Stephanie Gilmore The First Female Surfer To Win Four World Titles

Australia's Stephanie Gilmore has happen to the first female surfer to ever win four world titles from as many attempts, after winning her quarter-final at the Rip Curl Pro Search event in Puerto Rico.

The 22-year-old didn't have it all her own way against resolute Hawaiian Melanie Bartels, but did enough to clinch the title, before being chaired off Middles Beach by men's defending champion and Rip Curl stable-mate Mick Fanning.

Bartels put up an almighty fight, with Gilmore's 13.87 mutual score for her two best waves giving her victory by just .10 of a point.

The happy assassin must now be eyeing off the record of seven women's world titles achieved by surfing icon Layne Beachley.

Gilmore is now through to the semi-finals at the Rip Curl Pro Search event, but can now relax knowing that her historic feat is already with her.

Extraordinary Underwater Art Exhibition

In the clear shallow waters off Cancun in Mexico, 200 ghostly figures are gradually lowered to the seabed.

It's the final installment of a strange underwater art exhibition, which spans 420 square meters of barren sea bed in the area's national marine park.

Officially due to open next month, the exhibition entitled "The Silent Evolution," is the work of British sculptor and scuba diver Jason deCaires Taylor.

Consisting of 403 life-size human figures, each sculpture has been independently cast by deCaires Taylor and made using unique cement mix to encourage coral growth.

Created to highlight the decimation of the world's coral reefs, deCaires Taylor told he wanted to "create an immense artificial reef, a habitat space that would encourage fish to colonize and inhabit the area."

It is hoped the artistic reef bed will attract some of the park's 750,000 yearly visitors away from the natural reefs, which need time to recover and expand.

"It's extremely interesting working underwater," said deCaires Taylor, who explained how the work had shaped a new and dynamic perspective for audiences.

"The colors are different, the light patterns are very diverse, the atmosphere and mood is otherworldly. The piece takes on a very different tone underwater - it has a missing feel to it and brings up all these questions that you wouldn't have on land," he said.

First European To Top The World Rankings

Lee Westwood has taken over from Tiger Woods as golf's new world number one, after Martin Kaymer failed to conclude in the top two in the Andalucia Masters at Valderrama on Sunday.

Briton Westwood, who becomes the first European to top the world rankings since Nick Faldo in 1994, has climbed to the summit in spite of never having won one of golf's four 'major' titles.

And in doing so, the 37-year-old ends Woods' remarkable 281-week control as the world's top golfer. Woods has been top of the tree since enduringly taking over from Vijay's Vijay Singh in June 2005.

Westwood opted to skip this week's European Tour event in Spain, meaning European Ryder Cup colleague Kaymer could have taken the top position if he had won the tournament or shared second place with no more than one other player.

Roger Federer Joins Andy Murray At ATP World Tour Finals

Roger Federer enjoyed a easy 6-1 6-4 victory over David Ferrer to join Andy Murray at the top of Group B at the ATP World Tour Finals at London's O2 Arena on Sunday evening.

The four-time winner of the season finale had never lost to the Spaniard in 10 earlier meetings and it became clear from the start that an upset was unlikely.

The 29-year-old Swiss broke the seventh seed twice to open up a 4-0 lead in the opening set, before Ferrer hit back with a break of his own.

But normal service was resumed in the sixth game, in spite of the Spaniard's best efforts as Federer broke his serve again and then served out the set.

The second set was less one sided, with Federer taking five games to secure a break of serve, but the outcome was the same.

Serving for the match at 5-4, the number two seed experienced an uncharacteristic lapse in concentration, handing his rival three break points.

But, as so often with Federer, he at once regained his composure to save all three and then promptly served an ace to wrap up the match.

Scott Aims Major Titles After Singapore Success

Adam Scott hopes his third Singapore Open title triumph will act as a springboard for an attack on golf's four major tournaments next year.

