LONDON, England (CNN) -- The organist on the seminal 1960s song "A Whiter Shade of Pale" has won a long-running legal battle for a share in the royalties for the tune. Matthew Fisher, shown here in a 2006 photo, has won a battle over "Whiter Shade of Pale" royalties. Matthew Fisher sued former Procol Harum bandmate Gary Brooker in the House of Lords, Britain's highest court. A lower court had ruled in his favor in 2006, granting him co-writing credits and a share of the royalties. Another court partly overturned the ruling in 2008, giving Fisher co-writing credit but no money. The Court of Appeal said Fisher had waited too long to bring his claim to court. The House of Lords disagreed, said there was no time limit on such claims. Fisher -- whose organ chords open the anthemic song and carry the psychedelic tune through its final swells -- says on his Web site that the song is the most-played ever on the books of Phonographic Performance Ltd. Lord David Neuberger of Abbotsbury said the organist had played a key role in the success of the song. "Fisher's subsequent contribution was significant, and, especially the introductory eight bars, an important factor in the work's success," he wrote in his verdict. The ruling could be worth a lot of money to him. BBC television, for example, pays £43.89 ($72.40) per minute in royalties each time it plays the four-minute song, according to PRS for Music, which collects royalties on behalf of music writers, composers and publishers BBC Radio 2 pays £19.35 ($31.92) per minute. Writers and composers receive royalties until 70 years after their death in the British system.

What is the name of the person who is suing?

For what was Fisher seeking share of royalties

What is the name of the person being sued?

Answer: 2006,

Answer: former Procol Harum bandmate Gary Brooker

Answer: Matthew Fisher,

Answer: a share in the royalties

Answer: 1960s song "A Whiter Shade of Pale"

Answer: "A Whiter Shade of Pale"

Answer: Gary Brooker

Answer: Matthew Fisher

Summary:
Matthew Fisher sued former Procol Harum bandmate Gary Brooker .
Fisher was seeking share of royalties for "A Whiter Shade of Pale"
Lower court had ruled in his favor in 2006, but another partly overturned ruling in 2008 .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The person who leaked British lawmakers' controversial expense claims earlier this year, triggering a national scandal, was motivated by outrage at apparent equipment shortages for British troops, a newspaper said Friday. The mole was angry at apparent equipment shortages for British troops deployed around the world. The mole was one of 20 people employed to process and censor the expenses claims before their scheduled official release in July, according to The Daily Telegraph. The man leaked the claims to the Telegraph, which printed them in a series of front-page articles in May. The articles brought public embarrassment to Parliament and even forced some lawmakers to resign. The 20 employees going through the claims were guarded by British soldiers to ensure nothing was leaked. The soldiers were working there in between tours of duty in order to earn extra money to pay for badly needed military equipment, the Telegraph said. One of the soldiers had taken on the temporary work to earn enough money to buy a lightweight Kevlar protective vest similar to the ones used by U.S. troops, while another soldier was trying to earn money for desert boots, gloves, and sunglasses, the Telegraph said. Hearing the soldiers' stories while at the same time looking through what were revealed as excessive claims made by lawmakers, prompted the mole to take action, the newspaper said. "It's not easy to watch footage on the television news of a coffin draped in a Union Jack and then come in to work the next day and see on your computer screen what (members of Parliament) are taking for themselves," the mole told the Telegraph. "Hearing from the serving soldiers about how they were having to work there to earn enough money to buy themselves decent equipment, while the MPs could find public money to buy themselves all sorts of extravagances, only added to the feeling that the public should know what was going on." Watch report on what prompted outrage » The Telegraph does not name the man who leaked the claims. He tells his story in a book, "No Expenses Spared," released Friday about the scandal written by two Telegraph reporters. Speaking in the book, the mole says he is "bloody glad" he released the information, but is disappointed in the reaction from lawmakers so far. Controversial claims detailed by the newspaper included thousands of dollars' worth of interest on a mortgage that had already been paid, money spent to clean a moat on a country estate, and more than $1,000 spent on a small house on a pond for ducks. More than a dozen members of Parliament caught up in the scandal promised to step down in the next election. It led Prime Minister Gordon Brown to reshuffle his Cabinet and forced the speaker of the House of Commons to resign, the first time that had happened since 1695. Claims for allowances for second homes -- which most lawmakers have because they need to be in London for parliamentary business -- were a big point of controversy. The Telegraph exposed how some lawmakers "flipped" the designation of their main and second homes to avoid taxes or make big allowance claims. Many lawmakers defended their claims as being within the rules. But even where that was the case, the public criticized lawmakers for greed and for taking advantage. The reports forced the government to release the claims in June, a month earlier than planned. But unlike the information revealed by the Telegraph, the officially released documents were redacted, with key details blocked from view. Parliament said the edits were made to protect the security and privacy of lawmakers, their staffs and third parties. The issue of equipment shortages for British troops has been simmering for years. Some relatives of fallen soldiers have blamed their loved ones' deaths on a lack of proper gear in the battlefield. This month, the widow and father-in-law of Sjt. Paul McAleese, killed by a bomb in Afghanistan, said the soldier had voiced concerns about safety conditions at his base in Wishtan. The father-in-law, Stephen Minter, wrote a letter to Brown detailing what he believed to

What did soldiers do to earn extra cash?

How many people were employed to process and censor MP's expenses?

Answer: were working there in between tours of duty

Answer: a lightweight Kevlar protective vest

Answer: 20

Summary:
Mole one of 20 people employed to process and censor MPs' expenses .
Soldiers guarding them did so to earn extra cash between tours of duty .
Mole became angry at MP claims as soldiers saved to buy essential equipment .
Claims included thousands of dollars' worth of interest on mortgages already paid .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The polite hush that descends on the crowd seconds before service is nowhere to be heard when it comes to the issue of equal prize money in women's tennis. Australian Open champion Serena Williams pocketed $1.3 million for the tournament, the same as male winner Rafael Nadal. It may be two years since Wimbledon and the French Open joined the other major tournaments in offering women the same cash prize as men, but for some tennis fans the issue is far from resolved. "Admit it sisters," screamed one recent headline on Australian Web site AdelaideNow, "this is not equal." The author went on: "Political correctness, sexual equality and feminism all prevent many commentators from stating the bleeding obvious ... no sports watcher in their right minds could honestly say female tennis players, or golfers for that matter, deserve as much money as their male counterparts." The writer -- a woman -- went on to lambaste the world's best female tennis players, describing world number one Serena Williams' defeat of Dinara Safina in the Australian Open final as "embarrassing, pitiful and pathetic." "Her humiliation of Dinara Safina was a terrible advertisement for a sport that has apparently disappeared up its own backside." Rather than provoking a tirade of abuse, many readers agreed with the author, outspoken Australian journalist and sports commentator, Rebecca Wilson. "Right on the money. Women's tennis is boring. Typical game. "Ugh. Grunt. Ugh. Grunt. Ugh. Grunt. Out. Love-Fifteen," one said. Another added: "It's about time someone said what everyone was thinking." More chimed in: "Everyone agrees, few will say it" and "totally agree. Women's tennis is pathetic." A couple of dissenters in the crowd urged Wilson to turn her attentions elsewhere: "The usual tripe that Wilson dishes up week after week," and "please go away and let someone with something important to say use your space." What do you think? Do women deserve equal prize money in tennis? Sound Off below. Billie Jean King has heard it all before. The former world number one has spent a good part of the last forty years campaigning for equal prize money, and equal status, for women. The decision by the All England Tennis and Croquet Club in February 2007, and then the French Open one day later, to award equal prize money to women marked the end of a fight that started in 1968, the first year of Open tennis. "When Rod Laver won Wimbledon, he got £2,000. And when I won Wimbledon in the same year, 1968, I got £750," she told CNN in an interview filmed for this month's edition of "Revealed." "I knew then that was going to be one of our next battles that we would have to fight over the years," she added. King hoped to put the matter to rest in 1973 when she took on self-proclaimed male chauvinist Bobby Riggs in now famous match known as "The Battle of the Sexes." Riggs, a former men's number one, claimed the women's game was so poor that even he, as a 55-year-old retiree from the sport, could beat the top female players. King accepted the challenge and thrashed Riggs 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 in front of a television audience of millions. Those who argue for lower pay for women's tennis say they play fewer sets and attract a smaller television audience so they should receive less money. Campaigners for equal pay say that it's not an issue of time on the court, but an matter of fair and equal treatment As current world number six Venus Williams once argued in an open letter published in The Times, "we enjoy huge and equal celebrity and are paid for the value we deliver to broadcasters and spectators, not the amount of time we spend on the stage." What do you think? Should the top female

Serena Williams match against Safina was described as what by journalists

Is the issue of equal prize money controversial?

Which two grand slams introduced equal prise money in tennis in 2007

Which issue continues to ignite debate in tennis

Answer: "embarrassing, pitiful and pathetic."

Answer: for some tennis fans the issue is far from resolved.

Answer: equal prize money in women's tennis.

Answer: February 2007,

Answer: Wimbledon and the French Open

Answer: equal prize money in women's

Answer: Australian Open champion

Summary:
Issue of equal prize money for women's tennis continues to ignite debate .
Journalist describes Serena Williams' defeat of Safina as "pitiful and pathetic"
Wimbledon and the French Open introduced equal prize pots in 2007 .
What do you think? Should female tennis players earn as much as men?


