Iran Discovers World's Smallest Ring

Iran has unveiled world's smallest ring at a show held at the Historical and Natural History Treasure Museum of the country's Zanjan Province.

“The bronze ring is seven millimeters thick and dates back to about 2,200 years ago and the Parthian era,” Zanjan's Historical and Natural History Treasure Museum director Morteza Samimifard told ISNA.

“The ring was purchased from a collector a year ago and will be returned to the Zanjan Province funds after being displayed at the museum for a week,” he added.

Samimifard also said that there was an inscription on the ring that experts were trying to read. It seems, however, that the exclusive ring belonged to an aristocrat, he noted.

The artifact has not been priced yet and there is no information about the place it was found, Samimifard said.

First Pillow Fight World Cup Hosted In New York

Most people think of pillow fighting as a fun childhood game or some scantly clad women putting on a show, but for the women participating in the Pillow Fight World Cup it’s an authentic sporting competition.

Eight women armed with feathery pillows and dressed like athletes could be seen stepping into the ring during this first edition of the Pillow Fight World Cup, which took place on May 17, at The Warsaw Polish National Home, in Brooklyn, NY. Competitors were all girls and came from countries like Austria, Japan, Sweden and of course, the USA. “It’s less atrocious than boxing, but you still need technique,” said Maylin Kretzschmar, 26, one of the three Austrians engaged in the tournament. “It’s a fun sport. I don’t want to hit someone in the face, but you can still get rid of your violence.” The Austrians were the most experienced competitors seeing they have a pillow fighting association back home, and train constantly.

The man behind the Pillow Fight World Cup is Andrew Thompson, creator of Punk Rock Pillow Fight, a sporadic event where pillow-fighting men and women wack each other pointless with pillows. He was approached by the Austrians about a serious all-girl World Cup tournament, and he was happy to arrange it. Everyone involved sees this event as an instance to raise the profile of a so-called sport most people almost certainly haven’t played since childhood.

The rules of pillow fighting are pretty easy: matches are fought in two rounds, each lasting two minutes. Judges award points for hits to the head and body, and penalize fighters for turning their backs on their opponent or dropping to a knee. The most serious injury suffered by these brave pillow-wielding warriors is the irregular cuts on the knuckles.

Diamond Tiara With Emerald Fetches World Record $12.7M

The diamond and emerald tiara, which German prince Guido Henckel von Donnersmarck's specially made for his second wife Katharina around 1900, sold for $12.7 million at Sotheby’s Magnificent and Noble Jewels Sale.

It was top lot at a sale that netted 78.9 million Swiss francs, third highest for a jewelry sale, with 90 percent of 479 lots on offer finding new owners, the auction house said.

"It is needless to say a world record price at auction for a tiara," said David Bennett, chairman of Sotheby's Europe and Middle East jewelry department, as he brought down the hammer to applause.

The tiara also set a record at sale for a piece of emerald jewelry, the auction house said in a statement. The winning proposal was taken over the telephone by Lisa Hubbard, chairwoman of Sotheby's jewelry department in North America - a hint as to the location of the new owner.

The tiara was among jewels of royal attribution that accounted for 19.6 million Swiss francs of the sale's proceeds, far exceeding expectations, according to Bennett.

Another headline seller was a 10.99-ct. fancy strong pink diamond that hasn’t appeared on the market for more than 30 years. It sold for $10.8 million, the third highest price for a pink diamond at sale.

The diamond features a classic emerald cut, usually associated with white diamonds, Sotheby’s said. This gem, mounted as a ring, has natural color and VS1 clarity. It’s further assessed to be type IIa, meaning it is almost or completely devoid of impurities with extraordinary optical transparency. Fewer than 2 percent of all diamonds in the world are given this grade of clarity and most of those diamonds are white.

Kate Middleton Engagement Ring Gains Buzz All Over

The world had a love affair with Princess Diana, as a woman who stepped into a royal role at a very youthful age, carrying herself with style and grace. Princess Diana fascinated all with her smile, compassion and endearing ways, and today, all eyes are on Kate to see if she will follow in her footsteps.

The ring exudes Kate's classic style, while honoring Princess Diana's timeless grace. Sapphires have long symbolized truth, sincerity and faithfulness, making it the ideal stone to represent the beautiful marriage to come."

The engagement of Kate Middleton to Prince William has of course created a buzz regarding Kate Middleton’s engagement ring. A new interest in the ring, which at first belonged to Prince William’s mother, Lady Diana, has brought about many ring replicas both in the costume jewelry market and also in the authentic diamond and sapphire engagement ring market.

