It's like "Moby Dick" in real life. A rare white humpback whale has been sighted off the coast of Norway.

British maritime engineer Dan Fisher, 32, spotted the humpback whale while on a boat trip to Svalbard, Norway, and snapped photos from the ship's mast. The pictures were later published in The Daily Mail.

The short video above shows the white whale in the company of its pigmented peers. The whale surfaces, blows a spout and then dives under the water again.

Vatican confirms the Pope will resign on Feb. 28.

VATICAN — Pope Benedict XVI announced Monday that he would resign on Feb. 28 because he was simply too infirm to carry on — the first pontiff to do so in nearly 600 years. The decision sets the stage for a conclave to elect a new pope before the end of March.

The 85-year-old pope announced his decision in Latin during a meeting of Vatican cardinals on Monday morning.

He emphasized that carrying out the duties of being pope — the leader of more than a billion Roman Catholics worldwide — requires "both strength of mind and body."

"After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths due to an advanced age are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry," he told the cardinals. "I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only by words and deeds but no less with prayer and suffering.

"However, in today's world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the barque of St. Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary — strengths which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me."

The last pope to resign was Pope Gregory XII, who stepped down in 1415 in a deal to end the Great Western Schism among competing papal claimants.

Benedict called his choice "a decision of great importance for the life of the church."

The move sets the stage for the Vatican to hold a conclave to elect a new pope by mid-March, since the traditional mourning time that would follow the death of a pope doesn't have to be observed.

There are several papal contenders in the wings, but no obvious front-runner — the same situation when Benedict was elected pontiff in 2005 after the death of Pope John Paul II.

When Benedict was elected pope at age 78 — already the oldest pope elected in nearly 300 years — he had been already planning to retire as the Vatican's chief orthodoxy watchdog to spend his final years writing in the "peace and quiet" of his native Bavaria.

Contenders to be his successor include Cardinal Angelo Scola, archbishop of Milan, Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, the archbishop of Vienna, and Cardinal Marc Ouellet, the Canadian head of the Vatican's office for bishops.

Longshots include Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York. Although Dolan is popular and backs the pope's conservative line, the general thinking is that the Catholic Church doesn't need a pope from a "superpower."

All cardinals under age 80 are allowed to vote in the conclave, the secret meeting held in the Sistine Chapel where cardinals cast ballots to elect a new pope. As per tradition, the ballots are burned after each voting round; black smoke that snakes out of the chimney means no pope has been chosen, while white smoke means a pope has been elected.

Popes are allowed to resign; church law specifies only that the resignation be "freely made and properly manifested."

Only a handful have done so, however and there's good reason why it hasn't become commonplace: Might the existence of two popes — even when one has stepped down — lead to divisions and instability in the church? Might a new resignation precedent lead to pressures on future popes to quit at the slightest hint of infirmity?

Benedict himself raised the possibility of resigning if he were simply too old or sick to continue on in 2010, when he was interviewed for the book "Light of the World."

"If a pope clearly realizes that he is no longer physically, psychologically and spiritually capable of handling the duties of his office, then he has a right, and under some circumstances, also an obligation to resign," Benedict said.

The former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger had an intimate view as Pope John Paul II, with whom he had worked closely for nearly a quarter-century, suffered through the debilitating end of his papacy.

[readon1 url="http://news.msn.com/world/pope-benedict-to-resign"]Source:news.msn.com[/readon1]

On May 17, 2006, in a firefight with Afghan Taliban insurgents, Canadian forces lost an artillery officer hit by shrapnel from a rocket-propelled grenade. She was Capt. Nichola Goddard, the first Canadian woman to be killed in action since her country’s 1989 decision to admit women soldiers into combat.

For a nation already divided about participating in the American-led Afghanistan war, Goddard’s death was a particular shock, and two more Canadian women have since died in combat. But Canada remains in the small group of countries – including Israel, France, Norway, Australia, New Zealand and now the U.S. – that have opened their fighting ranks to female soldiers.

