Fisherman found giant 34kg pearl worth $100million

Fisherman found giant 34kg pearl worth $100million - but kept the two-foot long gem under his bed for TEN YEARS as a good luck charm

This giant pearl could be the biggest ever found in the world and five times larger than the previous record - after being handed in by a fisherman.

The man, who has not been identified, found the priceless 34kg gem ten years ago in sea off the coast of Palawan Island, Philippines.

He didn't know the potential eye-watering value of $100 million and kept it as a 'good luck charm' in his rundown wooden home.



The un-named fisherman discovered this two-foot-long pearl which weighs 34kg and could be worth as much as $100 million after it was discovered off the coast of the Palawan Island, Philippines inside a giant clam more than a decade ago

But a fire at the property earlier this year forced him to have a clear out and move house.

The fisherman handed it in to the stunned local tourism officer in remote Puerto Princessa who verified that he had found a giant clam.

The priceless rock measures a staggering 1ft foot wide and 2.2 feet long - dwarfing the current world's biggest Pearl of Allah which weighed 6.4kg and is worth $35million.

$100 MILLION RECORD BREAKING FILIPINO PEARL
LENGTH: 26 inches
WIDTH: 12 inches
WEIGHT: 34kg
VALUE: $100MILLION
CURRENT RECORD: 6.4kg
VALUE: $35MILLION

Tourism officer Aileen Cynthia Amurao said: 'The fisherman threw the anchor down and it got stuck on a rock during a storm.

'He noticed that it was lodged on a shell and swam down to pull up the anchor, and also brought the shell with him. This was a decade ago and he kept it at home.

'He didn't know how much it was worth and kept it tucked away at home as a simple good luck charm.

'We were amazed when he brought it to us. We now need help from gemologists to fully certify it. We're waiting for authentication from Gemologist Institute and other international authorities.

'But we believe Puerto Princessa is likely earn another prestigious title and a record breaker for having the world's biggest natural giant pearl from a giant clam.

'We will keep this here in the Philippines and I hope it will bring more tourists to the city.'

The gem was shown off to the public today.

The current record holder is Pearl of Allah, also know as the Pearl of Lao Tze, which was also found off Palawan, Philippines, in 1934. It is on exhibition at the Ripley's Believe It or Not! in New York.

Isidor operation of the TSK! So why Jarabulus?

The military launched a military operation in order to clean the city from Isidor of Jarabulus in Syria. Here are the reasons for and the details about Jarabulus operation on the border with Turkey.

TAF Special Forces, Jarabulus terrorist organization linked to Aleppo in Syria launched a military operation in order to clean the ISID.

Turkey warned TWO YEARS
For a while the expected operation, Turkish jets shot elements and coalition forces with land, hitting the target in Jarabulus Isidor. Because he does not want Turkey and Isidor in two years in that area, as well as an embodiment of the PLA would not allow YPG to take control of the power of the highest authority here; The President and the Prime Minister had expressed level.

GAIT DISORDER of the NORTH YPG'N INCREASED
With the latest development, especially towards the north ypg'n, start walking toward Jarabulus has increased Turkey's discomfort. The land of the Syrian opposition, the Free Syrian Army was expected to Cerabslus operations. Turkey was bombing two days, with both the ISID artillery targets in both YPD Jarabulus goals.

As of this morning the Turkish Air Forces began hitting the target Isidor, burgundy berets entered the land area.

Isidor EL in THE LAST CITY
two town houses can be seen with the naked eye that stood facing the house with Jarabulus Karkamış. One the other side of Turkey in Syria. from Syria in 2011 then turned into a civil war Jarabulus in the process of becoming the global crisis had an important role.Jarabulus, the last remaining in the hands of Isidor 911 kilometreklik city boundary line.

DISTANCES 25 MILEAGE
Especially after the receipt by the expectation that occurred Membiç YPG ypg'n the Jarabulus to walk. Such an incursion that began to walk north. But the distance was about 25 kilometers YPG forces encountered where the Turkish army.