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The renewable energy sector has received a boost with the inauguration of the world's first commercial wave power project off the Portuguese coast. It is hoped that the Pelamis Wave Energy Converters will provide energy for 15,000 homes. Developed by a Scottish engineering company, Pelamis Wave Power Limited, the Pelamis Wave Energy Converters (PWEC) have been towed into position three miles off the coast of Agucadoura in north Portugal. The first phase of the project is using three PWEC to generate 2.25 megawatts of power at a cost of nine million euros. If successful, a second phase will see energy generation rise to 21 megawatts from a further 25 machines providing electricity for 15,000 Portuguese homes. The project is a joint venture between Pelamis Wave Power Limited, Babcock and Brown Ltd -- a global specialist asset manager, Energias de Portugal (EDP) and Portuguese energy group EFACEC. Named after the sea snake Pelamis, each machine measures 140 meters in length, is 3.5 meters wide and sits partially submerged in the sea. Babcock and Brown's Anthony Kennaway explained to CNN how the PWEC work. "Effectively what you have is four long sections making up one machine. Between those sections are three small generating motors," he said. "The four sections are all joined by hydraulic rams. As the waves run through the machine it pushes the rams in and out. The action of the rams going to and fro pushes hydraulic fluid into a high-pressure reservoir. That high-pressure reservoir then releases the fluid at a steady rate through a generating motor." This power is fed down to a cable on the sea bed which then links back to a sub-station on shore where it is converted into useable electricity. The PWEC are, of course, reliant on the weather. Depending on the wave resource, Pelamis predict that the machines will on average produce 25-40 percent of their full power output over the course of a year. When the full array of 25 machines are in place it is calculated that around 60,000 tons of CO2 will be displaced. If wave power was fully exploited, the British Wind Energy Association estimates that one-two billion tons of CO2 could be displaced every year. Ian Fells, emeritus professor of energy conversion at Newcastle University in England, gave this latest development in wave power a cautious welcome. "It's extraordinarily difficult to design a machine that will cope with the extreme violence of waves. Some wave machines are under the surface all the time -- but they are not as well developed as yet. Pelamis lies in the surface and it remains to be seen how successful it will be," he told CNN. "But good luck to them. We'll just have to see how it operates over time and how it copes with serious weather conditions." Professor Fells, a founding chairman of the New and Renewable Energy Center (NaREC) at Blyth, Northumberland, is convinced of the potential of wave power engineering but says it is still in its infancy. "A few years ago when I was talking about a 500-kilowatt Wavegen machine, I was asked by a reporter how many of these we would need to replace the two nuclear power stations in Scotland, and the answer is 10,000. That puts things into perspective."

The first commercial wave power project was inaugurated off what coast?

The semi-submerged machines will initially provide how much power?

World's first commercial wave power project is inaugurated off the coast of which country?

How much power will the machines provide?

How many megawatts with the second phase produce?

Answer: the Portuguese

Answer: 60,000 tons

Answer: energy for 15,000 homes.

Answer: Portuguese

Answer: 2.25 megawatts of

Answer: 21

Summary:
World's first commercial wave power project is inaugurated off the Portuguese coast .
The semi-submerged machines will initially provide 2.25 megawatts of power .
A second phase will produce 21 megawatts and displace 60,000 tons of CO2 .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The sleek, dark wood has all the characteristics of endangered mahogany from Peru's Amazon rainforest. Kebony is targeting decking manufacturers and boat builders as potential clients of its modified sustainable wood. In reality, it was manufactured in Norway, in a five-day process that instills all the qualities of rare, tropical hardwood into sustainable softwood. The company that makes it, Kebony, says it comes with none of the environmental cost. "This is a mega turn, people have to act," Kebony CEO Christian Jebsen told CNN. "We have a green solution for the tropical wood market and we are there to take that market or at least be part of it."  Christian Jebsen talks to CNN » The global market for wood products from tropical forests is estimated to be worth some $20 billion each year, according to the International Tropical Timber Organization. Most of the wood on the world market now comes from Southeast Asia and Africa, according to the Rainforest Foundation Norway. Tighter controls on logging in Brazil have reduced the amount of hardwood being shipped out of the Amazon, once a popular source for the finest quality mahogany, teak and cedar. "Each tree is worth maybe $25,000-$40,000 on the international market. And there are lots of trees being taken out [worldwide] -- so this is a large business, a huge business," said Lars Løvold, director of the Rainforest Foundation Norway. The United Nations estimates some 13 million hectares of forest are lost worldwide each year, equivalent to an area the size of Greece or Nicaragua. Their absence is said to contribute more carbon emissions each year than the global transport sector. Demand for luxury hardwood is by no means the main cause of deforestation. Clearing land for agriculture and the collection of wood for fuel are the main drivers, but Løvold said the lucrative market for hardwood provides a compelling incentive for loggers to move into previously untouched areas. "Almost all deforestation starts with the logging," Løvold told CNN. "The logging doesn't necessarily end up in the total clearance of an area, it just opens up the area, it takes out all the valuable trees and makes it much easier." Kebony's move into the global wood market follows more than a decade of research started in the late 1990s by Canadian scientist Marc Schneider of the University of New Brunswick. Rigorous testing took place before the first trial production in 2004. Strong demand for the product convinced the company to build a new plant with ten times the production capacity, which opened in January. "What we are doing with our technology is to permanently transform the wood so it doesn't change. Our process is 100 percent environmentally friendly," Jebsen told CNN. The process involves injecting softwood with a patented formula which includes Furfuryl alcohol, a waste by-product of sugar cane production. The wood is then subjected to pressure, heated and dried before being cured at high temperatures to create a product that the company says is stronger, more stable than untreated softwood and weather-proof. Kebony's environmental credentials have been endorsed with the receipt of the Nordic region's eco-label, the Swan. It's also received Norway's national environmental prize, the "Glass Bear." On a cost basis, the company says it can compete with the price of authentic teak on the European market. "You can buy a cubic meter of teak in Europe for anything between 3,000 euros ($4,000) up to 10,000 euros ($14,000), depending on the quality. I would say we are competitive with that," Jebsen said. Kebony is "slightly more expensive" when compared to pressure-treated wood, but it doesn't contain any of the potentially harmful metals or pesticides that are commonly used to improve the wood's durability. Jebsen sees some of the company's best opportunities in the boat-building industry, where rare teak from Myanmar is being used at the luxury end of the market. "We believe multiple boat manufacturers will start to use Kebony very soon

Which country developed this?
Which country is the company from?
Which sustainable wood is used?
Where is the product used?
What kind of wood are they using?
Where is the company based?

Answer: Norway,

Answer: Norway,

Answer: Kebony

Answer: the boat-building industry,

Answer: sustainable softwood.

Answer: Norway,

Summary:
Norwegian company has developed eco-friendly way to simulate hardwood .
Kebony uses sustainable wood including maple, pine and beech .
Wood is treated to give it the same look, performance as tropical hardwood .
Product widely used in Norway, now the company is expanding internationally .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The sole survivor of the crash that killed Princess Diana has told a court he still cannot remember the incident but does not support the conspiracy theories surrounding it. Bodyguard Trevor Rees and the back of Princess Diana's head are seen shortly before the car crash. Bodyguard Trevor Rees, formerly known as Trevor Rees-Jones, was the front-seat passenger in the Mercedes that carried Diana, her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed, and their driver, Henri Paul. He sustained serious injuries in the August 31, 1997 crash and testified that he received anonymous phone calls and letters after the accident, threatening him to keep quiet. He said the caller told him to keep quiet, saying, "We know who you are, we know where you are, and we know where you live." Rees said he didn't take the calls or letters seriously. A lawyer also asked Rees about a supposed encounter with a woman in which he told her, "If I remember, they're going to kill me." Rees said he didn't recall the conversation and found it unlikely he ever made the remark. Rees, who still has a visible scar from the accident over his left eye, told the court he remembers nothing new about the crash, which, he has said, was an accident. He has said the last thing he remembers that night was leaving the Ritz Hotel in Paris, and that his next memory is more than a week later, in his hospital bed, when his parents told him everyone else in the car was dead. Rees suffered major injuries to his lower jaw, the base of his brain, and his pulmonary system and has had several surgeries and hospitalizations, some of which al Fayed paid for. Rees also testified that he did not support the allegations by Dodi Fayed's father, Mohamed al Fayed, that British security services were behind the crash. He denied the security services paid him to change his story. At the time of the crash, Rees was working for al Fayed's security team and was assigned to guard Dodi Fayed. He was also protecting the princess because she was Fayed's companion on the trip. He no longer works on al Fayed's security team. Rees has said what was once a good relationship with his former employer has broken down, largely because he does into support al Fayed's conspiracy theories about the crash. "I am not a part of any conspiracy to suppress the truth at all," Rees testified. "All I have ever done is given the truth as I see it." In 2000, Rees published a book, "The Bodyguard's Story: Diana, the Crash, and the Sole Survivor," offering his account of the events surrounding the crash. He said al Fayed tried unsuccessfully to stop the book's publication in England. Rees told CNN he wrote the book to give a definitive account of what he remembered and knew, but also to counter al Fayed's accusations that his unprofessionalism caused the accident. Rees also said proceeds from the book helped pay his legal bills. During the morning session, Rees testified that he had two flashbacks in the months after the crash, but his psychiatrist told him they were false memories. In the first, Rees said, he recalled hearing the voice of a woman -- apparently Diana -- calling out, "Dodi" from the back seat of the car. In the second flashback, Rees said he recalled seeing a paparazzi motorbike next to the car. Lawyer Ian Burnett then read from a letter written by Al Fayed to Lord Stevens, who investigated the crash for the British police. In the letter, Al Fayed says Rees is lying about losing his memory. "He knows the detail which the security services are so eager to suppress," Al Fayed wrote, alluding to his belief that the crash was part of a murder plot. Rees testified that he was not lying about his memory loss: "I have no memory of -- after leaving the back of the hotel, that's

Who died in the accident with princess Diana

After the crash who received threatening calls and letters?

Answer: Princess Diana

Answer: Princess Diana

Answer: her boyfriend,

Answer: her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed, and their driver, Henri Paul.

