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By admin, 2010/03/14 08:29

1. Barack Obama, president of the United States

Net worth: 5.5 million U.S. dollars

Kids: Two daughters: Malia, 11, and Sasha, 8

U.S. President Barack Obama (L), first lady Michelle Obama wave as they attend the annual Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, April 5, 2010. Their children, Sasha (2nd L) and Malia (C) join them.?(Xinhua/Reuters File Photo)

2. Eddie Murphy, Hollywood actor

Net worth: 55 million U.S. dollars

Kids: Eight children ranging from 20 to 2-years-old

Eddie Murphy and his kids?(Xinhua/Reuters File Photo)

3. Johnny Depp, actor

Net worth:?74 million U.S. dollars

Kids: Two children: Lily-Rose, 10, and John, 7.

Johnny Depp and his family (Photo Source: ent.sina.com)

4. Will Smith, actor

Net worth:?80 million U.S. dollars

Kids: Three children: Trey, 14, Jaden, 11, and Willow, 9

Will Smith (R), Jada Pinkett Smith (L), and their son Jaden Smith?(Xinhua/Reuters File Photo)

5. Michael Jackson, pop iicon

Net worth:?250 million U.S. dollars

Kids: Three children: Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11 and Prince Michael II, 7

Michael Jackson?(Xinhua/Reuters File Photo)

Paris Jackson (2nd L), Prince Michael Jackson I (R) and Prince Michael Jackson II (aka Blanket)?(Xinhua/Reuters File Photo)

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By admin, 2010/03/14 08:28

8. Zhang Xin, China

Co-founder of Beijing property developer Soho China

Net worth:?2 billion U.S. dollars

File photo of Zhang Xin

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By admin, 2010/03/14 08:27

LOS ANGELES, June 15 (Xinhua) — A two-day international conference on high-speed rail systems held later in the week will bring together industrial front-runners from countries including China, Germany and Spain to offer insight into their expertise in the field, the organizers said Tuesday.

\”We\’re fortunate and excited that executives from companies involved in high-speed rail projects in China, Germany, Spain and across the globe will be joining us at High Speed Rail: 2010 to profile their projects and showcase what\’s possible here in the United States,\” said Andy Kunz, Chief Executive Officer and President of the U.S. High Speed Rail Association.

The meeting, which will be held by the U.S. High Speed Rail Association at the Hilton Universal City, Los Angeles, from June 17-18 will gather global rail industry executives, as well as policy makers, civic leaders, transportation officials and business people from across California and the United States, the organizers said in a press release.

The conference will explore a range of topics aimed at providing a closer look at plans, processes, pathways and potential for a high-speed rail system in California and other parts of the United States, organizers said.

Global leaders including China, Germany and Spain \”will help deliver the blueprint, best practices and master plan for High Speed Rail in America,\” said Thomas A. Hart, the U.S. High Speed Rail Association\’s vice president for government affairs.

The first high-speed rail systems in the United States will be completed by 2020 in California, linking Los Angeles with San Francisco. It is expected to pump about 4.3 billion U.S. dollars each year into Los Angeles\’s regional economy and create about 55, 000 permanent jobs, the U.S. Conference of Mayors said on Tuesday.

Governments and private companies in some countries are designing, building and successfully operating and expanding high- speed rail systems, and exporting that technology to new entrants.

In China, for instance, nearly 1,200 miles (1931 km) of high- speed rail lines carrying trains capable of traveling 200 (322 km) mph and faster are opening this year alone, extending a massive green transportation system being expedited in that country, according to the organizers.

In Spain, another industry leader, high-speed trains already are navigating a varied geography through an impressive network of tunnels, as the country hopes to have a high-speed rail station within 30 miles (48 km) of most Spanish citizens in 10 years, the press release said.

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By admin, 2010/03/14 08:26

TEGUCIGALPA, June 16 (Xinhua) — Hundreds of Honduran public servants did not attend to their work on Wednesday, following the 1-0 defeat of their national football team against Chile in the World Cup 2010.

The Honduran government granted a permit for their employees from reaching their work at local time 10:00 am, two hours after the conclusion of the world cup game between Honduras and Chile, but until noon most of the governmental offices remained empty.

The same thing happened in other ministerial offices, where high-ranking officials traveled to South Africa too.

Honduran president Porfirio Lobo Sosa left the country last weekend for South Africa with his wife Rosa Lobo, together with the president of Congress, Juan Orlando Hernandez, the mayor of Tegucigalpa, Ricardo Alvarez and more than 22 deputies.