"We DO NOT ALLOW THE WESTERN on the FIRAT PASSED"
Turkey previously announced Jarabulus would not allow such an action would not allow to pass into the hands ypg'n. YPG, 2014 on the other side of the Euphrates River Euphrates to the east so that passing the 200 meters Jarabulus had tried to seize the Jarabulus. Turkish artillery did not allow it. At the time, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will not allow the introduction of the western Euphrates, saying it had expressed frequently.

DIRECT SUPPORT
In 2014, as in 2016 in the Turkey still did not allow the seizure of ypg'n the Jarabulus but as different as supported the opposition for the removal of the ISID the Syrian border with land artillery of the Turkish army, entered into a movement that give direct support to the jet from the air.

MEVZİLENİL to NO OTHER CITIES
Jarabulus plays a very important role here. You see Jarabulus west across the Euphrates in Carchemish map. This is in the hands of Isidor. YPG forces are in the east of the Euphrates. YPG forces from the south or east of a military operation when it receives Jarabulus seems to be a combination of 80-90 kilometers to the west of the border with Turkey Isidor line.However, this does not even have another big city like Jarabulus. No one group or another major city will enter entrenched as the top of the organization.

LIMIT THE FULL CONTROL THROUGH YPG-PYD
Considering that the Jarabulus received ypg'n Jarabulus with Afrin will be very easy to connect to each other. There's little villages. uproot forces in this village not too difficult. So when connecting with the Afri Cerbalus Turkey's 911-kilometer border we have seen that addressed the full ypg'n the PYD's control. Turkey said that he would never allow it.

To Allow Turkey Border Corridor
Turkey to such an organization, the Kurdish border corridor could not allow the formation of said. He said he was uncomfortable in the presence of Isidor. As of two days where we had Jarabulus artillery fire and began to campaign today.

Source: http://www.ntv.com.tr/turkiye/tskdan-iside-operasyon-peki-neden-cerablus,cMyDB9hShEyQbUTH365ToA?_ref=infinite

Earthquake measuring 6.0: Fear in Central Italy, there are dead and wounded

The first quake occurred at 3:36 am in the morning. The mayor of amateur: "The country is gone. There are people under the rubble, is a mess"

A strong earthquake struck central Italy in the night causing at least 10 dead and dozens wounded. Were three main shock of magnitude 6, 5.4 and 5.1.The first and strongest (magnitude 6) took place at 3:36. It had its epicenter at 2 km from Accumoli (Rieti) and 10 from Arquata del Tronto (Ascoli Piceno) and Amatrice (Rieti). The hypocenter was only 4 km depth. Second and third quake was recorded at 4:32 and 4:33. They had its epicenter near Norcia (Perugia), Castelsantangelo sul Nera (Macerata) and Arquata del Tronto (Ascoli Piceno). The hypocenters were between 8 and 9 km. The quake, felt throughout central Italy, was heard in a violent way even in Rome, where many buildings shook twice and for about 20 seconds. The tremors were around eighteen in an hour and a half. The last, with a magnitude of 4.8.

"AMATEUR IS GONE" - "Here the situation is dramatic. The dead are so many, I can not make a budget now because relief efforts are ongoing and are extremely difficult," said Sergio Pirozzi, Amatrice Mayor, one of the the most affected. "" The country is gone. There are people under the rubble, it is a mess. Amateur is divided in half, one half is destroyed and dig through the rubble is very complicated. We already checked out several dead but we do not know how many are down there. "In the center of amateur continue to intense pace activities to rescue people, also they are at work pager dogs are inspecting piles of rubble.


SEMIDEMOLITO COUNTRY - "The country is semidemolito: the police station, churches, the parish house, many houses have been affected," said the mayor of Accumoli Stefano Petrucci. "With 17 fractions I have the situation under control - he continued - in many places not even take the phone. They're coming for help."

TOLL-FREE NUMBERS - Civil Protection is in contact with all affected territories, such amateur, where are coming the special means, announced Palazzo Chigi that does know who are active the following numbers: 840 840 contact center of the Civil Protection ; 803,555 of the operating room of the New York Civil Protection. Meanwhile, the authorities indicate an urgent need for blood to help the earthquake victims. The appeal was published by Avis provincial Rieti on Twitter, where you are invited to go to the hospital San Camillo de Lellis city.

