The WEEKLYTRAVEL TIPS

Groundhog Day

Airplanes

Left to tellIn the news

At least 35 people are killed when TransAsia Airways Flight 235 (aircraft pictured) crashes shortly after takeoff from Taipei Songshan Airport, Taiwan.

In American football, the New England Patriots defeat the Seattle Seahawks to win the Super Bowl.

The Australian Open tennis tournament concludes with Serena Williams winning the women's singles and Novak Djokovic winning the men's singles.

Sergio Mattarella is elected President of Italy. In association football, the AFC Asian Cup concludes with host

nation Australia defeating South Korea in the final. Attacks by Islamist militants in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, kill

32 people. Ongoing: Boko Haram – Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant –

War in UkraineFilm

Producers Guild of America Awards 2014 21st Screen Actors Guild Awards 50th Guldbagge Awards 4th AACTA International Awards 20th Lumières Awards African-American Film Critics Association Awards 2014 29th Goya Awards 65th Berlin International Film Festival The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water(shot in Savannah

and Tybee Island)

Kingsman: The Secret Service Boonie Bears: Mystical Winter Project Almanac ,Running Man Wild Card Jupiter Ascending Shaun the Sheep Movie

Home Video- Before I Go to Sleep, The Book of Life, Fury, The Judge, My Old Lady, The Remaining, ABCs of Death 2, The Best of Me, Dear White People, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, Dracula Untold, John Wick, Ouija, The Overnighters, Starred Up, Video Games: The Movie, Whiplash

Music The 57th Grammy Awards will take place on February 8. Reflection- Fifth Harmony Tony Lucca- Tony Lucca F.E.A.R.- Papa Roach Full Speed- Kid Ink Afraid of Ghosts- Butch Walker The Hot 100- Uptown Funk!- Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars Billboard 200- 1989- Taylor Swift Artist 100- Taylor Swift Pop- Uptown Funk!- Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars Country- I See You- Luke Bryan Rock- Take Me To Church- Hozier Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs- I Don't Mind- Usher Featuring Juicy J Hot Dance/Electronic- Prayer In C- Lillywood & Robin Schulz Hot Latin Songs- Bailando- Enrique Iglesias Featuring Descemer

Bueno & Gente de Zona Hot Christian Songs- Carrie Underwood- Something In The

Water Japan Hot 100- Guilty Love- 2PM The Official U.K. Singles Chart- Uptown Funk!- Mark Ronson

Featuring Bruno Mars Billboard Canadian Hot 100- Uptown Funk!- Mark Ronson

Featuring Bruno Mars Germany Songs- The Hanging Tree- James Newton Howard

Featuring Jennifer Lawrence

Radio Classic Hip-Hop WRWM/Indianapolis drops the "i94" monicker

and rebrands as "93.9 The Beat" to better reflect its current format.

WLFW/Evansville shifts from Country to Classic Country as "93.5 The Duke."

St. Louis picks up its third Top 40 outlet, as KIHT flips from Classic Hits to Mainstream CHR as "Now 96.3."

CJKR-FM/Winnipeg shifts from Active Rock as "Power 97" to Classic Rock/Hits as "Big 97.5."

The Mark Levin Show signs a five-year contract extension with Westwood One.

After spending only three months with a Classic Hits format, WGHL/Louisville becomes the latest outlet to make the flip to Classic Hip-Hop as "Old School 105.1."

After a nearly 20-year run, 18 of them as morning host, Kurt "Big Boy" Alexander exits Rhythmic Top 40 KPWR/Los Angeles after negotiations between the two parties broke down, leading KPWR owner Emmis Communications to file a lawsuit to keep him from taking a $3.5 million dollar offer from iHeartMedia, who three days earlier registered a domain and social media accounts for Rhythmic AC rival KHHT, who announced that they will flip back to R&B/Hip-Hop as "Real 92.3" on February 6. The move brings the format back to the Los Angeles market for the first time since iHeartMedia's predecessor Clear Channel sold their former "The Beat" R&B/Hip-Hop format and intellectual property to Radio One (who then moved it to the 100.3 signal) in 1999.

TV Music Choice and Cumulus Media launch a video-on-demand

subdivision for Cumulus's Nash FM radio branding called Nash TV.

VH1 Classic commemorates Saturday Night Live's 40th anniversary by launching a marathon of almost every episode from SNL's first 39 seasons in reverse order, running through

February 15, when NBC will air its three-hour SNL celebration special. At 19 days (or 433 hours), the marathon will surpass by one week FXX's 12-day record marathon of The Simpsons episodes in August 2014

NBC's broadcast of Super Bowl XLIX, in which the New England Patriots beat the defending NFL champion Seattle Seahawks, attracts 114.4 million viewers, topping by 2.2 million the previous record set one year earlier by Super Bowl XLVIII. The broadcast peaks at 120.8 million late in the close game. The game's halftime show, headlined by Katy Perry and guest performers Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliott, also sets a viewership record

Coinciding with its Spanish language broadcast of Super Bowl XLIX, NBC Universal-owned mun2 rebrands as NBC Universo.

A house fire near its transmitter substation is the believed contributor to three separate signal outages at WPSD-TV/Paducah, KY during its broadcast of the Super Bowl.

One night after a special live Sunday night broadcast from Phoenix (to coincide with NBC's Super Bowl coverage), The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon begins a four-day stay at Universal Studios Hollywood, marking the New York-based Tonight's first visit to the Los Angeles area since Fallon took over hosting duties from Jay Leno one year earlier. Tonight had been based in Burbank for 42 years until Leno's retirement from the show. The shows include a reunion of the cast of Saved by the Bell (excluding Dustin Diamond and Lark Voorhies), who reprised their roles for a brief sketch, their first time in 21 years.

NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams apologizes for incorrectly stating on numerous occasions that he had been aboard a helicopter shot down by enemy fire while covering the Invasion of Iraq in 2003. In his statement during this evening's broadcast, Williams admitted that he had instead been in a following helicopter and his version of the story was an attempt to show his appreciation for veterans.

New shows- Duff Till Dawn, Fortitude, Fresh Off the Boat, Allegiance, Miles from Tomorrowland

Miniseries- Love By The Book, Beautiful & Twisted Programs ending- The McCarthys, Parenthood

Video gaming Sony sold Sony Online Entertainment to Columbus Nova. The

company was renamed into Daybreak Game Company. Dying Light Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath Fahrenheit Heroes of Might and Magic III Metroid Prime: Trilogy Life Is Strange Raven's Cry The Book of Unwritten Tales Unmechanical Game of Thrones Risk SpongeBob HeroPants Grow Home Cities XXL Moon

Elections Comoros Lesotho- Tom Thabane, Mothetjoa Metsing Greece- Alexis Tsipras, Antonis Samaras,

Nikolaos Michaloliakos, Stavros Theodorakis, Dimitris Koutsoumpas, Panos Kammenos, Evangelos Venizelos

Aviation After authorities deem bomb threats on Twitter against

two airliners in flight over the United States – Delta Airlines Flight 1156, flying from Portland, Oregon, to Atlanta, Georgia, with 180 passengers on board and Southwest Airlines Flight 2492, carrying 86 passengers from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Atlanta – to be credible, the North American Aerospace Defense Command scrambles fighter aircraft from McEntire Joint National Guard Base in Richland County, South Carolina, to escort them to Atlanta, with a pair of fighters escorting each airliner until it lands safely at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. A search after the airliners land finds no bomb on either aircraft.

After two earlier failed launch attempts, Tom Bradley of the United States and Leonid Tiukhtyaev of Russia successfully set off in the "Two Eagles Balloon" from Saga, Japan, for a flight across the Pacific Ocean to an undetermined destination in North America, hoping to break both the distance and endurance records for the longest flight in a gas-filled balloon.

A United States Government employee flying a small quadracopter unmanned aerial vehicle recreationally early in the morning in Washington, D.C., loses control of it. It crashes on the grounds of the White House, triggering a security alert.

A U.S. Central Intelligence Agency unmanned aerial vehicle conducts an air-to-ground missile strike in Ma'rib Governorate, Yemen, against a car carrying three men suspected of being al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula members, killing all three of them

A Hellenic Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon taking part in a North Atlantic Treaty Organization training exercise crashes on takeoff from Los Llanos Air Base in Albacete, Spain. It strikes five parked aircraft, killing its two crewmen and nine French

military personnel on the ground. Twenty other people on the ground suffer injuries.

