The Phoenix Islands Protected Area, or PIPA, lies about halfway between Hawaii and Fiji. [AP]

PIPA was the world’s third largest marine protected area before the Government of Kiribati announced the expansion of the boundaries of the protected area on Jan 28, 2008… which now encompass an area of 410,500 square kilometres. [Phoenixisland]

Desert snow (Image courtesy of Xinhuanet; captured on Jan 19, 2008)

As beauty as it seems… China is suffering from the worst winter weather in decades, which are affecting the lives of millions.

The pool is just beside the coastline… how bizarre…

The swimming pool at the resort of San Alfonso del Mar in Algarrobo city measures 1,013 metres (3,323 ft) in length, covers an area of eight hectares (20 acres), contains 250,000 cubic meters of water and is navigable in small boats. [Xinhuanet]

The previous largest pool in the world is the Orthlieb pool in Casablanca, Morocco, which measures at 480×75 metres. An Olympic size pool is just 50×25 metres.

1. Mumbai, India (29,650 people per square kilometre)
2. Kolkata, India (23,900)
3. Karachi, Pakistan (18,900)
4. Lagos, Nigeria (18,150)
5. Shenzhen, China (17,150)
6. Seoul/Incheon, South Korea (16,700)
7. Taipei, Taiwan (15,200)
8. Chennai, India (14,350)
9. Bogata, Columbia (13,500)
10. Shanghai, China (13,400)
11. Lima, Peru (11,750)
12. Beijing, China (11,500)
13. Delhi, India (11,050)
14. Kinsaha, Congo (10,650)
15. Manila, Philippines (10,550)
16. Tehran, Iran (10,550)
17. Jakarta, Indonesia (10,500)
18. Tianjin, China (10,500)
19. Bangalore, India (10,100)
20. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (9,450)

Trevi Fountain in red (Image courtesy of Xinhuanet)

The man managed to escape, leaving a box near the fountain containing leaflets by a group that claimed responsibility for the act. The leaflets said the red paint was a protest for expenses incurred in organizing the Rome Film Festival and symbolically referred to the event’s red carpet.

Police arrived and technicians briefly shut off the water before restoring a clear flow; experts said the baroque fountain was not permanently damaged and the marble statues depicting the sea deity Neptune on his chariot had not absorbed the colour.

Sumgayit, Azerbaijan; Potentially 275,000 affected
Linfen, China; Potentially 3m affected
Tianying, China; Potentially 140,000 affected
Sukinda, India; Potentially 2.6m affected
Vapi, India; Potentially 71,000 affected
La Oroya, Peru; Potentially 35,000 affected
Dzerzhinsk, Russia; Potentially 300,000 affected
Norilsk, Russia; Potentially 134,000 affected
Chernobyl, Ukraine; Potentially 5.5m affected
Kabwe, Zambia; Potentially 255,000 affected

The report said an estimated 12 million people were affected by the severe pollution, which was mainly caused by chemical, metal and mining industries. Chronic illness and premature deaths were listed as possible side-effects.

The Blacksmith Institute’s director, Richard Fuller, said: “The fact of the matter is that children are sick and dying in these polluted places, and it’s not rocket science to fix them.

“This year, there has been more focus on pollution in the media, but there has been little action in terms of new funding or programmes. We all need to step up to the plate and get moving,” he said. [BBC]

Pink Sands Beach, Bahama (Image courtesy of Xinhuanet)

The sand of the beach isn’t really pink though; it appears pink because of the red corals in the area, mixing with the white sand and giving the pinkish look.

Mount Etna erupts (Image courtesy of Chinadaily)

Mount Etna (also known as Mongibeddu in Sicilian) is an active volcano on the east coast of Sicily. It is the largest active volcano in Europe, and is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. The volcano is not generally regarded as being dangerous, and thousands of people live on its slopes and in the surrounding areas.

Galactic Suite, the space hotel model (Image courtesy of Galacticsuite)

Its Barcelona-based architects say the space hotel will be the most expensive in the galaxy, costing $4 million for a three-day stay. [Reuters]

No worries if you can’t afford the $4mil price tag… a decade ago probably nobody has dreamed that a space hotel could become a reality, not so soon. Perhaps another decade later staying in space will become affordable for more people.

Some people might argue that this is a personal project (project history) that is not recognized by UNESCO and other important organizations; while some others might question the agenda of the creator Bernard Weber has.

For me… whatever agenda that the creator Bernard Weber has, this is a successful and fun event. If this is indeed a self-promotion or profit making saga by Weber, I would say he works wonder with his daring idea, kudos for that. Besides, no harm is done.

So here it is, the New 7 Wonders of the World (sort by alphabet)…

Chichen Itza, Mexico

Chichén Itzá, the most famous Mayan temple city, served as the political and economic centre of the Mayan civilization. Its various structures – the pyramid of Kukulkan, the Temple of Chac Mool, the Hall of the Thousand Pillars, and the Playing Field of the Prisoners – can still be seen today and are demonstrative of an extraordinary commitment to architectural space and composition. The pyramid itself was the last, and arguably the greatest, of all Mayan temples.

Christ Redeemer, Brazil

This statue of Jesus stands some 38 meters tall, atop the Corcovado mountain overlooking Rio de Janeiro. Designed by Brazilian Heitor da Silva Costa and created by French sculptor Paul Landowski, it is one of the world’s best-known monuments. The statue took five years to construct and was inaugurated on October 12, 1931. It has become a symbol of the city and of the warmth of the Brazilian people, who receive visitors with open arms.

The Great Wall, China

The Great Wall of China was built to link existing fortifications into a united defense system and better keep invading Mongol tribes out of China. It is the largest man-made monument ever to have been built and it is disputed that it is the only one visible from space. Many thousands of people must have given their lives to build this colossal construction.

Machu Picchu, Peru

In the 15th century, the Incan Emperor Pachacútec built a city in the clouds on the mountain known as Machu Picchu (“old mountain”). This extraordinary settlement lies halfway up the Andes Plateau, deep in the Amazon jungle and above the Urubamba River. It was probably abandoned by the Incas because of a smallpox outbreak and, after the Spanish defeated the Incan Empire, the city remained ‘lost’ for over three centuries. It was rediscovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911.

Petra, Jordan

On the edge of the Arabian Desert, Petra was the glittering capital of the Nabataean empire of King Aretas IV (9 BC to 40 AD). Masters of water technology, the Nabataeans provided their city with great tunnel constructions and water chambers. A theater, modelled on Greek-Roman prototypes, had space for an audience of 4,000. Today, the Palace Tombs of Petra, with the 42-meter-high Hellenistic temple facade on the El-Deir Monastery, are impressive examples of Middle Eastern culture.

The Roman Colosseum, Italy

This great amphitheater in the centre of Rome was built to give favors to successful legionnaires and to celebrate the glory of the Roman Empire. Its design concept still stands to this very day, and virtually every modern sports stadium some 2,000 years later still bears the irresistible imprint of the Colosseum’s original design. Today, through films and history books, we are even more aware of the cruel fights and games that took place in this arena, all for the joy of the spectators.

The Taj Mahal, India

This immense mausoleum was built on the orders of Shah Jahan, the fifth Muslim Mogul emperor, to honor the memory of his beloved late wife. Built out of white marble and standing in formally laid-out walled gardens, the Taj Mahal is regarded as the most perfect jewel of Muslim art in India. The emperor was consequently jailed and, it is said, could then only see the Taj Mahal out of his small cell window.

[Images and descriptions of the New 7 Wonders are derived from its official website]