AS THE EAGLE - The earthquake in central Italy today "is comparable in intensity to that of the Eagle." He said the head of the Civil Protection Department Fabrizio Curcio, who added: The civil protection system is fully operational, there are difficulties in reaching some places and was already activated the Army Corps of Engineers. The health benefits are insured. "
HIGH SEISMICITY ZONE - The earthquake that struck the area between Lazio, Umbria and Marches took place in a "high seismicity", where historically there have been strong shocks, said seismologist Alessandro Amato, of the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV). The latest strong earthquake, with a magnitude of 5.9, hit Norcia in 1979, other strong earthquakes occurred between 1600 and 1700. The estimated more violent, with a magnitude of 7 struck Norcia and Cascia in January 1703.

Source: http://www.gazzetta.it/Altri-Mondi/24-08-2016/terremoto-provincia-rieti-magnitudo-60-ci-sono-morti-feriti-160899590731.shtml

6.0 magnitude earthquake devastated central Italy: dead and wounded. Children under the rubble in Accumoli. The mayor of amateur: "The country is gone"

Eighteen shock in an hour and a half, the first at 3:36. Many countries razed. The bodies are already at least 14. Active numbers of civil protection: 840840 and 803555

RIETI - A strong quake of magnitude 6.0, struck central Italy in the night causing deaths and injuries. The epicenter was near Accumoli, in the province of Rieti, in Latium, just 4 kilometers deep. The first quake, violent, at 3:36 in the morning was heard from Rimini to Naples. And just in Accumoli, where there would be six deaths, and in nearby amateur recording the most damage.

"The country is gone. There are people under the rubble" It is the first, dramatic testimony of the mayor amateur, Sergio Pirozzi. The gravity of the situation is also confirmed by the head of the local Red Cross, who spoke of a crumbling bridge, one of three eyes, which forces to enter the country only on foot slowing relief efforts and a major gas leak. In the area there were other seismic movements following, with stronger shocks of magnitude 5.1 to 4.32 and 5.4 to 04.33 with its epicenter 5 kilometers from Norcia. 

 A lot of calls to civil defense and firefighters from throughout central Italy . And unfortunately already recorded the first deaths: in Accumoli there would be at least six deaths, while for hours trying to save a family of four with two small children stuck in the rubble. He told ANSA the photographer Emiliano Grillotti, which tells how over 15 people are digging with their bare hands to save them: "You hear the screams of the mother and one of the children." The priest Gammarota Franco, who is working in the rescue effort, speaks five corpses pulled from the ruins of Amatrice . Where there would be the tourists stranded in the rubble of the Hotel Roma in the center of the country. 

Three people are dead in Arquata, including an elderly couple in the nearby district of Pescara del Tronto, among the hardest hit. Here we are also ongoing research of two girls, trapped under the rubble. Just in Accumoli, Amatrice and Mail, in Rieti and Arquata and Pescara del Tronto, in the province of Ascoli Piceno, there are indeed more serious damage. There are also numerous buildings collapsed: destroyed the amateur church, where even the ' hospital is unusable. 

The collapsed bell tower of Castelluccio di Norcia. Evacuated the hospital of Amandola, severely damaged. The fire viglili speak of damage even in Gualdo and Mogliano in Macerata. The numbers of the Civil Protection are active: 840840 and 803555. A landslide would occur on the east wall of the Little Horn of Gran Sasso , confirms it in the Republic of Luca Mazzoleni Franchetti refuge, precisely on the mountain at 2433 meters, after having told on Facebook. "We heard the sounds of a landslide. We are waiting for first light to better understand what it is." 