Three bullets strike FlyDubai Flight 215, a Boeing 737-800 with 154 people on board, as it makes a late afternoon landing at Baghdad International Airport in Baghdad, Iraq. Two passengers, one of them a young girl, suffer minor injuries.

Of the 954 coalition airstrikes against Islamic State forces thus far, 705 have hit the Syrian city of Kobane and its environs. American aircraft have conducted the vast majority of the strikes.

In the wake of bullets striking FlyDubai Flight 215 at Baghdad International Airport on 26 January, Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad Airways, FlyDubai, Royal Jordanian Airlines, Middle East Airlines, and Turkish Airlines suspend service to the airport. Iraqi Airways continues to fly there.

American Airlines reports that because of lower oil prices it expects to spend $5,000,000,000 less on jet fuel in 2015 than it did in 2014.

Israeli aircraft strike Hezbollah targets in Lebanon during a exchange of artillery and missile fire between Hezbollah and Israel across the Israeli border with Lebanon.

In response to two rockets fired from Syria at Israeli territory the previous day, Israeli aircraft strike Syrian Army artillery positions in the Golan Heights.

Jordan proposes a precedent-setting prisoner swap with the Islamic State to bring home a Royal Jordanian Air Force pilot whose plane crashed in Syria on 24 December 2014.

The United States Air Force announces that Boeing will build the next Air Force One. The aircraft is to be a Boeing 747-8 that is to become operational by 2023.

A Chadian Air Force aircraft drops bombs in support of Chadian Army troops attacking Boko Haram forces in the village of Malumfatori in Borno State, Nigeria. Chad's attack is the first

action against Boko Haram on Nigerian soil by non-Nigerian military forces.

During a flight across the Pacific Ocean from Japan to Mexico in the "Two Eagles Balloon," Tom Bradley of the United States and Leonid Tiukhtyaev of Russia log 5,260 miles (8,467 km) since their departure, unofficially – under rules set by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale – breaking the distance record for a flight in a gas-filled balloon of 5,209 miles (8,388 km) set in November 1981 by Ben Abruzzo, Larry Newman, Ron Clark, and Rocky Aoki aboard the balloon Double Eagle V.

A Philippine Air Force SIAI Marchetti SF.260FH trainer aircraft crashes in the sea off Nasugbu, Batangas, Philippines, killing its two pilots

A suspected air-to-ground missile strike by an American unmanned aerial vehicle against a car in al-Saeed in Yemen's Shabwah Governorate kills three men suspected of being al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula members.

An American unmanned aerial vehicle conducts an air-to-ground missile strike against a car near Dinsoor, Somalia, killing Al-Shabaab's head of external operations, Yusef Dheeq. It is at least the third military unmanned aerial vehicle strike the United States has conducted in Somalia since September 2014.

Two Chadian Air Force jet fighters strafe Boko Haram positions in Gamboru, Nigeria.

Tom Bradley and Leonid Tiukhtyaev land their Two Eagles Balloon in the Pacific Ocean four miles (6.5 km) off Baja California 300 miles (483 km) north of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, completing their journey of 6,646 miles (10,702 km) from Japan in 160 hours 38 minutes. Their flight breaks the previous records for a gas-filled balloon for both distance – set in November 1981, when Ben Abruzzo, Larry Newman, Ron Clark, and Rock Aoki in a flight of 5,209 miles (8,388 km) aboard the balloon Double Eagle V – and endurance – set in August 1978 by Abruzzo, Newman, and Maxie Anderson during a

transatlantic flight in the balloon Double Eagle II that lasted 137 hours 6 minutes.

Two Chadian military helicopters spend two hours striking Boko Haram positions in Gamboru, Nigeria.

The Islamic State releases a video of its personnel killing Royal Jordanian Air Force pilot Lieutenant Muath al-Kasasbeh by burning him to death while he stands in a cage. Jordan's state television claims the video had been made a month earlier. The Islamic State captured al-Kasasbeh – the only coalition pilot it has captured thus far – in Syria on 24 December 2014 when his plane crashed while has was attacking its positions.

TransAsia Airways Flight 235, an ATR 72-600 with 58 people on board, experiences an engine flameout just after takeoff from Taipei Songshan Airport in Taipei, Taiwan. After clearing an apartment building, the aircraft rolls sharply to the left at low altitude, and its left wingtip strikes a taxicab on the Huangdong Viaduct and the viaduct's guardrail before it crashes into the Keelung River in Taipei. Among people on the plane, the crash kills at least 35, with another eight missing and all 15 survivors injured. Two people in the taxicab also suffer injuries. Dashcams in several vehicles driving on the viaduct record the crash.

The United States Department of State reports that the United States has conducted 943 of the 1,022 airstrikes against the Islamic State in Syria since the campaign began on 8 August 2014. The other coalition partners – Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom – have conducted the other 79.

In retaliation for the killing of pilot Lieutenant Muath al-Kasasbeh, the Royal Jordanian Air Force conducts Operation Muath the Martyr, involving dozens of Jordanian jets bombing Islamic State bases, training camps, and arms and munitions warehouses. The returning jets fly over al-Kasasbeh's home town, Aye, while Jordan's King Abdullah II pays a condolence visit to al-Kasasbeh's father there.

Jordan expands its air campaign against the Islamic State into Iraq for the first time, as the Royal Jordanian Air Force strikes targets in Mosul early in the morning.

The Islamic State claims that American hostage Kayla Mueller has been killed, the sole casualty in an one-hour-long Royal Jordanian Air Force raid against a weapons warehouse in ar-Raqqah, Syria, during Islamic prayers. The United States Government and Government of Jordan discount the claim, citing the unlikelihood of Islamic State personnel identifying attacking aircraft as Jordanian, of Mueller being the only casualty in the destruction of a building in which the Islamic State is holding her as a prisoner, and of the Islamic State holding her in a weapons warehouse.

Science A new owl species in the Middle East, the desert tawny owl

(Strix hadorami), is described.

Chemists determine that alkali metals explode on contact with water due to a Coulomb explosion at the water-metal interface driving the reaction, instead of merely due to Hydrogen gas formation and its subsequent ignition. This overturns what was previously considered to be a well understood phenomenon, and has the potential to increase safety when handling reactive metals

Astronomers have discovered an exoplanet with a gigantic ring system that is 200 times larger than that around Saturn.

NASA reports that the Kepler spacecraft confirmed five sub-earth-sized rocky exoplanets, all smaller than the planet Venus (but bigger than the planet Mercury), in orbit around the 11.2 billion year old star Kepler-444, making this planetary system, at more than 80% of the age of the universe, the oldest yet discovered. According to NASA, no life as we know it could exist on these hot exoplanets, due to their close orbital distances to the host star.

An ingredient found in green tea may protect against oral cancer, according to Penn State University researchers.

Global warming will result in large storms becoming larger, rather than an increase in the number of storms, concludes a study by the University of Toronto.

A joint study of data from the Planck space mission and the ground-based experiment BICEP2 casts doubt on earlier findings of gravitational waves from the Big Bang.

NASA launches the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) observatory. It will provide the most accurate, highest-resolution global measurements of soil moisture ever obtained from space.

A study about penta-graphene, a proposed carbon allotrope, is published.

The British government votes to allow a controversial new technique involving babies created from three people. If passed by the House of Lords, the UK will become the first country in the world to offer this medical procedure, which can be used to treat mitochondrial diseases.

For the first time, researchers have used biodegradable nanoparticles to kill brain cancer cells in animals and lengthen their survival.

Scientists have genetically reprogrammed plants to be drought tolerant in response to an already existing agrochemical, circumventing the need for a new chemical that would otherwise have required many years of testing.

E-cigarettes cause many of the same harmful effects as normal cigarettes, according to a new study on mice.

The first generation of stars is now thought to have emerged 560 million years after the Big Bang, according to scientists working on the European Planck satellite. This is 140 million years later than the previous estimate of 420 million years.

Sports 2015 Junior European Luge Championships 2015 Winter Universiade 2015 Pro Bowl 60th National Hockey League All-Star Game

2015 European Figure Skating Championships Biathlon European Championships 2015 2015 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships 2015 Winter World Masters Game Super Bowl XLIX FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2015 2015 Copa Libertadores 2015 AFC Cup 2015 AFC Champions League 2015 World Wheelchair Curling Championship

International The families of Bali Nine members Andrew Chan and Myuran

Sukumaran make a televised plea for clemency against the death penalty.