The Australian completed a final-round 68 after the tournament went into a fifth day following weather disruptions, concluding on 17-under-par 267 - three shots clear of Denmark's second-placed Anders Hansen.

The victory, his former at Sentosa since the Asian Tour event became co-sanctioned by the European Tour last year, launched him back into the top-20 of golf's world rankings.

It was the seventh European Tour title of the 30-year-old's career, and he will now turn his concentration to claiming a maiden major title in 2011.

Mount Everest Gets 3G Mobile Network Service

The world's highest third generation (3G) mobile network services base station was set up at the base of Mount Everest on Thursday.

Ncell, a mobile phone and internet operator in Nepal, said it set up a 3G base at an altitude of 5,200 meters (17,000 feet) near the village of Gorakshep, according to Aigars Benders, the chief mechanical officer of Ncell.

"The velocity of the 3G services will be up to 3.6 MB per second," Aigars said."But we could have it up to 7.2 MB if there is insist."

A total of nine stations, with the lowest at 2,870 meters (9,400 feet) at Lukla where the airport in the Everest region is located, came into operation on Thursday.

The service is mostly targeted at the approximately 30,000 tourists who come to trek in Nepal's Himalayan region every year.

A few hundred mountaineers try to climb Mount Everest, the world's highest mountain at 8,848 meters (29,028 feet) and it is predictable that the annual total number of mountaineers in the region number several hundred.

Although Ncell has not tested its 3G services from the top of Everest, Aigars said it is theoretically probable.

Up to 50 people can use the services at a time and if there is demand this faculty can be increased. Four of the base stations are run by solar power with a back-up battery that can control the stations for up to three days.

Sweden-based Teliasonera, the fifth largest mobile company in Europe, has the controlling and working stake in Ncell.

"Teliasonera also has the world's lowest 3G base station in the world," said Teliasonera's CEO Lars Nyberg. He said that the lowest one is at 1,400 meters (4,595 feet) below sea level in a mine in Europe.

China Unveils World's Fastest Bullet Train

China on Tuesday unveiled what it described as the world's fastest bullet train, which will join two of the country's industrial hubs travelling at an average speed of 350 km per hour.

The rail link between Shanghai and Hangzhou, the newest addition to China's fast-expanding high-speed rail network that is already the world's largest, covers the 200-km distance in only 45 minutes, reducing the travelling time from 78 minutes.

The home-built CRH380 bullet train has been recorded travelling at 420 km per hour, a world record. It will, however, go between the two cities at less than full tilt, at an average speed of 350 km per hour.

China's high-speed rail network now stretches over 7,431 km. The government plans to enlarge the network to over 16,000 km by 2020. China is investing an expected $300 billion on its high-speed rail network.

China has also started work on a 1,318-km high-speed rail line linking the country's two most important cities — Beijing and Shanghai. The $33-billion line will open in 2012, dipping the travel time between the capital and the financial centre in half, to just five hours.

Oscar Remains Record Holder Even After His Death

Oscar, the Vietnamese potbellied pig from Far North Dallas, claimed the Guinness World Records title last year when he turned 20.

He died Tuesday, a few weeks after his 21st birthday. Owner Stacy Kimbell sent out an email announcing the depressing news to friends and family. "He was the most loyal and genuine buddy that a gal could ever want," she wrote.

Oscar wasn't just any pig. In his younger years as a petite piglet, he roamed the streets of Chicago on a leash. He appeared on television with a pet psychologist and joined Kimbell on a Colorado ski vacation.

Oscar lived to eat. He tipped the scales at 180 pounds before Kimbell got a improved handle on his diet, which consisted of roasted pumpkin mash, grapes, almonds, apples, watermelon and canned fruit.

The average pig lives 15 to 20 years, so Oscar's ripe old age gave him the frame with Guinness. Last year's record brought the 130-pound porker back into the limelight. Stories appeared in The Dallas Morning News and People Magazine, and Oscar made many TV appearances. He received several invitations (including one to Rome that he had to decline) and taped a segment on a show for Animal Planet.

