Paul, the world’s leading octopus fortune teller, has selected Spain as the winner of the 2010 World Cup.
The so-far infallible invertebrate, also known as the mighty mollusc medium, picked the outcome of all six of Germany’s World Cup matches so far, and took only three minutes to tip Spain to beat the Netherlands.
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(0)The Solar Impulse plane powered by 12,000 solar cells on airliner-size wings has flown through the night with three hours of power to spare.
It flew for 14 hours in daylight to accumulate energy for the night section of its flight.
After 26 hours in the air, pilot Andre Borschberg landed the prototype aircraft at Payerne airbase in western Switzerland.
(0)Dislikes(0)Police failed to arrest Majlis deputy speaker and Dhiggaru MP Ahmed Nazim when he arrived home at Aabin in Galolhu ward, reports Haveeru.
The arrest attempt failed when residents of the house prevented police from entering without a warrant, according to Haveeru, and Nazim’s lawyer and several opposition MPs also came to the house.
Last week, the police arrested Mulaku MP Abdulla Yamin and Maamigili MP Gasim Ibrahim on allegations of treason and bribery of Majlis members, and the Maldives media identified Nazim’s voice in recorded phone conversations discussing negotiations with the Anti-Corruption Commission, an unidentified MP and million rufiyaa payments.
(0)Dislikes(0)In recent months the Maldives’ fledgling democracy has proved to be self-incapacitating more than progressive, reads an article in the the ‘Newsbook’ of last week’s Economist magazine.
Fed up with an opposition-led parliament, which tends to block its every move, this week the archipelago’s entire cabinet resigned in protest. Political deadlock has ensued.
The president, Mohamed Nasheed, has stayed put, alongside his vice-president. He claims that an informal alliance of lawmakers is sabotaging his every proposal; an aide described it as “scorched-earth politics”.
The opposition has already passed an amendment which allows it to veto every lending or leasing agreement made between the government and an overseas party. Thus in one fell swoop it was able to scupper Mr Nasheed’s planned privatisation of the capital’s airport and much else besides.
Hopes for foreign investment—at the core of the new government’s ambitions and an essential part of its effort to plug the fiscal deficit—have been dashed.
(0)Dislikes(0)A 50 acre business centre is proposed for Hulhule, north of the present Male International Airport, reports Haveeru.
“Our idea is to make that land a business centre of the Maldives. It was proposed based on our experience and the recommendations of US experts. If the government and the public want it, we are ready to do it,” said P Sripathy, CEO of GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited.
There are many business opportunities in that area, he said. “For instance, people would be surprised if we say it is a mini transhipment hub. Many international flights, including large aircraft, land there. So cargo is being transited through Maldives from Colombo and other places. There are noticeable aspects there. The place holds value.”
The new terminal would be constructed north of the runway, according to Sripathy. “First phase of the new terminal will commence on a 45,000 square-metre area of land. The number of aircraft that can use the terminal per hour will increase once the runway is developed and the parking and taxi areas are expanded,” he added.
(0)Dislikes(0)A six-month independent inquiry has cleared climate scientists accused of manipulating their data, but criticised them for being too secretive and defensive about their research.
The inquiry panel said it had not found any evidence to undermine the conclusions of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
It is the third inquiry into the email affair, dubbed ‘Climategate’, and clears the head of the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia and his colleagues of the most serious charges.
(0)Dislikes(0)The US National Weather Service has measured 39.45 degrees Celsius in Central Park in mid-Manhattan, breaking the previous 38.3C record set on July 6 1999 by 1.15 degrees.
(0)Dislikes(0)British prime minister David Cameron has refused an increase in official annual income for the Queen and her family.
“It was revealed this week that in the last financial year the Queen spent $69 million – not including the costs of Royal security which are kept secret,” reports the Australian ABC’s Emma Alberici. “Money is spent on official functions, salaries for the Queen’s 1,200 staff, palace maintenance and travel.”
Robert Verkaik the legal affairs editor at the Independent newspaper has taken his quest for information about Palace expenses all the way to the High Court, she writes.
“There’s someone who lives rent free with two bedrooms, one reception room and their sole job is to look after the royal library,” Robert Verkaik said. What he discovered was that the Royal Family were either paying salaries or providing rent free accommodation to minor royals. They perform little to no public functions and are virtually unknown, even in their own country. Also, in one case, Mr Verkaik says the housekeeper was given a five-bedroom, five-living room apartment rent free within the grounds of Windsor Castle.
(0)Dislikes(0)Foreign minister of Sri Lanka Professor G L Peeris has visited former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s official residence Maafannu Aliwaage.
Leader of Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Ahmed Thasmeen Ali and former foreign minister and leader of DRP women’s wing Dhunya Maumoon participated in the meeting.
Two senior officials of the Sri Lankan foreign ministry and MP Sajin Gunavarudhana also attended the meeting.
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