Alibaba’s founder has become China’s richest person

Jack Ma, Alibaba's chief executive

Alibaba’s blockbuster $25 billion stock offering has made Jack Ma the wealthiest man in China, according to a new survey, as investor enthusiasm for Chinese technology names enriches a new generation of Internet moguls.

Ma, founder and executive chairman of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, and his family have a net worth of about $25 billion following last week’s initial public offering.

The shift reflects a flood of dollars into China’s rapidly growing Internet sector, as investors bet on firms such as Alibaba growing at a fast clip at home and becoming more globally competitive. China has seen a record 15 Internet IPOs so far this year.

Skywalking, the new trend sweeping Russia

Skywalking - the new trend in Russia

Groups of young people are defying death as part of the new “skywalking” trend sweeping Russia. They are illegally climbing buildings around the world to take the most incredible shots of cities from vantages rarely seen.

Vitaliy Raskalov is taking us on a heart-pounding and one-of-a-kind experience while scaling the tallest building in China – the Shanghai Tower (click on photo to enlarge)

Sangeang Api Volcano Explosive Eruption

Sangeang Api volcano explosive eruption, May 30, 2014
The plume captured by professional photographer Sofyan Efendi during a commercial flight from Bali to Labuan Bajo

Sangeang Api (Sang Hyang Api), an active volcano complex on the island of Sangeang in Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia explosively erupt on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 3:15 pm local time. The plume is estimated to be ~2-3 km high and disperse to the southeast. The island is an uninhabited island, although people cultivate the land for agriculture at the slope of the volcano, but they have been told to evacuate the island prior to the eruption. The authorities had put the volcano on high alert since June 2013. The ashes from the eruptions is reported to reach Australia, causing Darwin airport to shuts and creating flight chaos across Australia.

Tiger’s Nest

Paro Taktsang (spa phro stag tshang) is the popular name of Taktsang Palphug Monastery (also known as Tiger’s Nest), a prominent Himalayan Buddhist temple complex consisting of seven monasteries. Taktsang can be dated back to 1692 and is one of the most important religious sites of pilgrimage in the entire Himalayan region. The name Taktsang means “The Tiger’s Nest”.

Taktsang (Tiger's Nest)

 

The monastery is located 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to the north of Paro and hangs on a precipitous cliff at 3,120 metres (10,240 ft), about 900 metres (3,000 ft) above the Paro valley, on the right side of the Paro Chu (‘chu’ Bhutanese means ”river or water”). The rock slopes are very steep (almost vertical) and the monastery buildings are built into the rock face. The monastery is surrounded by scenic woodland with amazing blue pine trees and rhododendrons. The view from the temple is absolutely breathtaking.