Canada’s change didn’t come easily. “There was definitely heated discussion among my peers whether we should be there” in combat, said Lt. Col. Jennie Carignan, who enlisted in 1986.

But the country’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms made it inevitable, and the armed forces began a series of trials. The initial result was not encouraging for champions of full equality. The trials indicated that almost half the male rank and file viewed their female counterparts as “women first, tradespersons second, and soldiers never.” It was feared unit cohesion, esprit de corps and morale would suffer.

Final word came in a 1989 ruling by Canada’s Human Rights Commission ordering women to be admitted to all combat roles except aboard submarines. The submarine ban fell three years later.

Chief Warrant Officer A.P. Stapleford, who had enlisted in the Canadian infantry in 1975, said some initially questioned whether women were up to the task physically and whether the men would feel obliged to protect them.

“It was a shock at first and we overreacted at first, but we learned to adapt and work with them. They were going to be there anyway, so we just got over it and it wasn’t an issue to integrate them into units.” Nowadays, he said, soldiers take the presence of female combatants in stride.

The military says 2.4 percent of personnel in combat units are women – 145 officers and 209 enlisted soldiers. Overall, 9,348 women serve in the Canadian Armed Forces, 14 percent of all personnel.

Officers today speak of having adapted swiftly to women in combat, and officers and enlisted soldiers, male and female, whom the Associated Press sought out for interviews, insist they have no problem with the change.

But some in the civilian sector disagree with the principle.

While supportive of women serving in the military, columnist Margaret Wente of The Globe and Mail, a Toronto daily, wrote following the U.S. decision of Jan. 24: “The sheer physical demands of war (to say nothing of group cohesion, and all the rest) mean that fighting capability and performance are simply not compatible with gender equality.”

Gwen Landolt of REAL Women Canada, a socially conservative advocacy group, said: “It was a politically correct decision. The problem is women are just not equal physically, they can’t perform in combat to the same degree as men can.”

Landolt supports women serving as noncombatants and was the first female lawyer to serve in the legal department of the Canadian Forces. She said REAL Women waged a lonely battle to head off the 1989 decision.

“If the tribunal hadn’t come down in 1989 and smacked them so hard, maybe the military would be more objective,” she said in an interview.

“Feminism was at its height in Canada in 1989 and (feminist organizations) would hit back fast and furiously when we raised objections.”

Both she and Wente also cite issues of pregnancy, motherhood and sex, as well as male instincts of protectiveness of women.

Carignan, the veteran from 1986, said the first 10 years of integration were difficult, but after a review of anti-harassment policies and a revamp of the military’s code of ethics in the 1990s, things improved significantly.

“When I first entered into the forces I heard, ‘Women aren’t strong enough,’ so I just hit the gym harder,” said Carignan. “Then later I heard, ‘I’ve never had a woman as a troop commander’ but okay, so now let’s move on. And we did move on, never looking back.”

In 2003, she became the first woman to hold deputy command of a combat unit, and was Task Force Kandahar’s senior combat engineer in 2009.

Capt. Ashley Collette, during her 10-month deployment in Afghanistan, led a 50-strong all-male infantry unit providing security to villagers. She had close calls with roadside bombs, and two of her soldiers were injured. Now 28, she received the Medal of Military Valour, Canada’s third-highest military honor, for her leadership in the Panjwaii district near Kandahar – the district where Nichola Goddard died.

Carignan said while it took time and some struggle for women to get where they are today, “now, the men who initially were opposed are defending female combatants because they know in the end, it’s all just about how you do your job.”

[readon1 url="http://www.concordmonitor.com/home/4354057-95/women-combat-canadian-forces"]Source:www.concordmonitor.com[/readon1]

A strong earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale has jolted southern Colombia and was felt as far away as the Ecuadorian capital city of Quito.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said that the quake occurred at 9:16 a.m. local time (1416 GMT) Saturday and was centered about 11 kilometers from the Colombian town of Pasto.

The tremor occurred at a depth of 129 kilometers, USGS said. The quake was felt in Colombia’s south and west, and in the capital Bogota. It was also felt hundreds of kilometers south in Quito, where buildings reportedly shook for two minutes.

