April 12, 2009

Christian Orthodox Holy Fire ceremony in Jerusalem

Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos takes part in the Christian Orthodox Holy Fire ceremony at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City April 18, 2009. Millions of Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter on Sunday.

A general view of the Church of Holy Sepulchre during a Christian Orthodox Holy Fire ceremony in Jerusalem's Old City April 18, 2009. Millions of Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter on Sunday.

Worshippers light candles on the side of the tomb of Jesus in the Church of Holy Sepulchre during a Christian Orthodox Holy Fire ceremony in Jerusalem's Old City April 18, 2009. Millions of Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter on Sunday.

An Armenian Christian worshiper holds candles in the Church of Holy Sepulchre during a Christian Orthodox Holy Fire ceremony in Jerusalem's Old City April 18, 2009. Millions of Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter on Sunday.
(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

A Panamanian golden frog (Atelopus zeteki) is seen at the El Nispero zoo in Valle de Anton, 124 km east of Panama City April 16, 2009. The Panamanian golden frog (Atelopus zeteki) is a critically endangered toad which is endemic to Panama. They inhabit tropical forest regions, particularly on mountains, near streams.

A Panamanian golden frog (Atelopus zeteki) is seen at the El Nispero zoo in Valle de Anton, 124 km east of Panama City April 16, 2009.

A Panamanian golden frog (Atelopus zeteki) is seen at the El Nispero zoo in Valle de Anton, 124 km east of Panama City April 16, 2009.
(Xinhua/Alberto Aparicio)

Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen of Finland practises a pit stop during the first free practice session of the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International circuit, in Shanghai, east China, on April 17, 2009. Raikkonen clocked the 11th fastest time of 1:38.223 in the first session.

Brawn GP Formula One driver Button drives out of the pit during the first free practice session of the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International circuit, in Shanghai, east China, on April 17, 2009. Button clocked the 2nd fastest time of 1:37.450 in the first session.

McLaren Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain gets ready for the first free practice session of the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International circuit, in Shanghai, east China, on April 17, 2009. Hamilton clocked the fastest time of 1:37.334 in the first session.

Ferrari Formula One driver Felipe Massa of Brazil gets ready for the first free practice session of the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International circuit, in Shanghai, east China, on April 17, 2009. Massa clocked the 15th fastest time of 1:38.418 in the first session.

Chelsea team members including Michael Ballack (C) celebrate defeating Arsenal after their FA Cup semi-final soccer match at Wembley Stadium in London April 18, 2009. Didier Drogba scored the winning goal in a 2-1 victory

Chelsea's captain John Terry (R) and Ashley Cole celebrate at the final whistle of their FA Cup semi-final soccer match at Wembley Stadium in London April 18, 2009.

Chelsea's Didier Drogba celebrates scoring against Arsenal during their FA Cup semi-final soccer match at Wembley Stadium in London April 18, 2009.

Chelsea's Didier Drogba scores against Arsenal during their FA Cup semi-final soccer match at Wembley Stadium in London April 18, 2009.

Chelsea's Ashley Cole (L) challenges Arsenal's Theo Walcott during their FA Cup semi-final soccer match at Wembley Stadium in London April 18, 2009.

Chelsea's John Terry (L) challenges Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor during their FA Cup semi-final soccer match at Wembley Stadium in London April 18, 2009.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

Rafael Nadal of Spain serves to Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia during the quarter-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters tennis tournament in Monaco April 17, 2009.

Nadal, who has not dropped a set in Monte Carlo since the 2006 final against Roger Federer, pushed the fourth-seeded Murray far behind the baseline and took the first set with ease.

Trailing at 5-3 in the second, U.S. Open finalist Murray broke Nadal in the ninth game before he forced a tiebreak.

But Nadal proved too strong an opponent and took the tiebreak 7-4 to finish the two-hour match.

Novak Djokovic of Serbia hits a return against Oscar Hernandez of Spain during the Monte Carlo Masters tennis tournament in Monaco April 14, 2009.