Rosie Batty is announced as Australian of the Year. Angus Houston and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh are made

Knights of the Order of Australia in the 2015 Australia Day Honours.

A state election is held in Queensland.( winners include Campbell Newman, Annastacia Palaszczuk)

Northern Territory Chief Minister Adam Giles is replaced in a late night leadership challenge for the Country Liberal Party by Willem Westra van Holthe.

The Reserve Bank of Australia cuts the official cash rate for the first time since August 2013 by one quarter of a per cent to 2.25 per cent—an historic low—in an attempt to stimulate the economy amid concerns over a sharp fall in oil prices, rising unemployment and low consumer confidence.

Journalist Peter Greste returns to Australia after 400 days in Egyptian detention.

After a six-year absence, Lawrence Springborg is again elected as Leader of Queensland's Liberal National Party, replacing Campbell Newman (who lost his seat in the 2015 state election). John-Paul Langbroek is elected Deputy Leader, replacing Jeff Seeney.

Deaths Eric Fitzgibbon Tom Uren Margot Moir Lionel Gilbert Kel Nagle Colleen McCullough Norman Yemm Bangladesh Arafat Rahman, younger son of former president Ziaur Rahman

and former prime minister Khaleda Zia died. Canada Vic Howe Georgia Tchikaidze is succeeded as Minister of Internal Affairs by

Vakhtang Gomelauri, his deputy and former security detail of the ex-Primer Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili.

Forty six non-governmental organizations release a joint statement, condemning ex-Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili's recent remarks about his plans to look into activities of several civil society personalities as "threatening" and alluding to Ivanishvili as "an informal ruler of the state".

Five former and six current Interior Ministry officers are arrested in connection to the 2006 police operation in which two young men, Zurab Vazagashvili and Aleksandre Khubulov, were shot to death in what the prosecution claims was a

"premeditated murder", planned and executed by Irakli Pirtskhalava, then-deputy chief of criminal police, for the sake of personal revenge.

India Republic Day celebrations were held, US President Barack

Obama was the chief guest. M. N. Rai, a colonel in the Rashtriya Rifles and Sanjeev Kumar

Singh, a head constable in the Special Operations Group, died in a gun battle in Tral in Pulwama district. Two militants were also killed. M. N. Rai had been awarded the Yudh Seva medal on 26 January.

V. S. Raghavan Sarojini Mahishi R. K. Laxman José Pereira Mala Aravindan Jaswant Singh Rajput Subhash Ghisingh Ireland The ferryboat service from Dún Laoghaire to Holyhead in Wales

ended after 204 years. The boat from Dublin Port to Holyhead remained in service.

Israel Hezbollah fired an anti-tank missile at an Israeli military convoy

in Shebaa farms near the Lebanon border, killing two soldiers and wounding seven. In response, Israel fired at least 50 artillery shells across the border into southern Lebanon, in which a Spanish UN peacekeeper was killed.

David Landau Japan Japan states that it is seeking to verify a video that claims the

killing of Japanese hostage Haruna Yukawa by Islamic State militants.

A monitoring group claims that ISIL has reportedly released a video showing the execution of Japanese hostage Kenji Goto.

Expected launch of Kounotori 5 ISS resupply mission.

Lithuania Israel opened it's embassy in Vilnius. Malaysia Tengku Ampuan Tua Intan Zaharah of Terengganu, fourth Raja

Permaisuri Agong (1965-1970), a consort of Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah of Terengganu and also grandmother of current Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu died at the age of 86 in Pantai Hospital, Kuala Lumpur due to pneumonia. Her body was brought back to Terengganu and laid to rest near husband grave in the Royal Mausoleum near Abidin Mosque, Kuala Terengganu. Terengganu declared 40 days of mourning begins 24 January until 1 March.

The completion works and full official opening of the East Coast Expressway Phase 2 from Jabur to Kuala Terengganu.

The fuel prices has dropped between RM0.11 and RM0.23. The RON 95 down by RM0.21 to RM1.70, RON 97 down by RM0.11 to RM2.00 and diesel down by RM0.23 to RM1.70, per litre.

Hong Kong international superstars, Jackie Chan received the Panglima Mahkota Wilayah (PMW) award which carried the title Datuk from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah of Kedah in conjunction with the 41th Federal Territory Day.

A 20-year old Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) student, Nursyuhada Johari died after her throat was slit, allegedly by a male friend at KM228.2 of the North-South Expressway near Bukit Gantang, Perak.

Malaysia’s squash queen Nicol David created a new world record for the length of time a squash player who has topped

the world rankings, after marking her 106th month as world number one in the latest February Women’s Squash Association (WSA) list.

Indonesian President, Joko Widodo made his three day official visits to Malaysia and meets the Prime Minister, Najib Tun Razak.

Norway

Johan Ferner

Maryon Eilertsen

Gunnar Christie Wasberg

Pakistan

A massive blackout strikes Pakistan, leaving as much as 80 percent of the country without electricity at its height as officials rush to restore power.

Philippines

44 members of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) were killed after a clash took place in Tukalinapao, Mamasapano, Maguindanao against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. PNP-SAF were on their way to arrest Zulkifli Abdhir and Basit Usman, each had a 50 million dollar bounty, before the clash occurred

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee cited Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay and five others in contempt and are now facing arrest due to the alleged continued snub of Binay and other Makati officials on an ongoing Senate probe. 3 days later, Binay was arrested and forced to appear in the Senate hearing but the detention was deferred leading to his release.

Despite of the incident in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, The Government of the Philippines and the MILF signed a protocol for the decommissioning of rebel firearms in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Two Philippine Air Force (PAF) pilots were killed after the PAF trainer aircraft SF-260FH Number 1034 crashed around 300 meters off the shoreline of Barangay Bucana, Nasugbu, Batangas while attending their performance for the upcoming 70th Anniversary of the liberation of Nasugbu from the Japanese Imperial Forces during World War II.

Former Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos was acquitted on the 2007 electoral sabotage case by the Pasay Regional Trial Court.

The Supreme Court affirms the unconstitutionality of the Disbursement Acceleration Program on its new ruiling. Voting 13-0, the SC partially granted the government's Motion for

Reconsideration on the DAP. Projects and programs that not covered by the General Approriations Act is valid and the authors may be liable.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation confirmed that the DNA samples of the allegedly killed Zulkifli Abdhir a.k.a. "Marwan", the principal target of the PNP-SAF operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, matched Rahmat Abhdir's DNA, Marwan's brother who is currently being incarcerated in the United States. The DNA matching confirmed Marwan's his death.

The Department of Foreign Affairs filed two protest notes questioning China for ramming Filipino fishing boats and the collecting of giant clams over the Scarborough Shoal (Bajo de Masinloc).

In his second televised national address, President Benigno Aquino III has accepted the resignation letter of PNP Chief Police Director General Alan Purisima. In an exclusive interview with GMA Network's 24 Oras, Purisima denied that he was involved in the execution of Operation Wolverine that led to the clash between the PNP-SAF against the MILF and BIFF.

Romania A woman and her six children are found dead in their home in

Racovița, Vâlcea County, most likely intoxicated during sleep with carbon monoxide.

Elena Udrea suspends herself from the leadership of the People's Movement Party due to criminal investigation in the Microsoft licensing corruption scandal. Eugen Tomac becomes the interim president of the party.

The oldest stable human settlement in Europe (9,000 years ago) is discovered in Schela Cladovei, a neighborhood of Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

Viorica Lascu Alexander Vraciu Aureliu Leca Ion Nunweiller South Africa

Eugene de Kock, Commander of the South African Police counterinsurgency headquarters under the apartheid government, who was sentenced in 1996 to life imprisonment for crimes that included kidnapping and murder, is granted parole.

André Brink UK The Church of England ordains Libby Lane as their first female

bishop, at York Minster.

Helen Macdonald wins the 2014 Costa Book Awards with her autobiography H is for Hawk.

An earthquake of magnitude 3.8 is felt across the East Midlands.

Commemorations are made for the 50th anniversary of Sir Winston Churchill's funeral, including a service at Westminster Abbey, and the retracing of the same boat journey that carried Churchill's coffin along the River Thames in 1965.

The head of the Police Federation expresses his controversial support for all front-line police officers to be offered Tasers in light of the increased terrorism threat to the UK.

London's population hits a record high of 8.6m and is forecast to reach 11m by 2050.