Another strong quake was felt at 4:34, longer, the magnitude 5.4. For now the head of Civil Protection Fabrizio Curcio speaks of several injuries, slumps and damage to buildings: "This is an earthquake comparable to that of L'Aquila." Teams of firefighters are converging from Lazio, Abruzzo, Tuscany and Marche. Meanwhile, the head of Civil Protection Lazio Carlo Rosa said: "The 118 is already speaking at amateur and Accumoli. We are sending the earth moving equipment to clear the access roads. Already mobilized Regional Mobile Column with tents, field kitchens and all it takes. " But obviously not enough, Stefano Petrucci, mayor of Accumoli regrets the slow pace of interventions: "Here relief arrived late."

Source: http://www.repubblica.it/cronaca/2016/08/24/news/sisma_del_6_4_nella_notte_vicino_perugia_avvertito_in_tutto_il_centro_italia-146516780/

Crews hauling away debris as Louisiana cleanup continues

BATON ROUGE, La. – Heavy trucks and their works crews have begun hauling away mounds of moldy carpet, warped flooring and water-damaged furniture as south Louisiana digs out from flooding the governor estimated Tuesday had wrecked more than 100,000 homes.

Piles of debris stretched for miles in some parishes, with the inside of homes torn up and deposited on their front lawns, the mildewed stench wafting through neighborhood streets.

"It's going to take months, if not over a year, to get the debris up," said Jr. Shelton, the mayor of Central, a suburb of Baton Rouge that is one of the hardest-hit communities from the catastrophic flooding.

Of Central's 27,000 residents, Shelton said 25,000 of them were affected by the flooding. He said 90 percent of the homes had major damage, including many that are total losses. Shelton described entire subdivisions as "decimated."

"I don't mean a few inches of water in their house. I mean 2 feet of water or more. Most were 4 or 5 or 6 feet of water. When you get above the counters, you've lost everything. What's absolutely heart-wrenching to me as a mayor is to see my citizens' lives laying on those streets in front of their houses," he said.

President Barack Obama visited the region Tuesday, pledging to the state's residents: "You're not alone on this." His visit drew praise for drawing national attention to the disaster, but also criticism from some quarters that it was too long in coming.

A storm that started Aug. 12 dumped as much as 24 inches of rain in two days over areas, blamed for at least 13 deaths and widespread damage that displaced thousands from their homes. About 2,500 people remained in shelters after flooding that has been described as the worst disaster since Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

Gov. John Bel Edwards estimated the flooding has ravaged "well over 100,000 homes" across south Louisiana, as he asked Obama for additional federal aid and a reduction in the state's share of response costs.

In a letter he presented to Obama outlining a list of disaster assistance requests, the governor described the people of Louisiana as "strong and resilient." But he added that the severity of the flood "is testing our spirit in ways we have not seen since the challenges posed by Hurricane Katrina" in 2005.

As contractors continue to scoop up the water-logged debris left behind by the storm, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said more than 110,000 people have applied for federal aid and more than $107 million has been approved in grants so far. The money is paying for temporary rental assistance, home repairs and other disaster relief.

Many people with damage from the flooding didn't have flood insurance, making recovery more difficult. In many instances, residents say such coverage wasn't required because they didn't live in a designated flood zone.

Source: http://sh.st/CXWzw

Obama Visits Louisiana Flood Victims, but Some Are Busy Just Hanging On

ZACHARY, La. — For Linda Fernandez, this summer has been one long disaster tour. In July, her daughter died in Baton Rouge, while her infant great-granddaughter mysteriously ailed in Houston. It was at a hospital there, a week and a half ago, where Ms. Fernandez learned she had lost her home, too, to flooding.

She explained this to President Obama on Tuesday afternoon as he walked through that house, emptied of all the furniture except for what was too heavy to haul outside. He hugged her four times and they had their picture taken.

Others may have debated the timing of Mr. Obama’s visit and whether he was too late in coming to this flood-wrecked state, but Ms. Fernandez wiped tears from her eyes and said she had not been following any of that.

“Really I don’t have time to think when I go home — I mean, go to my place in the corner,” said Ms. Fernandez, who turned 69 on Saturday and is staying at a friend’s house. “I’ve been busy. I haven’t watched the news. I’ve been doing all this by myself.”

