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Gallery: UNESCO adds 12 sites to its World Heritage List
Cartoon pig KOs action stars to win tourism role
Baidu's big play into online travel
For one night only: mrbrown lives it up at Marina Bay Sands
'Coquettish' Chinese male cheerleader video goes viral
Christopher DeWolf: Stop the zealous air conditioning
6 outrageous transportation boondoggles
Buff guide: 12 Bollywood films for 2011
Top 5 eateries in Sydney's Little Italy

Gallery: UNESCO adds 12 sites to its World Heritage List

Posted: 27 Jun 2011 02:06 AM PDT

From the deserts of the Middle East to the coffee plantations of Colombia, here are 12 more places to add to your must-go list

Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison, Barbados

The West Lake Cultural Lanscape of Hangzhou, China

Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley

Ivy Zhang

UNESCO's World Heritage List, the most eminent accolade for monuments, buildings, sites or natural features "of outstanding universal value," has added 12 new members to its ranks.

Being inscribed into the list tends to result in greater awareness, greater tourism and greater emphasis on protecting that site for future generations to enjoy.

You could also regard it as an authoritative guide on the best places around the world worthy of a visit. Scroll through the gallery above to see what they are.

Cartoon pig KOs action stars to win tourism role

Posted: 27 Jun 2011 01:00 AM PDT

A cartoon pig has beaten Jacky Chan and many other local superstars to promote "Hong Kong Summer Spectacular," a city-wide summer program that is running until August 31.

The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) is "hiring" McDull, a much-loved cartoon pig, to be Hong Kong's summertime ambassador for the second year running.

McDull (麥兜) was created in 1988 by local artists Alice Mak and Brian Tse. The adorable and rather slow-witted porker is said to represent the psyche of Hong Kong people in a light-hearted way.

Baidu's big play into online travel

Posted: 26 Jun 2011 11:44 PM PDT

After a yearlong negotiation, China's biggest search engine, Baidu, announced on Friday that the company has reached a strategic agreement with Qunar.com (去哪儿), China's biggest travel website.

The agreement means Baidu will invest a total of US$306 million in Qunar.com, thereby becoming Qunar's biggest shareholder.

The deal represents the largest investment Baidu has made in its company history.

For one night only: mrbrown lives it up at Marina Bay Sands

Posted: 26 Jun 2011 10:04 PM PDT

The wife and I had a chance to stay for a night at the Marina Bay Sands (MBS) recently. It was a rather pleasant experience as our room was the Orchid Suite, which is one of their junior suites.

I've never even been to that part of Singapore. It is like another country altogether. There is no MRT station there yet, and no buses that I know of. So we took a cab to MBS instead.

After looking at the iconic building from afar for so long (yes, one of our most iconic buildings is a casino hotel), I finally got to look inside.

The wife wanted to bring the kids along but I told her, let's make this two-day one-night staycation something for just the two of us. I was away in Sydney for a week before this and really wanted to spend a little "us" time.

'Coquettish' Chinese male cheerleader video goes viral

Posted: 26 Jun 2011 06:57 PM PDT

Jump to 00:11 to see the male cheerleader's foxy leg kicks and 1:39 to see his solo break-out.
(If video does not play, please try changing your browser.)

Last year, some sexy (female) Chinese cheerleaders were blamed for at least one foreign team's defeat at the Guangzhou Asian Games. But now China may have a better cheerleader candidate to bring with them to the London 2012 Olympics.

Christopher DeWolf: Stop the zealous air conditioning

Posted: 26 Jun 2011 03:00 PM PDT

I love summer. I love the sunny days and the hot weather that makes it possible to swim at the beach without freezing off my appendages -- a novelty that still hasn't worn off for someone born and raised in Canada.

But there's one thing I absolutely loathe about the warm season: air conditioning. Here's why.

1. Drip, drip, drip

Hong Kong's sidewalks are crowded enough, so the last thing I need to worry about is dodging drops of gross, slimy water that is dripping down from leaky air conditioners.

6 outrageous transportation boondoggles

Posted: 26 Jun 2011 03:00 PM PDT

From France's Panama Canal debacle to this year's Chinese high-speed train scandal, transportation projects seem to bring out the best/worst in civic overreach.

6. Alaska's 'Road to Nowhere' (2006-2008)

Location: Ketchikan, Alaska, United States

The dream: Build a bridge to replace the ferry linking the coastal city of Ketchikan (population 7,515) to its airport on Gravina Island.

The reality: Construction of the bridge was halted after pressure from citizens who deemed the project an unnecessary luxury and symbol of government waste.

Buff guide: 12 Bollywood films for 2011

Posted: 26 Jun 2011 02:59 PM PDT

Like the Rorschach Test, there is a simple method of psychological evaluation when it comes to discussing Bollywood films with a fellow guest at a party.

It goes: "Have you seen Salman Khan's "Ready"? And if you did, did you like it?"

If someone answers yes, I suggest you spike his or her drink. And then use the movies listed below to show off.

Top 5 eateries in Sydney's Little Italy

Posted: 26 Jun 2011 12:56 PM PDT

In Sydney's Little Italy, all things Italian permeate life like garlic in a ragu, and a journey reveals the real taste of Italian cooking. From pizzas to espressos, the delissimo grip on Sydney's gastronomic landscape is as entrenched and authentic as ever.

Long synonymous with Italian life in Australia, Leichhardt has been attracting hot-blooded Mediterraneans to its terraced streets since the 1940s and 1950s. Branching out from the epicentre of Italian-ness on Norton Street, the march soon spread around the inner west to Haberfield and Five Dock.