Answer: Trevor Rees,

Answer: Diana,

Answer: working for al Fayed's security team

Summary:
Dodi Fayed's bodyguard says can't remember crash that killed Princess Diana .
NEW: Trevor Rees received anonymous threatening phone calls, letters after crash .
Princess Diana, boyfriend Dodi Fayed and driver Henri Paul all died in accident .
Rees was a bodyguard employed by Dodi Fayed's father, Mohamed Al Fayed .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The swanky and exclusive super-yacht market is bracing itself for a storm -- off the water. Pondering his boats? Despite a softening of the super-yacht market, Roman Abramovich will likely keep his fleet. The industry has bucked trends of other sectors with massive growth in recent years, but, the current international financial woes mean the uber-rich are poised to leave the plain rich behind as the market tightens. With estimations that hundreds of billions, or even trillions, of dollars will be wiped from the assets of the world's wealthiest businessmen and women, the super-yacht industry is sure to be one market that suffers. Although it is reserved mainly for the wealthy, dire predictions for the super-yacht world should be of concern to many, given that Superyacht UK estimates the industry is worth more than £350 million and provides employment to over 3,500 people. So, could the credit crisis be enough to crunch the industry altogether? Superyacht UK's international development manager Tom Chant told CNN the answer was "no", but it could have an impact at the lower end of the market. Chant said there were some signs that demand was "softening" for smaller super-yachts -- boats in the range of 30 to 40 meters long and usually worth anywhere between £1 million and £5 million. "There has been a softening of demand for smaller super-yachts. These people are usually immune to these sorts of things. But now, maybe it has finally filtered all the way to the top," he said. The softening in this area of the market could also affect re-sale prices, which until now had been very stable, he said. The lower to middle market received a further blow recently when UK super-yacht building company Devonport Yachts, announced its closure. However, at the other end of the scale, things aren't looking so worrisome. Recent figures suggest that the top end of the super-yacht market is holding firm -- at least for now. A Super-yachting Index compiled by The Luxury Institute with yacht broker and charter company Camper & Nicholson's International, found that new orders for yachts over 130 feet are up nearly 20 percent in 2008. • See pictures of the world's top super-yachts These figures continue a longer-term trend within the market. Last year there were 254 new orders for super-yachts over 130-feet, up from 134 orders in 2005. This increase is even more drastic when looking back a decade to 1997. Then, there were just 241 yachts longer than 80 foot being built across the globe. By 2007 this number had soared to 916 vessels. Chant said the credit crisis wasn't an issue for the attendees of the Monaco Yacht Show in September. "At the Monaco show we had the first news of the credit crunch really hitting then. People didn't really raise an eyebrow," he said. And despite the weakening in the lower end of the market, Chant said the 60 meter-plus category was still "very strong", with most of the build slots at major ship-builders still full. So, it seems likely the super wealthy owners such as Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich, Microsoft's Paul Allen, and Oracle's Larry Ellison should be shielded. There's no greater evidence of this than Roman Abramovich's latest project. Reportedly named the Eclipse, the super-yacht is expected to be about 160 meters long and become the biggest on the planet. Although no firm details have been released about the project, rumors have included a £250 million price tag, and the inclusion of two helicopter pads. However, not all super-yacht owners possess the fortune Abramovich does, and those without such giant financial backing may be forced to leave the market. Chant said some owners of smaller vessels may look to share ownership or charter their vessel out more often in order to maintain possession. "Chartering is the big way to make money ...it

Are sales of super-yachts or small yachts doing better?

Who can profit by chartering or sharing vessels?

How much is the super yach industry worth?

What is the value of the super-yacht industry?

In which country are the sales of yachts worth 350 million?

Answer: Recent figures suggest that the top end of the super-yacht market is holding firm

Answer: market is bracing itself for a storm

Answer: more than £350 million

Answer: "Chartering

Answer: super-yacht market,

Answer: owners of smaller

Answer: more than £350 million

Answer: more than £350 million

Answer: UK

Answer: super-yacht

Summary:
The super-yacht industry is believed to be worth £350 million in the UK .
Sales of large super-yachts are steady while the smaller yacht market is softening .
Super-yacht owners can make money by chartering or sharing their vessels .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The view will be one unlike any other. Climbing up through the clouds at a rate faster than the speed of sound, the sky will darken to a deep blue and then to black. Below, entire mountain ranges, coastlines and cities will shift into focus as the horizon bends around the curvature of the Earth - the thin veil of its atmosphere shimmering against a backdrop of stars. An emerging space tourism industry may give thousands of travelers a new view of Earth. And then, of course, there will be the feeling of weightlessness. "It is just life changing," said Col. Richard Searfoss, a retired NASA shuttle commander."To be outside the atmosphere and see the curvature of the Earth and see so much land area at once, it gives you a sense of separateness but connectedness." The view of Earth from outer space is a sight that in the history of mankind only a few hundred people have ever seen. But that could soon change as what was once an almost nonexistent space tourism industry slowly matures into what some analysts predict could be a billion dollar enterprise with thousands of passengers by the end of the next decade. "This is just the beginning of the golden age of space flight," said Peter Diamandis, chairman of the X Prize Foundation, which awarded the $10 million Ansari X Prize in 2004 for the first privately funded human flight to the edge of space."Looking back a thousand years from now, this will be the period of time when the human race irrevocably moved off the planet." Look back roughly ten years, though, and the idea of sending tourists into space seemed more like science fiction than a viable business plan, said John Gedmark, executive director of the Personal Spaceflight Federation, a trade association representing the space travel industry. "No one ever thought this was real at all," said Gedmark."It was just completely unthinkable." But that perception began to change in 2001 when American multimillionaire Dennis Tito became the world's first so-called space tourist, traveling aboard a Russian Soyuz capsule to the International Space Station for a price of around $20 million. Four more tourists have since made the trip. Another major milestone for the industry has been a growing interest and investment from entrepreneurs like Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who financed the development of SpaceShipOne, winner of the Ansari X Prize, and British billionaire Richard Branson, founder of the space tourism company, Virgin Galactic. "Since then the activity has been more evenly spread and steadier and more consistent and more determined," said Gedmark. "Now you have a number of companies working on multiple fronts to get people into space." There are now at least a dozen space tourism endeavors worldwide, offering experiences that range from a flight to the fringe of space to astronaut training on a tropical island. While the companies make up a varied landscape of technological know-how, financial wherewithal and enterprising ideas, they all share one common goal: The desire to conquer what is widely considered to be the final frontier of mankind -- the universe. "The human species is about evolution and is about moving forward," said Eric Anderson, president of Space Adventures Ltd., the Virginia-based company responsible for arranging civilian trips to the space station on the Soyuz. "Space is filled with infinite resources that can make our lives better." This October, Richard Garriott, a computer-game developer and son of former NASA astronaut Owen Garriott, is scheduled to become Space Adventures' sixth client to leave the planet followed by a seventh yet-to-be identified passenger next April. Space Adventures is also planning to build commercial spaceports near Dubai and in Singapore. But Anderson said the next big step involves something slightly further afield - a trip to the Moon. With a price tag of $100 million per seat, two tourists and a pilot would spend around two weeks board a modified Russian spacecraft with the chance to see an Earth rise from lunar orbit and cruise around the far side of the Moon. The excursion will launch

who projected to be billion dollar industry?

how many space ventures operating worldwide?

What will space tourism be in the future?

Answer: $100 million per seat,

Answer: space

Answer: thousands of

Answer: space tourism industry

Answer: at least a dozen

Answer: a billion dollar enterprise with thousands of passengers by the end of the next decade.

Summary:
Space tourism projected to be billion dollar industry by end of next decade .
More than a dozen commercial space ventures operating worldwide .
European aerospace company EADS projects 15,000 space travelers by 2021 .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The way professional golf is played may have changed for good after the U.S. PGA Tour decided to go along with a new rule that amounts to a rollback of golf technology, a move that world number one Tiger Woods has endorsed. Tiger Woods supports a rule change that will make it harder to play out of the rough. The rule, implemented by the U.S. Golf Association (USGA) and Royal and Ancient Golf Club (RA), means that from the start of 2010 the U-shaped grooves on wedges will be banned in favor of V-shaped grooves, with the intention of rewarding accurate driving over distance hitting. Research by the USGA has shown that U-shaped grooves allow top players to generate much more spin when playing the ball out of the rough, making the ball come to a quick stop on the green. The USGA and RA felt this meant that landing in the rough was no longer enough of a penalty for shots that strayed from the fairway. In recent years pro golfers have begun to drive for distance rather than accuracy, knowing they can spin their way out of the rough if they miss their target -- a style of play known as "bomb and gouge." Despite pressure from some players and golf equipment manufacturers, the U.S. PGA Tour has decided to go along with the rule change, meaning U.S. PGA Tour competitions, including the U.S. Open, will feature the club restriction from next year. Amateur competitions will not ditch the U-shaped grooves until 2014 and the new rule will not apply to recreational players until 2024. Gareth Taylor, Product Manager at leading golf club manufacturer Callaway, told CNN he believes the change will reward more skilful players. "At the moment players are getting a lot of spin on the ball so I think it will make people play better," he said. "They'll have to get their technique finely tuned and not rely on the club." He says club makers have been given ample notice to prepare for the switch. "I don't think the change is a regression, it just means research and development will have to come up with better ideas to help the players out." Taylor explained that as a golfer strikes the ball the grooves on the club face catch the coating on the ball's surface, producing back spin. He said that the rule change applies to five irons and up and requires the grooves on the club face to be more spaced out, which will make it harder for the grooves to catch the ball. Tiger Woods has supported the changes, saying: "I think it's great. We've had plenty of time to make our adjustments. All the companies have been testing and getting ready for this." To compensate for the loss of spin from the rough, tour players may use softer balls, which spin more but do not travel as far. That could favor players who already use the softer ball -- including Tiger Woods.

what making it harder to play from the rough?

what The rule should reward accuracy by making it harder to play?

what The PGA Tour has agreed to a rule that will ban U-groove?

