different from other banks in one crucial way - local politicians sat on the board. So companies needed political support for large projects to encourage the cajas to invest.

Both the main political parties were in favour says Santiago Moreno, a spokesman for the socialist PSOE party which controlled the regional government at the time.

"Expert studies commissioned by the airport investors said it would create 6,000 jobs and a boom for the economy. There would have been a before and after for Ciudad Real."
But the airport opened its runways to a world in the worst recession for nearly 100 years. Caja Castilla La Mancha became the first of Spain's local savings banks to go under in the crisis, with a rumoured 70% stake in direct and indirect investment in the airport.

Many more of Spain's cajas have since had to merge or be taken over, exposed to toxic debts. Should they have been speculating on Spain's construction boom? The Bank of Spain has fined two of the politicians who sat on the board of Caja Castilla La Mancha for what it calls "serious violations".

"You might think the airport failed because of the crisis, but I am convinced that the shareholders never thought it (the airport) would work. The only profit in this airport was the building of it," says local investigative journalist Carlos Otto.

The official bankruptcy report for the airport seems to back this up. It says:

"The loans taken out were enough to cover the construction phase but no thought was given to the investment needed to make the airport function as a business."

Banks approached by the shareholders for further loans said they didn't think the business model for the airport was viable, the report says.

It goes on: "The construction itself of the airport provided the first profit for the investors because they signed contracts with their own construction companies."

"It was never run as a proper business," said a former worker at the airport who wanted to remain anonymous. He hasn't found another job and worries he won't get one in Ciudad Real - where everyone knows everyone - if he speaks out about how the airport was run.

"We had races on anything that had wheels," he told us. "We even had races on the floor-polishing machines - we were all so bored. Some people used to go out to pick asparagus or catch rabbits…"

There was little to do. There were international flights from London Stansted, and within Spain from Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca. But in its last year not even one flight a day landed on the 4.2km runway, designed - ambitiously - to service the new Airbus 380, the world's largest passenger airliner.


Residents of Ciudad Real demonstrate against the cuts
Carlos Otto believes the private investors who pushed the airport project assumed the regional government would ensure its profitability by subsidising airlines to fly there.

The regional government is now controlled by Spain's Popular Party which accuses its predecessor of wasting millions of euros. It is still not known how much the whole airport venture actually cost. Estimates run from 356 million euros to one billion euros.

This lack of transparency is one of the problems that led to Spain's economic crisis according to David Cabo, representative of Civio, a foundation that lobbies for freedom of information.

"Public servants are not used to being monitored, their accountability isn't common in Spain. It's terrible because you have many opaque layers of government and each of those control public money."

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Juan Jose Toribio, an economist with Spain's IESE business school, says that to tackle Spain's problem of white elephant projects you first have to tackle the country's sacred cows - the semi-autonomous regions.

"Regional governments enjoy the possibility of spending and inaugurating public works but they don't run the political risk or cost of raising taxes. Someone should be held responsible for this and perhaps we should return to a much more centralised system."

But even with an absolute majority in parliament, the Popular Party may find centralisation harder to achieve than austerity.

At Cruz Prado school in Ciudad Real, daily drop-off resembles a picket line, with parents letting off fire-crackers and shouting through loud-hailers. They are demonstrating against the local government for failing to finish construction of a new canteen and playground. For the last two years the project has remained a wreck of rubble - stalled because the money has run out for the next generation.

One of the parents, Milagros Coronado, says she feels angry - and guilty.

"I shouldn't because it wasn't my decision to build the airport, but I feel guilty for having liked the idea so much. I would like to have an airport, I would like to have everything, but I definitely, definitely need a proper school for my children."

From the central square of the village of Ballesteros de Calatrava, you can see the airport. During the building of it, the now-deserted streets here were abuzz with expectation - people thought this huge project would bring jobs and a better life. Carmen Delgado, who lives here, says people were pressured to sell their land, and some of her family's fields were expropriated for the airport.

"Land is everything for us. If you have land you can have potatoes, tomatoes, animals, olives to make oil... And now? We've been robbed of our way of life, and for what?"
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