Nearly 11 years to the day after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, Mr. Obama came to meet with flood victims in a visit that required him to navigate a delicate mix of compassion and politics.

The president landed in Baton Rouge to see the devastation left by floodingin the last week, and to demonstrate, in part by his presence, that the federal government will deliver help to those who lost everything.

Standing amid rubble in front of flooded homes, he lamented that so many people’s lives were “upended” by the floodwaters that swept through communities with devastating force. But he praised the disaster relief response and expressed optimism that the people of Baton Rouge would recover and thrive.

“I know how resilient the people of Louisiana are and I know you will rebuild again,” Mr. Obama, dressed in a blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up, said after touring several homes. He pledged that the federal government would support the victims of the community for the long run. “These are some good people down here,” he said. “They got a lot of work to do and they shouldn’t have to do it alone.”

Local and state officials from both political parties have praised the federal response in Baton Rouge, drawing a sharp contrast with the much-criticized delays by the Federal Emergency Management Agency after Katrina.

Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, a Republican who frequently criticizes Mr. Obama, said in an interview that federal officials had done “an excellent job” responding to the floods. “They actually do care,” he said.

But Mr. Obama arrived four days after Donald J. Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, visited flood-ravaged areas around Baton Rouge. In a Twitter message on Tuesday, Mr. Trump mocked the president for failing to cut short his Martha’s Vineyard vacation last week. “Too little, too late!” he wrote.

Some Republicans and distraught locals have also criticized the president for waiting more than a week to visit the tens of thousands of residents affected by the floods. More than 7,000 people were forced into 37 shelters across a vast stretch of the state by the rainfall, which has been blamed for 13 deaths.

The Advocate, a local newspaper, mocked the president in an editorial last week. And on Tuesday, Representative Charles Boustany, a Louisiana Republican, added, “It’s a shame it took the president so long to come to Louisiana, but we are glad he is here.”

Frustration over the president’s absence, merging with a widespread sense that the disaster has been unjustly overshadowed in media coverage of the Summer Olympics and the presidential election, has ranged from the hot anger of The Advocate editorial to a more subdued disappointment.

Some here said the president had been callously detached for vacationing during a catastrophe, while others said he was respectfully keeping his distance during rescue efforts. But for those most intensely affected, the political debate is a luxury they can hardly afford.

“I didn’t even know he was here,” said Nita Case, 75, sitting wearily on a folded camp chair inside her gutted home, 11 miles from the neighborhood Mr. Obama had just visited.

Florence Lucas, 79, had lost everything in Hurricane Betsy in 1965, lost her home during Hurricane Katrina and then had her home flooded this summer. She stood in the kitchen as a contractor discussed the rebuilding timeline, a needlepoint Home Sweet Home sign still hanging above the door to the hallway.

“Politics should be out of this,” Ms. Lucas said, adding that an earlier visit by the president would have just complicated the work of local responders and the police. “What can he do? He can’t come and get rid of the water.”

The president praised W. Craig Fugate, the FEMA administrator, for overhauling the agency to make it work better, and he announced that the federal government had already distributed $127 million in aid to the flooded communities. Still, Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, issued a statement after meeting with the president saying that he had formally requested additional help for his state.

Mr. Edwards, who had urged the president not to visit the state when the rescue operation was in full swing, said the federal government so far has been “responsive to all of our requests.”

Mr. Obama was in Baton Rouge for about three hours before heading back to Washington. White House officials said the president also planned to meet briefly with the family of Alton B. Sterling, the African-American who was shot while being held on the ground by Baton Rouge police officers, as well as families of officers killed and injured in an ambush in July.

In the long run, the success of Mr. Obama’s visit will be judged in two different contexts: first, the political imagery that has become a vital part of White House planning since President George W. Bush was photographed gazing down on New Orleans from Air Force One, and second, the gritty reality on the ground for people struggling to rebuild.

As a candidate in 2008, Mr. Obama was eager to focus on the politics of Mr. Bush’s flyover, denouncing him during a rally for being “a president who only saw the people from the window of an airplane instead of down here on the ground, trying to provide comfort and aid.”