Answer: a rule change

Answer: accurate driving over distance hitting.

Answer: out of the rough.

Answer: change that will make it harder to play out of the rough.

Answer: from the start of 2010 the U-shaped grooves on wedges

Summary:
The PGA Tour has agreed to a rule that will ban U-groove clubs for tour players .
The rule should reward accuracy by making it harder to play from the rough .
Golf club designers are researching new technologies to replace the u-groove .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The wife of an Iranian pro-reformist activist detained as he tried to leave the country last week says she is "deeply concerned" for his safety. Fatemah Shams and Mohammadreza Jalaeipour are students together at the University of Oxford. Fatemeh Shams told CNN she hadn't heard from her husband Mohammadreza Jalaeipour since she watched him being escorted away after he was prevented from boarding a flight to Dubai on June 17. Both are students at the University of Oxford and had been returning to the UK from Iran after attending a family wedding, just as demonstrations escalated following presidential elections earlier this month which have plunged Iran into political chaos. Shams said she and her 27-year-old husband -- both activists for the pro-reformist Third Wave campaign -- planned to leave Iran on June 17. At first, everything appeared fine with Jalaeipour having his passport stamped as he passed through immigration. But he was then approached by a plain clothes official who told him to turn off his cellphone before ordering Jalaeipour to follow him. "We didn't get a chance to talk to each other -- I was watching what was happening and that was the last time I saw him," said Shams, 26, who flew to the UK via Doha in Qatar.  Watch Shams speak about her husband's detention » Shams said she hadn't heard directly from her husband since his arrest but believed he was being held in prison. "It's a very difficult mental situation for me to understand what is going on and I am deeply concerned about his health and safety," she told CNN. Both Jalaeipour and Shams were members of the organizing committee of the Third Wave campaign, a reformist youth movement formed last year to back former president Mohammad Khatami's candidacy in this year's election. Following Khatami's withdrawal from contention, the Third Wave threw its support behind Mir Hossein Moussavi, who has disputed President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election, claiming that voting was rigged. In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal Jalaeipour said he had advised Moussavi on using social-networking Web sites, such as Facebook, to reach young voters. "Third Wave was a totally legal campaign with reformist tendencies that was trying to get young people involved in the elections," said Shams. "We believed we should take part to make our country better and to have a better future. We were encouraging young people to not be indifferent about their country." Shams said she thinks he may have been detained because of his political activities. "Most of the activists who have been supporting the reformist candidate, all of them are in prison now. Why should the young people who want to do something for the sake of their country and their people, why are they in prison now?" Shams said she planned to return to Iran herself if there was no change in her husband's situation in the next week or so. But she but admitted her own safety could not be guaranteed if she went back. Following more than a week of daily demonstrations in Tehran, Iranian security forces have been cracking down on protests and arresting activists including Ebrahim Yazdi, a former deputy prime minister who headed a group supporting increased freedom and democracy. Yazdi, who is 76 and has suffered prostate cancer, was later released. Moussavi and former president Khatami have sent a letter to Iran's courts urging them to release arrested activists and protesters.

Is Jalaeipour's wife concerned for his safety?

What is the name of the activist detained?

When did Jalaeipour's wife last hear from him?

Which organisation are the couple involved with?

What nationality was the activist who was detained at the airport?

Answer: she is "deeply concerned"

Answer: the pro-reformist Third Wave campaign

Answer: Mohammadreza Jalaeipour

Answer: June 17.

Answer: pro-reformist Third Wave campaign

Answer: Iranian

Summary:
Iranian activist detained at airport as he tried to leave country .
Wife says she is deeply concerned for Mohammadreza Jalaeipour's safety .
Fatemeh Shams says she hasn't heard from Jalaeipour since his arrest .
Couple are both activists for pro-Moussavi Third Wave campaign .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The world has lost almost one-fifth of its coral reefs according a new report released by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Coral reefs could be wiped out in 30-40 years according to a new report. Compiled by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, the report has brought together the work of researchers from 15 countries with data stretching back 20 years. It's not just climate change -- which raises ocean temperatures and increases seawater acidification -- which is damaging reefs. In some parts of the world overfishing, pollution and invasive species are proving equally harmful. Scientists are warning that reef destruction will have alarming consequences for around 500 million people who rely on coral reefs for their livelihood. Left unchecked, remaining reefs could be completely wiped out by 2050, the report says. Professor Olof Linden from the World Maritime University in Malmo, Sweden, told CNN: "We see a great and imminent threat of more reefs being lost." Speaking from the U.N. Climate Conference in Poznan, Poland, Professor Linden said that the 19 percent figure is an average. "For many developing countries like Sri Lanka and countries in East Africa the percentage of damage is much worse. Sometimes three times as high in some places," he said. "In these areas we have local effects like dynamite fishing and other destructive fishing techniques combined the threat of coral mining, unmanaged tourism and all kinds of pollution from agriculture." But overall the biggest threat to reef survival is climate change. "The most destructive climate event to impact the coral reefs so far," said Linden, "was the 1998 El Nino which caused major coral bleaching and disrupted ecosystems all over the planet." iReport.com: What little things are you doing to save the planet? Scientists say reefs have recovered somewhat from those bleaching events. But the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, coupled with coral disease and human effects, have slowed their recuperation. Coral reefs not only provide an income and food for those who live near them, but are also effective natural barriers against storm surges. Despite the report's pessimism, researchers see some encouraging signs. Forty-five percent of the world's reefs are currently in good health and the hope remains that damaged reefs can recover and adjust to the changing conditions. "We must focus on helping corals to adapt to climate change and on diverting people away from destructive practices such as overfishing," Linden said.

What percentage of coral reefs have been lost?

Answer: its coral reefs

Answer: one-fifth

Answer: one-fifth

Summary:
The world has lost almost one fifth of its coral reefs, according a new report .
Climate change, overfishing and coral mining all are contributing to destruction .
In some parts of Indian Ocean up to 60 percent of reef life has died .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The world's largest, fastest fully solar-powered boat is being built in preparation for a round-the-world challenge. 'Planet Solar' would be the world's fastest fully solar-powered boat and is projected to cross the Atlantic in two weeks. The futuristic-looking "Planet Solar," which is 100 percent powered by sunlight, is the brainchild of Swiss engineer Raphael Domjan, a former paramedic with a passion for innovative design and renewable energies. The 30-meter vessel is currently being built in Kiel, Germany, and will be finished early next year. If all goes according to plan, the boat will begin sailing summer 2010 -- first in European waters and then around the world. The boat can travel at up to 14 knots (26k/m) and would be the first solar-powered boat to travel at such high speeds. It is projected to be able to cross the Atlantic in just two weeks. Domjan hopes his ambitious, $11.5 million (€8 million) project will prove that boats can travel at high speeds without emitting any carbon dioxide. "[I] want to show that we can change, that solutions exist and that it's not too late," Domjan writes on his Web site. "Using technology and our knowledge to better promote renewable energies is the way towards a lasting world." Planet Solar will be covered in 470 square meters of solar panels -- the equivalent of two tennis courts. This means it will have particularly high energy absorption.  See more images of the solar-powered boat » Twenty-three percent of absorbed sunlight will be converted into energy that the boat can run on, compared with 17 percent for average panels, according to Planet Solar's project manager, Danny Faigaux of Grand Chelem Management. "The first man sailed around the world 500 years ago and Raphael thought it was about time we did it in a different way," Faigaux told CNN. But relying purely on solar energy may prove difficult in areas of the world where bad weather prevents sunlight from penetrating the clouds. Batteries on Planet Solar will be able to store enough energy gathered from the sun to allow the boat to sail in poor conditions for three days, said Faigaux. If cloudy weather persists for more than three days, the vessel will run into real difficulties. To avoid this eventuality, the team has partnered with the French meteorological institute, "Meteo France." The institute will update Planet Solar's skippers on which routes to avoid. Famous French sailor Gerard D'Abouville will skipper the boat alongside Domjan. D'Abouville is the first man to have rowed across both the Atlantic and the Pacific and has long been involved with sustainable development. In April 2011 after a short tour of Europe, Planet Solar will embark on a round-the-world tour, stopping in dozens of cities along the way. Wherever the boat goes, Domjan hopes to teach people about alternative ways of consuming energy. At each port-of-call he plans to set up a portable "educational village" made from inflatable material. Up to 500 people at any one time will be will be able to visit the village's three inflatable "spheres" to learn more about Planet Solar, ecology and economy. "This situation is also an opportunity," said Domjan. "The dilution of our resources and fossil fuels and climate change forces us to rethink our societies."

What is time the boat can travel to cross the Atlantic?

Answer: 470 square meters

Answer: a round-the-world challenge.

Answer: two weeks.

Answer: Swiss engineer Raphael Domjan,

Answer: 14 knots (26k/m)

Answer: 14 knots (26k/m)

Answer: 'Planet Solar'

Summary:
World's largest, fastest fully solar-powered boat is attempting round-the-world tour .
"Planet Solar" has 470 square meters of panels -- equivalent to two tennis courts .
Vessel can travel at up to 26 k/h and is projected to cross Atlantic in two weeks .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The worst snowstorm to hit Britain in 18 years forced the cancellation of more than 650 flights at London's Heathrow airport Monday and shut down the city's bus network, partially paralyzing the British capital.

A group of men push a giant snowball across Kensington Gardens, west London Monday.

Heathrow, one of the busiest transport hubs in the world, closed both its runways for more than two hours Monday morning and operated with just one for the rest of the morning, according to BAA, the company which runs it.

London City airport is also closed, while the British capital's other two airports, Stansted and Gatwick, were operating with severe delays, BAA said.

