Humour Cafe

Condom Fashion Show in the fight against HIV / AIDS

Condom Fashion Show in China

Models parade in outfits made of condoms during a fashion show at the 4th China Reproductive Health New Technologies & Products Expo in Beijing July 11, 2007. Condoms of all shapes and sizes were used to make dresses, hats and even lollipops.

Models fought through extravagant soap bubble special effects to show off tight-fitting wedding gowns, scaly-looking evening dresses, outrageous bikinis and other garments made entirely of condoms.

The show was held at the Fourth China Reproductive Health New Technologies and Products Expo and organized by China's largest condom manufacturer, Guilin Latex Factory, to promote the use of condoms in the fight against HIV/AIDS. It also marked World Population Day, organized annually by the U.N. Population Fund.

The world's most upmarket beauty pageant - without a bikini in sight

It must be one of the most upmarket beauty pageants ever - without a bikini in sight.

Women from across the Arab world came together to compete in the Miss Arab World contest in Cairo - with Miss Bahrain, Wafa Yaqoop, being crowned the winner.

Winner: Wafa Yaqoop is crowned Miss Arab World 2007

Candidates came from 16 Arab countries including Egypt, Lebanon, Sudan, Iraq, Libya and Palestine.

Contestants: Palestinian contestant Merna Kattan (left) and Kuwaiti contestant Fatma Ghadban

Beauty: Iraqi contestant Mayada Hussein (left) and Moroccan contestant Sarah Banani

It is the second time the competition has been staged.

Line-up: Contestants in the second Miss Arab World Contest

Dubai skyscraper becomes the tallest building on earth

Even in a city of skyscrapers it dwarfs all before it. More than twice the height of Canary Wharf, the Burj Dubai has been crowned the world's tallest building.

Measuring 512.1 metres (1,680 ft), it would tower over Canary Wharf at 235m and the Empire State Building at 381m if the builings were positioned side-by-side.

Its dizzying 141 storeys takes it past Taipei 101 in Taiwan, which at 508 metres had held the tallest building title since it was opened in 2004.

How the Burj Dubai compares with Canary Wharf and The Empire State Building

When the tower is completed next year developers Emaar Properties want it to fit all four criteria listed by the Chicago-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, which measures buildings to the structural top, the highest occupied floor, the top of the roof and the tip of the spire or flagpole.

Emaar did not say how tall the finished building will be.

Once finished it will have 56 lifts travelling at 1.75 to 10 metres per second.

The tower will be the centrepiece of a $20 billion development that will include residential, commercial and retail property.

Dubai is the Gulf Arab trade and tourism hub has embarked on a series of mega-projects in recent years, developing three palm-shaped islands off its coast and a cluster of man-made islands shaped like a map of the world.

Islamic Art Exhibition in London

A new exhibition of Islamic art from across the Muslim world aims to do far more than unite unusual, luxurious and rarely-seen objects.

Organisers of the London event say that they hope the illuminated Korans, the perfume bottle carved from rock crystal and the leaf skeleton decorated with sacred text will change the way people think about Islam.

The Blue Koran: one of the most sumptuous examples of the text. A page from the luxurious 'Blue Koran', made in North Africa, and dating from the 10th Century.


The fabric of the Mongol robe was embellished with designs in gold. The top section of a robe from the Mongol period with very long sleeves and intricate buttons.


The Aga Khan, leader of the world's 15 million Ismaili Shia Muslims and organiser of the project, believes arts can become "a medium of discourse that transcends barriers".

"The essential problem, as I see it, in relations between the Muslim world and the West is a clash of ignorance," he said in a recent speech.
He hopes the objects will spark a cultural dialogue and increase understanding about Islam within the West.

Alnoor Merchant, the keeper of the collection at London's Ismaili Centre, points to a slim column of white marble slowly rotating in a glass case. On one side are flowers, sculpted out of the stone in the Roman era. On the other, an Arabic script records the details of the life and death of a North African leather merchant. An architectural fragment has thus been transformed into a tombstone, re-used and re-interpreted centuries later.

