Japan unveiled its biggest warship since World War II on Tuesday, a $1.2 billion helicopter carrier aimed at defending territorial claims, drawing criticism from regional rival China which accused its neighbor of “constant” military expansion. The ceremony to showcase the 248-meter-long vessel came as Shinzo Abe’s conservative government, which took office last December, considers ditching […]
Dirtiest job in Mexico: sewer diving
Deep below the streets of Mexico City, Julio Cesar Cu is hard at work swimming in dark sewer waters in a diving helmet and dry suit, surrounded by rats, feces and condoms. It’s a dirty job, but someone’s got to do it. For the past 30 years, the 53-year-old has plunged below the grimy surface […]
Prince paid half a million dollars to meet Twilight star Kristen Stewart
WHAT does a Middle Eastern Prince do when he has a wad of cash and some spare time? He splurges $500,000 on a 15-minute meet and greet with Twilight star Kristen Stewart. Yes, this actually happened. An unidentified Prince paid more than $33,333 a minute to mingle with the moody actor in December last year. […]
Celebrities charge up to $100,000 to sit front row at a fashion show
YOU often see A-list celebrities sitting front row at fashion shows, but if you think they’re just there to check out the trendy clothes, think again. According to The Sun, celebrities such as Beyonce and Rihanna are paid up to $100,000 to attend the shows because of the extra media attention it will generate. Of […]
China flies into controversy with new tourism campaign
THEY thought they’d wing it with this bizarre new tourism campaign in China, but instead they flew straight into controversy. Tourism officials from Bao Tianman Scenic Spot in Nanzhao County, Henan Province, wanted to highlight the beauty of the area, which is famous for its butterflies, in a more dramatic way. So they decided to […]
Warren Buffett’s sister Doris Buffett gives away $1.5 million
BILLIONAIRE Warren Buffett has received scores of individual requests for help since he announced that he would gradually give away his fortune. So, he turned to his big sister. Doris Buffett and her Sunshine Lady Foundation reviews the letters to find people struggling through no fault of their own and has given the letter writers […]
China to demolish fake Sphinx
A CHINESE replica of the iconic Sphinx will be dismantled after an Egyptian ministry complained about the structure. The massive copy of the ancient statue has been erected in the northern province of Hebei. However, Egypt’s ministry of antiquities has complained to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) about the imitation, the […]
New seats let U.S. airlines squeeze in more passengers
Passengers on U.S. planes are finding themselves in a tighter squeeze, as airlines remove out old, bulky seats in favor of so-called slimline models that take up less space from front to back, allowing for five or six more seats on each plane. The changes, covering some of the most common planes flown on domestic […]
Is this the world’s fittest CEO?
FRITS van Paasschen is standing with his bike on the edge of Central Park. It’s a brisk autumn morning. The city has yet to fully wake but he’s eager to ride. The CEO of Starwood Hotels & Resorts – best known for brands like Sheraton, Westin, St. Regis and W – exercises six days a […]
Family time-warps their tech in bid to reconnect
SO YOU left your mobile phone at home. Or you forgot to pay your internet bill and your 3G is down and you have zero web access. How would you feel after a day without access to the ubiquitous WWW? Now take that feeling and multiply it by 365 and you’ve got a rough estimate […]