Southwest Airlines' chief executive sent him a case of his desired snack – packaged peanuts from the Dallas-based company. What few remained was bequeathed to his sister, Ziffle the pig.

Guinness officials say Oscar will stay the record-holder, even after his death.

Location-Based Mobile Service Gowalla Partners With Disney

When Josh Williams created Gowalla, the location-based mobile service that permits users to "check in" at hot spots and share experiences from the road, he was stimulated by the Disney brand and dreamed of one day partnering with the company.

Two years later, Disney Parks is taking its first foray into location services by teaming up with Gowalla to offer visitors a new way to explore Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

"When we founded Gowalla two years ago we saw Disney as inspiration for us both in terms of design and eminence associated with the brand," said Williams, CEO and co-founder of Gowalla. To connect friends and family across Disney Parks through Gowalla is simply magical."

"The Disney and Gowalla partnership represents a magnificent way to unite social activity online and in the real world," Solis said.

"It also opens the doors to new possibilities to engage social media to share experiences every significant and shareable step of the way. We are at the beginning of a new world where we appeal to the traditional consumer and also the social consumer."

Scientists Fear 'Sixth Mass Extinction' For World's Animals

One in five of the world's mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians are under danger of extinction, according to a major new stock take of life on Earth.

The dreadful study found that the number of endangered vertebrates, or animals with backbones, is still rising and that humans are largely to blame.

Many scientists believe the world is going through a 'sixth mass extinction' and that more wildlife is going destroyed now than at any time since the dinosaurs vanished 65 million years ago.

Around 20 per cent of the world's vertebrates are endangered, including 25 per cent of all mammals, 13 per cent of birds, 22 per cent of reptiles and 41 per cent of amphibians.

The scientists also found that 33 per cent of 'cartilaginous' fish - species such as shark, rays and skates whose skeletons are made from cartilage, were in danger, along with 15 per cent of bony fish.

Species at risk comprise the iconic polar bear, panda and Iberian lynx. Others include the Tasmanian devil - which has been deficiently hit by an infectious form of cancer, the Caspian seal and the Asian fishing cat.

British species on the list comprise the European eel whose numbers have plummeted by 99 per cent because of pollution and overfishing, the schelly - one of Britain's rarest freshwater fish which is found in only four lakes in the Lake District, and the aquatic warbler - a yellow brown guest to southern Britain in the late summer.

The report also warned that entire 'lineages' of species such as marine turtles and pandas are on the edge of being lost - with no similar species able to fill the ecological niches or functions they inhabit.

James Bond’s Aston Martin Car sold With gadget For $4 Million

James Bond never could oppose sleek curves and a good-looking rear view, especially when the owner is armed with lethal gadgets and a taste for speed -- like the Aston Martin DB5.

The one-of-a-kind 1964 silver sports car with unique 007 modifications became the quintessential Bond car when Sean Connery got behind the wheel in 60s Bond classics "Goldfinger" and "Thunderball."

Now, the classic has been snapped up at a London sale for $4 million. It was not straight away clear who bought the DB5. Peter Wallman, car expert at RM Auctions, the auction house selling the car, told. "I think, unquestionably, it's the most famous car in the world." He called the sale an once-in-a-lifetime chance.

Other Bond memorabilia up for auction Wednesday incorporated a helicopter piloted by Bond girl Pussy Galore in "Goldfinger" and a 1998 Jaguar XKR with a weapons system, one of eight customized Jaguars driven in the 2002 film "Die Another Day."

But the absolute star of the show is the DB5.

Vettel Becomes The Youngest Formula One World Champion

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel is the new Formula One world champion after winning the title-deciding race in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

The German produced a peerless oblige from pole position to take the checkered flag ahead of the McLaren pair of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, who led the championship standings going into the final race of the season, could only control seventh place to see his title hopes ruined.

The 23-year-old Vettel is the youngest-ever world champion in motorsport's premier class, claiming his fifth win of the year to take the lead in the standings for the first time in a topsy-turvy season.

