Brilliant Pacquiao cements legacy with win

LAS VEGAS – It took just 359 seconds to add the latest devastating chapter to a legacy that will last for decades.

Manny Pacquiao’s flurried fists made short work of Ricky Hatton on Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and delivered the most emphatic proof yet that boxing has a superstar for the ages operating at his peak.

Pacquiao sent the Englishman crashing to the canvas twice in a frenetic first round, then sealed the contest with a brutal left hook that had Hatton out cold on his back with one tick remaining in the second round.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. may have announced his comeback from a brief and scarcely-believable retirement on Saturday morning. But there can be no doubt that Pacquiao is boxing’s undisputed king as he continues to ride a remarkable wave of momentum.

“Our strategy was the one punch,” Pacquiao said. “Left hook. Right hook. That was going to be the key to this fight.”

The Filipino fighter is a quiet and reserved man out of the ring, but between the ropes he morphs into an electrifying machine – and Hatton felt his full force.

The Hatton camp had hoped their man’s power would be telling, yet he simply had no response to Pacquiao’s pace and precision. A right hook put Hatton down with 54 seconds remaining in round one and proved to be the beginning of the end.

“I knew it was over,” said Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s trainer. “Ricky fights the same way over and over. He doesn’t have the ability to adjust.”

As Pacquiao moved in for the finish in the second round, Hatton tried to cling on only to be sent down again with a fierce straight left. Doctors immediately rushed to the aid of Hatton, who eventually and thankfully was able to walk from the ring under his own steam.

“I am surprised this fight was so easy,” said Pacquiao. “I did work hard in my training camp and it paid off. This is as big a victory for me as when I beat Oscar De La Hoya.”

That December triumph over De La Hoya did not convince the entire boxing fraternity of Pacquiao’s ability, primarily as the Golden Boy’s powers had so clearly dimmed from his prime. Now there is no speculation. Pacquiao is the top dog, until someone proves otherwise in the ring.

Floyd Mayweather Sr. was a no-show at the postfight news conference, leaving Hatton’s co-trainer, Lee Beard, to explain the mauling by Pacquiao.

“We knew about Manny’s speed and that it could play a factor in the fight,” Beard said. “What you saw was two rounds of action and Ricky got caught.”

Roach’s status as a trainer grows in line with each victory his top fighter posts and it became clear his game plan was perfect. Hatton could not avoid Pacquiao, who landed with 73 of his 127 punches. The Brit could only land 18 of 78.

“This is no shock at all,“ Roach said. “Hatton pumps his hands before he throws a punch, and it makes him a sucker for the right hook.

“Manny is a monster. He is the best fighter ever. There is no surprise here.”

Defeat was a bitter blow to the thousands of Hatton fans among the 16,262 in attendance who had journeyed across the Atlantic but saw their dreams dashed within a few brutal minutes.

The typical symphony of chanting carried on even after their man had been sparked out, but it may not strike up again. Hatton, who was alert in his locker room before being taken to the hospital, is one of the most popular boxers ever with an incredible fan base, but his fighting future is now in serious doubt.

For Pacquiao, the future is brighter than ever, and his legend continues to grow.

Said Pacquiao: “I can fight anybody.”

Source: Yahoo Sports, article by Martin Rogers

World Travel destinations- In Danger

Environmental changes could wipe out some of the world's most well-known travel destinations

As if an eroding worldwide economy weren’t enough to depress travel this year, some hot spots are facing even scarier scenarios: sinking, melting, or literally vanishing from the face of the earth. Thanks to global warming and tourist wear and tear, locales from the Galápagos Islands to Croatia’s Dalmatian coast are breaking down.

Maldive Islands

Country: Republic of Maldives
At stake: $490 million
On the Ground: This chain of islands in the Indian Ocean is about three feet above sea level, and scientists fear it could be submerged by 2050. A $63 million buffer built in the 1990s hasn’t solved the problem, so the government is in talks to relocate all 386,000 of its residents to either Sri Lanka, Australia, or India. That would end the Maldives’ tourism industry—more than 600,000 people visit annually—which accounts for 30 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.
By the numbers: The Maldives could be completely submerged as early as 2050.

Dalmation Coast
Country: Croatia
At stake: $9 billion
On the ground: The Dalmatian coast, with its picturesque white beaches, became a travel-media darling about a decade ago. Since 1999, the annual tourist count has shot up from 5 million to 11 million. To help boost revenue in its tiny seaside villages, Croatia initially encouraged foreign investment in the villas that dot its coast. But last year, the government reversed its position, imposing a new set of laws on villa owners that requires them to register for business as well as ­residential permits, a process that can take as long as a year. The new layer of red tape has scared away ­foreign ­investment and is threatening Croatian tourism revenue, which makes up 12 percent of the country’s GDP.
By the numbers: Since 1999, the annual tourist count has shot up from 5 million to 11 million.