The Colombian service said national crisis centers were activated, but added there were no immediate reports of casualties or damages.

"It's possible there won't be aftershocks because of the great depth at which the quake occurred," said Jaime Raigosa, a seismologist at the Institute of Geology and Mining.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) in Hawaii stated that the quake would not cause a destructive tsunami.

"A destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected, and there is no tsunami threat to Hawaii,” PTWC said.

[readon1 url="http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/02/09/288127/strong-70-richter-quake-jolts-colombia/"]Source:www.presstv.ir[/readon1]

If you’re the type that loves to explore the world by cruise ship visiting exotic ports 365 days a year, The World may be just the ticket for you – provided you’re rich of course.  The World Residences at Sea (http://www.aboardtheworld.com) is the first floating condominium in, well, the world. First launched in 2002, its 165 deluxe residences sold out within three years, and it has a continuing successful sales story to tell.

Esthec impressed numerous superyacht owners, designers and representatives of leading shipyards with the exclusive freedom in design and colour that Esthec offers during the recent Design Symposium and Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

Using the exact same type of yacht, designer and architect Christina Norris (Oversee Yachts) gave all the visitors a treat by showing 3 extraordinary, personalized Esthec designs.

Here's something you don't see every day: A cuddly fur seal killing and eating five enormous, deadly sharks. The extraordinary scene was captured off the coast of South Africa by divers Chris and Monique Fallows. "In more than 2,000 expeditions working with sharks over the last 21 years,

this is the only time I have ever seen a seal kill several sharks," says Chris. "I can find no record of such an event happening elsewhere."

Hello world, meet Milan Pique Mebarak.

Shakira and boyfriend, FC Barcelona soccer player Gerard Pique, share the first photo of their baby boy Milan Pique through their UNICEF website.

Gerard is seen holding his two-week bundle of joy. The couple thanked fans with this special message on their UNICEF page:

“We hope that, in his name, other less privileged children in the world can have their basic needs covered through gifts and donations.”

“Thank you for sharing this unforgettable moment with us.”

Shakira, a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, is leveraging social media to raise funds for disadvantaged babies around the world. The Colombian singer and her fiance have a virtual baby shower, in honor of baby Milan Pique, through UNICEF where visitors can purchase “Inspired Gifts” varying in price.

Last week, the proud father posted a photo of baby Milan wearing white sneakers that have his name stitched into the shoes in blue and red colors on Twitter. The caption read: “Milan’s feet.”

The couple welcomed Milan Pique on January 22 at 9:36 p.m., in Barcelona, Spain. Milan Pique weighed six pounds six ounces.

Shakira wrote on her website that the name name Milan (pronounced MEE-lahn), means dear, loving and gracious in Slavic; in Ancient Roman, eager and laborious; and in Sanskrit, unification.

According to the Daily Mail, Shakira’s mother, Nidia Ripoll Torrado, said that her 35-year-old daughter was overcome with emotion upon giving birth to her son.

“It’s very emotional,” said Torrado. “I burst into tears.”

Torrado said Milan is a “beautiful child who doesn’t cry much.”

Shakira has been overjoyed by her new born baby and her new love.

As Shakira left the hospital after recovering from her planned cesarean, she told Hello Daily News reporters, “This man is the best thing that could have happened in my life. And now the baby!”

[readon1 url="http://www.voxxi.com/shakira-reveals-first-baby-photos-of-milan-pique/"]Source:www.voxxi.com[/readon1]

The world is filled with astonishing occurrences of coincidence and synchronicity that defy explanation. Are these incredible true stories of mere chance... or the hand of fate?

Finnish twin brothers, aged 71, were killed in identical bicycle accidents along the same road two hours apart, police said. "This is simply a historic coincidence. Although the road is a busy one, accidents don't occur every day," police officer Marja-Leena Huhtala told Reuters. "It made my hair stand on end when I heard the two were brothers, and identical twins at that. It came to mind that perhaps someone from upstairs had a say in this," she said.