Huge changes to the NHS in recent years have been "disastrous" and distracted from patient care, a report by the King's Fund says.

The Investigatory Powers Tribunal rules that GCHQ breached human rights laws by failing to disclose shared full details of information it shared with the United States that was garnered from data from mass internet surveillance.

Frances Lennon Robert Atkinson Ian Towers Lee Spick Roger Cowley Harold Hassall John Hopkins

Howard Norris Geraldine McEwan Michael Saward Roy Little Martin Gilbert

US A blizzard hits the Northeast shutting down major cities

including New York City and Boston, with up to 60 million people affected.

At least six people are killed and several others are injured when a Metro-North Railroad train collides with a vehicle at a crossing in Valhalla, New York.

The ex-wife of a professor at University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina shoots him on campus before committing suicide. The school temporarily puts the campus on lockdown.

American electronics retail store franchise RadioShack files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after 11 consecutive quarterly losses.

Afghanistan Taliban attacks across Afghanistan kill 17 people. Three American contractors are killed at Hamid Karzai

International Airport Armenia The 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide will be

commemorated. Taiwan 4.5 scale earthquake struck southern Taiwan. The establishment of New Power Party National Energy Conference at Taipei International Convention

Center in Taipei. Resignation of National Defense Minister Yen Ming. Republic of China Navy military drill in Kaohsiung.

Resignation of National Development Council Minister Kuan Chung-ming.

Scaffolding collapse accident killing one and injuring two at Chinese Culture and Movie Center in Taipei.

7th regular meeting of Cross-Strait Economic Cooperation Committee at Grand Hotel in Taipei.

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je proposed Two Countries, One System for cross-strait relations.

Ukraine An attack on an open-air market in Mariupol, Ukraine leaves at

least 27 people killed and more than 90 injured. The pro-Russian rebel leader, Alexander Zakharchenko, announces an offensive on Mariupol.

Democratic Republic of the Congo 85 Raïa Mutomboki rebels surrendered to the authorities in the

town of Mubambiro, Noth Kivu, the former militants will be gradually integrated into FARDC. Earlier in January Raïa Mutomboki founder Nyanderema approached the town of Luizi with a group of 9 fighters, announcing their abandonment of armed struggle. 24 rifles, 2 grenades and other military equipment was transferred to FARDC during the two incidents.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo launches a campaign against Hutu rebels.

Libya Five gunmen at the Libyan Corinthia Hotel in Tripoli attack with

at least ten dead. The hotel was previously the location in 2013 where a former prime minister was abducted.

Gunmen storm the al-Mabrook oil field. Nigeria A female suicide bomber attacks minutes after the President

leaves an election rally in the city of Gombe resulting in at least one death and 18 people injured.

Weather Wellington- 63 Sydney- 68

Perth- 70 Jakarta- 74 Singapore- 77 Manila- 75 Tokyo- 41 Seoul- 16 Beijing- 19 Hong Kong- 59 Bangkok- 79 Mumbai- 75 Tehran- 50 Dubai- 69 Kuwait- 61 Cape Town- 70 Dar es Salaam- 82 Luanda- 82 Nairobi- 68 Abuja- 91 Dakar- 68 Casablanca- 50 Algiers- 48 Cairo- 63 Jerusalem- 53 Istanbul- 41 Rome- 45 Madrid- 35 Paris- 37 London- 41 Edinburgh- 41 Berlin- 37 Moscow- 21 Stockholm- 32 Nuuk- 14 Anchorage- -3 Quebec- 3

New York- 34 Pittsburgh- 46 Minneapolis- 36 Denver- 71 Seattle- 51 Los Angeles- 65 Houston- 66 Miami- 68 Mexico City- 66 San Juan- 81 Bogota- 64 Lima- 84 Buenos Aires- 91 Rio de Janeiro- 86

Travel Harbin

Harbin is China's northernmost major city, with a metropolitan population in excess of 10 million, and over 4 million in the city center alone. Historically, the city has been influenced a lot by neighboring Russia, in particular after the Russian Revolution of 1917 when the White Russians escaped the newly formed Soviet Union. The influence remains clearly visible in the building styles and foods.

The city was founded in 1897 as a camp for Russian engineers surveying the Trans-Siberian Railway. Labor demands brought in a collection of outcasts from across Russia, Poland and even from within Manchuria. The city eventually was captured by the Japanese during World War II and later returned to China in 1946. Once nothing more than a Russian-built outpost of the railway line, Harbin has expanded far beyond its original limits

Get in Harbin Airport- International services are available to

Khabarovsk and Vladivostok, Russia, Niigata, Japan, Seoul, South Korea and Los Angeles, USA.

By train-Baotou - 29 hours; ¥113-390Beijing - 8-18 hours; ¥152-828Changchun - 2-4 hours; ¥20-91Changsha - 29 hours; ¥300-833DaqingDalian - 6-13 hours; ¥109-454Guangzhou - 37½ hours; ¥355-976HailaerHangzhou - 36 hours; ¥286-792Hefei - 22½ hours; ¥245-676HegangHohhot - 27 hours; ¥102-341JiamusiJilin - 6½ hours; ¥20-163

By Car-Harbin is connected to the rest of China via the China Highway 102 via Changchun. Harbin is also connected via road to Inner Mongolia, Russia, and Jilin.

Get around Taxis are inexpensive and convenient. However, always ask

them to run the meter (请打表 qĭng dă biăo) instead of attempting to negotiate a price in order avoid possible conflicts.

Taxi drivers in Harbin are known to be reckless—running red lights, driving into oncoming traffic, etc.—so buckle up! Most taxi drivers do not speak any English or read Pinyin, so unless you speak fluent Mandarin Chinese showing them the Chinese characters for your destination is often the only option that will work. Do not be surprised if the taxi stops to pick up other passengers during rush hour, and if you are picked up by a taxi with passengers, even if the meter reads Y13 when you get in, the taxi driver will still expect you to pay the full amount on the meter when you depart the taxi!

If you plan to live in Harbin for a while, it's recommended that you figure out the basic bus routes around your home. Note that during the winter months the buses stop running earlier.

Hawkers on the street will sell a map of greater Harbin including bus routes for about ¥5.

Russian Buildings. Harbin's old quarter, which covers a wide area of the city near the Songhua River, is still today mostly made up of buildings that were constructed by the Russians at the turn of the 19th century. Most of them are built in baroque or byzantine style with spires and cupolas and interesting shades of yellow, white, green, or red. While St. Sophia is known as the main architectural attraction to the city, areas of the city such as Harbin's old quarter are made up of buildings that have been left untouched since the Russians left. While most of these streets are fairly decrepit and in need of repair, at least the area has been free from the wrecking ball like many other historical districts in China. Only due to the fact that Harbin has yet to attract the world's investment. edit

Zhongyang Dajie (中央大街; Zhōngyāngdàjiē; lit. Central Avenue), (Runs from Jingwei Jie to Stalin Park at the river). Pretty much closes by 22:00 (weekend nights included). This cobblestone lined street is a pedestrian only street that could serve as a perfect remnant of the bustling international business activities at the turn of the 20th century. The 1.4-km long street is a veritable museum of European architectural styles, including Baroque and Byzantine facades, Jewish architectural wonders, a Russian restauraunt, French fashion houses (Fake Chinese Brands), American snack food outlets (McDonald's and KFC and a Chinese owned "American Bar"), and a Japanese restaurant. In winter, one can walk out onto the ice or take a dog sledge or horse sledge ride. It is the prettiest site in Harbin as far as the city itself is concerned, however, if you go mid-day during the weekend be prepared to push through the crowds. edit

Flood Control Monument (防洪胜利纪念塔; Fánghóngshènglìjìniàntǎ), (It is at the riverside end of the Zhongyang Dajie). Built to commemorate the several floods of the Songhua River. edit

Stalin Park (斯大林公园; Sīdàlíngōngyuán), (Runs parallel to the Songhua River). Long tree covered walkway that stretches the city-side banks of the Songhua river, a really nice and pleasant walk. edit

Harbin's Famous St. Sophia Cathedral St. Sophia Cathedral (圣索非亚教堂; Shèngsuǒfēiyàjiàotáng),

(Daoli District on the corner of Zhaolin and Toulong Sts). One of the few still standing Orthodox churches in the city. It is now converted into a Harbin Museum of Architecture. Inside there are exhibitions of many photographs from old times. Definitely worth going into, however, if you are used to European Churches do not expect the quality. Entrance fee is ¥20. edit