"Islam is falsely represented in some contexts," Mr Merchant says. "This exhibition seeks to show that Islam has a heritage that is a shared legacy - it is not about killing and suicide bombings."

Many objects reveal these cross-cultural linkages and histories of rulers of different faiths who admired and respected each others traditions, he adds.
The 165 objects on display form part of a broader collection which will open at the Aga Khan Museum in the Canadian city of Toronto, in 2010.

They include a page from one of the world's most sumptuous Korans, the "Blue Koran", whose gold script stands out against a deep indigo parchment.
The North African Koran's pages were dyed with lapis lazuli.

"It was made in imitation of the precious Christian Byzantine texts and documents printed on purple parchment," Mr Merchant says.

Flowering trees

Other texts on display include a single page from a vast Koran whose pages stretch 2m (6.5ft) in height and a scroll the width of a palm with a microscopic text probably painted with a single-haired brush.
Organisers also hope the exhibition will also break stereotypes about Islam as an austere faith.

Among the exhibits is a miniature of a poet, many highly decorated musical instruments and countless paintings of princes hunting and scholars dancing.
There are also images of people playing backgammon and musical instruments in gardens with flowering trees. And tucked into a corner of one of the cabinets is an image showing a young couple framed in gold foliage. But look closely and you will see that the young woman is administering brand marks on her partner's arm as a test of the sincerity of his love.

"Music was an integral part of our culture," Mr Merchant says. "The notion that music was not allowed is a fallacy. Music and gamesmanship were a part of normal life."
The Spirit & Life exhibition, Masterpieces of Islamic Art from the Aga Khan Museum Collection, is on display at London's Ismaili Centre until 31 August 2007.

A folio from the Akhlaq-i Nasiri, a philosophical treatise written by one of Iran's greatest medieval intellects, Nasir al-Din Tusi.


A detail from probably the earliest manuscript of part of the Canon of Medicine, one of the most influential texts in the history of medicine.


A bird-shaped medieval bronze incense burner. The perfumed smoke would come out of small holes in the container.


An Iranian glazed dish with the inscription: "Generosity is a disposition of the dwellers of paradise."


A detail from the Shahnama, a manuscript made for a Persian ruler and decorated with 258 miniatures in gold and inks.

Snowless in a warming world, ski resort in French Alps bids adieu

ABONDANCE, France: Muddy slopes, slushy peaks, unused lifts — this town in the French Alps is living out the nightmare of many a ski resort in a century scientists say is doomed to keep getting warmer.

The city council of Abondance — its name a cruel reminder of the generous snowfall it once enjoyed — voted last month 9-6 to shut down the ski station that has been its economic raison d'etre for more than 40 years. The reason: not enough snow.

Abondance is the French Alps' first ski station to fall apparent victim to global warming. It will almost certainly not be the last.

At 930 meters (3,051 feet), this station between Mont Blanc and Lake Leman falls in the altitude range climate scientists say has seen the most dramatic drop in snowfall in recent generations.

The Alps as a whole, which pull in about 70 million tourists every year primarily for winter sports, are "particularly sensitive" to climate change, according to a study last winter by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

It calls climate change a serious threat to Alpine ski resorts and the regional economies that depend on them. The most recent World Cup ski circuit was badly hit by lack of snow, with several races in the Alps — even at high altitudes — called off.

In Switzerland, melting permafrost has forced several companies to take technical measures to ensure their stations don't fall off the mountain.

Last week, a commercial court in Lyon put the Transmontagne company, which operates mid-altitude resorts in France, Switzerland, Italy and Slovenia, under bankruptcy protection for the next six months. Warming weather is seen as a key reason for its financial woes.

Abondance's troubles are alarming towns in the surrounding valleys. Homeowners fear a crash in housing prices. Neighboring La Chappelle-d'Abondance is considering changing its name to dissociate itself from the shutting station.