Identical twins. Identical accidents. Identical deaths. Two hours apart. This astonishing coincidence was reported in newspapers and on newswires around the world in early March, 2002. The odds of it occurring seem remote in the extreme, and it causes one to wonder, as the woman did above - even for a moment - if there's more at play here than mere coincidence. Is it the hand of fate? Is it true, as author Elizabeth Kubler-Ross wrote, that "there are no mistakes, no coincidences. All events are blessings given to us to learn from."

History is full of amazing and sometimes bizarre coincidences that give us pause and keep us scratching our heads in wonder. Here is just a small sampling:

OTHER COINCIDENTAL DEATHS

This is a similar story of coincidence, not of twins but of two brothers. In 1975, while riding a moped in Bermuda, a man was accidentally struck and killed by a taxi. One year later, this man's bother was killed in the very same way. In fact, he was riding the very same moped. And to stretch the odds even further, he was struck by the very same taxi driven by the same driver - and even carrying the very same passenger! (Phenomena: A Book of Wonders, John Michell and Robert J. M. Rickard)

MYSTERIOUS MONK TO THE RESCUE

Joseph Aigner was a fairlly well-known portrait painter in 19th century Austria who, apparently, was quite an unhappy fellow: he several times attempted suicide. His first attempt was at the young age of 18 when he tried to hang himself, but was interrupted by the mysterious appearance of a Capuchin monk. At age 22 he again tried to hang himself, but was again saved from the act by the very same monk. Eight years later, his death was ordained by others who sentenced him to the gallows for his political activities. Once again, his life was saved by the intervention of the same monk. At age 68, Aiger finally succeeded in suicide, a pistol doing the trick. His funeral ceremony was conducted by the same Capuchin monk - a man whose name Aiger never even knew. (Ripley's Giant Book of Believe It or Not!)

WINNINGS' RIGHTFUL OWNER

In 1858, Robert Fallon was shot dead, an act of vengeance by those with whom he was playing poker. Fallon, they claimed, had won the $600 pot through cheating. With Fallon's seat empty and none of the other players willing to take the now-unlucky $600, they found a new player to take Fallon's place and staked him with the dead man's $600. By the time the police had arrived to investigate the killing, the new player had turned the $600 into $2,200 in winnings. The police demanded the original $600 to pass on to Fallon's next of kin - only to discover that the new player turned out to be Fallon's son, who had not seen his father in seven years! (Ripley's Giant Book of Believe It or Not!)

STRANGERS ON A TRAIN

In the 1920s, three Englishman were traveling separately by train through Peru. At the time of their introduction, they were the only three men in the railroad car. Their introductions were more surprising than they could have imagined. One man's last name was Bingham, and the second man's last name was Powell. The third man announced that his last name was Bingham-Powell. None were related in any way. (Mysteries of the Unexplained)

IT'S RAINING BABIES

In Detroit sometime in the 1930s, a young (if incredibly careless) mother must have been eternally grateful to a man named Joseph Figlock. As Figlock was walking down the street, the mother's baby fell from a high window onto Figlock. The baby's fall was broken and both man and baby were unharmed. A stroke of luck on its own, but a year later, the very same baby fell from the very same window onto poor, unsuspecting Joseph Figlock as he was again passing beneath. And again, they both survived the event. (Mysteries of the Unexplained)

SWAPPED HOTEL FINDS

In 1953, television reporter Irv Kupcinet was in London to cover the coronation of Ellizabeth II. In one of the drawers in his room at the Savoy he found found some items that, by their identification, belonged to a man named Harry Hannin. Coincidentally, Harry Hannin - a basketball star with the famed Harlem Globetrotters - was a good friend of Kupcinet's. But the story has yet another twist. Just two days later, and before he could tell Hannin of his lucky discovery, Kupcinet received a letter from Hannin. In the letter, Hannin told Kucinet that while staying at the Hotel Meurice in Paris, he found in a drawer a tie - with Kupcinet's name on it! (Mysteries of the Unexplained)

