Mauritius bags accolades at World Travel Awards

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Mauritius is a winner at the prestigious 2013 World Travel Awards Indian Ocean Ceremony, held on May 12, at the Paradise Island Resort & Spa, Maldives. Mauritius has been awarded the Indian Oceans Leading Honeymoon Destination, and Indian Oceans Leading Dive Destination. The industrys elite, including CEOs and SVPs of leading travel companies, government ministers and tourist board chiefs, attended the idyllic island gala event hailed as The Oscars of the Travel Industry.

World Travel Awards celebrates its 20th Anniversary this year. The Minister of Tourism and Leisure, Michael Sik Yuen, said, We can clearly see the positive effects of the diversification of the markets specifically in the honeymoon and sports (kite surf and diving) segments. Mauritius, a land of coral reefs and pristine blue waters lined with white sand beaches, has proved to be a popular honeymoon destination.

The underwater world of Mauritius can be deemed a natural wonder. A dive in the sea allows you to explore coral reefs, multi-colored marine life, ship wrecks dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as some ships sunk more recently which created beautiful artificial reefs.

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Mauritius bags accolades at World Travel Awards

Psychedelic Spirituality Podcast – Singing to the Plants with Steve Beyer – Video

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Psychedelic Spirituality Podcast - Singing to the Plants with Steve Beyer
Psychedelic Spirituality speaks with Steve Beyer, author of the best book on Ayahuasca yet, #39;Singing to the Plants: A Guide to Mestizo Shamanism in the Upper Amazon #39;. Joining in a discussion...

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Psychedelic Spirituality Podcast - Singing to the Plants with Steve Beyer - Video

Star is born from space station

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Breathtaking images of WA are among the thousands of photographs captured from space by astronaut and global celebrity Chris Hadfield.

The Canadian spaceman returned to Earth this week as a social media sensation after five months on board the International Space Station.

Each day, Commander Hadfield posted photos from different parts of the globe, including many images of Australia.

WA photos included Perth and the South West region, King George Sound near Albany, Stokes National Park west of Esperance, Baker Lake near Warburton and King Sound near Derby.

Much of his photography was tied in with special events and current affairs, including cyclone Rusty swirling off the North West coast in February, photos of the UK to commemorate the death of Baroness Margaret Thatcher and extra photos of Australia on Australia Day.

Cdr Hadfield's photos were shown every day to a rapt audience of millions back on Earth by his sons, Evan and Kyle, via Facebook, Twitter and Google+.

During his stint, he used a laptop in his sleeping station to access social media and answer questions from the public - even using video to demonstrate the effect of zero gravity on everyday tasks such as wringing water out of a cloth or making a sandwich.

The signal from the ISS was relayed via satellite to a mirror site at Mission Control in Houston. The ISS travels at a velocity around 28,000km/h and an altitude around 420km, orbiting the Earth once every 92 minutes.

More than 340,000 people are now following Cdr Hadfield's Facebook account and more than 950,000 follow him on Twitter.

Cdr Hadfield, who was mission commander of Expedition 35, returned to Earth on Tuesday with fellow astronauts American Tom Marshburn and Russian Roman Romanenko on board a Russian Soyuz-TMA capsule, landing in Kazakhstan.

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Star is born from space station

UK astronaut 'Major Tim' to join space station crew

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A former army helicopter pilot was on Monday named as the first "home-grown" British astronaut to head to the International Space Station.

Major Tim Peake, 41, will fly out to the ISS in November 2015 as part of a six-man crew, becoming the first Briton ever to travel to space on a British government-funded mission.

British-born astronauts have previously gone into orbit as US citizens through NASA, or on privately-funded ventures organised with Russian help.

Peake said it was a "true privilege" to have been chosen from more than 8,000 applicants for the six-month mission.

"The mission to the International Space Station is going to be a wonderful opportunity, not just for Europe and European science but the UK as well," he said at a press conference in London.

Prime Minister David Cameron said it was "a momentous day, not just for Tim Peake but for Great Britain".

"I am sure he will do us proud and I hope that he will inspire the next generation to pursue exciting careers in science and engineering," the prime minister said.