British Airways canceled all flights out of Heathrow until 5 p.m. except for Edinburgh and Lisbon routes. Send your iReport videos, stories

One of the city's largest cab companies was in such high demand it stopped taking cash and credit card bookings, serving only customers with accounts, it said.

Dial-a-Cab, which has a fleet of over 2,500 vehicles, served mainly blue-chip companies trying to get employees into work, said Keith Cain a Control Room manager for the company. Customers waited up to an hour and a half for a cab early in the morning, he said.    See gallery of UK under snow »

Jochen Jaeger, 36, found himself stranded at Heathrow, unable to fly home to Zurich or to get back into the apartment he rented in London.

"I will stay here at the airport," he told CNN. "There is no other option. I may have to spend the night here."

American businessman Ken Plunkett, 60, from St. Paul, Minnesota, was trying to fly out from Heathrow Airport but found himself caught in the weather chaos. "I know England does not have the infrastructure to remove snow like we do in Minnesota," he said. Watch passenger stranded by snow »

Jenny Leslie, a shop worker at Heathrow's Terminal 2, said it was so quiet at the airport "you can hear a pin drop."

Southampton Airport, southwest of London, was also closed for several hours Monday morning, but re-opened by 1200 GMT.

But many people in the city were delighted by the unusual weather.

"Londoners of all ages are childishly happy to be making snowmen and having snowball fights. Bankers of all ages are throwing snowballs in the middle of the residential streets," Monica Majumdar told CNN in an iReport.

She lived in New York before moving to London four years ago, and was surprised by how little snow it took to bring the British capital to a standstill.

"I have seen snow like this. But somehow, it's more beautiful here. It's partly due to the fact that even Londoners are amazed by the snow -- so there is a general air of surrealism," she said via e-mail. " I do feel like I'm in a Christmas snowglobe, with all the iconic London monuments blanketed by the powdered snow."

London's famous red buses were pulled off the roads on Sunday night as the snow got deeper.

It was the first time "in living memory" that all city bus service had been suspended, including when London was being bombed during World War II, a spokesman for the city's transit agency, Transport for London, said.

"Bus services were suspended throughout London last night on the grounds of passenger safety due to the unsafe road conditions resulting in a large number of traffic incidents across London," the agency said in a statement Monday morning.  Watch London grind to a halt »

About six million people ride London buses each day, said the spokesman, who asked not to be named.

Some bus service had been restored by lunchtime on Monday.

London Mayor Boris Johnson suspended the £8 ($11.30) daily congestion charge drivers normally pay to enter central London, the city transport authority said. Some bus service had been restored by lunchtime on Monday.

The city's subway

Which major airports were badly affected by the weather?

Answer: Heathrow

Answer: London's Heathrow

Summary:
UK business spokesman: Disruptions would likely cost $1.7 billion .
Meteorologists said snow is worst in southeastern England in 18 years .
Major international airports including Heathrow, Gatwick badly affected .
UK weather service issues severe weather warnings for Monday, Tuesday .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The worst snowstorm to hit Britain in 18 years forced the cancellation of more than 650 flights at London's Heathrow airport Monday and shut down the city's bus network, partially paralyzing the British capital. A group of men push a giant snowball across Kensington Gardens, west London Monday. Heathrow, one of the busiest transport hubs in the world, closed both its runways for more than two hours Monday morning and operated with just one for the rest of the morning, according to BAA, the company which runs it. London City airport is also closed, while the British capital's other two airports, Stansted and Gatwick, were operating with severe delays, BAA said. British Airways canceled all flights out of Heathrow until 5 p.m. except for Edinburgh and Lisbon routes. Send your iReport videos, stories One of the city's largest cab companies was in such high demand it stopped taking cash and credit card bookings, serving only customers with accounts, it said. Dial-a-Cab, which has a fleet of over 2,500 vehicles, served mainly blue-chip companies trying to get employees into work, said Keith Cain a Control Room manager for the company. Customers waited up to an hour and a half for a cab early in the morning, he said.    See gallery of UK under snow » Jochen Jaeger, 36, found himself stranded at Heathrow, unable to fly home to Zurich or to get back into the apartment he rented in London. "I will stay here at the airport," he told CNN. "There is no other option. I may have to spend the night here." American businessman Ken Plunkett, 60, from St. Paul, Minnesota, was trying to fly out from Heathrow Airport but found himself caught in the weather chaos. "I know England does not have the infrastructure to remove snow like we do in Minnesota," he said. Watch passenger stranded by snow » Jenny Leslie, a shop worker at Heathrow's Terminal 2, said it was so quiet at the airport "you can hear a pin drop." Southampton Airport, southwest of London, was also closed for several hours Monday morning, but re-opened by 1200 GMT. But many people in the city were delighted by the unusual weather. "Londoners of all ages are childishly happy to be making snowmen and having snowball fights. Bankers of all ages are throwing snowballs in the middle of the residential streets," Monica Majumdar told CNN in an iReport. She lived in New York before moving to London four years ago, and was surprised by how little snow it took to bring the British capital to a standstill. "I have seen snow like this. But somehow, it's more beautiful here. It's partly due to the fact that even Londoners are amazed by the snow -- so there is a general air of surrealism," she said via e-mail. " I do feel like I'm in a Christmas snowglobe, with all the iconic London monuments blanketed by the powdered snow." London's famous red buses were pulled off the roads on Sunday night as the snow got deeper. It was the first time "in living memory" that all city bus service had been suspended, including when London was being bombed during World War II, a spokesman for the city's transit agency, Transport for London, said. "Bus services were suspended throughout London last night on the grounds of passenger safety due to the unsafe road conditions resulting in a large number of traffic incidents across London," the agency said in a statement Monday morning.  Watch London grind to a halt » About six million people ride London buses each day, said the spokesman, who asked not to be named. Some bus service had been restored by lunchtime on Monday. London Mayor Boris Johnson suspended the £8 ($11.30) daily congestion charge drivers normally pay to enter central London, the city transport authority said. Some bus service had been restored by lunchtime on Monday. The city's subway

Which international airports were badly affected?

Who said that the snow was worst in southeastern England in 18 years?

What was one of the airports affected by the snow?

What kind of weather was England experiencing?

Answer: London's Heathrow

Answer: (CNN)

Answer: London's Heathrow

Answer: London's Heathrow

Answer: snowstorm

Answer: snowstorm

Answer: London

Summary:
UK business spokesman: Disruptions would likely cost $1.7 billion .
Meteorologists said snow is worst in southeastern England in 18 years .
Major international airports including Heathrow, Gatwick badly affected .
UK weather service issues severe weather warnings for Monday, Tuesday .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- There are few things in the world shrouded with as much secrecy as the super-yacht industry. Maritime mysteries: the design and building processes for super-yachts are tightly guarded secrets. The boats are built and kept in exclusive locations, they're owned by the notoriously inaccessible super-wealthy, and for most of us the closest we'll get to them is in the pages of glossy magazines. In a bid to gain a stronger insight into the super-yacht world I've organised an interview with Dr William Collier, the owner of Liverpool's G.L. Watson & Co - the oldest yacht design company in the world. The company formed in 1873 and in its time has produced four America's Cup yachts and more presidential and royal yachts than any other yacht designer. It seems the logical business to profile. But, there's a catch. In this industry 'loose lips' really do 'sink ships'... or at least destroy business, anyway. Collier can't tell me anything about the projects the company is working on, the people he's working for, or how much these ocean-going beasts cost to produce. "We enter into very strict confidentiality agreements with our clients. We find it frustrating at times because we would like to approach people about doing a project because we have done a similar project - but we can't mention it. "These guys can get into the press whenever they want. Unfortunately in the United Kingdom due to the nature of the press they have nothing to gain from having their personal property displayed for all to see," Collier told CNN. And when most of G.L. Watson & Co's business comes from client referrals, the company is wise not to jeopardize confidentiality agreements. Collier confirmed the company would have less than 100 clients on its books and it tries to manage several projects on differing scales at the one time. He said a usual workload was to have one 200-feet plus project, one around 100-150 feet and a few smaller projects on the go simultaneously. The 'smaller' vessels Collier refers to are often in the range of 60-80 feet long. Just tiny. Though Collier declines to comment on the net worth of his clients, I infer from the discussion that most of them are multi-millionaires, if not billionaires. This is certainly not a place for someone with shallow pockets. He said the current 'credit crunch' hitting many consumers was unlikely to have too much impact on his business. "They would be generally insulated from that. Budget is always an issue for people but that is more because people don't like change. A lot of what we do is to protect the client's interests - to make sure they don't pay too much," he said. Collier said the company had two major strands: design and owner representation. While the first aspect is self-explanatory, the second involves the full management of entire building or restoration projects from the owner's point of view. The full process of building or restoring a boat usually took between three to five years and became quite an intimate affair, he said. "We have a very close relationship with the clients. Inevitably because we are designing someone's ideal home we are finding out a lot about them and what they like and don't like. You get to know them very well." However, it's not all fairytales. The privileged position his job places him in also has its downfalls. "Anyone who says these things go smoothly is lying," he laughed. Collier said although he had not experienced any disappointed clients, he had heard of cases where multi-million dollar vessels had not been to the satisfaction of the buyer. After buying the company in 2001 at a time when he had been personally working towards restoring a G.L. Watson & Co original, Collier -- a passionate sailor himself, said the market was changing. The company worked on both sailing and motor-powered yachts, and he

Who is the oldest yacht design company in the world?

How long do yachts typically take to complete?

What is the oldest yach design company in the world?