"I'm a bit speechless. I don't know what you are supposed to say in this time," Vettel told the official post-race press conference.

American Andy Roddick Secures Final Place

American Andy Roddick secured the eighth and final place for the ATP World Tour Finals on Thursday, but world No. 3 Novak Djokovic suffered a setback in his preparations for the season-ending event.

Roddick qualified for the November 21-28 tournament in London after ending Jurgen Melzer's hopes by defeating Ernests Gulbis at the Paris Masters -- and then seeing closest rival Fernando Verdasco lose.

Roddick, seeded eighth for the French event, won 6-3 7-6 (10-8) besides his Latvian opponent, then his place for the finals was secured for an eighth straight year when Verdasco lost an epic third-round tussle with home player Gael Monfils.

The Spanish sixth seed went down 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (7-2) 7-5 to the French No. 12, meaning that his compatriot David Ferrer and Tomas Berdych also secured places in London in spite of losing on Thursday.

Wong Gets Silver Medal With Broken Bones

Hong Kong cyclist Wong Wan-yiu was wedged in an epic pile up during the women's 20 kilometer cycling points race at the Asian Games.

The cyclist was in second place when she touched the wheel of leader Liu Xin and triggered the event. Wong suffered a broken rib and a dislocated arm after being run over by other contestants.

Three of the athletes could not carry on racing, but Wong hopped on a replacement bicycle and finished the remaining 37 laps despite her pain. The heroine got a silver medal.

Wong was determined to finish the race as this was her last chance to gain enough points to succeed for the London Olympics. She said to Apple Daily that "you have to be willing to sacrifice in order to achieve anything; it's all give and take."

World’s Largest Indoor Theme Park Opens Today

Turning an exceptional project from an idea to a reality, and within a short period of time, were the key challenges behind Ferrari World, the Yas Island theme park that opens today, according to those close to the project.

Mohammad Al Mubarak, chief commercial officer at Aldar, the developer after the multi-billion car-themed project, and Will Jones of landscapers Mesa Design Group, which provided the landscaping.

“There have been many architectural firsts in the design and build of the world’s largest indoor theme park,” said Mubarak, counting the challenge of maintaining the same temperature throughout the year. For this, the building was aligned on a key North-South axis of the Yas Marina Circuit to maximise the shading and cut down on 'solar gains', falling cooling requirements."

Maintaining passenger security on what will be the world’s fastest roller coaster – Formula Rossa – was also important, he adds, crediting the company’s work with US ride specialist Jack Rouse Associates.

More Than 1,200 Species Discovered In Amazon

More than 1,200 new species of plants and animals have been revealed in the Amazon rainforest over the past decade according to a new report.

"Amazon Alive! A Decade of Discoveries 1999-2009," published by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), showcases the strange diversity housed in the world's biggest rainforest which spans eight South American countries.

Six-hundred-and-thirty-seven innovative species of plant were found during the period, as well as nearly 500 new fish and amphibians, including 24 new poison dart frogs.

A four-meter long anaconda snake - native to Bolivia and the first of its genus to be recognized since 1936 - was among 55 new reptile species discovered, and a Bolivian river dolphin was one of 39 new species of mammals.

A vibrantly colored bald parrot (Pyrilia aurantiocephala) was one of the highlights of 16 new bird species. The list of new discoveries amounts to more than the mutual total of new species found in Borneo, the Congo Basin and the Eastern Himalayas during the same time period, the report says.

Nearly one fifth of the Amazon rainforest has been cut down in the past 50 years, Leape says. This is mainly due to increased global demand for soya, beef and, more recently, biofuels.

Governments from around the world are presently meeting at the United Nations biodiversity summit in Nagoya, Japan with the aim of setting new targets to stem eco-system loss.

Byrd The First Golfer To Win PGA Tour Title

Jonathan Byrd is coming to terms with being the first golfer to succeed a PGA Tour title with a hole-in-one.