Harbin Jewish New Synagogue (哈尔滨犹太新会堂; Hāěrbīnyóutàixīnhuìtáng), 162 Jing Wei Jie. Has been restored and contains an impressive collection detailing the history of Jews in Harbin. There were 20,000 at one point and the synagogue is well worth a visit. Further up Tong Jiang Jie is the old synagogue that is now a youth hostel and cafe, with the old Jewish school next door -both worth a detour to look at from the outside. ¥25. edit

Unit 731 Museum (侵华日军地 731部队遗址; Qīnhuárìjūnde 731 Bùduìyízhǐ), (It is about an hourlong bus ride from the city center (Bus 338 or the slower 343 from near the train station on Tielu Jie, get off at 双拥路 and walk around the corner to the right)). Closes at 16:00 (last entry is at 15:00), is closed from 11:00-13:00 for lunch and the museum is completely closed on Mondays. A grim reminder of what happened during the Japanese occupation to over 2,000 prisoners of war. The museum, located out in the suburbs, tells the story of these individuals although its displays are limited. edit

Tiger Park

Siberian Tiger Preserve (老虎公园; Lǎohǔgōngyuán), (Just a ¥40 cab ride from the city center (don't have them wait for you; you will always be able to find a ride home)). This is without a doubt Harbin's "must see". Not for the faint hearted or obsessive animal lovers. There are literally hundreds of tigers in multiple huge pens. If you want to go by bus instead of taking a taxi, take the 88 line (facing the train station, walk into the small street on your left for 300 m before seeing the bus stop) to Shangye Daxue 商业大学. It should take about 30 minutes, and it is the third stop after the long stretch of highway crossing the river. Then, take the 54 bus towards the same direction, and you will see the entrance to the Tiger Park on your right after 5 minutes or so (Bus 54 didn't function in Dec 2013). Alternatively you can take the 88 line to the last stop, go straight and on the first crossroad go right for about 5 minutes. Another route is to taking Bus 29 at the north end of Zhaolin Da Jie city bus terminal for 2 RMB. For just ¥90 you can ride in an open bus with metal caging around it. The ride is about an hour long and while on the bus you can purchase strips of meat (¥20) to hand feed the tigers. Live chickens (¥60), pheasants (¥120), ducks (¥120), goats (¥800) and even cows (¥2800). edit

Zhaolin Park (兆麟公园; Zhàolíngōngyuán), Youyi Lu and Shangzhi Jie. During the winter this park houses ice sculptures for the festivals, but during the off season, it is a pleasant stroll as well edit

Dragon TV Tower (龙塔; Lóngtǎ). Tallest steel structure in northeastern Asia. Only built for the Chinese need of having something as the biggest and the best. Somewhere along the way they forgot to add any pleasant looking qualities to it. There is a revolving restaurant on top and views of the city. You can walk outside at the top and even strap on a harness for a thrill. edit

Old Quarter. A section of the city just west of Zhongyang Dajie is still dominated by Russian buildings built around the turn of the century. Not well maintained but an interesting walk and

you can maybe find Russian antiques in some of the thrift stores. edit

Grape Kingdom (葡萄王国; Pútaowángguó), (Near the Tiger Park). A live operating "organic farm" that has expansive grape and corn fields. In the fall you can enter the fields and pick as many fresh grapes as you want and watch how the Chinese process corn. edit

Sun Island (太阳岛; Tàiyángdǎo), (On the banks of the Songhua River and can be reached by ferry boat (¥5)). Park offering a pleasant to stroll during the warmer months and on the weekends newly married couples can be seen taking pictures. In the winter it becomes part of the snow sculpture festivities. However, as with everything in Harbin, the park itself is still very chinese with a cage full of squirrels, a petting deer area (just have to buy them some food), go carts, a pond that is just full of turtles, and newly weds sporting bright colored dresses. It can also be reached by cable car, the station of which is in a hotel near Stalin Park (¥50) edit

Gondola ride over Songhua River, access point is the Sun Island Park. A nice way to work your way back from Sun Island in a gondola car that takes you over the banks of the Songhua. ¥35-50. edit

Harbin's Confucius Temple Temple of Heavenly Bliss (极乐寺; Jílèsì), Dongdazhi Street (东大直街; Dōngdàzhíjiē) (In the eastern part of the city). Large and active Buddhist temple. edit

Heilongjiang Provincial Museum (黑龙江省博物馆; Hēilóngjiāngshěngbówùguǎn), 50 Hong Jun Jie. Built in 1922 and claims to have over 14,000 pieces of relics, but it's not well kept. edit

Confucius Temple (文庙), WenMiao Street (文庙街) (right beside the campus of the Harbin Engineering University). This Confucius temple is the largest one of its kind in northeast China. Free. edit

Ice and Snow World (冰雪大世界). Big big world is the Harbin International Ice and snow festival leading brands, at the end of 1999 in the beautiful banks of the Songhua River is born, held annually, the world ice art essence, integration of the world's ice and snow play in a park, set ideological, artistic, ornamental, participation, entertainment in one scene was magnificent, magnificent, modeling grand and magnificent, magnificent beautiful scenery, known as" magnificent magnificent and picturesque epic". Entrance fee is ¥300 (as of Jan 2015). Bus Routes: 13, 29, 126 edit

Deer Flat mountain ski resort (平山神鹿滑雪场). Pingshan deer ski field is located in A Cheng city of Heilongjiang Province town,70 kilometers away from Harbin, is Heilongjiang province SSS tourist resort, which can accommodate up to 3,000 people skiing.

Do Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival (Harbin Ice

Festival 2014), Ice & Snow World, Sun Island and Zhaolin Park, (harbin@accesschinatravel.com), [3]. Annual opening on January 5th, lasts from December 1 and to February 28 next year.. By far Harbin's biggest claim to fame are these two-month-long events covering Chinese Spring Festival and Lantern Festival within the duration . While smaller ice and snow lanterns can be found allover the city, there are three major sites with large scale lanterns being displayed: edit

Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Art Fair (太阳岛国际雪雕艺术博览会; Tàiyángdǎo guójì xuědiāoyìshù bólǎnhuì), Located on Sun Island, northside of the river (Just a few steps from the Sun Island gondola station or just cross the frozen river by feet). 8AM-5PM. Beautifully carved snow sculptures, massive dimensions. All other activities in the Park are extra. ¥240 (students ¥120) (Note: prices current as of January 2012). edit

Ice and Snow World (冰雪大世界; bīngxuě dàshìjiè), Northside of the river, west from Sun Island. 9AM-9:30PM. Large buildings and sculptures made of ice. Best viewed after sunset. ¥300

(admission is ¥150 before 12:00PM) (Note: prices current as of January 2013). edit

Ice Festival, Zhaolin Park (冰雪游园会, 兆麟公园; Bīngxuě yóuyuánhuì, Zhàolíngōngyuán), Located in the city center at Zhaolin Park, southside of the river. 1:30PM-9:30PM. Rather small lanterns compared to the other two main festivals. Best viewed after dusk. ¥200 (admission is cheaper before 3:30PM). edit

Sauna/bath houses (洗浴中心; Xǐyùzhōngxīn). Literally all over the city. Many local people do not shower in their own apartments but these public shower houses instead. There are upscale, midrange, and low end places. Check with a 5 star hotel to get the most up to date facility for the type you prefer. Upscale spas will cost about 120 Yuan plus additional 200 and up for a massage. Low end ones cost 30 yuan plus an additional 100 yuan for massages. Shanghai Tan (上海摊; Shànghǎitān) and Jiannianhua (嘉年华; Jiāniánhuá) are two of Harbin's longest established sauna/bath houses, but nowadays their facility are entirely neglected in the wake of the new entrants abilities to divert customers. edit

Harbin International Beer Festival (哈尔滨国际啤酒节; Hāěrbīnguójìpíjiǔjié), [4]. Held in late August of every year. The city takes a break and honors the cities most famous export "Harbin Beer" for a week. A whole public square is cordoned off and there are stages that host music concerts, dance contests. Most of the beer drunk is the local Harbin brew, but there is a tent for international beers. In the summer of 2005 a number of the foreigners in the city assembled a "drinking team" and ended up getting in a drunken brawl with some locals and got hauled away by the police. edit