Abondance Mayor Serge Cettour-Meunier fears that the closure of his station is the start of a troubling trend. "Skiing is again becoming a sport for the rich," since only elite high-altitude resorts will have sufficient snowfall, he said.

The €2.2 million (US$3.03 million) annual economy of his town and its 1,300 residents centers around winter sports. Last year, the lifts suffered a loss of €640,000 (US$882,000).

"The town can no longer pay," he said.

Gerald Giraud of the Snow Study Center of Meteo-France at Grenoble said altitudes of 900-1,500 meters (2,950-4,900 feet) are where "global warming will pose the greatest problems."

Even taking into account irregular weather cycles, snowfall levels fell 64 centimeters (25.2 inches) on average between 1960 and 2007 across the French Alps, he said.

His center noted a rise in average temperature of 1.5 to 3 degrees C (2.7-3.3 F) over the Alpine ranges since the early 1980s.

The OECD report said warming in the Alps in recent years has been roughly three times the global average.

For geographic and geological reasons, Germany is likely to suffer the most from climate change, while Switzerland is the least at risk, the report said. Austria and Italy are slightly more sensitive than average, while France has average risk, based on climate studies and projections.

The report studied only the Alps but noted that its implications extend "to other mountain systems which may face similar ... challenges, for example in North America, Australia and New Zealand."

Skiers who once frequented Abondance are likely to head to larger, higher stations elsewhere in the French Alps. But even some large, high stations in Switzerland have already resorted to artificial snow in recent years.

For smaller stations like Abondance, snow-sprayers are not a viable option since they require a minimal snow cover, and the high temperatures melt any snow fast.

Longer term, the warming in the Alps could provide a boost to less-charted places like the mountains above Sochi, the Russian city on the Black Sea that is hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Investors are not ready to write off Alpine ski resorts yet, noting how unpredictable weather-dependent investments are.

"We remain calm, one shouldn't overstate the phenomenon," said Georges Gay-Lancernin, of Credit Agricole de Haute Savoie, one of the chief banks financing France's mountain economy.

Nevertheless, small stations are having increasing difficulty finding investors.

Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse, at 900 meters (2,952 feet) sought public funding to upgrade one of its lifts. The improved lift, ready for the 2006-2007 season, didn't budge all winter because there was not enough snow.

In Abondance, where snow fell only 20 days last year, town officials have been seeking private buyers for the station for several years. Transmontagne and Remy Loisirs expressed interest, but never followed through, the mayor said.

The regional council for the Haute Savoie region refused the mayor's request for aid, deeming the station no longer profitable.

The news of the closure has hit hard in this town that has revolved around the ski station since 1964. Sporting good stores and restaurants specializing in local cheese dominate the town's main street.

"The mayor made a courageous, realistic and calm decision," said retired dairy farmer Andre Gagneux.

Restaurant owner Marie-Jane Teninge, 61, disagreed.

"I am skeptical about global warming. It's just a matter of cycles," she said, adding that she was ready to pay more taxes to keep the station open.

Jean-Charles Simiand, president of the French national union for ski lifts and cable cars, noted that the lifts are used today for hikers and mountain bikers in summer, but that the activity accounts for just 3 percent of overall lift revenues.

"The mid-altitude stations must adapt," he said. "Diversification of the economy is possible, but so far no one has found an activity that can substitute for skiing."

Filtering Torrents: The Pirate Bay vs. Torrentspy & Isohunt

Torrentspy and Isohunt announced that they will give content owners a “carte blanche” to remove torrents from their BitTorrent search engines last month. The perfect solution for content owners and site admins says Torrentspy - a nightmare according to The Pirate Bay.

It all started when Torrentspy owner Justin launched a .torrent removal system called “FileRights” that content owners can use to take down “infringing” torrents. From now on, the FileRights system will be used on Torrentspy and Isohunt, two BitTorrent sites that were sued last year by the MPAA.