Great Barrier Reef

Country: Australia
At stake: $46 million
On the ground: Because of heavy tourist traffic, ocean acidification, and rising water temperatures, the 135,000 square miles of live coral off Australia’s northeast coast are shrinking rapidly. To slow the erosion, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority has imposed limits on ship passage and has blocked off some areas surrounding the reef to oversize yachts and cruise lines like Royal Caribbean. So far, these measures have had little impact: In January, the Australian Institute of Marine Science released a study stating that the coral’s natural growth has decreased by 14 percent since 1990. Experts say that by 2050, water temperatures will rise by 1.5°C and the reef will have lost about 95 percent of its living coral.
By the numbers: By 2050, the reef will have lost an estimated 95 percentof its living coral.


Mount Kilimanjaro

Country: Tanzania
At stake: $1 billion
On the ground: About 15,000 climbers tackle Kilimanjaro each year, making the mountain one of the world’s most popular climbs. But the glaciers that cover the landmark are receding rapidly. They’ve lost 84 percent of their ice since 1912 and today cover less than one square mile. Scientists believe the glaciers could be gone completely by 2020, taking with them Tanzania’s main tourist draw. As a result, travelers are flocking to the mountain in greater numbers than ever before. Some of them are combining troubleshooting with sightseeing to help alleviate the problem: Abercrombie & Kent offers expeditions in which travelers (paying $8,195 apiece) deliver weather-monitoring devices to various spots on the cliffs.
By the numbers: Mount Kilimanjaro’s glaciers have lost 84 percent of their ice since 1912.

The Alps
Country: Switzerland
At stake: $17 billion
On the ground: More than 8 million people travel to Switzerland every year, many of them to ski the country’s world-famous Alps. Because of global warming, it is estimated that about 40 percent of the mountain range’s pristine skiing areas will disappear by 2100. Low-altitude destinations are especially susceptible because of their warmer temperatures, and owners have already had to turn to artificial snow to get through the season. The owner of one ski complex in Ernen sold his property to a British businessman for one Swiss franc last year. Other spots—like the $125 million InterContinental Davos, slated to open in 2011—are scrambling to add attractions that don’t require snow, such as indoor sports facilities and spas.
By the numbers: About 40 percent of the Alps’ skiing areas will disappear by 2100.

Galápagos Islands

Country: Ecuador
At stake: $418 million
On the ground: The number of visitors to the archipelago, where Charles Darwin developed his theory of evolution, has increased from 40,000 to 180,000 since 1990; air traffic, meanwhile, has risen by 193 percent since 2001. Those trends are likely to accelerate this year, the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth. Even today, scientists consider the Galápagos to be the world’s purest biodiversity environment, so they’re especially concerned about the way the traffic surge will affect the islands’ life forms. They consider 39 percent of animal species, 50 percent of marine species, and 59 percent of plant species to be threatened. To curb the problem, Ecuador is considering setting a yearly tourist cap and imposing an entry fee of up to $300.
By the numbers: Since 1990, visitors to the Galápagos have more than quadrupled, to 180,000.

Source: Yahoo - article by By Megan Angelo

N. Korea launches rocket, defying world pressure

SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea defiantly carried out a provocative rocket launch Sunday that the U.S., Japan and other nations suspect was a cover for a test of its long-range missile technology.
Liftoff took place at 11:30 a.m. (0230GMT) Sunday from the coastal Musudan-ri launch pad in northeastern North Korea, the South Korean government said. In Washington, the State Department also confirmed the launch.
The rocket flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific Ocean, the Japanese broadcaster NHK said, citing its government.
"Our primary concern is to confirm safety and gather information," Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso told a news conference at his Tokyo office Sunday.
Resisting calls from President Barack Obama, Aso and Hu Jintao of China to call off the launch, North Korea had announced Saturday that preparations were complete to send communications satellite Kwangmyongsong-2 on a multistage rocket bound for the skies over Japan.
Tokyo deployed warships and Patriot missile interceptors off its northern coast to shoot down any debris that the North said might fall over the area.
U.S. and South Korean warships equipped with missile interceptors also plied the waters between the Korean peninsula and Japan to monitor the launch.
Russia, meanwhile, scrambled fighter jets to its Far East in case any debris hits its territory, Russian news reports said.
North Korea pushed ahead with the launch despite mounting international pressure to cancel a liftoff Obama warned Friday would be a "provocative" act.
South Korea, the U.S. and Japan said earlier in the week they would take North Korea to the U.N. Security Council for an act they say is banned under a 2006 resolution barring Pyongyang from ballistic activity.


source:www.ap.org