The Most Expensive Olympics Have Ended - What Happens To Sochi Now?

Hosting an Olympics is never cheap. However, no country has ever spent as much as Russia did on the recently held Winter Games in Sochi. It is estimated that between the new infrastructure, which includes the event venues, hotels, highways and a new train system, and the hosting, entertainment and security costs, the country spent about $51 billion USD - making the XXII Winter Games, the most expensive, in Olympics history....

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Ukraine Parliament Ousts President Viktor Yanukovych

On Saturday, February 22nd, the world woke up to the news that Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych had been voted out from office by the country's parliament, culminating the often deadly protests that have gripped the country since November 2013. Ironically, unlike with the Arab Springs, the residents of Ukraine had not been protesting to oust their leader but to try to convince him to change his policies....

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A Boy And His Dog

While eight-year-old Owen Howkins knew he was a little different from other kids, the disparity became more apparent when he entered school at the age of seven. Born with an extremely rare genetic condition called Schwartz Jampel Syndrome, his muscles are in a constant state of tension. This causes the young boy to suffer from issues ranging from growth delays to impaired eye vision and even, lack of balance....

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Harbin's 30th Ice and Snow Festival Is Spectacular!

For most of us, building a snowman or even an igloo is hard enough. So you can only imagine the effort, skill, and patience, it takes to build not just giant sculptures, but also, towering castles and beautifully chiseled buildings using just ice and snow - That is exactly what happens annually, in the city of Harbin in Northeast China....

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Mexico's One Man Alpine Ski Team!

If you happened to watch the opening ceremony of the Sochi Winter Olympic Games you may have noticed an unusual sight - A single athlete representing Mexico. It was not because other contestants from the country had decided to skip the parade, but because Prince Hubertus Von Hohenlohe, is Mexico's sole representative at the Games....

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Think Your Winter Is Bad? Don't Tell That To The Residents Of The World's Coldest City!

With yet another storm unleashing its fury on the Eastern, Midwestern and even Southern regions of the United States, residents are really feeling the wrath of winter this year, and probably thinking that nobody in the world has it as bad as they do. Turns out, such is not the case. The people of Yakutsk in Russia have been enduring even worse weather for centuries, and have actually gotten to like it!...

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This Valentine's Day, Impress Your Sweetheart With . . . Tomatoes, Figs and Brussels Sprouts?

Let's face it - Valentine's Day can get a little predictable. Year after year of receiving the same bouquet of roses and box of candy can take its toll, even on the people who love you dearly. That is probably why these innovative entrepreneurs have conjured up some unusual treats - heart-shaped fruits & vegetables, and bouquets put together from a special crossbreed of healthy Kale and Brussels sprouts....

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The Sports You Will Not See At Sochi Or Any Other Winter Olympics!

This year's Winter Olympics is the longest in the 90-year history of the games. That's because the International Olympics Committee decided to add a record, twelve new events across eight disciplines - ranging from ski half-pipe to snowboard parallel slalom and even a Luge - team rally competition. Does that mean that future Winter Olympics will be as long? Not necessarily. Here are a few sports that made a grand debut and even lasted a few games, before being scrapped in favor of more exciting and popular sports!...

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Archeologists Debate The Purpose Of 4,600-Year-Old 'Provincial' Pyramids That Predate Giza

At a symposium held by the Society for the Study of Egyptian Antiquities in Toronto, Ontario, on January 11th, archeologists revealed the uncovering of yet another provincial pyramid near the ancient settlement of Edfu in Southern Egypt. The 4,600-year-old structure, built decades before the Great Pyramid of Giza, is the seventh of its kind discovered scattered near major ancient settlements, throughout central and southern Egypt....

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Finally, A Car Fit For Pint-Sized Drivers

Let's face it - Vehicles made for kids are kind of lame. After all, where is the thrill in driving a car whose top speed is 5 mph! Now, there is hope - A car that not only looks like the real deal, but also, drives like it! And it's not just any car but a replica of the DB Aston Martin convertible, the kind even James Bond would be proud to be in....

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Can Artificial Rain, Giant Shower Heads And Vacuum Cleaners Solve China's Smog Problem?

While smog is a problem in many of the world's urban cities, few have it as bad as China. Most of last year, the air around Beijing was so polluted that on certain days it went beyond what was once considered the worst possible level. The residents of Harbin, in northeast China, have not had it easy either. On days when the haze is really bad, residents are unable to even see across streets and airplanes have a hard time landing....

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Giddy Up! It's The Year Of The Horse

On Friday, January 31st, 2014, more than a billion people of Chinese origin will usher in the first day of the year 4712. Known as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, it marks the beginning of the longest and most significant of all Chinese festivals. As the name indicates, the four-thousand-year-old tradition whose date is determined by the lunar calendar, began as a way to mark the end of the dreary winter season and the beginning of spring....

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Why Australian Researchers Are 'Spying' On 5,000 Honey Bees

The industrious honey bee not only provides us with delicious honey, but also, helps pollinate about a third of the world's fruits and vegetables. It is therefore no wonder that the ongoing deaths of millions of the tiny insects throughout the world, a phenomenon scientists call Colony-Collapse Disorder, has researchers extremely worried. What's even worse is that despite extensive investigation, the cause still remains a total mystery....

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At The Sochi Olympics, Everyone Can Be A Star

This February, there's more reason to tune in to the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia than just the sporting events - The chance to see thousands of lucky visitors make their own mark by having their faces displayed on the side of the Olympic Village's 2,000 square-meter (21,527 square-feet) MegaFon Pavilion....

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Recycled Cans Get A Major Makeover At São Paulo's Can City

The polar vortex that greeted many Americans at the start of the year, served as a rude reminder of the detrimental effects that global warming could have on our weather patterns. The fact that something has to be done to reverse or at least halt climate change is obvious, but the question for most of us is what and how? Turns out, that it doesn't take much money or resources - Just some ingenuity and will, both of which the founders of U.K. based design firm Studio Swine, seem to have in abundance....

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In Norway, Everyone Is A (Paper) Millionaire

With most governments struggling to balance their budgets by taking money from residents through higher taxes, it is refreshing to hear about one that is doing just the opposite. On Tuesday, January 9th, the world woke up to the news that every Norwegian, right down to the newest born, was worth a million Kroner or about $164,000 USD - at least on paper. This was not a cruel joke on the residents but a reality that has come about thanks to the financial savvy of the country's government....

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Welsh Woman Becomes First Person To Bike To The South Pole

This holiday season, while most people were cuddled up in front of a fireplace, a few were striving to achieve what no human had been able to do - Peddle across the Antarctica! The three-way race between Britain's Maria Leijerstam, Spain's Juan Mendez and America's Daniel Burton began in mid-December from the Novo Russian airbase in Queen Maud Land, Eastern Antarctica....

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