This basically means that the content owners such as the RIAA and the MPAA get complete control over the(ir) content on all the sites that use FileRights. They decide what torrents can stay and what torrents have to be filtered out. Pirate Bay admin Brokep thinks that the removal system is a step in the wrong direction and accuses Torrentspy of trying to make money by sleeping with both sides, “if you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen, don’t blow it up so nobody else can cook” he adds.

With FileRights, content owners can remove whatever they want and this raises the question how honest the content owners will be in the filtering process. As Brokep notes:

“Who checks that a copyright claim is correct? Who downloads all those files and checks them out to see if they are what they seem to be? What happens when the right holders start censoring other peoples content as well, maybe out of moral or maybe for a competing company? I’m afraid for how little people care about their own rights. Yes, the peoples rights, not the right holders rights.”

Isohunt’s owner Gary Fung clearly disagreed with this and started throwing mud back at Brokep by saying:

“You are either illiterate and don’t check the frontpage of sites you are pointing fingers at, or you are a communist. Or both. What makes you think you have rights to content you didn’t produce? People’s rights vs. copyright holders’ rights? Please. I will laugh at you when you are marked a terrorist and US armies hunt you down. Not that I like the whole anti-terrorist thing from the US but I digress.”

Justin from Torrentspy told TorrentFreak that he doesn’t understand all the commotion about FileRights.

“I dont believe FileRights is incompatible with what is going on now,” he says. “TorrentSpy processes DMCA requests and always has, so do Isohunt, Mininova, and many others. The idea for FileRights actually came from a file hash filtering system that TorrentSpy has been using for over two years. Many companies, such as Microsoft, the RIAA, the IFPI, Universal, and the Business Software Alliance have been using the system to remove their content from TorrentSpy for years already. FileRights just makes the process less time consuming for content owners and BitTorrent site admins.”

A noticeably upset Brokep, who was never a fan of either Torrentspy or Isohunt, turns it up a notch on his blog, and asks Torrentspy owner Justin:

“Or will you also in the next step of the system demand logs of the users that downloaded the content, so when a right holder puts up a torrent or hash he automatically gets the IPs that downloaded the same file? Maybe a good next step Justin”

It is clear that the admins clearly differ in their vision of the DMCA takedown process. The Pirate Bay chooses not to respond to DMCA takedown requests at all, while Torrentspy and Isohunt’s FileRights system makes it easier for content owners to take down infringing .torrent files.

So what do you think? Is the filtering system that Isohunt and Torrentspy use a necessary evil?

Author : Ernesto

How to Charm a Woman

How can you charm a woman? Do they like a daily check-in phone call? Does she secretly wish you'd text her in the middle of the day for no reason but to make her smile? Do they prefer expensive dinners to home-cooked meals? Rock-hard abs? Flowers for no reason?

Identifying women's turn-ons is complicated, because they all react differently. Some women you wish came with owner's manuals so you knew exactly how they were wired. Luckily, I've done most of the legwork for you and am happy to pass this knowledge on to you.


1. Be aware. This means cracking open more than the sports section on the daily paper. Be up on current events and learn the difference between feelings, emotions and thoughts. Women are emotional beings and tend to think things through. They are attracted to men who are as smart or smarter than them, and your knowledge of worldly matters will demonstrate your intelligence.


2. Demonstrate humor. Women love a man who can make them laugh. Now don't fret here if you're not a stand-up comedian. We all have a certain type of humor. You can be dry, sarcastic, hilariously funny, quick-witted or dark. Being able to poke fun at yourself and just plain old being goofy is a turn-on for women. Keep in mind that all women are not attracted to the same type of humor, so if you don't vibe, just walk away and try someone else.

3. Have passion. A guy who lives his life with gusto is incredibly appealing. When you speak to a woman about your life, your travels, your job, your interests, speak with passion. That passion about who you are will turn her on instantly. She will start to imagine what it will be like when you are involved with her and how passionate you will speak about her.