PAGING MR. BRYSON

While on a business trip sometime in the late 1950s, Mr. George D. Bryson stopped and registered at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. After signing the register and being given his key to room 307, he stopped by the mail desk to see if any letters had arrived for him. Indeed there was a letter, the mail girl told him, and handed him an envelope addressed to Mr. George D. Bryson, room 307. This wouldn't be so odd accept the letter was not for him, but for room 307's just-previous occupant - another man named George D. Bryson. (Incredible Coincidence, Alan Vaughan)

TWIN BOYS, TWIN LIVES

The stories of identical twins' nearly identical lives are often astonishing, but perhaps none more so than those of identical twins born in Ohio. The twin boys were separated at birth, being adopted by different families. Unknown to each other, both families named the boys James. And here the coincidences just begin. Both James grew up not even knowing of the other, yet both sought law-enforcement training, both had abilities in mechanical drawing and carpentry, and each had married women named Linda. They both had sons whom one named James Alan and the other named James Allan. The twin brothers also divorced their wives and married other women - both named Betty. And they both owned dogs which they named Toy. Forty years after their childhood separation, the two men were reunited to share their amazingly similar lives. (Reader's Digest, January 1980)

THE VENGEFUL BULLET

Henry Ziegland thought he had dodged fate. In 1883, he broke off a relationship with his girlfriend who, out of distress, committed suicide. The girl's brother was so enraged that he hunted down Ziegland and shot him. The brother, believing he had killed Ziegland, then turned his gun on himself and took his own life. But Ziegland had not been killed. The bullet, in fact, had only grazed his face and then lodged in a tree. Ziegland surely thought himself a lucky man. Some years later, however, Ziegland decided to cut down the large tree, which still had the bullet in it. The task seemed so formidable that he decided to blow it up with a few sticks of dynamite. The explosion propelled the bullet into Ziegland's head, killing him. (Ripley's Believe It or Not!)

CHILDHOOD RETURNED

While American novelist Anne Parrish was browsing bookstores in Paris in the 1920s, she came upon a book that was one of her childhood favorites - Jack Frost and Other Stories. She picked up the old book and showed it to her husband, telling him of the book she fondly remembered as a child. Her husband took the book, opened it, and on the flyleaf found the inscription: "Anne Parrish, 209 N. Weber Street, Colorado Springs." It was Anne's very own book. (While Rome Burns, Alexander Wollcott)

AND FINALLY, TWO MORE TWINS

John and Arthur Mowforth were twins who lived about 80 miles apart in Great Britain. On the evening of May 22, 1975, both fell severely ill from chest pains. The families of both men were completely unaware of the other's illness. Both men were rushed to separate hospitals at approximately the same time. And both died of heart attacks shortly after arrival. (Chronogenetics: The Inheretance of Biological Time, Luigi Gedda and Gianni Brenci)

[readon1 url="http://paranormal.about.com/od/humanenigmas/a/Amazing-Coincidences.htm"]Source:paranormal.about.com[/readon1]

Hong Kong authorities said Friday that they had confiscated $1.4 million worth of ivory that arrived smuggled in a shipping container from Africa, the second large seizure of tusks at the busy port in the past month.

Customs officials discovered the 1,330 kilograms (about 2,900 pounds) of illegal ivory Thursday in a container from Tanzania that was marked as carrying sunflower seeds, authorities said.

The 569 tusks, worth 10.56 million Hong Kong dollars (about $1.4 million U.S.), were in the back of the container, buried under hundreds of bags of the seeds.

The Hong Kong government said customs officials are investigating the case and are still trying to find "the smuggling syndicate members." The container had been picked out for inspection based on "risk assessment," authorities said.
Poaching on the rise in Africa

The seizure follows the roughly $3.4 million worth in ivory found in two shipping containers last month, one of the largest amounts ever seized in Hong Kong.

Those containers arrived from Tanzania and Kenya, according to Hong Kong customs officials. The agency seized 1,209 pieces of ivory tusks and 3 pounds of ivory ornaments from the two containers, discovered over a period of two days.

In that case, Hong Kong customs officials were on alert after a tip-off from officials in Guangdong, China.

