Geo Quiz
New South African Currency Honors Mandela
South Africa has introduced some brand new banknotes. For the first time, the country is honoring former president Nelson Mandela by putting his picture on the currency. The Governor of the South African Reserve Bank spent some of crisp new Rand bills at a local market in the South African city where the national Reserve Bank is headquartered.
NHL Lockout: Realtor and Amateur Goalie Sees Action in Toronto to Fill Shortage
The National Hockey League lockout has left some Toronto Maple Leaf pros with time to practice at local rinks. But there’s a shortage of goalies for all the practice sessions so some amateurs are stepping in to fill the void. Greg Partchenko is a 40-something, Toronto real estate agent, who’s had the chance to fill in as goalie for Toronto’s pros.
North Korea’s Ryugyong ‘Hotel of Doom’
Our Geo Quiz today takes us to North Korea’s capital where construction of the Ryugyong skyscraper hotel has been underway for 25 years. Rumor has it the spaceship-like, pyramid-shaped, and, according to some, “hideously ugly” hotel won’t be ready for a few more years. Hannah Barraclough leads tour groups to North Korea and recently had the chance to take a tour herself of the Ryugyong Hotel.
Chilean Cemetery’s Party-Like Atmosphere
What if the Red Sox decided to fork out for a group crypt or Lady Gaga got to build her own grave the size of a small pyramid guarded by two huge sphinxes? In the General Cemetery of Santiago, Chile, such things are possible, as Olivia Crellin reports.
Medieval Feasting Hall Discovered Under English Village Green
Archaeologists have discovered remnants of a 1,300-year-old Anglo Saxon feasting hall just inches below a village green in the south-eastern corner of England. The team found evidence that suggests elite Anglo Saxons gathered there to enjoy food and drink in what’s described as “a pretty lively gathering probably fueled by lots of meade (& wine) probably drunk from colorful and prestigious glass vessels.”
Cruise Ship Waits Out Sandy in Canadian Port
For our Geo Quiz — we’re looking for a Canadian city getting a boost from Sandy. The storm brought some unexpectedly good fortune to a city in Northern Quebec. The city is known for its protected, deep water harbor on a tributary of the St Lawrence River. Can you name this Canadian city?
Tracking Hurricanes from the Caribbean
Meteorologist Kathy Ann Caesar of the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology in Barbados says the islands along the southern rim of the Caribbean rarely experience direct hits by hurricanes, due to their proximity to the equator, and to the way tropical storms form. But she adds, these islands still need to be vigilant.
World Series: Bringing Baseball Alive for the BBC
The World’s Clark Boyd catches up with Simon Brotherton and Josh Chetwynd, who are tasked with bringing the World Series alive for the BBC audience in Britain.
Where is ‘South Detroit’?
The Geo Quiz is looking for a place that may or may not exist: South Detroit.
Cyberattack on Saudi Oil Company Aramco Reverberates
Geo Quiz: We’re looking for a city that’s a major oil port in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province. It’s home base for the Saudi oil and natural gas company Saudi Aramco. The company owns several massive oil fields, including the world’s largest, the Ghawar Field. Can you name the Saudi city where Aramco is headquartered?
‘Horses and Bayonets’
The most tweeted line of the debate was President Obama’s zinger that the military has fewer horses and bayonets as well as fewer ships than it did in 1916. So where are bayonets from? Anchor Marco Werman gets the answer, plus the history of bayonets and horses in the military, from The World’s resident military history buff, Chris Woolf.
Vatican Declares First Ever Native American Saint
Kateri Tekakwitha, the first ever Native American to be declared a saint, figures in today’s Geo Quiz. Pope Benedict XVI conducted a special mass to canonize seven new saints including Tekakwitha at St. Peter’s square in Vatican City. Where is the tomb of the the 17th century spiritual icon located?
Mexico May be the Secret to California Town’s Baseball Success
Brawley’s proximity to Mexico and Mexican Winter League baseball has given some Brawley kids a path to the major leagues.
At a Vital Kenyan Lake, Striving to Balance Commerce and Ecology
Kenya’s most economically important lake is known for its scenic beauty and wildlife. The World’s Anders Kelto reports the lake is also part of a booming agricultural and fishing economy that’s threatening to tilt the delicate ecological balance.
Measuring the Impact of Bhutan’s Melting Glaciers
Can you name the 1,800 mile long river that originates in Tibet, high in the Himalayas, then winds its way south through India and Bangladesh before it finally empties into the Bay of Bengal?
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