The oval blue sapphire ring clustered with 14 brilliant diamonds that first caught the public’s eye in 1981 is still one of the most sought-after ring designs; respected by those inspired by the late princess’s exquisite taste in jewelry. With Prince William offering the ring to Kate, he said, “It was my way of making sure mother didn’t miss out on today and the enthusiasm and the fact that we’re going to spend the rest of our lives together.”

Guinness World Record Crowned Valentim As “World's Oldest Person”

A Brazilian great-great-grandmother who is set to turn 115 in July is the world's new oldest living person, Guinness World Records certified Wednesday.

Guinness World Records said in a declaration posted on its website that Maria Gomes Valentim is 114 years and 313 days, 48 days older than American Besse Cooper, who was previously considered the world's oldest living person.

She was born on July 9, 1896, in Carangola, a city about 380 km northeast of Rio de Janeiro. She married in 1913 and was widowed in 1946. She and her husband, Joao, had one son, four grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.

Valentim credits her long life to a healthy diet, Guinness says. Every morning, she eats a bread roll with coffee, fruit and "the occasional milk with linseed."

She is still able to eat completely on her own and indulges in the occasional glass of wine.

Guinness World Records editor-in-chief Craig Glendlay said Valentim is the first Brazilian to become the world's oldest person.

'To receive an assert from a woman born during the reign of Queen Victoria - before the Ford Motor Company was formed, or before even George and Ira Gershwin were born - is amazing in itself, but for that woman to be Brazilian makes it extra special,' he said.

World's Oldest Panda Dies In Chinese Zoo At 34

The world’s oldest panda, Ming Ming, has passed away. Chinese state media broke the news to the rest of the world with a headline in the Global Times that read, “China’s Oldest Panda Kicks Bucket.” The panda died due to old age and kidney failure.

According to experts, wild pandas are expected to live until about 15 years of age. Those kept in captivity are only expected to live until 22; Ming Ming was 34.

The famous panda was rescued from the forest of Sichuan Province, China, and brought into custody in 1977 as an abandoned cub. She traveled between various zoos in China and Europe all over her life.

Ming Ming was the subject of much international debate in 1991 when she was sent to the London Zoo to mate with German panda Bao Bao. After fighting with Bao Bao and failing to generate any cubs, Ming Ming returned to China amid much diplomatic turmoil.

Forbes reports that giant pandas are one of the most endangered class in the world. Only an estimated 1,600 remain in the wild. China maintains over 300 in captivity, mostly in breeding programs that attempt to increase the population. As Ming Ming’s international match-making dissatisfaction shows, breeding giant pandas in custody is no easy task.

Couple Say They Are Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene

An Australian couple who claim they are reincarnations of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene have newly set up camp in Queensland’s Bible Belt, joined by 30 – 40 followers.

Australian cult watchers are worried about a new organization known as Divine Truth, led by Alan John Miller and Mary Suzanne Luck, who claim they are Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene. The two rely on donations made by their followers in order to maintain themselves, and authorities fear they could be taking advantage of the vulnerable.

Mr. Miller, 47, was born in Luxton, South Australia, and is the father of two children from a past marriage, which ended when he began remembering facts from his past life. He seems to believe this is his 22nd life and that he has the amount of divine love in his heart accumulated in 22 life cycles. Now he and his soul mate, 32-year-old Mary Magdalene, real name Mary Suzanne Luck, are reunited and have formed their very own little cult, in Wilkesdale. Miller first bought 16 hectares of land in the area, and his followers soon followed his example now to be close to their charismatic spiritual leader.

In 2009, Divine Truth members joined forces and bought a $400,000, 250 ha property where they could conduct meetings and build a center for international visitors. Concerned friends and families contacted the Cult Awareness and Information Center to advise followers are selling their houses to move to Wilkesdale. Land clearing has created a cross-like shape which locals say wasn’t done deliberately, and that’s bound to convince plenty of believers this is a divine sign. Meanwhile, police say they’ve been called to examine screams on the property, only to find Divine Truth members practicing an exercise that actually helps them deal with “past soul damage”

Alan John Miller admits”There’s almost certainly a million people who say they’re Jesus and most of them are in asylums. But one of us has to be. How do I know I am? Because I remember everything about my life.” He means all 2,000 years of it…

Chinese Two Headed Baby Born With One Body

A conjoined twins sharing one single body was born at Suining City Central Hospital in Sinchuan province, southwestern China, according to Ms Wang, a hospital staff

The babies were born by caesarean. The twins weighted 4 kilograms and measured 51 centimetres.

They have two spines, two esophaguses and share other crucial organs. Doctors said that it would be nearly not possible to separate them.