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By admin, 2010/03/14 08:25

VLADIVOSTOK, June 16 (Xinhua)?– Police shot dead a bear that had attacked people near the skiing lodge in Vilyuchinsk, Kamchatka Department of Wildlife Conservation and Management said.

The young bear, which came close to the skiing lodge, behaved aggressively towards people, Vostok-Media information agency reported Wednesday. Police said they had to shoot the animal to protect people. Fortunately, no one was injured in the accident.

This is the first human-animal conflict in 2010. Each year, a number of conflicts involving bears occur in Kamchatka. Last year one man was killed by a bear, while in 2008 human-animal conflicts claimed the lives of three local residents.

Authorities have called on Khabarovsk Krai residents to be cautious when encountering animals which come often to human settlements in the springtime when the food resources get exhausted.

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By admin, 2010/03/14 08:04

KATHMANDU, June 15 (Xinhua) — Nepal is becoming a major tourism destination for Asian travelers, local media reported on Tuesday.

The World Bank South Asia Economic Update 2010 reveals that travelers from East Asia made up 26.5 percent of the total tourist arrivals in Nepal, according to The Kathmandu Post daily.

The statistics of the Nepal Tourism Board also reflect a similar trend. Tourist arrivals from China, South Korea and Thailand have been increasing in the past few years.

The number of Chinese arrivals in Nepal has increased by 185.97 percent in the last three years. Around 19,000 Chinese tourists visited Nepal in 2009. In the three years, 2006-2009, tourist arrivals from South Korea, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia have soared by 68.40 percent, 164.26 percent, 83.48 percent and 46.32 percent respectively.

Travel trade analysts attribute the increment in East Asian arrivals to their rising income levels, desire to visit the birthplace of the Buddha and better air connectivity.

Currently, four Chinese airlines operate flights to Nepal with China Eastern Airlines being the latest entrant last year.

The growth in inbound from East Asia has prompted the concerned stakeholders to pay special attention to the region.

Nepal is expecting 100,000 tourists from China during Nepal Tourism Year 2011 while it has targeted a 20 percent increment in tourist arrivals from other Asian countries.

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By admin, 2010/03/14 08:03

LUSAKA, June 17 (Xinhua) — Zambian chiefs have failed to reach consensus and withdrawn a motion that was calling on the government to recognize the existence of witchcraft and sorcerers, the Post of Zambia reported on Thursday.

The motion was presented during the session of the House of Chiefs which is a \’parliament\’ of traditional leaders by Chief Mukwikile from northern Zambia\’s Chinsali district, the Post said.

The motion received mixed feelings from the traditional leaders as some supported it while others felt that if adopted, innocent people would lose lives, according to the Post.

One of the traditional leaders, Chief Simaamba from southern Zambia\’s Siavonga district said witches and sorcerers who killed others were murderers who deserved to be punished.

Another traditional leader, Senior Chief Nsokolo of Mbala district in northern Zambia argued that if the government officially recognized the existence of witchcraft, many innocent lives would be lost.

But Chief Mukwile, who proposed the motion, said it was important that the government recognized witchcraft so that research could be carried out on how best cases could be handled.

He said the current Witchcraft Act worked against the victim instead of the culprit because whoever was complaining ended up being punished, adding that the Act should be amended to enable chiefs administer matters of witchcraft effectively without conflict.

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By admin, 2010/03/14 08:02

YANGON, June 15 (Xinhua) — The Myanmar Women\’s Affairs Federation will hold traditional costume show in Yangon near the end of this month to mark the forthcoming Myanmar Women\’s Day which is falling on July 3, the local Newsweek journal reported Tuesday.

Scheduled to take place at the National Theater on June 25 and 26, the catwalk show of famous actresses and models will feature cotton costumes of different ethnic minorities designed by five famous Myanmar designers, the report said,

The show will be attached with entertainment performed by famous actors and vocalists, it added.

Meanwhile, Myanmar also held traditional cultural performing arts competitions annually since 1993 with the aim of reviving and promoting Myanmar\’s drama, marionette and performing arts.

The competitions, which were yearly participated by thousands of youth contestants, include contests of song, dance, composition, music and play at different stages such as professional, amateur, higher education and basic education levels.

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By admin, 2010/03/14 08:01

4. Doris Fisher, the United States

Co-founder of Gap, a chain of retail clothing stores

Net worth:?2.4 billion U.S. dollars

File photo of Doris Fisher (R) and her husband Don Fisher

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By admin, 2010/03/14 08:00

1. Wu Yajun, China

Chief executive of real estate developer Longfor Properties

Net worth: 3.9 billion U.S. dollars

File photo of Wu Yajun?