Harbin Summer Music Festival (哈尔滨之夏音乐节; Hāěrbīnzhīxiàyīnyuèjié), [5]. Held every two years in July (Next will be in 2012), this festival is organized by the city and brings in famous Chinese bands for free concerts held in the city square. In 2006 for the "year of Russia" there were various

Russian groups in attendance and a concert that featured over 1,000 pianists playing at once. edit

WB International Movie Theatre (万达国际电影城; Wàndáguójìdiànyǐngchéng), Zhongyang Dajie Wal-mart. ¥50 plus for tickets. edit

Exercise and Fitness[edit] Yabuli (亚布力; Yàbùlì), (Within 2 hours of the city). Yabuli is one

of the largest skiing areas in China and venue for the 1996 Asian Winter Games. edit

Yangge Traditional Chinese Dance. You will notice that during the warmer months (and even sometimes in the winter) there will be legions of senior citizens out on the street doing a group dance complete with drumming and costumes. This is called niu yang ge and if you are adventurous just jump in and dance along! edit

Bowling. Very popular among the Chinese in Harbin. Most of the larger hotels have a bowling alley. There is also a bowling club located behind the Sino Way hotel with 2 separate floors and pool tables as well. edit

Swimming. Believe it or not, people actually swim in the Songhua during the winter, but after all the pollution spills, it's probably not even safe to swim during the summer. If you are looking for a clean pool to swim in, try the pool at the Shangri-La Hotel or Heilongjiang University. edit

Golf (高尔夫球场; Gāoěrfūqiúchǎng), (Directly behind the Heilongjiang TV Station (黑龙江电视台; Hēilóngjiāngdiànshìtái), it's the giant glass building with a oversize red glass diamond). Obviously not open during the winter. Yes Harbin has a golf course in the development zone. ¥300 per round and ¥20 to use the driving range. edit

Haerbin Grecism International Health Club (哈尔滨恒详国际健身俱乐部; Hāěrbīnhéngxiángguójìjiànshēnjùlèbù), 95 Hayao Road (道里区哈药路 95号; Dàolǐqūhāyàolù). One of Harbin's nicest health clubs that includes a full pool, American work out equipment, sauna and hot tub, indoor track and cafe. Membership is expensive. edit

Fitness Ark Health Club (美丽方舟健身俱乐部; Měilìfāngzhōujiànshēnjùlèbù), 3rd floor of Hate Mall, 118 Xidazhi Jie (南岗区西大直街 118号哈特) (Near HIT). This is a great and cheap health club. A number of foreign students and teachers hang out here

Buy Imported Russian goods of all types and qualities are available

from tourist shops around town. Look out for vodka, Russian dolls, and chocolate. The local Chinese appeared to have picked up some aspects of Russian cuisine, with western style bread and sausage available around town. Beyond this, the shopping is much like any other city in China.

Zhongyang Dajie The main shopping district is along Zhongyang Dajie where there is a Wal-Mart near the flood control monument and another shopping district along Guogeli Jie where you can find clothing, food and more. Along this street are huge new shopping malls such as the Euro Plaza, Parksons, and Lane Crawford that carry international brands and are expensive. There are Nike stores, KFC and interesting Russian thrift stores. The street is lined with beer gardens during the summer.

Guogeli Dajie (果戈里大街). Harbin's second biggest shopping district after Zhongyang Dajie (bigger in size). The area around here is dotted with Russian buildings and HUGE shopping complexes. At night there are numerous night markets, a small scale Russian church where people dance, and a small and lively "bar lake."

Indian Street (印度一条街). A commercial side street located right off Guogeli Dajie. If you're facing the East, it's past the giant castle and on your right. Used to be complete with Indian thrift stores, clothing, and food, but now offers only Russian items, including dolls, pocketknives and toys. But don't expect any Indian restaurants as there aren't any yet.

Foreigners in Harbin The vast majority of the foreigners living in Harbin are either

Russian or Korean, with the Russians obviously being the more

visible of the two. Expats should be aware that all Caucasians are automatically "Russian" as far as the local population is concerned, and that relations between said Russians and the local Chinese population are rocky at best. Much of the famous "Dongbei hospitality" has worn thin in recent years, with native Harbiners holding an increasingly negative view of foreigners in general.

There are also a small number of European and Brazilian professionals working in the city, as well as a number of English teachers hailing from various countries. However, the lack of foreign investment in the province as a whole means that most of the resident expats are either students or teachers. The are also a number of African and Middle Eastern students studying at the high-profile Harbin Institute of Technology.

Money Most ATM's around the city work with international cards, such

as the Bank of China and the China Merchants Bank. Western Union, Located in almost every China Post 中国邮政

''zhongguo youzheng'' and Agricultural Bank 农业银行 ''nongye yinhang'', look for the yellow western union sign. 西联汇款 xilian huikuan in Chinese edit

Bank of China Heilongjiang Branch, No.19, Hongjun Jie, ☎ 0451-3633518-8111 (fax: 0451-3646455). This is the only bank in the city where you can exchange Travelers Checks. edit

Unique Items Underground Mall taken The Hongbo Shichang, at the intersection of Dong Dazhi Jie and

Hongjun Jie, is an enormous underground shopping center -- if they don't have it, you don't need it.

Pirate DVDs A large DVD store occupies a corner in the basement of the Jiaohua Electronics Market (教化电子市场). All DVD's are around ¥6 and arranged alphabetically. Opposite from the Harbin Institute of Technology's main gate (哈工大正门对面) and across the street from Buy Now Hui. Be sure and buy the DVDs sold in the main store, and not at the numerous small kiosks that take up the rest of the basement.

Clothing[edit] Sofia Jintaiyang Fashion City (金太阳索菲亚精品城) around the

corner from St. Sophia Church (道里区地段街) is Haerbin's answer to Beijing's Xidan. Multi story fashion market lined with small stalls selling the hottest fashions from China at cheap prices.

Hongbo Century Square (红博世纪广场) not to be confused with the underground market, this is a huge mall in the basement of the Harbin exhibition center. There is also a fried chicken chain from Texas. There are daily fashion model shows.

Chinese Military Surplus Clothing Looking for a comfy cold weather jacket like the Chinese wear? There are a number of stores around the city. One is towards the end of Xidazhi Jie near the Harbin Institute of Technology.

Western Brands The shopping malls at Hongbo and Zhongyang Dajie have everything from Gucci, Brooks Brothers, and Zegna to Timberland and Adidas. Items are internationally priced.

Everyday Needs[edit] Walmart and Carrefour the Walmart is located at the end of

Zhongyang Dajie by the river. Its just like any other Walmart. There are several other Walmarts and Carrefours located in the city.

Watsons right on Zhongyang Dajie this small convenient store has every health care product you can think of including western shampoo.

Metro German Supermarket (麦德龙) near Maidelong Chaoshi (道里区埃德蒙顿路职工街 1号). German owned walmart type supermarket with the city's biggest selection of western food, a huge selection of imported wine, alcohol and beer, cheese, pastas and ice cream. It's all there, including the steep prices!

Scholars Bookstore (学府书店) Harbin's largest bookstore is located near Heilongjiang University on Xuefu Lu (学府路).

Flower, Bird and Fish Market (花鸟鱼工艺品交易场) Miaopu Road (道里区苗圃街), huge assortment of fresh plants, birds and tropical fish.

Eat

If there is one thing special about Harbin, it has to be the food. Taking influences from Russia, Mongolia, Korea and of course China, the food in Harbin is much "heartier" than you can find anywhere in China, and stews and other duncai are popular dishes. Because the winters are long here you'll find less exotic ingredients and heavy use of vegetables like cabbage, potatoes, cucumber and corn. Chinese BBQ or shaokao and Hot Pot is also equally popular in Harbin and is a must eat once you get into town.

One thing you will notice is that Dongbei people love to eat, and its not just for the food, but for getting all their friends together at one table and drinking/eating the night away. Thus this city is dominated by restaurants with large tables that seat groups of people. Besides small food stalls, only near the Universities and busy shopping areas will you find cozy little restaurants. In Harbin, liveliness (renao) attracts customers and much as the food; some restaurants are so loud you may need earplugs!

Groundhog Day The celebration began as a Pennsylvania German custom in

southeastern and central Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries. It has its origins in ancient European weather lore, wherein a badger or sacred bear is the prognosticator, as opposed to a groundhog. It also bears similarities to the Pagan festival of Imbolc (the seasonal turning point of the Celtic calendar, which is celebrated on February 2 and also involves weather prognostication), and to St. Swithun's Day on July 15.