“It is hard to say how they will stay alive in the future but we will try the best to keep them alive at the moment,” said Pu Youhua, a doctor at Suining Hospital.

Ms. Wang said the parents, who are refugee farmers living outside of the southwestern city, did not know about the abnormality until two days before the mother was due to give birth.

Two ultra sound scans in September and February failed to disclose the two heads because the technicians were viewing the single embryo in profile.

The pair has now been moved to a hospital in nearby Chongqing for additional examination.

Lu Zhi-hao From China Named As World's Fattest Boy

A four year old boy from China, weighing 62 kilograms, has been named the world's heaviest boy.

Lu Zhi-hao, who is 110cms tall from Shunde, Guangdong, is being taken by his worried parents to Hong Kong to try and undertake his obesity.

Dubbed by Chinese media as China's "no. 1 fat kid" Lu Zhi-hao, known as Xiao Hoa, has been taken to numerous hospitals in Guangdong to find out why he's so fat, but doctors can only say that it is down to awful eating habits.

If something is not done to decrease his weight, doctors predict Lu Zhi-hao's obesity will become life-threatening by the time he turns 20.

A Hong Kong weight-loss centre has offered to help Lu Zhi-hao lose weight for free. The centre, which has not given out its name, uses non-intrusive Japanese skill to help the body break down fat.

Xiao Hao's parents are now applying for a consent to travel to Hong Kong and hope to be here with their obese child in a couple of weeks.

"We hope there must be specialists in Hong Kong who can help us," says Lu Zhi-hao's father, Lu Ye-ming.

The mother and father of the child are both of normal weight, and obesity has not been a part of the family's health history. Lu Zhi-hao gradually ate his way to fatness.

He is now on a diet, which means reducing down from his regular three bowls of rice per meal to just one bowl.

The WHO says more than 20 percent of the populations in some Chinese cities are now obese.

Princess Diana’s Dress Sold For $276,000 In Auction

A pair of dresses worn by Princess Diana sold at a pop culture sale in Beverly Hills for a total of US$276,000 (NZ$349,000), a spokesman for the auction house has said.

The two dresses, which have been held in climate-controlled storage since her death in August 1997, were auctioned to a famous museum for US$144,000 and US$132,000, respectively, said Darren Julien, president and CEO of Julien's Auctions.

"We did have bidders from all over the world participating, and it's great to have them go to a museum where they are going to be on display and valued by the public," Julien said.

Julien said he could not name the museum without consent from officials there.

The dress that sold for US$144,000 was described by the public sale house as a black crepe evening gown that Diana wore during a state visit in 1992.

The princess wore the second dress, which is silk chiffon and strapless, to the Cannes Film Festival in 1987 as well as in a portrait sitting that year and to a 1989 presentation of "Miss Saigon" at Theatre Royal in London.

The two dresses had been auctioned by Diana for contributions three months before her death, Julien said.

The owners, WeTV and Wedding Central, decided the time was right to auction them again to match with the April 29 wedding of Britain's Prince William to Kate Middleton.

He said a portion of the income would be donated to one of Diana's charities.

Diana, who married Prince Charles on July 29, 1981, died after a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997.

Last Veteran Of World War I, Claude Choules Dies At 110

Claude Choules, the only lasting male veteran of World War I and one of the last people to have served in both world wars, died May 5 at a nursing home near Perth in western Australia. He was 110, and no cause of death was reported.

Mr. Choules was the last known existing combatant of the war. Green, who turned 110 in February, served as a waitress in the Women’s Royal Air Force.

He was wedded to the former Ethel Wildgoose, whom he met on the way to Australia in 1926. She died many years ago at age 98. They had three children, according to the Australian Associated Press. He lied about his age so he could join the British Royal Navy in 1916, two years after the Great War began. Enlistees were hypothetical to be at least 18 years old.

In 1926, he transferred to the Royal Australian Navy after working as a coach at a naval depot, according to the Worcester News. “I was nobody,” he told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio in 2009 of his years in England. “But I was somebody here.”

During World War II, he was a torpedo officer and was assigned to blow up the Australian navy’s ships in Fremantle Harbour, in western Australia, if Japanese forces invaded. Mr. Choules retired at age 55 after working with the Naval Dockyard Police.

He wrote a memoir, “The Last of the Last,” which was published two years ago.

He was married to the former Ethel Wildgoose, whom he met on the way to Australia in 1926. She died several years ago at age 98. They had three children, according to the Australian Associated Press.

Despite the fame his military service brought him, Mr. Choules later in life became a pacifist who was uncomfortable with anything that glorified war. He disagreed with the celebration of Anzac Day, Australia’s most important war memorial holiday, and refused to march in parades held each year to mark the holiday.