Now the spotlight has shifted to Mr. Obama’s actions.

After touring the damage, Mr. Obama pledged continued help “even after the TV cameras leave” and waved aside questions about politics. “I guarantee you,” he said, “nobody on this block, none of those first responders, nobody gives a hoot whether you’re Democrat or Republican.”

He could have been referring to Nita Case’s husband, Dennis, 78. A fan of Bill O’Reilly, the conservative talk show host, he had few good words for the government, saying, it “ain’t never done enough.” But he also said he had paid little attention to the politics surrounding Mr. Obama’s visit on Tuesday.

“I haven’t watched the news for two weeks,” he said. “I’ve been busy.”

Source: http://sh.st/CXvda

Pokémon Go is ‘not just a fad’, data shows

More than 85% of people that downloaded the augmented reality game are still playing it, offering big opportunities for brands popular among players including Kinder chocolate, Odeon cinemas and Domino’s Pizza.

Pokémon Go has been downloaded by 6.1 million adults and is still being played by 87% of those, suggesting the first popular augmented reality game “is not just a flash in the pan”.

Developed by Niantic Studios, which licenses Pokémon from Nintendo, the augmented reality game involves players walking around the real world to capture virtual Pokemon via smartphones and then pit them in fights against other players. And new data from YouGov shows just how popular it has become.

The research, based on more than 25,000 interviews, found that 13% of the adult population has downloaded and installed the game since its release in the UK on 14 July. And 5.3 million of those have played it within the past week.

That “love affair” is not unique to the British, with 34.3 million Americans having downloaded the app and 30.8 million playing it in the past week.

The demographics of those playing are also not as young as some might think. While it is most popular among those aged 18-34, 33% of British players are aged over 35.

Stephen Harmston, head of YouGov Reports, says: “Our data makes it clear that not only have a lot of people downloaded the game and the vast majority are still playing it, but also that the brand opportunities for this particular game and similar games in the future are vast.

“It is a mistake to think that [Pokémon Go] is just a fad for young people.”
Stephen Harmston, YouGov

“A lot of players are over 35 and this represents a completely different marketing proposition to brands wanting to partner with this type of augmented reality app.”
The brand opportunity

Brands have been quick to jump on the Pokémon Go bandwagon. In Japan, McDonald’s paid to turn its restaurants into ‘PokéGyms’ and ‘Pokéstops’, areas of the game where players congregate. Speaking on a recent press call, McDonald’s CEO Steve Easterbrook said he is “very pleased” with the sales boost the brand has seen from the tie-up.

But the YouGov survey suggests there are opportunities for further brand tie-ups. Its research found that Pokémon Go players are more likely to be customers of brands including Kinder chocolate, Odeon cinemas, Primark and Capri Sun.

Harmston suggests Kinder could get involved by linking Pokémon to the gift in the brand’s egg while “canny” cinema chains could also boost their profiles and increase footfall with a marketing tie-up. However, he warns that brands will need to be innovative if they want to cut through with players.

The data highlights that players are more likely than the rest of the population to consider themselves as ‘musical’, to favour newness and think that standing out and looking good are important. But they are also more likely to be unambitious, easily distracted and to think they are underachievers.

“The people playing this game can be easily bored, meaning that developers will need to innovate and push out new features if they are to keep up interest levels,” he explains.

In the long term, there could also be opportunities for brands to generate revenues from augmented reality apps. YouGov found that 16% of British players have spent money on in-app purchases, with just a slim minority making the smallest possible payment (of 79p). Most have paid between 80p and £14.99, while around 250,000 players have paid in excess of £15 – equal to more than £7m in total.

“Brands including the likes of Harry Potter and Game of Thrones must now be eyeing ways to make the most of the opportunities that augmented reality gaming offers. Not only does Pokémon Go show that consumers are prepared to make a giant leap and start making significant in-app purchases in an augmented reality app, but it can also help build an intense engagement with a brand,” adds Harmston.

Source: http://sh.st/CJhr7