4. Be considerate. Pay attention to the little things and look for opportunities to make small gestures that show you care. A simple "How was your day?" and being able to listen to her when she wants to discuss something are huge. So many men forget about simple things like holding the door, paying for her valet or just thanking her for a great time last night. Women are all about a guy with manners -- she is not attracted to the dope who acts like a caveman.

5. Be honest. Share who you are by telling her something personal. Maybe share one of your favorite childhood memories or some personal growth that you have been going through. Something that will show her that you are a trusting and honest person. It also shows that you are a confident but vulnerable man. Women love to see the vulnerable side of you. Note: Don't talk about an ex in a bad way here. If you have to talk about an ex, do so in a positive manner and share what you learned and how you grew from the relationship.


6. Be flexibile. Be open to her plans but surprise her with your flexibility. Take charge and surprise her with a fun night out. Instead of being the typical guy who makes a reservation, think about how you can be the guy who listens to her and plans a great date that she did not expect. If you can pull this off, she will be open to all sorts of advances from you.

7. Be positive. If you are positive about life, it shows in your actions. I always tell men to be extra nice to waiters, bartenders and other service people. Be a courteous driver when she's in the car. When you are in line at the movies, don't complain. Look for the humor and try to have fun with people all around you. Be positive about everything, and she will find you to be very sexy and alluring. No one wants to be with a negative hothead.

8. Be balanced. Women love a successful, ambitious man. They love that you work hard, but if you constantly put work ahead of her she will become turned off. She will start to imagine what life with you will be like with her needs being ignored. If you are out meeting women to date, you need to balance your life between work and play. This will be a major turn-on for her.

9. Have ambition. Men who are ambitious about what they do are a turn-on to women. It doesn't matter if you choose to be a rich stock trader or a painter, as long as you are passionate about who you are and what you do. If you don't love what you do, find something that really turns you on. You can't attract the woman you want with a negative ambition. Women love a man who is the best at what he does.

10. Be attentive. You are out with her for the very first time, and she tells you she loves a certain type of music. On the next date take her to a lounge that plays that type of music. It is all about paying attention to the details and working on your listening skills.

This list of 10 things will work in most cases. Keep in mind there is always the woman who you just can't seem to please. If you happen to cross paths with this type of woman, ask yourself, "Why would I want to be with a woman who is so difficult?"

I tend to avoid the difficult, judgmental women. Knowing women's turn-ons and putting them into practice will help you identify women who may be relationship material. You need to realize that you want to attract and turn on the women that are attracted to you on an equal level!

Microsoft intros Windows Mobile 6.0

Microsoft Corp India announced the launch of Windows Mobile 6, the latest version of its mobile software platform.


Among others, Windows Mobile 6 enables users view HTML mail along with all the attachments, tables, and formatting.


The new version of the software offers benefits including: direct push technology via Microsoft Exchange Server; enhanced chat; Day Glance, a new feature to help users manage their calendars; seamless integration with SharePoint and active links; support for storage card encryption and storage card wipe; and Windows Live services such as mail, messenger, search, contacts, and spaces.


According to Microsoft, Windows Mobile 6 includes several improvements over it's predecessors such as: easy viewing and editing of Office system documents; email set-up and management with fewer clicks; synchronization with Windows Vista; smart calendar bar; Windows Live services; and contacts with context wherein call history is placed in each individual contact card making it less tiresome for people to find contacts.

Besides, as per Microsoft, Windows Mobile 6 is the smartest mobile solution for business users, thanks to a variety of security options, protected content, line-of-business applications, et al.


Announcing the launch of Windows Mobile 6, Doug Hauger, chief operating officer of Microsoft India, said, "Windows Mobile is a powerful software platform, which addresses the anytime anywhere connectivity need of today's mobile workforce both in India and around the world.


We are confident that Windows Mobile 6, with its enhanced security, communication, and productivity features, and a familiar software experience will further accelerate the platforms adoption by diverse segments of the industry."


As of now, HTC Touch, HTC S710, HP iPAQ 512, and O2 Atom Life are the only Windows Mobile 6 enabled devices available in the country.