Peake, who will be on board the ISS for six months, has swiftly been dubbed "Major Tim" in reference to David Bowie's 1969 song "Space Oddity", which tells the tale of lonely astronaut Major Tom.

He uses Twitter under the handle @astro_timpeake, and there are hopes he could take over from Canadian astronaut Commander Chris Hadfield as the ISS's chief tweeter.

Hadfield, who returned to Earth last week, delighted Twitter users during his six-month mission with spectacular images taken from the ISS and insights into daily life in space.

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UK astronaut 'Major Tim' to join space station crew

Briton given space station mission

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Briton given space station mission

9:24am Monday 20th May 2013 in National News Press Association 2013

British astronaut Tim Peake has been confirmed as one of the crew to join the International Space Station

A former helicopter pilot is to become the first British astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS), it has been confirmed.

Major Tim Peake, 41, will be the first UK astronaut in space for more than 20 years. He will live and work on the space station for six months.

Major Peake will carry out a science programme and take part in a European education initiative before and during his mission. He is one of six astronauts selected from more than 8,000 hopefuls. The flight is expected to take place in November 2015.

Maj Peake told a news conference at the Science Museum in London: "It really is a true privilege to be assigned to a long duration mission, it feels like a real high point in a long career in aviation.

"I am really grateful to my family, friends and professional colleagues who are supporting me as I prepare for the challenge that lies ahead. The mission to the International Space Station is going to be a wonderful opportunity, not just for Europe and European science but the UK as well."

In a jokey reference to David Bowie fan, Commander Chris Hadfield, he said: "I do play the guitar, but very badly, and I wouldn't inflict my singing on anybody." Cdr Hadfield, from Canada, was his country's first professional astronaut, and gained a legion of fans on the Soyuz space capsule mission to and from the ISS, by performing a cover of the Bowie classic, Space Oddity. He now has close to one million followers on Twitter.

Answering questions, Maj Peake praised Cdr Hadfield for the "fantastic job" he had done. "I don't think I'll be able to top the tweeting, but I will also be tweeting, to encourage a generation to take an interest in space."

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Briton given space station mission

UK Astronaut Tim Peake To Visit Space Station

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A former military helicopter pilot is to become the first UK astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS).

Major Tim Peake will live and work on the space station for six months. He will carry out a science programme and take part in a European education initiative before and during his mission.

He is one of six astronauts selected from more than 8,000 hopefuls. The flight is expected to take place in November 2015.

Major Peake , 41, has undergone 14 months of rigorous training, which has included survival courses and exercises under water and underground.

The former British Army Air Corps helicopter pilot, who graduated as an astronaut three years ago, will be the first UK astronaut in space for more than 20 years.

Speaking after his selection, Major Peake said: "I applied to become an astronaut with the European Space Agency because I believe for me it's a unique opportunity in my life to become part of a team that can have such a positive impact on society.

"I believe humankind faces some enormous challenges this century, and the space arena is going to be fundamental in overcoming some of those challenges."

It is hoped Major Peake, who tweets with the handle @astro--timpeake , could even match the popularity of David Bowie fan, Commander Chris Hadfield.

Astronaut Ends Space Mission With Bowie Classic

Cdr Hadfield, from Canada, was his country's first professional astronaut, but gained a legion of fans on the Soyuz space capsule mission to and from the ISS,by performing a cover of the Bowie classic, Space Oddity.

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UK Astronaut Tim Peake To Visit Space Station

FAA: Human Space Flight Requirements for Crew and Space Flight Participants

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[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 97 (Monday, May 20, 2013)] [Notices] [Pages 29425-29426] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2013-11964]

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

Agency Information Collection Activities: Requests for Comments; Clearance of Renewed Approval of Information Collection: Human Space Flight Requirements for Crew and Space Flight Participants

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew an information collection. The FAA uses the information collected related to public safety to ensure that a launch or reentry operation involving a human on board a vehicle will meet the risk criteria and requirements with regard to ensuring public safety.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by July 19, 2013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathy DePaepe at (405) 954-9362, or by email at: Kathy.A.DePaepe@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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FAA: Human Space Flight Requirements for Crew and Space Flight Participants