“I had a pretty poor start,” he told a reporter in 2009. “But I had a good finish.”

World's Biggest Bird In Threat Of Extinction

The Saharan race ostrich, largest representative of its species, has been extirpated across 95 per cent of its range. Within Niger, the bird is wiped out in the wild.

There are still roughly 100 pure-bred Saharan race ostriches in small privately-held imprisoned flocks scattered across the country. A land-locked country in Western Africa, the Republic of Niger is remarkably poor, but with some modest support those caring for ostriches can considerably improve the chances of these birds breeding fruitfully and rearing young.

Given how productive ostrich can be, there is every reason to believe that with the right material and technical support, Niger can breed desert ostrich and return them to the wild in relatively short order.

The Sahara Conservation Fund (SCF) is now focusing on improving the diet and promoting natural incubation until such time as Niger has the ability to manage artificial incubation and chick-rearing operations. SCF, in partnership with the AZA Ratite TAG, has developed its Adopt-an-Ostrich Programme to maintain the acquisition, care and feeding of pure-bred Saharan ostrich in Niger; to help maintain the ostrich facilities; and to improve capacity for ostrich management.

‘With your help, we can get Saharan ostrich back on the road to recovery in Niger,' said an SCF spokesman. ‘This is a great opportunity for all of us to make a connection between our interest in the Sahara and the conservation of the largest bird on the planet.'

Cockpit Voice Recorder Found From Air France Mystery Crash

The cockpit voice recorder from an Air France plane that crashed inexplicably nearly two years ago, killing all 228 people on board, has been found, the head of the company announced.

The declaration came "only hours" after the recovery of the flight data recorder's memory unit, Air France chief executive Pierre-Henri Gourgeon said, citing the official French air accident investigation agency, the Bureau d'Enquetes et d'Analyses (BEA).

He called it "another important step forward in the inquiry" into the cause of the crash, which remains unidentified nearly two years after it happened.

Air France flight 447 crashed in violent weather en route to Paris from Brazil on June 1, 2009. It took nearly two years and a huge undersea search to locate the bulk of the wreckage deep in the Atlantic Ocean.

Only about 50 bodies were ever found, but investigators announced last month that the fuselage still contained human remnants.

The discovery of the two data recorders may lastly explain why the Airbus A330 dropped out of the sky and bellyflopped into the ocean, falling so rapidly that air masks did not have time to deploy.

The cockpit voice recorder was brought to the face by the Remora 6000, the same remote-controlled submarine that brought the flight data recorder memory unit up from the Atlantic on Sunday.

Deadly Fungus Wiping Out Amphibians

A deadly and infectious fungal disease first struck Mexican salamanders in the 1970s, found a new study. From there, it spread through Guatemala and Costa Rica over the next two decades.

As the first study among salamanders to document the history of an epidemic of the sickness, the research helps verify the fungus (known as Bd, for Batrachyochytrium dendrobatidis) as a major cause of widespread amphibian collapse in current decades. Some 40 percent of frogs, toads and other amphibian species are presently in decline.

The findings could also lead to enhanced ways of slowing or preventing the spread of Bd and similar outbreaks in the years to come.

"This really shows how devastating this disease can be," said lead author Tina Cheng, a graduating master’s student in ecology at San Francisco State University. "Up until now, it was not known that this pathogen had any bang on salamanders, and many are highly threatened right now."

Animals that become tainted with the fungus develop chytridiomycosis. They shed their skin and become lethargic. Sickened salamanders lose their tails. Frogs lose weight and become so insensitive that they fail to turn themselves over when put on their backs. Death comes in a matter of weeks.

Since the discovery of Bd, researchers have associated the fungus to the collapse of frog and toad populations in California, Australia, Panama and Peru. Some species have already gone extinct because of it.

Kate Middleton’s Wears Second McQueen Gown For Reception

Their wedding service was no doubt straight from a fairytale and Prince William and Kate Middleton’s reception brought out all the stops.

Following their historical wedding , the newlywed Royals enjoyed mingling with their guests at the Buckingham Palace while feasting away at menu items such as Cornish Crab Salad on Lemon Blini, Pressed Duck Terrine with Fruit Chutney and Scottish Smoked Salmon Rose on Beetroot Blini, just to name a few of the swanky dishes.

Their towering cake was an astonishing sight as the official baker, Fiona Cairns, created an absolute masterpiece designed specifically for the Prince and his new Princess.

And as she did previously in the day, Kate stunned her guests in a jaw-dropping dress custom designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen.