Answer: three

Answer: 1873

Answer: G.L. Watson & Co

Answer: five years

Answer: G.L. Watson & Co

Summary:
G.L. Watson & Co. is the oldest yacht design company in the world .
The company is bound to tight confidentiality agreements about its projects .
The restoration of 1930s vessel 'Nahlin' will be the biggest of its kind .
Most yachts take three-to-five years to complete .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- There are some circuits that are cornerstones of the Formula 1 calendar: the Monacos and Silverstones whose every twist and turn are known intimately by the drivers and engineers. Then there are the newer circuits -- Malaysia and Bahrain, for instance -- but even these have become familiar to the drivers and their backroom boffins.

Fuji Speedway employees pose behind a scale model of the new circuit and in front of an overhead view.

Next week they have something completely new to contend with: a track that has yet to see a single F1 team put in a single lap. The Japan Grand Prix is to return to the Fuji Speedway, a circuit that hasn't seen an F1 race since 1977 (though now with a substantially different track layout).

The Fuji circuit will be familiar to fans of classic arcade games. The old Fuji Speedway was the setting for the 1982 arcade game Pole Position (released by Namco in Japan and Atari in the rest of the world). The most notable aspect of the circuit is the vision of Mount Fuji, Japan's tallest mountain, looming in the distance. Though the move to this picturesque location is not without its controversies.

The Suzuka track -- which had held Japanese Grands Prix between 1987 and 2006 -- had been popular with drivers and fans alike, but for this year and the next the Japanese Grand Prix will be held at Fuji.

However an announcement by Formula One Management (FOM) this month revealed that Suzuka will return to the calendar for 2009 -- on the condition that the circuit makes some approved modifications -- with the location of the Japanese Grand Prix alternating yearly between Fuji and Suzuka after that.

Behind the scenes is a political battleground -- both circuits are owned by car manufacturers with F1 connections -- Honda owns Suzuka, Toyota owns Fuji. Toyota is a relative newcomer to F1 but, having this year surpassed General Motors as the world's number one automobile manufacturer, and reputedly having the best funded team in the paddock (a position that hasn't been reflected in sporting success), it is not without clout.

The redesign of the Fuji track was carried out by Hermann Tilke in 2003. Tilke, a German architect redesigned a number of F1 circuits in the 1990s and has since designed many new grand prix tracks including Malaysia, Istanbul, Bahrain and Shanghai, and the tracks for 2008's debut grands prix in Singapore and Valencia.

So how do F1 teams prepare for a new circuit such as Fuji without data from previous races to fall back on? The answer lies with computer simulation.

Computer-aided design (CAD) is as much a part of the design of a circuit these days as it is a part of the design of the high-tech cars. Every bend, every straight and every camber is fastidiously analyzed on screen before an ounce of dirt is shifted on the ground itself.

Despite never having raced on the circuit, the teams have been testing their cars on a virtual Fuji Speedway for some time. BMW Sauber's simulation experts received CAD data from the Japanese race organizers late last year. And when their cars arrive at Fuji for testing next week, their race set-up should be close to optimum.

The circuit was analyzed and broken up into between 500 and 800 segments. The radius of each individual segment was measured, allowing the engineers to exactly calculate the optimum racing line (the route around the circuit that covers the shortest possible distance).

Then the effects of factors such as gradients and inclines were calculated. The slightest change in angle of a gradient can have significant effects on the downforce and aerodynamic profile of a car.

"In order to avoid losing precious time during the race weekend, we need to have as accurate as possible a picture of downforce levels, gearbox ratios and brake specification in advance," says Willy Rampf, Technical Director of the BMW Sauber F1 Team.

Dieter Glass, Chief Race and Test Engineer with Toyota F1 explains:

"You start to determine what downforce level gives the best lap time on the new circuit. Once you know that, you look into

What way are teams being prepared for familar circuit

when did fuji speedway host the first japanese grand prix

Which other circuit will alternate with Fuji?

When was the last time Fuji Speedway hosted the Japanese Grand Prix?

When is first Japanese Grand Prix hosted?

What is used  to prepare teams for the unfamiliar circuit?

Where will the first Japanese Grand Prix since 1977 be hosted?

Answer: computer simulation.

Answer: the Fuji track

Answer: 1977

Answer: Suzuka

Answer: 1977

Answer: 2009

Answer: Suzuka

Answer: computer simulation.

Answer: computer simulation.

Answer: Fuji Speedway,

Summary:
Re-designed Fuji Speedway to host its first Japanese Grand Prix since 1977 .
Suzuka to alternate with Fuji from 2009 .
Computer models used to prepare teams for the unfamiliar circuit .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- They are domestic relics of a bygone era when space travel was new and exciting and the world was buzzing with optimism about what could be.

This Coney Island playground climbing frame is one of the larger items clogging the Kleeman family's barn.

NASA's Apollo 11 moon landing 40 years ago reinvigorated demand for space-inspired mementoes that was stirring well before the start of the Space Age in the 1950s.

Shops offered everything from rocket-shaped lamps, to skateboards, biscuit tins and toys emblazoned with stars and futuristic astronauts.

Such was the excitement surrounding the momentous moon landing in 1969 that some were moved to create their own memorabilia in needlepoint and tin.  See memorabilia of 1969 moon landing »

Many early examples of space-inspired design, both professional and homemade, can now be found in a 100ft hay barn at the Kleeman family home in the U.S. state of Connecticut.

They're not on display -- yet -- but the family hopes to soon show the world what they call the "Space Age Museum," a collection of as many as 10,000 pieces inspired by humanity's adventures in space.

"Everything started with a toy ray gun Peter and I bought at a flea market in Brimfield, Massachusetts 20 years ago for $10," John Kleeman said.

"We have never lost the excitement of that first find and since then we have continued our quest for cultural artifacts which tell the back story of the Space Age -- how ordinary folk like us experienced the magic, adventure and meaning of human space exploration."

Weekend trips to markets and auctions became more frequent and over time the collection grew to include more cumbersome items including a 40-foot promotional trailer based on the design of "Terra IV," a battle cruiser in the 1950s U.S. television series, "Space Patrol."

"They had a movie theatre inside so 40 people could sit inside it and watch a rocket launch," John's son Peter explained. "We had to adjust the doors to the barn to fit it, but it's in our barn now."

As the barn became more crowded, references to their "collection" morphed into "the museum" and their father-son hobby transformed into a potential business.

"It was kind of a 'some day' kind of thing," Peter said. "My dad had a day job as an attorney and I was in college and we said some day we'll create a museum so people can visit."

"Then three or four years ago I was at a point where I'd been working in the outdoors leading trips for youth at risk and thinking, "Do I want to do this forever? How am I going to fit this space museum into the picture some day?' I realized that I'd like to do it now."

Since then, they've been carefully peeling back layers of packaging and photographing their second-hand treasures for a digital catalogue.

"My mum is surprisingly and wonderfully supportive of all this," Peter said. "Because it's a family business she always gets consulted, especially on large acquisitions. I think there have been some vetoes but there's nothing that she's vetoed that we wish that we'd gotten."

Now 29, Peter Kleeman travels back and forth from his parents' house and his new home in New York to build the business.

"For now we'd like to contract out our exhibits to other museums and then if funding and the right sponsorship came in we'd be open to doing a permanent location so people could visit," he said.

For Peter, the Space Age Museum is not simply about nostalgia; it's an important reminder of the enthusiasm that once gripped the world about future frontiers that has slowly deflated with time.

"One of the questions I ask myself is, 'what would it take to turn that around and for us to have a more creative and adventurous optimism for the future, and get that pioneering spirit back in our culture?'"

A mission

what space inspired items have they collected

Answer: 10,000 pieces inspired by humanity's adventures in space.

Answer: 10,000 pieces inspired by humanity's adventures in space.

Answer: "Everything started with a toy ray gun Peter and I bought at a flea market in Brimfield, Massachusetts 20 years ago for $10,"

Answer: rocket-shaped lamps, to skateboards, biscuit tins and toys emblazoned with stars and futuristic astronauts.

Summary:
For more than 20 years the Kleeman family has collected space-inspired items .
Collection includes rocket-shaped lamps, old space toys, climbing frames .
Family preparing to launch the "Space Age Museum" to display exhibits .
Kleeman: "Knowing our place in the solar system helps give us perspective"


LONDON, England (CNN) -- They are domestic relics of a bygone era when space travel was new and exciting and the world was buzzing with optimism about what could be. This Coney Island playground climbing frame is one of the larger items clogging the Kleeman family's barn. NASA's Apollo 11 moon landing 40 years ago reinvigorated demand for space-inspired mementoes that was stirring well before the start of the Space Age in the 1950s. Shops offered everything from rocket-shaped lamps, to skateboards, biscuit tins and toys emblazoned with stars and futuristic astronauts. Such was the excitement surrounding the momentous moon landing in 1969 that some were moved to create their own memorabilia in needlepoint and tin.  See memorabilia of 1969 moon landing » Many early examples of space-inspired design, both professional and homemade, can now be found in a 100ft hay barn at the Kleeman family home in the U.S. state of Connecticut. They're not on display -- yet -- but the family hopes to soon show the world what they call the "Space Age Museum," a collection of as many as 10,000 pieces inspired by humanity's adventures in space. "Everything started with a toy ray gun Peter and I bought at a flea market in Brimfield, Massachusetts 20 years ago for $10," John Kleeman said. "We have never lost the excitement of that first find and since then we have continued our quest for cultural artifacts which tell the back story of the Space Age -- how ordinary folk like us experienced the magic, adventure and meaning of human space exploration." Weekend trips to markets and auctions became more frequent and over time the collection grew to include more cumbersome items including a 40-foot promotional trailer based on the design of "Terra IV," a battle cruiser in the 1950s U.S. television series, "Space Patrol." "They had a movie theatre inside so 40 people could sit inside it and watch a rocket launch," John's son Peter explained. "We had to adjust the doors to the barn to fit it, but it's in our barn now." As the barn became more crowded, references to their "collection" morphed into "the museum" and their father-son hobby transformed into a potential business. "It was kind of a 'some day' kind of thing," Peter said. "My dad had a day job as an attorney and I was in college and we said some day we'll create a museum so people can visit." "Then three or four years ago I was at a point where I'd been working in the outdoors leading trips for youth at risk and thinking, "Do I want to do this forever? How am I going to fit this space museum into the picture some day?' I realized that I'd like to do it now." Since then, they've been carefully peeling back layers of packaging and photographing their second-hand treasures for a digital catalogue. "My mum is surprisingly and wonderfully supportive of all this," Peter said. "Because it's a family business she always gets consulted, especially on large acquisitions. I think there have been some vetoes but there's nothing that she's vetoed that we wish that we'd gotten." Now 29, Peter Kleeman travels back and forth from his parents' house and his new home in New York to build the business. "For now we'd like to contract out our exhibits to other museums and then if funding and the right sponsorship came in we'd be open to doing a permanent location so people could visit," he said. For Peter, the Space Age Museum is not simply about nostalgia; it's an important reminder of the enthusiasm that once gripped the world about future frontiers that has slowly deflated with time. "One of the questions I ask myself is, 'what would it take to turn that around and for us to have a more creative and adventurous optimism for the future, and get that pioneering spirit back in our culture?'" A mission

who has has collected space-inspired items?