In fading light in Las Vegas, the American aced the par-three 17th with the opening shot of the fourth hole of a three-man playoff to victory at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

It was only his second hole-in-one during a tournament, but he managed the feat at the par-four 15th hole on the same TPC Summerlin course during a practice round previous in his career.

The 32-year-old had survived a big scare at the previous hole, when his ball stopped just short of dipping into the water hazard and he recovered to save par.

Byrd's opponents Martin Laird and Cameron Percy shook his hand after he nailed his six-iron tee shot - then both found water with their attempts to match his achievement into the water to give him the $756,000 winner's prize.

Running Ethiopian Legend Gebrselassie Declares His Retirement

Ethiopian distance running legend Haile Gebrselassie has stunned the world of athletics by announcing his retirement.

The 37-year-old dropped out of Sunday's New York City marathon with a knee wound then told reporters he had run his last race.

"I never believe about to retire. But for the first time, this is the day," he said. "Let me stop and do other work after this."

Gebrselassie, a two-time Olympic 10,000 meters champion, is the world marathon record holder after setting a time of two hours three minutes 59 seconds in Berlin in 2008.

He was the star attraction in New York, but pulled out in apparent pain on the Queensboro Bridge while in the leading group at 16 miles.

"I don't want to criticize anymore after this, which means it's better to stop here," he said.

Gebrselassie, who has set a host of world bests over numerous distances in his storied career, had told his twitter blog that he was stressed with a knee problem, but gave no hint he would quit the sport.

His fellow citizen Gebre Gebremariam triumphed on his marathon debut to win in two hours eight minutes and 14 seconds.

The 2009 cross-country world champion pulled clear of Kenya's Emmanuel Mutai in the final stages. Another Kenyan, Moses Kigen Kipkosgei, was third.

Kenya's Edna Kiplagat claimed her first main marathon title as she took the women's race.

Portugal Beats World Champions Spain

Portugal earned a satisfying 4-0 win over world-champion neighbors Spain on Wednesday night, while France continued to progress under Laurent Blanc with a 2-1 victory away to England in another friendly.

Spain won the last clash involving the two teams in July on the way to winning the World Cup in South Africa, ending Portugal's 19-match unbeaten run.

But Helder Postiga struck twice after Carlos Martins broke the deadlock before substitute Hugo Almeida advanced the match for Portugal, who have put in a joint bid with Spain to host the 2018 World Cup and are celebrating the 100th year of the Portuguese Republic.

Midfielder Martins volleyed the opening goal right on halftime after Cristiano Ronaldo's shot was only blocked by Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

Postiga doubled the lead four minutes after the interval with a intelligent backheel from Joao Moutinho's low right-wing cross, and the Sporting Lisbon striker fired in the third with 22 minutes to play when Spain's guard could not clear.

Almeida then beat the offside trap to assemble Pepe's throughball and beat the onrushing Casillas in the fourth minute of time added on to score his 12th international goal.

It was only Portugal's second win in nine meetings with Spain, who have not won in Lisbon since 1934.

Elena Dementieva Retires After Doha Defeat

Reigning Olympic champion and world number nine Elena Dementieva announced her retirement from tennis after being knocked out of the WTA Championships in Doha.

The Russian exposed her decision to a surprised crowd in Qatar after losing 6-4 6-2 to Italian Francesca Schiavone in the season-ending tournament.

During her 12-year career Dementieva won gold at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, reached number three in the world and lost in two Grand Slam finals -- the French Open and the U.S. Open -- in 2004.

"This year in Doha was very unique for me because it was my last tournament," Dementieva told the crowd.

Dementieva won 16 titles during her time on the women's tour and reached another 16 finals, winning just short of $14 million in prize cash. She broke into the top 20 for the first time in September 2000 and spent 328 weeks inside the top ten.

Her largest achievement came at the Beijing Olympics of 2008 when she beat Serena Williams, Vera Zvonareva and Dinara Safina on her way to the gold medal.