However, customers of Windows Mobile 5 on mobile devices from Microsoft's device partners, including HP, HTC, O2, iMate, and Motorola will be able to upgrade to Windows Mobile 6 for free with help from the respective device partners.

strangest things in Space

If a radical new "braneworld" theory of gravity is correct, then scattered throughout our solar system are thousands of tiny black holes, each about the size of an atomic nucleus.

Unlike their larger brethren, these mini-black holes are primordial leftovers from the Big Bang and affect space-time differently because of their close association with a fifth dimension.



Also known as the CMB, this radiation is a primordial leftover from the Big Bang that birthed the universe. It was first detected during the 1960s as a radio noise that seemed to emanate from everywhere in space.

The CMB is regarded as one of the best pieces of evidence for the theoretical Big Bang. Recent precise measurements by the WMAP project place the CMB temperature at -455 degrees Fahrenheit (-270 Celsius).



Scientists think it makes up the bulk of matter in the universe, but it can neither be seen nor detected directly using current technologies. Candidates range from light-weight neutrinos to invisible black holes.

Some scientists question whether dark matter is even real, and suggest that the mysteries it was conjured to solve could be explained by a better understanding of gravity.



Until about the early 1990s, the only known planets in the universe were the familiar ones in our solar system. Astronomers have since identified more than 190 extrasolar planets (as of June 2006).

They range from gargantuan gas worlds whose masses are just shy of being stars to small, rocky ones orbiting dim, red dwarfs. Searches for a second Earth, however, have so far turned up empty. Astronomers generally believe that better technology is likely to eventually reveal several worlds similar to our own.



Gravity waves are distortions in the fabric of space-time predicted by Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity.

The waves travel at the speed of light, but they are so weak that scientists expect to detect only those created during colossal cosmic events, such as black hole mergers like the one shown above. LIGO and LISA are two detectors designed to spot the elusive waves.



Like life on Earth, galaxies can "eat" each other and evolve over time. The Milky Way's neighbor, Andromeda, is currently dining on one of its satellites. More than a dozen star clusters are scattered throughout Andromeda, the cosmic remains of past meals.

The image above is from a simulation of Andromeda and our galaxy colliding, an event that will take place in about 3 billion years.



Neutrinos are electrically neutral, virtually mass-less elementary particles that can pass through miles of lead unhindered. Some are passing through your body as you read this.

These "phantom" particles are produced in the inner fires of burning, healthy stars as well as in the supernova explosions of dying stars.

Detectors are being embedded underground, beneath the sea, or into a large chunk of ice as part of IceCube, a neutrino-detecting project.



These bright beacons shine to us from the edges of the visible universe and are reminders to scientists of our universe's chaotic infancy. Quasars release more energy than hundreds of galaxies combined.

The general consensus is that they are monstrous black holes in the hearts of distant galaxies. This image is of quasar 3C 273, photographed in 1979.



Quantum physics tells us that contrary to appearances, empty space is a bubbling brew of "virtual" subatomic particles that are constantly being created and destroyed.

The fleeting particles endow every cubic centimeter of space with a certain energy that, according to general relativity, produces an anti-gravitational force that pushes space apart. Nobody knows what's really causing the accelerated expansion of the universe, however.



Like Superman's alter-ego, Bizzaro, the particles making up normal matter also have opposite versions of themselves. An electron has a negative charge, for example, but its anti-matter equivalent, the positron, is positive.

Matter and anti-matter annihilate each other when they collide and their mass is converted into pure energy by Einstein's equation E=mc2. Some futuristic spacecraft designs incorporate anti-matter engines.

Canine spectator falls for Tour de France rider

Cyclists spend months training for the gruelling mountain climbs and tortuous distances of the Tour de France.

They prepare for days of extreme endurance and soaring temperatures - aware that the slightest nudge by a competitor could send them crashing out of the race.

The labrador bounds across the road oblivious to the oncoming rider

But it is unlikely that the hazards posed by wandering pets figure too highly in the course safety manual.