Earlier, Djokovic had to battle back against 13th seed Wawrinka, who had upset fellow Swiss and three times Monte Carlo finalist Roger Federer in the third round.

Djokovic failed to make the better start before he started to mount more pressure on Wawrinka in the second set, opening up a 5-0 lead.

Djokovic again fell behind in the decider as Wawrinka broke to go 2-0 up but the 2008 Australian Open champion then started to dictate play from the baseline until he sealed the win.

China launches second "Compass" satellite for global navigation system

·China successfully launched its second navigation satellite early Wednesday.
·The satellite is as part of the country's independent global satellite navigation system.
·China plans to have global satellite navigation system by 2015.

China's Compass-G2 navigation satellite is launched on a Long March-3C carrier rocket at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, April 15, 2009.

BEIJING, April 15-- China successfully launched its second navigation satellite early Wednesday, as part of the country's independent global satellite navigation system.

The carrier rocket, Long March 3C, blasted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province at 0:16 a.m..

An official with the National Engineering Center of Satellite Navigation told Xinhua, the successful launch of the geostationary Earth orbit satellite was of great importance as it was the second one of the country's satellite navigation system independent from foreign technology.

The system, code named "COMPASS", is a crucial part of the country's space infrastructure for providing navigation and positioning services in transportation, meteorology, petroleum prospecting, forest fire monitoring, disaster forecast, telecommunications and public security among others. It can bring significant social and economic benefits, the official said.

The system can help clients know their location at any time and place with accurate longitude, latitude and altitude data, and will offer "safer" positioning, velocity, timing communications for authorized users.

Previous reports said China planed to complete its independent global satellite navigation system by launching about 30 more orbiters before 2015, with 10 navigation satellites into the space in 2009 and 2010. The current Compass system only provides regional navigation service within China and neighboring regions.

The second "Compass" satellite and its carrier rocket were respectively developed by the China Academy of Space Technology and the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology which are under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

It is the 116th flight for the country's Long March series of rockets.

China launched the first "Compass" navigation satellite into geostationary orbit in April 2007 to build up its own positioning system following the United States' Global Positioning System (GPS), the Galileo Positioning System of Europe and Russia's Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS).

Backgrounders:

U.S. Global Positioning System:

Global Positioning System is a global navigation satellite system developed by the United States Department of Defense and managed by the United States Air Force 50th Space Wing. It became fully operational in 1993. The system allows users to determine their positions within a few meters.

Russian Glonass:

Glonass, a Global Navigation Satellite System, is the Russian version of the U.S. Global Positioning System and is designed for both military and civilian use. Both systems allow users to determine their positions within a few meters.

EU's Galileo:

The Galileo project, launched in 1999, is a joint initiative of the European Commission and the European Space Agency. Under the agreement signed by the EU transport ministers in November 2007, Galileo will be put into operation by 2013.
(Xinhua)

The world's first cloned camel Injaz is seen at the Camel Reproduction Centre in Dubai, April 15, 2009. The female one-humped camel was born on April 8, created from cells harvested from the ovary of an adult she-camel which were grown in culture before being frozen in liquid nitrogen.

Tourists cover their bodies with mud on Jordan's side of the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, April 15, 2009. A growing number of medical patients and visitors are flocking toward Jordan's Dead Sea for its black mud which is known to have healing properties that can treat skin diseases.

Tourists cover their bodies with black mud on Jordan's side of the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, April 15, 2009. A growing number of medical patients and visitors are flocking to Jordan's Dead Sea for its black mud, which is thought to possess healing properties that can treat skin diseases.

A tourist covered with black mud walks on Jordan's side of the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, April 15, 2009. A growing number of medical patients and visitors are flocking to Jordan's Dead Sea for its black mud, which is thought to possess healing properties that can treat skin diseases.

Tourists covered with black mud embrace on Jordan's side of the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, April 15, 2009. A growing number of medical patients and visitors are flocking to Jordan's Dead Sea for its black mud, which is thought to possess healing properties that can treat skin diseases.