The largest Groundhog Day celebration is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where crowds as large as 40,000 have gathered to celebrate the holiday since at least 1886. Other celebrations of note in Pennsylvania take place in Quarryville in Lancaster County,[14] the Anthracite Region of Schuylkill County, the Sinnamahoning Valley of Bucks County.

The day is observed with various ceremonies at other communities in North America, including in Wiarton, Ontario, at

the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park in Nova Scotia, and at the University of Dallas in Irving, Texas (which has what is claimed to be the second largest Groundhog celebration in the world).

A similar custom is celebrated among Orthodox Christians in Serbia on February 15 (February 2 according to local Julian calendar) during the feast of celebration of Sretenje or The Meeting of the Lord. It is believed that the bear will awaken from winter dormancy on this day, and if it sees (meets) its own shadow in this sleepy and confused state, it will get scared and go back to sleep for an additional 40 days, thus prolonging the winter. Thus, if it is sunny on Sretenje, it is the sign that the winter is not over yet. If it is cloudy, it is a good sign that the winter is about to end.

In Germany, June 27 is "Siebenschläfertag" (Seven Sleepers Day). If it rains that day, the rest of summer is supposedly going to be rainy. It might seem to refer to the "Siebenschläfer" squirrel (Glis glis), also known as the "edible dormouse", but it actually commemorates the Seven Sleepers (the actual commemoration day is July 25).

In the United Kingdom, July 15 is known as St. Swithun's day. It was traditionally believed that, if it rained on that day, it would rain for the next 40 days and nights.

In Alaska, February 2 is observed as Marmot Day rather than Groundhog Day because few groundhogs exist in the state.

Airplanes First attested in English in the late 19th century (prior to the

first sustained powered flight), the word airplane, like aeroplane, derives from the French aéroplane, which comes from the Greek ἀήρ (aēr), "air" and either Latin planus, "level", or Greek πλάνος (planos), "wandering". "Aéroplane" originally referred just to the wing, as it is a plane moving through the air. In an example of synecdoche, the word for the wing came to refer to the entire aircraft.

In the United States and Canada, the term "airplane" is used for powered fixed-wing aircraft. In the United Kingdom and most of

the Commonwealth, the term "aeroplane" is usually applied to these aircraft.

Pilots and copilots are required to eat different meals. The odds of being in a plane crash are astronomically tiny. But, if you were to crash, the back of the plane is the safest

place to be. Worldwide, the airline industry generates about $640 billion. Food tastes different on an airplane. American Airlines once cut costs by removing one olive from

each of their salads. A Boeing 727 took off in 2003 and has been missing ever since. The white trail a plane leaves in the sky can be used to predict

the weather. Spilling mercury on a plane could really ruin your flight. It is impossible to open a plane door mid-flight. A commercial jet has an average cruising speed of 550-580

mph. Beverages Taste Better In The Air Airplanes Actually Have Cleaner Air Pilots Fall Asleep All International Airline Pilots speak English. • Flights longer than 8 hours require 3 pilots (1 captain and 2

first officers) to rotate flying duties. Flights longer than 12 hours require 4 pilots (1 captain and 3 first officers). They usually fly 3-4 hour shifts. (There are different norms of Indian companies Pilots)

•Each airline pilot flying the aircraft, eats a different meal to minimize the risk of all pilots on board being ill.

•On average, pilots fly between 9 and 14 days a month (Indian companies pilot fly 24 to 26 days)

•All airlines have an agreement to let each others' travelling pilots occupy empty seats. If no seats are available, the travelling pilot can also occupy an extra seat in the cockpit that is usually empty.

•The main function of flight attendants are for the safety and security of their passengers, and passenger comfort is only secondary.

•The first female flight attendants in 1930 were required to weigh less than 115 pounds. In addition, they had to be nurses and unmarried.

•Flight attendants must not have any tattoos visible when a uniform is worn. These requirements are designed to give the airlines a positive representation.

•The normal ratio of Flight Attendants to passenger seats is one Flight Attendant for every 50 passenger seats.

•The height requirement for Flight Attendant is for safety reasons, making sure that all flight attendants can reach overhead safety equipment.

•The normal ratio of Lavatories to passengers is approximately one lavatory for every 50 passengers.

•An air traveler can lose approximately 1.5 liters of water in the body during a three-hour flight.

•The reason why the lights are turned out during takeoff and landing – Is for your eyes to adjust to lower levels of light. If there's an accident and they have to activate the emergency slides, studies have shown that you will be able to see better and therefore be able to evacuate more quickly and safely.

•The World’s largest Airline in terms of Fleet Size is Delta Airlines (United States) with 744 aircraft and 121 aircraft on order as of March 2011.

•The largest passenger plane is the Airbus 380 - nearly 240 feet long, almost 80 feet high, and has a wingspan of more than 260 feet. The double-decker plane has a standard seating capacity of 555 passengers.

•The world’s busiest airport in terms of passenger volume or the number of takeoffs and landings, is Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Atlanta, Georgia, United States – with more than 88 million passengers shuffled through the Atlanta airport in 2009, with another 20 million in the first three

months of 2010, and with aircraft take-off and landings approximately every 37 seconds.

•The Internet/On-Line check-in was first used by Alaskan Airlines in 1999.

•The world’s Largest Airport is Kansai International Airport, Osaka, Japan (as of 2011). By 2013 Al Maktoum International Airport in Jebel Ali, Dubai, United Arab Emirates is planned to be the largest airport in the world.

•The airport with the longest runway in the world is Qamdo Bangda Airport in the Peoples Republic of China with 5.50 kilometers in length (as of 2011).

•American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987 by removing 1 olive from each salad served in first class.

•In 2009, Southwest served 63.2 million cans of soda, juices, and water; 14.3 million alcoholic beverages; 14 million bags of pretzels; 90 million bags of peanuts; 17.7 million Select-A-Snacks; and 33.5 million other snacks.

•Singapore Airlines spends about $700 million on food every year and $16 million on wine alone. First class passengers consume 20,000 bottles of alcohol every month and Singapore Airlines is the second largest buyer of Dom Perignon champagne in the world.

•Cathay Pacific carries rice cookers, toasters, cappuccino makers and skillets on board their airplanes.

•KLM of Netherlands stands for Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij (meaning Royal Dutch Airlines).

•KLM is the worlds' oldest airline established in 1919. •QUANTAS - Australia’s national airline, originally stood for

Queensland And Northern Territories Air Service. •QUANTAS is the second world’s oldest airline established in

1920. •QUANTAS still has the world's best safety record with no

crashes as of 2011. •Virgin Atlantic lists catering as their third biggest expense,

after fuel and maintenance.

•American Airlines spent about $425 million on food for domestic passengers in 2001.

•In one year, British Airways passengers consume: * 40.5 tons of chicken * 6 tons of caviar * 22 tons of smoked salmon * 557,507 boxes of chocolate * 90 thousand cases (9 liter cases) of sparkling wine. •Abu Dhabi Airport Services once did a complete turn-around

for a Boeing 777 in under 40 minutes, as opposed to a normal minimum of one hour. They unloaded passengers, cargo, mail, cleaned the aircraft, and loaded outbound passengers, cargo and mail in that short time.•In 2001, Dubai Duty Free sold 1,570,214 cartons of cigarettes, 2,003,151 bottles of liquor, 2,909 kilograms of gold, 101,824 watches, 690,502 bottles of perfume, 52,119 mobile phones.

•In-flight catering is an $18 billion worldwide industry employing up to 200,000 people.

Passports The most expensive passport fee is Turkey(243) and the least

expensive is Swaziland(2.50). The Danish passport allows people to travel to 169 countries

without a visa. Queen Elizabeth II does not own a passport because she does

not need one! All passports in the UK are issued in HER name, so she does not require one to travel abroad. All other member of the Royal Family, however, are required to travel with a passport.

On the other hand, the President of the United States does have to have a passport to travel. His passport has a black cover, and he doesn't have to pay any fees for it. His immediate family, certain top White House officials, and about 80,000 diplomatic personnel have similar passports.

If you have an Israeli stamp in your passport, some Middle Eastern countries will not allow you to enter. Places like Syria,

Lebanon, Yemen and others will deny you entry. In fact, there are a number of these conditions around the world, such as Azerbaijan refusing entry to those with Armenian passports.

