Bermuda Triangle: Facts And Fiction

- It is also known as the Devil's Triangle.

- The 'triangle' is a loosely defined region between Bermuda, Florida and Puerto Rico.

- The area is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world and also one of the busiest for aircraft flying down to Florida, South America and the Caribbean.  

- In 1881, a ship called the Ellen Austin came across a derelict ship in the area and placed a crew onboard. They attempted to sail it to New York, but reports say that the vessel disappeared and then reappeared again, with no trace of the crew.

- A training flight of five torpedo bombers in 1945, vanished over the Atlantic. The disappearance is thought to be due to a navigational error which led to the aircrafts running out of fuel. However, one of the rescue craft deployed to find them also went missing with its 13 crew members.

- The incident resulting in the single biggest loss of life for the US Navy, was when the USS Cyclops set sail from Barbados, and then went missing sometime after 4 March 1918 with a crew of 309. No sign of the ship or its crew were ever found.

- One theory for the disappearances over the years is leftover technology from the lost continent of Atlantis, believed to be located beneath the waters there. Another theory is UFO kidnappings.

China pledges more security support for Kenya, Africa

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 16 – The Chinese government has pledged continued support to Kenya and Africa on security issues, in a bid to promote peace and economic development on the continent.

Speaking on Thursday in Nairobi during the China-Africa Peace and Security Cooperation seminar, Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Liu Xianfa said a number of countries on the continent still face serious threats, such as escalating violence and armed conflicts, internal political turmoil, the spread of terrorism and extremism, interweaving of traditional and non-traditional security challenges and as a consequence, an alarming humanitarian crisis.

“Not a single country or continent can stay immune in the face of security problems. The achievement of long-term peace and security in Africa requires joint efforts of Africa and the international community,” he said.

He however urged the international community to let African countries find their own solutions to their challenges.

He said that double standards and taking sides should be avoided, urging the international community not to pursue their own interests and political agenda by taking advantage of peace and security issues in Africa.

“It is the African people who understand the crux of the issues best. The international community should fully respect Africa’s dignity and independence, support Africa to play the leading role and promote inclusive dialogue among relevant parties for seeking solutions acceptable by all parties concerned,” he added.

With the theme “Peace and Security Cooperation: New Vista for Upgraded Version of China-Africa Cooperation,” the seminar will hold an in-depth discussion on the current situation of peace and security in Africa, the opportunities and challenges facing China-Africa peace and security cooperation thus contributing to the long-term peace and stability and sustainable development of Africa.

This comes as Africa continues to face terror threats from various terror groups among them the Somalia based Al Shabaab.

Kenya has led in the war against terror within the East African region following numerous attacks in its capital city Nairobi and Mombasa County.

Kenya Defence Forces are under the Africa Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) fighting the militias in the Horn of Africa country.

Ever heard of sacred wild animals?

Ever heard of sacred wild animals? In Burkina Faso a unique human - animal relationship has been recorded. Crocodiles are estimated to cause over 200 hundred deaths in Africa. They are agile and they don’t trust humans. But in Bazoule, Burkina Faso, these reptiles are not feared.

China Has The World’s Longest Sea Bridge

China Has The World’s Longest Sea Bridge

WOW! It Looks Like A Normal Bridge, But The Truth Behind It Left Me Speechless....

An engineering marvel the Jiaozhou bay bridge demanded four years of construction. The 26.3 miles long bridge links the port city of Qingdao to the island of Huangdao. An amazing piece of architecture that leaves people in awe…..

MIT Bitcoin Trading Simulation Yields Profit of 89% in 50 Days

Trading bitcoin profitably remains more of an art than an exact science.

On any given day, Reddit is awash with theories explaining bitcoin price movements, ranging from exotic technical indicators to the machinations of FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt) peddlers.

That may change, however, with a new paper that claims to have devised a trading strategy that can produce an 89% return in less than two months.

The authors, Massachusetts Institute of Technology associate professor Devavrat Shah and computer science student Kang Zhang, collected data from OKCoin, the world’s largest exchange by trading volume, from February to July.

They fed the data into a predictive statistical model they have developed and used the results to conduct a simulation of CNY/BTC trades. In the simulation, the trader could only go long or short 1 BTC in each trade.

Volatility boosts profits

The trading simulation, conducted on data taken from 50 consecutive days in May and June, produced highly profitable results. The simulated trader invested 3,781 yuan and made 2,872 trades. The total cumulative profit was 3,362 yuan, or an 89% return on the amount invested.

The trading strategy produced the greatest profits when volatility was high, in the period at the end of May and the start of June, and was still profitable when the price declined steadily at the end of the simulated period.

The trading strategy also produced a Sharpe ratio of 4.1, the authors write. This expresses a portfolio’s return after adjusting for the risk-free rate of return. A high ratio shows that an investor produced returns while taking on less risk, with scores of three and over being considered excellent.

The authors’ Sharpe ratio compares favourably to benchmark mutual funds, like the Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund, the world’s largest such vehicle, which is worth $355bn. That fund has aone-year Sharpe ratio of 1.79 and has returned 8.32% in the last year.

Kerry’s plane grounded again

Vienne, Oct 16 – Globe-trotting top US diplomat John Kerry was left hoofing it back on a commercial flight from Vienna Thursday, after his ageing Air Force plane broke down for the fourth time this year.

After marathon talks on Iran’s nuclear programme in the Austrian capital Wednesday, Kerry’s party of more than 40 State Department staff and journalists were checking out of their hotel rooms before dawn Thursday when the news came that his Boeing 757 needed unspecified repairs — again.

Jambo Africa Restaurant wins Torchlight Award in Minnesota

A restaurant owned by a Kenyan has been voted the best African eatery in the state of Minnesota, United States.

Jambo Africa, which is located on Shingle Creek Parkway in the city of Brooklyn Center, beat other African eateries in the Midwestern region to emerge the overall winner of Torchlight Award.

The Torchlight Foundation recognises achievements made by African immigrants in the fields of culture, education, entertainment, fashion, and philanthropy.

“Our brothers and sisters are out here doing big things and we at Torchlight do not only honour their work, but inspire others,” said Stephen Ngang, the Foundation’s director.

The winning restaurant is run by Mr George Ndege Jojo and his Liberian partner, Mr Simone Chambliss.

Speaking to the Nation soon after receiving the award, an elated Jojo said the recognition was “an affirmation that good stuff can still come out of the continent.”

He said the restaurant has become more popular because it does not specialise in dishes from a single region but from both East and West African cuisine, making it a favourite spot for the African immigrant community in Minnesota.

“The most popular item right now is fried tilapia fish. Customers from both East and West seem to agree on its unmatched flavour and presentation,” said Mr Jojo.

Besides serving African dishes, the restaurant also hosts African cultural events.

“We host African-themed events, including live music band, traditional percussion, dancing, poetry, story-telling sessions, book releases and more.

“When my wife and I get homesick, we come here to remind ourselves of motherland by eating Kenyan food and dancing to Kenyan beats,” said Basillioh Mogaka, who lives in Minneapolis.

Mr Jojo said the restaurant also hosts prominent African dignitaries whenever they visit the cities of Minneapolis and St Paul.

“We also have an American clientele, especially those who have visited Africa as tourists, aid workers and missionaries. They drop in to satisfy their nostalgic food memories of Africa,” he said.

The Torchlight Award also recognised Jambo Africa's high customer service standards.