Answer: Kleeman

Answer: John Kleeman

Answer: Connecticut.

Answer: 40

Answer: a rocket launch,"

Answer: "Space Age Museum,"

Summary:
For more than 20 years the Kleeman family has collected space-inspired items .
Collection includes rocket-shaped lamps, old space toys, climbing frames .
Family preparing to launch the "Space Age Museum" to display exhibits .
Kleeman: "Knowing our place in the solar system helps give us perspective"


LONDON, England (CNN) -- They are some of the biggest names in Hollywood, but even Susan Sarandon, Ethan Hawke and Dustin Hoffman have had their fair share of casting calamities they would rather forget. Mike Myers sabotaged some auditions for parts he didn't want. "Why not be nude even if it is a children's theatre?" CNN's The Screening Room has managed to persuade the cream of Hollywood to confess their tales of audition woe. The stars shudder at the memory of waiting in line, frantically trying to memorize lines handed to them moments before, all the while being assessed by critical strangers. Benicio del Toro recounts attending 50 or 60 auditions before getting a part and Quentin Tarantino told Eli Roth he "blew it" when he first auditioned for "Inglourious Basterds." While Catherine Keener remembers a cutting personal assessment: "You're not pretty enough." Here are some of their worst moments: Bill Nighy "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest." "Love Actually" "There was one that started out terrible, which was where I had to go to a disused tax office in Harrow [near London, England] very early in the morning and put on very tight velvet flared loon pants and a pair of crocodile four-inch- heeled platform shoes, and wear a sort of very small top that didn't meet my trousers, hair extensions and I had to karaoke to 'Smoke on the Water' by Deep Purple. It's a very lonely place. And I was 45 at the time..." Ethan Hawke "Before Sunset," "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" "I have had so many bad auditions. I have fallen on my ass. I have made a complete fool of myself. I auditioned for Robert Redford once and I was so starstruck I couldn't even speak. I had a mic wire at a screen test clipped to me and then I got kind of nervous and I paced in a circle and then took a step and tripped and fell on my face. You just have to forgive yourself and keep going on." Mike Myers "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me," "Shrek" "I've had some bad auditions for some TV movies that were shooting in England where I just didn't want to be in them and offered them more obtuse [performances] ... I like to think of it as performance art. I didn't sabotage it, I was just woefully inappropriate, you know? I just thought, 'Why not be nude even if it is a children's theatre?" Catherine Keener "Being John Malkovich," "Synecdoche, New York" "You wouldn't believe some of the comments, assessments. But, they're really not meant personally. Like for example, 'You're not pretty enough.' For them it's just a fact. But for you it's like, 'Oh my God! I have to live with this.' You get a thicker skin about it, which you should because it isn't meant personally, but it's such a personal profession that you kind of have to get used to getting critiqued on things that you shouldn't even care about." Dustin Hoffman "Marathon Man," "Meet the Fockers" "The most famous casting director from New York, I was lucky enough to get an audition with her in the '60s. She did all the plays, all the Broadway plays. She is sitting across the desk saying her lines, and I am saying mine, and she stops and says, 'Come here. Bring your chair here, right next to me.' And I say, 'Why?' And she says, 'Because I can't hear you, and you have never been on the stage or on Broadway, and you are going to have to reach the last row.' I said, 'Yeah, I know. I have been studying acting for about seven years now, but I'm not on Broadway now, I

Who "blew it" when he first auditioned for "Inglourious Basterds"?

Answer: "Inglourious Basterds."

Answer: Ethan Hawke

Answer: cream of Hollywood

Answer: Dustin Hoffman

Answer: I had a mic wire at a screen test clipped

Answer: Eli Roth

Answer: "The most famous casting director from New York,

Answer: Dustin Hoffman

Answer: Ethan Hawke

Summary:
Stars confess their casting calamities and tales of audition woe.
Dustin Hoffman remembers how he "lost it" and screamed at a casting agent .
Ethan Hawke confesses to falling "on his ass"
Eli Roth "blew it" when he first auditioned for "Inglourious Basterds"


LONDON, England (CNN) -- They first met in the autumn of 1979; she playing the role of the lovelorn terrorist, he dressed as a rather sloppy Ayatollah Khomeini. Pamela Stephenson first met Billy Connolly on the set of a comedy show in 1979. They married in Fiji in 1990. It may not have been love at first sight on the set of British comedy show "Not the Nine O'Clock News," but love, marriage and children eventually followed. Australian comedienne, now psychotherapist, Pamela Stephenson, describes being captivated by Billy Connolly's wildman looks, his mane of grey hair and devil-may-care demeanor. She tells CNN's Revealed about her first impressions of her husband, his unique ability to keep audiences entertained and what she learnt about his addictions and childhood abuse while writing his best-selling biography, "Billy." CNN: Take us back to the beginning. How did you meet Billy Connolly? Pamela Stephenson: I'm not quite sure what Billy's version of how we met is like because he was very drunk. I met him when I was a performer on "Not The Nine O'Clock News" and he was a guest. He was just shaggy and some kind of terrible beastie. But I was attracted to him immediately, maybe because he was so unusual. I think what I picked up on was his dichotomy -- that beastiness and the underlying sensitivity that he has. I think that's something that audiences relate to, you're aware of all the toughness, but underneath you just know that there's philosophy and this poetic, Celtic nature that speaks to people. Also his pain, his underlying sadness and the pain of his childhood ... when I first met him I think I connected with that. He played the Ayatollah Khomeini in a scene on "Not The Nine O'Clock News" and I played a demented fan singing a love song to him, it was in days when you could do stuff like that, I suppose. And then we did an interview, I pretending to be British TV personality Janet Street-Porter, with giant fake teeth which kept falling out. Of course, he could never keep a straight face; I thought he was dreadfully unprofessional because he just kept laughing, especially when my teeth fell out -- my fake teeth --  fell out. CNN: What's it like being married to him? PS: People always think that being married to Billy means that I get non-stop Billy Connolly concerts. It's not nearly as exciting as that, although he's adorable. But it's boring sometimes and he would say the same. There are moments when I wish he would go and make me a cup of tea, which he does very often. Actually, Billy is quite a quiet person. He's a little reclusive and I don't think it's necessarily his personality. With the highs he experiences on stage he needs to be very quiet when he's not.  Billy Connolly takes CNN's Revealed on a tour of his home » CNN: What made you write a biography of his life? Was it the first time he opened up about his childhood? PS: When I wrote "Billy," it was the first time that Billy really looked at his childhood in a chronological order and with depth. It was a painful process, but cathartic. The book gave me the opportunity to understand a lot more about him. Just putting some of this together, the sexual abuse, for example, that he received from his father, the physical abuse he received from his aunts, helped me understand why there's a part of him that's very closed off.  Watch Billy recall his troubled childhood » His learning disability was never understood. Now we'd call it an attention disorder. In those days, he had difficulty concentrating, for which he was beaten and taunted at school. People told him he was stupid and to this day there's a part of him that thinks that's he's not as clever as other people and yet he is absolutely brilliant. He's

What was the name of the biography she wrote?

Who talked about marriage to Cilly Connelly?

What did she say writing the biography helped her do?

What is the name of the comedy show they met on?

What is the name of Connelly's biography?

Who did Pamela Stephenson talk about her marriage to?

What is the name of Stephenson's biography?

What is the title of Billy Connelly's biography?

Answer: Billy Connolly

Answer: "Billy."

Answer: on the set of a comedy show

Answer: Billy Connolly

Answer: "Billy."

Answer: Pamela Stephenson

Answer: Pamela Stephenson

Answer: on the set of a comedy show in 1979.

Answer: best-selling biography, "Billy."

Answer: understand why there's a part of him that's very closed off.

Answer: the set of a comedy show in 1979.

Answer: "Not the Nine O'Clock News,"

Answer: "Billy."

Answer: "Billy."

Answer: Billy Connolly

Answer: Billy Connolly

Answer: "Not the Nine O'Clock News,"

Answer: "Billy."

Answer: "Billy."