Seven people, including one Hong Kong resident, were arrested by Chinese officials in connection with the case, authorities said at the time.

Hong Kong is viewed as a transit point for the illegal ivory trade, feeding into increasing demands in China, according to a Time article published last month.

Elephants are being killed in Africa at an alarming rate as international demand soars for ivory. Much of the demand comes from increasingly affluent Asian countries, particularly China and Thailand.

Before this year, the most recent major bust in Hong Kong occurred in 2011, when officials seized a shipment of ivory and rhinoceros horns valued at $2.2 million Hong Kong dollars.

With the presence of important panelists who will address issues on the growth of airport infrastructure, from 11 to 13 November, Puerto Vallarta will host the XXI Annual General Meeting Airports Council International-Latin America and the Caribbean (ACI-LAC ) event to be held at the Sheraton Buganvilias.

The Pacific Airport Group (GAP) through the International Airport of Puerto Vallarta, will host the 21st General Assembly of ACI-LAC, an event where they will discuss various topics that are related to the growth of this important sector in the country.

The event will be held from 11 to 13 November at the Hotel Sheraton Buganvilias, which will feature panelists Tewart important Steevens, CEO of Nassau Airport, Bahamas, Arthur J. Tomo, American Airlines Vice President Latin America & Caribbean, among others.

It is expected that this year's Assembly has the support of the governor of Jalisco, Emilio Gonzalez Marquez, as well as state and federal authorities, and that the opening ceremony would be on Sunday November 11th at 5:30 o'clock pm in the exhibition area of the host hotel.

On Monday, at 8:45 am, we have scheduled a formal event, where he has seen the participation of Eduardo Sanchez Navarro, Chairman of GAP, Fredrick Piccolo, vice president of ACI World, Philippe Barl, president of ACI-LAC, and Mohino Fernando Bosque, CEO of GAP.

[readon1 url="http://www.vallartatoday.com"]Source:www.vallartatoday.com - Translation by Suyapa Ajuria Nov. 10, 2012[/readon1]

MEXLend is pleased to announce that Peso Loans are now available for Foreign or Mexican Nationals or for those individuals who for the most part have officially expatriated to Mexico. While the interest rates are a bit higher than US lending counterparts, they are becoming more and more competitive. Most require lower down payments and the monthly payments become much more attractive when you convert from dollars to pesos.As the only Gringo company doing Pesos loans, MEXLend can offer their award-winning personalized service guiding you through the steps of obtaining a Peso loan. MEXLend currently works with 7 different banks that offer the Peso loan ensuring that they will find you the right program to fulfill your needs.

Peso loan rates start at 9.99%, only a point or two higher that US rates, and are available for purchase, re-finance, land or construction. Available in 5, 10, 15 or 20 years, this Peso Loan Program available through MEXLend offers the flexibility and accessibility that many people have been waiting for.

"These loans have become extremely popular among those who have more-or-less moved to Mexico on a permanent basis or for US and Canadian citizens who are seeking smaller loan amounts," stated Terence Reilly, CEO and co-founder of MEXLend. "Many people that work in the local community including hotel, restaurant or timeshare, have been asking for a loan program. We are pleased that we can deliver a program that offers so many options for them."

MEXLend is not limited to mortgages for Puerto Vallarta, as they can offer their award-winning services for purchasing property in any city, town or resort area throughout Mexico – in US Dollars, Pesos – to purchase, refinance your current loan or simply cash out on existing equity. MEXLend, Inc. is a Mexican mortgage brokerage that currently represents 15 different lenders offering 200 different loan options in Dollars and Pesos for buyers looking to purchase vacation or investment property throughout Mexico – including two new products specifically for Canadian citizens!

In recently announced results based upon post-closing client interviews conducted by Mexico's largest US lender, MEXLend won the #1 mark of distinction for both client satisfaction and fastest closings for the second straight cycle. MEXLend can be reached at 322-132-7991 (in Vallarta), 917-779-9061 (while in the US or Canada) or go online at www.mexlend.com.