This beautiful strapless, white gown with diamante decoration at the waist and a cropped angora sweater was design by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, the same designer as her wedding dress.

World’s Smallest Camera Developed By Awaiba

These days, it seems like every one want to make things thinner and want to make things smaller. And it actually doesn’t get much smaller than the Naneye camera. The world's tiniest camera at just 1mm wide, 1mm long, and 1.5mm tall, it's smaller than a typical match head, and it lives on a single silicon chip.

Portuguese image sensor developer Awaiba created the small camera, named the NanEye 2B, for use in the medical industry. NanEye 2B draws only 1.8 volts of electric current, and can take "clear and sharp" 250 by 250-pixel pictures. As you may have guessed, this Lilliputian digital camera won't be striking stores anytime shortly; instead, it will be put to use delving into human bodies in the name of science.

Awaiba sees the NanEye 2B being used for a range of medical purposes, including dental imaging and medical endoscopy, and it could even be used to give surgical robots a boost.

Prince William and Kate Middleton Become Husband And Wife

Large crowds gathered outside Westminster Abbey, where the ceremony began. A veiled Kate Middleton holding onto her father, smiled as she walked down the aisle of Westminster Abbey to wed Prince William, the successor to the British throne.

Prince William told Middleton, "You look beautiful" when she reached the altar of the church. They smiled at each other and William leaned over and winked at his father-in-law, Michael Middleton.

The wedding watched by 2,000 guests in the abbey and over 2 billion people worldwide delighted the people of Britain. Crowds of at least 600,000 lined the streets to gaze at the wedding, which is a national holiday. They joyfully waved a sea of Union Jacks and wore masks of the royal couple.

The new Duchess of Cambridge wore a veil with her arms and shoulders enclosed in lace as she made her vows that turned the commoner bride into royalty.

Pippa Middleton, Kate's sister, greeted her at the door of the Abbey. She tended to Middleton's wedding dress, designed by Sarah Burton, a undergraduate of late British designer Alexander McQueen.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles, the grandmother and father of groom Prince William, reached Westminster Abbey just moments before Middleton. Queen Elizabeth, wearing a bright yellow suit and hat, waved to the crowds as she and Prince Philip arrived to the site of the wedding.

Shamcey Supsup Crowned Miss Bb. Pilipinas-Universe 2011

Shamcey Supsup was crowned Bb. Pilipinas-Universe at the Binibining Pilipinas 2011 pageant which took place at the Araneta Coliseum. Shamcey, who was Binibini No. 26, bested 39 other contestants who competed in this year's pageant.

She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of the Philippines College of Architecture. She also topped the Architecture board exam in July 2010. Shamcey will stand for the Philippines in the Miss Universe pageant to be held in Sao Paulo, Brazil on September 12, 2011. Aside from winning Bb. Pilipinas-Universe, Shamcey also got three special awards: Best in Talent, Miss PAL, and Miss Cream Silk.

Last year's 1st runner-up, Dianne Necio (No. 33), returned this year and won the Bb. Pilipinas-International title; while Isabella Manjon (No. 25) was adjudged Bb. Pilipinas-Tourism (a replacement to the Bb. Pilipinas-World title, which has its own franchise). Janine Tugonon (No. 27) finished 1st runner-up and Mary Jean Lastimosa (No. 34) was 2nd runner-up.

World's smallest Caravan Unveiled

The small caravan, measures 2m by 75cm and retails at a price of £5,500. It is so compact it can be towed inside a supermarket at a top speed of 5mph.

The QTvan is the world’s most environmentally-friendly caravan. Using a conventional caravan for a ‘staycation’ within Britain remains a comparatively green way of taking a holiday.

"But if the electricity used to charge the mobility scooter is got from a green provider, the QTvan is entirely carbon neutral."

Developed by Environmental Transport Agency (ETA), the caravan was intended to highlight the 220,000 people who use a mobility scooter without breakdown cover.

World’s Most Premature Baby Weighed 1 Pound

A German woman gave birth to a one-pound baby after only 21 weeks and five days of pregnancy, making it the world's most premature baby to stay alive.

When Frieda was born on Nov 7 she measured 11 inches (28cm) and weighed only one pound (460g). Five and a half months later, she is finally fit to depart from the clinic in Fulda, western Germany, in the next few days, now weighing 7.7 pounds (3.5kg) for 50cm (nearly 20 inches). Her twin brother Kilian died a few days after being born.

Prof Repp told that her survival was 'a miracle' because usually babies born before 22 weeks have no chance because their lungs, heart and brain are not sufficiently developed. 'Frieda was kept in an entirely sterile environment, with her breathing assisted and fed through her navel,' he told.