This will be of little consolation to German cyclist Marcus Burghardt whose race plans lay in tatters yesterday lunchtime, after he collided with a large labrador.

Footage of the dramatic crash shows the dog ambling across the road straight into the path of the Burghardt's speeding carbon fibre bike.

The front wheel buckles on impact, sending the rider tumbling over the handle bars onto the confused animal.

Cyclist Marcus Burghardt cannot swerve out of the way in time

The bike then up-ends before crashing on to the dog's back, while the pink-clad cyclist rolled around on the road.

Remarkably, the dog was unhurt by the battering and clambered to its feet wagging its tail with a rather bemused expression on its face.

It is was then grabbed by a spectator before it could cause any more damage to the cyclists.

Burghardt suffered nothing more damaging than cuts and bruises, and quickly replaced the faulty wheel with another one.

Burghardt takes a tumble as the bike smashes into the dog's side

The 159.5km ninth stage was eventually won by Soler Hernandez.

The section between Val d'Isere and Briancon is considered one of the most gruelling parts of in the 3,550km race.

The cyclists climbed to the highest point of this year's race, the Col de l'Iseran at 2,770m, in temperatures over 30C with the road surface melting in places.

Burghardt's bicycle is made from expensive components from all over the world.

It is described as 'light, rigid and aerodynamic' by his race team T-Mobile - but proved to be little match for the bulky dog.

The labrador looks fine after impact, if slightly bewildered, while Burghardt rolls into the grass verge

World's Tallest Man Weds

Erdos, Inner Mongolia, China. July 12, 2007—This tall tale is true: The world's tallest man, Bao Xishun, and his bride, Xia Shujuan, pose during their wedding ceremony on the outskirts of Erdos, in the north Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

Xishun, 56, is a herdsman who towers 7 feet, 9 inches (2.4 meters). He is listed as Earth's tallest man in the Guinness World Records.

In his global search for a wife, Xishun ended up marrying a woman from his hometown—who was nearly half his age and more than two feet shorter, Reuters reported.

More than 2,000 people attended the traditional ceremony, held a few months after the couple was legally wed in a civil service

Beautiful World Digital Pics

The running man...Artist Arnd Drossel runs past Berlin's landmark Brandenburg Gate in his sphere made of steel wire.

The artist wants to run in his sphere from Berlin to the western German town of Paderborn to raise support for the 'social psychiatric' initiative in Padrborn.

Two bears take part in a boxing match during an animal sports day at a zoo in Xi'an, in northwest China's Shaanxi province.

A contestant in the Miss Cholita Pacena pageant, a popular Bolivian beauty contest for Andean indigenous women, twirls during her presentation in La Paz.

A Puerto Rican man cheers for a bird during a fight at a cockfighting arena in Barranquitas, central Puerto Rico. Cockfighting is legal in the central American country, where it has been popular since the 18th century.

Bicycles hang between two cranes as a TV helicopter flies by in Bonlieu, France - during the seventh stage of the 94th Tour de France cycling race between Bourg-en-Bresse and Le-Grand-Bornand.

Members of the 'Ott Haus I' team Jon Duerst, Brent Helwig, Andy Ott and Shaun Bainbridge (left-to-right), wrestle a hog during the firemen's picnic in Wisconsin, U.S.

The 'Comparsa de Gigantes y Cabezudos' or the parade of the giants and big heads makes its last dance to say goodbye to the people that accompanied them during eight days of San Fermin festival in Pamplona, northern Spain.

The main pack rides during the seventh stage of the Tour de France cycling race in Le Grand-Bornand.

Flamingo chicks are silhouetted before being ringed at the Fuente de Piedra natural reserve, near Malaga, in southern Spain.

Around 600 flamingos are ringed and measured before being placed in the lagoon, one of the greatest colony of flamingos in Europe.

French fighter planes stream the red, white and blue colours of the country's flag over Paris's Champs Elysees during the annual Bastille Day celebrations.