Chinese people of course require a passport for international travel, but they also need a permit to go to Hong Kong and Macau which is a completely separate document. For domestic travel they must use their ID card, even for buying train tickets. Foreigners have to use their passports for travel within China, and in theory are meant to carry their passports at all times.

Speaking of renewing your passport even if you have no immediate plans to travel abroad, some countries, like China, India, and Brazil will not allow you to enter unless your passport is at least six months old! So plan ahead!

We all think we know the etymology of the word “passport” and we’re almost right, but no, it’s not a seaport you’re passing through. It comes from the French porte meaning gateway or door—supposedly referencing the grand gateways or doors that protected kingdoms in ancient times.

This is a map of passport ownership in the U.S. by state.

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Different countries issue different color passports, but the only way to get a black passport is if you’re a diplomat. If you do have a black passport, I’m jealous because you get special privileges at airport customs etc. Oh, and the President? He gets to keep his for life.

Why do passports from around the world look similar (despite the different colors)? You can thank the League of Nations, which in 1920 established international guidelines. And you really should be thankful—during World War I, U.S. passports were 11” by 17” documents. A bit less convenient no?

The first U.S. passports were issued during the Revolutionary War, and they were designed—based on the French model—by none other than Benjamin Franklin.

You know those visa pages where you get your book stamped? If you’re worried you might run out of room, you should request more pages, because while some countries will just stamp the amendments pages and let you in, others (like South Africa for example) won’t allow you to enter unless you have an entire blank visa page.

Around 450BC, King Artaxerxes of Persia gave the prophet Nehemiah a letter granting him safe passage to Judah. This is seen by many as the first passport.

British passports originated from the time of Henry V and the Safe Conducts Act of 1414

Passports were written in Latin or English until 1772, then French, and English again from 1885.

Holders of British passports can travel to 173 countries visa-free or visa granted on arrival.

The Queen does not have (or need) a passport. A new Nicaraguan passport has 89 separate security features,

including ‘bidimensional barcodes’, holograms and watermarks. The Vatican issues passports and the Pope always has

“Passport No 1”. In 1937, Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond, bought a passport

that had been issued to Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. Fleming kept it in a specially made silk-lined morocco case. It

was sold in 1972 for £1,200. Perhaps the rarest passports of all are the British Queen’s

Messenger Passports carried by royal couriers. Only 15 of these are in use

Left to TellThe Rwandan Genocide was a genocidal mass slaughter of Tutsi and moderate Hutu in Rwanda by members of the Hutu majority.

During the approximate 100-day period from April 7, 1994, to mid-July, an estimated 500,000–1,000,000 Rwandans were killed,[1] constituting as much as 20% of the country's total population

and 70% of the Tutsi then living in Rwanda. The genocide was planned by members of the core political elite known as the

akazu, many of whom occupied positions at top levels of the national government. Perpetrators came from the ranks of the

Rwandan army, the National Police (gendarmerie), government-backed militias including the Interahamwe and Impuzamugambi,

and the Hutu civilian population.

The genocide took place in the context of the Rwandan Civil War, an ongoing conflict beginning in 1990 between the Hutu-led

government and the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), which was largely composed of Tutsi refugees whose families had fled to

Uganda following earlier waves of Hutu violence against the Tutsi. International pressure on the Hutu-led government of Juvénal

Habyarimana resulted in a cease-fire in 1993 with a roadmap to implement the Arusha Accords that would create a power-sharing

government with the RPF. This agreement displeased many conservative Hutu, including members of the Akazu, who viewed

it as conceding to enemy demands. Among the broader Hutu populace, the RPF military campaign had also intensified support for the so-called "Hutu Power" ideology, which portrayed the RPF

as an alien force intent on reinstating the Tutsi monarchy and enslaving the Hutus, a prospect met with extreme opposition.

On April 6, 1994, an airplane carrying Habyarimana and Burundian president Cyprien Ntaryamira was shot down on its

descent into Kigali, killing all on board.[2] Genocidal killings began the following day: soldiers, police and militia quickly executed key Tutsi and moderate Hutu leaders, then erected checkpoints and

barricades and used Rwandans' national identity cards to systematically verify their ethnicity and kill Tutsi. These forces recruited or pressured Hutu civilians to arm themselves with

machetes, clubs, blunt objects and other weapons to rape, maim and kill their Tutsi neighbors and destroy or steal their property. The breach of the peace agreement led the RPF to restart their offensive and rapidly seize control of the northern part of the

country before capturing Kigali in mid-July, bringing an end to the

genocide. During these events and in their aftermath, the United Nations (UN) and countries including the United States, Great Britain and Belgium were criticized for their inaction, including

failure to strengthen the force and mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) peacekeepers, while

observers criticized the government of France for alleged support of the genocidal regime after the genocide had begun.

The genocide had a lasting and profound impact on Rwanda and its neighboring countries. The pervasive use of war rape caused a spike in HIV infection, including babies born of rape to newly infected mothers; many households were headed by orphaned children or widows. The destruction of infrastructure and a severe depopulation of the country crippled the economy, challenging the nascent government to achieve rapid economic growth and stabilization. The RPF military victory and installation of an RPF-dominated government prompted many Hutus to flee to neighboring countries, particularly in the eastern portion of Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) where the Hutu genocidaires began to regroup in refugee camps along the border with Rwanda. Declaring a need to avert further genocide, the RPF-led government led military incursions into Zaire, including the First (1996–97) and Second (1998–2003) Congo Wars. Armed struggles between the Rwandan government and their opponents in DRC have continued to play out through proxy militias in the Goma region, including the M23 rebellion (2003–2013). Large Rwandan Hutu and Tutsi populations continue to live as refugees throughout the region. Today, Rwanda has two public holidays commemorating the genocide. The national commemoration period begins with Genocide Memorial Day on April 7 and concludes with Liberation Day on July 4. The week following April 7 is designated an official week of mourning. The Rwandan Genocide served as the impetus for creating the International Criminal Court to eliminate the need for ad hoc tribunals to

prosecute those accused in future incidents of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Canadian Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire became the best-

known eyewitness to the genocide after co-writing the 2003 book Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda describing his experiences with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.[260] Another firsthand account of the Rwandan genocide is offered by Dr. James Orbinski in his book An Imperfect Offering: Humanitarian Action in the Twenty-first Century. Among survivors, Immaculée Ilibagiza documented her story in Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust (2006). The book recounts how Immaculée Ilibagiza survived for 91 days with seven other women during the holocaust in a damp and small bathroom, no larger than 3 feet (0.91 m) long and 4 feet (1.2 m) wide. Gil Courtemanche, a French-Canadian writer, authored Dimanche à la piscine à Kigali (A Sunday at the Pool in Kigali), which focuses on events in Kigali during the genocide.

At the Earth Made of Glass premiere, Rwandan President Paul Kagame stands with, from left, Jenna Dewan, director Deborah Scranton, documentary subject Jean Pierre Sagahutu, producer Reid Carolin and executive producer Channing Tatum.

The critically acclaimed and multiple Academy Award-nominated 2004 film Hotel Rwanda is based on the experiences of Paul Rusesabagina, a Kigali hotelier at the Hôtel des Mille Collines who sheltered over a thousand refugees during the genocide. It is listed by the American Film Institute as one of the 100 most inspirational movies of all time. This same story is related in Rusesabagina's 2006 autobiography An Ordinary Man.

Dallaire's book was made into the movie Shake Hands with the Devil in 2007. Courtemanche's book was also made into a movie, A Sunday in Kigali (2007).

The documentary Earth Made of Glass, an independent film, was about the personal and political costs of the Genocide, focusing on the Rwandan President Paul Kagame and genocide

survivor Jean-Pierre Sagahutu premiered at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival.

In 2005, Alison Des Forges wrote that eleven years after the genocide, films for popular audiences on the subject greatly increased the "widespread realization of the horror that had taken the lives of more than half a million Tutsi". In 2007, Charlie Beckett, Director of POLIS, made the following observation: "How many people saw the movie Hotel Rwanda? [it is] ironically the way that most people now relate to Rwanda."

Among songs, "Rwanda" by the punk-ska band Rancid from the album Rancid is about the Rwandan genocide. So is the punk-ska band Rx Bandits's song "In All Rwanda's Glory" on their album Progress, which they say contains "overly political lyrics". Brooke Fraser wrote the song "Albertine" on her album Albertine about an eponymous orphan from the genocide which Fraser met time in Rwanda in 2005.

Thanks For Reading

HUG A PUG