Answer: Billy Connolly

Answer: on the set of a comedy show

Answer: set of a comedy show

Summary:
Pamela Stephenson talks about marriage to Scottish comedian Billy Connelly .
They met on the set of British comedy show "Not the Nine O'Clock News"
She says writing his biography, "Billy," helped her understand him better .
Stephenson: "It's like he's got these comedy angels whispering in his ear"


LONDON, England (CNN) -- Think of a bullwhip and fedora and one man immediately springs to mind: Indiana Jones, the sardonic archeologist played by Harrison Ford in Steven Spielberg's '80s trilogy which started with "Raiders of the Lost Ark." "If you learn how to talk I'm in deep trouble," quips Harrison Ford (right) to Vic Armstrong (left) on this photo which shows how similar the pair look. But if you were to venture on set during the filming of "Raiders" hoping to catch a few moments with the star you might have had a surprise. The tall, rangy man in the dented hat signing autographs could just as easily have been Ford's stunt double, Vic Armstrong. Back then, in the right light Armstrong could easily be mistaken for Ford -- both of them over six feet tall and bronzed with crinkly eyes. And it's this that is at the root of his success as Indy's "fall guy." In fact, Ford is a talented stuntman in his own right and Armstrong says that his biggest headache on set was trying to stop Ford from getting involved in action that was too risky. "The biggest stunt I always say on the Indiana Jones films was stopping Harrison doing the stunts because I had to fight nearly every time to stop him," Armstrong chuckles. An accomplished horseman (his first career choice was steeplechase jockey), it's Armstrong's Indy you see galloping along in the stained khaki shirt and jumping from his horse onto a tank in "The Last Crusade." "Technically very difficult," Armstrong says, "I had to rely on a horse, and horses have a sense of survival and they don't actually do what you tell them to do as they haven't read the script." It may have been his close resemblance to Ford that clinched the "Raiders" job but the pair developed a rapport that led Armstrong to work on the other two installments of the trilogy, "Temple of Doom" and "The Last Crusade." "It always works better if you do have a relationship with [the actor]. You can mimic how they move, how they work when you coordinate fights for them like I did with Harrison," Armstrong tells CNN. Armstrong was just 16 years old when he started in the stunt industry in 1965. He utilised his horseriding skills to double as Gregory Peck in spy movie "Arabesque." He had to jump a huge moat and then fall off his mount but it was the simple lifestyle and travel that hooked young Armstrong -- "Forty dollars a day and all you can eat. Fantastic living." After over 40 years and countless movies, his filmography reads like a who's who of Hollywood: he has doubled for Sean Connery, Donald Sutherland, John Voight and collaborated with directors like Ridley Scott, Paul Verhoeven, Michael Cimino and Sir Richard Attenborough. His work for three decades on classic Bond films like "You Only Live Twice" and "Live and Let Die" cemented his reputation as a stuntman who could pull off complicated of stunts with precision. "The films I've done I've been very lucky to have been very prolific in an area and a time when iconic films were being made. "My first stunt on a Bond film was in 1966 in the winter of "You Only Live Twice". I was one of the ninjas coming down firing guns into the volcano, which for me was sensational." He doubled for Roger Moore in "Live and Let Die" for a short while and was then propelled into working as a stunt coordinator and director of action units. Armstrong then added a superhero to his already impressive roster of action idols, standing in for Christopher Reeve in "Superman." Despite this, his allegiances lie solidly with cinema's 'real' heroes. "If you look at "Spiderman" and movies like that, or the "Incredible Hulk," they are far more computer-generated and so therefore slightly more cartoonish or video game-ish. "

How long was Vic Armstrong in the business?

Vic Armstrong has been in the business how many years?

What was the name of Harrison Ford's stunt double in the Indiana Jones movies?

"Harrison has to be the ultimate" is a quote by which stuntman actor?

What was the name of Harrison Ford's stunt double?

Vic Armstrong stunt doubled in which series of movies?

Answer: 40 years

Answer: 40

Answer: Vic Armstrong.

Answer: Vic Armstrong

Answer: Vic Armstrong.

Answer: Indiana Jones films

Summary:
Vic Armstrong was Harrison Ford's stunt double in the Indiana Jones movies .
His physical similarity to Ford is at the root of his success as Indy's "fall guy"
After 40 years in the business, Armstrong is the authority on death defying stunts .
Armstrong on Ford as a stuntman actor: "Harrison has to be the ultimate"


LONDON, England (CNN) -- This month the U.S. government has introduced major changes that will affect millions of travelers to the U.S. who do not need a visa. Instead of filling in the green visa waiver form en route, short-term visitors must register their details online at least three days before they depart. The measure is designed tighten security and make it harder for terrorists who are citizens of the participating countries to easily obtain entry to the U.S. The new system, known as the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), does not become compulsory until January 12, 2009. But travelers are urged to prepare for the new rules in advance. ESTA applies to citizens from the 27 Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries that includes most of western Europe in addition to New Zealand, Japan, Brunei and Australia. Visitors are recommended to submit applications no later than 72 hours before departure in case further inquiry is necessary. But the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has assured travelers that the system can handle last-minute and emergency requests. Applications can be made at any time, even if travelers have no specific travel plans. And if itineraries change, information can be easily updated on the ESTA Web site. Once travelers are authorized, they can travel for up to two years or until their passport expires, whichever comes first. From mid-January, travelers who have not received approval may be denied boarding, delayed processing, or denied admission at a U.S. port of entry. Passengers must submit the same information that is currently required in the I-94 immigration form. This includes biographical data, travel information as well as questions regarding communicable diseases, arrests and convictions. Registration is possible through the U.S. government ESTA Web site. In most cases, eligibility for travel will be approved immediately. Applicants who receive an "Authorization Pending" response will need to check the Web site for updates. Applicants whose ESTA applications are denied will be referred to Travel.State.Gov for information on how to apply for a visa. ESTA does not change the rules for citizens from countries that require visas. But the U.S. is due to extend the visa waiver program and has signed agreements with eight countries including the Czech Republic, Hungary and South Korea. Travelers are advised that ESTA does not guarantee entry into the United States. The final decision rests with the immigration official at the port of entry.

What do the new rulres require visa-free visitors to the U.S. to do?

How long can travelers travel once they are authorized?

What do the new rules require visa-free visitors to do?

Is it possible to apply at the last minute?

Answer: most cases, eligibility for travel will be approved immediately.

Answer: register

Answer: up to two years or until their passport expires,

Answer: for Travel Authorization

Answer: must register their details online at least three days before they depart.

Answer: 72

Answer: January 12, 2009.

Answer: January 12, 2009.

Answer: short-term visitors must register

Answer: 72

Answer: the system can handle last-minute and emergency requests.

Summary:
New rules require visa-free visitors to the U.S. to register details before departure .
The process could take 72 hours but last-minute applications are possible .
The system, introduced this month, will become compulsory next January .
Once authorized, travelers can travel for up to two years or until their passport expires .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- This year is the 50th birthday of the Copa Libertadores, South American football's equivalent of Europe's Champions League. Argentina's Boca Juniors salute their fans before a Copa Libertadores match against Uruguay's Defensor Sporting. The Libertadores is the most prestigious tournament in South American club football, seeing the best 32 teams in the continent battle for supremacy. It may not get as much attention as the Champions League, but for South American teams there is no bigger trophy. The tournament has reached semifinal stage, where Gremio and Cruzeiro from Brazil will clash with Argentina's Estudiantes and Uruguay's Nacional - a team captained by former Inter Milan star Juan Sebastian Veron. So with the action reaching a crescendo, it's high-time Fanzone explored what makes the compeition so great. History The competition was first held in 1960, its name referring to the "liberators" who led South American countries in their wars of independence. For years it was dominated by Argentina, with a team from the country making it to every final between 1963 to 1979, and Buenos Aires team Independiente winning six times in that period. Since the early '90s, it's been the Brazilian clubs that have excelled. Brazil has provided 10 Libertadores finalists in the last 10 years, but since the tournament's inception, every country except Peru and Mexico has supplied a winner. Qualification Under current quotas Brazil and Argentina both supply five teams for the tournament, while Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela are each represented by three teams, with the previous year's winner also qualifying. Each country has different qualifying criteria for its clubs but essentially, the  winners of South America's top domestic leagues, as well as some runners up, qualify for the Libertadores. They are joined by three teams invited from Mexico (which is not a member of CONMEBOL, the South American Football Confederation). Better than Europe? In terms of football quality, most would agree that the Libertadores struggles to match the Champions League and the reason is simple -- South American clubs simply don't have the money to hold onto their best players. Despite this, the Libertadores is still the place where some of the world's best players cut their footballing teeth. The likes of Ronaldinho and Carlos Tevez once shone in the Libertadores, as did past masters like Pele and Zico. Which do you think is better, the Copa Libertadores or the Champions League? Sound Off below. While the tournament may lack big-name players, in other ways the Libertadores is as every bit as tough as the Champions League. Alexander Bellos is the author of "Futebol: the Brazilian Way of Life." He told CNN that in the Libertadores, teams often have to travel huge distances for away matches. It can take a Brazilian club 24 hours to get to a match in Mexico, leaving little time for pre-match preparation or training. Some teams play their matches at high altitude, which can be a grueling experience for visiting teams not used to the thin air. Bellos says these factors can combine to make the Libertadores less predictable than the Champions League, as can the fact that clubs regularly lose their best players to Europe, meaning their squads can change drastically from one season to the next. As in the Champions League, big clubs, like Argentina's Boca Juniors and Brazil's Sao Paolo, usually make the final stages, but last year's winners were unheralded Ecuadorian club LBS Quito.

This year's semi finals include teams from where?

Which teams have dominating the competition?

What birthday is Copa Libertadores having?

Which is the number birthday of copa libertadores?

Which South American footballer is celebrating his 50th birthday this year?

The competition has been dominated by what teams?

Answer: Argentina's Estudiantes and Uruguay's Nacional

Answer: Argentina,

Answer: Argentina,

Answer: 50th

Answer: 50th

Answer: Copa Libertadores,

Answer: Argentina,

Summary:
This year is the 50th birthday of South American football's Copa Libertadores .
The competition has been dominated by Argentine and Brazilian teams .
Liberdatores tends to be less predictable than Europe's Champions League .
This year's semi finals include teams from Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay .