Norway has been voted the best country in the world for humans

(Reuters/Kai Pfaffenbach)

The United Nations’ annual Human Development Report, a behemoth study of every nook and cranny of the world, is out this week. And the countries that come up on top in the rankings portion of the report are entirely unsurprising.

Norway cinches the spot as the overall best country to live in, in the world—making this the 12th continuous year that it’s taken the title. Out of nearly 200 countries, Norway continues to score the highest in life expectancy, education, and standard of living, as well as in a number of smaller subcategories, boosting it to the top slot in the UN’s list (each country was given an average score from 0 to 1).

Norway’s continuous success hinges on a number of factors, including an oil-driven economy, robust healthcare system, and strong government structure. Not just a source of pride, its natural beauty also drives a lush tourism industry.

Close runners-up on the list, released Dec. 14, include Denmark, Australia, and Switzerland. The lowest-ranking countries on the entire list were Niger, the Central African Republic, Eritrea, Chad, and Burundi. While most countries held steady in their rankings from last year, Syria fell 15 spots on the list, and Libya slid down 27 spots.

But here’s a more cheering suggestion of change, from another area of the same report: Though roughly 830 million people in the world are still classified as “working poor” (earning under $2 a day) by the UN, some two billion people were able to move out of extreme poverty over the last 25 years.

Hiker Finds 1.2K-Year-Old Viking Sword

By Jenn Gidman (Newser) – 

Goran Olsen was enjoying a leisurely hike recently in Norway when he stopped near the fishing village of Haukeli, about 150 miles west of Oslo. Under some rocks along a well-traversed path, he made a discovery that's now the envy of every detectorist in Scandinavia: a 30-inch wrought-iron Viking sword, estimated to be about 1,200 years old, CNN reports. One would think a sword that old would be so decrepit it could never be wielded again, but a Hordaland County archaeologist says it just needs a little polish and a new grip to be good to go.

"The sword was found in very good condition," Jostein Aksdal notes, per the Local. County conservator Per Morten Ekerhovd adds, per CNN: "It's quite unusual to find remnants from the Viking age that are so well preserved … it might be used today if you sharpened the edge."

The extreme weather in the area likely had something to do with the sword's relatively unscathed condition: The mountains are covered in snow and ice six months out of the year, and there's no humidity in the summer, so the sword would have been protected. No one's sure what the blade's backstory is yet, but scientists are already thinking beyond winter and into the springtime thaw. 

"When the snow has gone in spring, we will check the place where the sword was found," Aksdal says. "If we find several objects, or a tomb, perhaps we can find the story behind the sword." 

Ekerhovd says the weapon could have been from a burial site or belonged to someone passing through who may have died. But "it was a costly weapon, and the owner must have used it to show power," Aksdal tells the Local. The Viking artifact has been sent for conservation at the University Museum of Bergen. (The inscription on this medieval sword has become a real head-scratcher.)

*The photo shown above is not the actual sword, it is for illustration purposes only.

Superhighway: Russian official proposes road that could connect London to NYC

Road trip!
One of Russia's most powerful tycoons and a close pal of President Vladimir Putin has proposed a long and winding road that theoretically could connect Great Britain to Alaska, via Mother Russia. 

And while a nearly 13,000-mile highway sounds like a stretch – a really long stretch – the major roadblock is likely money, not feasibility.

“This is an inter-state, inter-civilization, project,” Russian Railways boss Vladimir Yakunin told the Russian Academy of Science, where he presented his plan for the Trans-Eurasian belt Development, which he acknowledged would cost “trillions” of dollars.

The road would link thousands of miles of existing byways and bridges across Russia, a span of more than 6,000 miles. From the west, it could then connect to roads in Europe, including the Chunnel Tunnel, which connects Great Britain and France.

“This is an inter-state, inter-civilization, project.”- Vladimir Yakunin, head of Russian Railways

From it eastern terminus in Siberia’s Chukotka region, the road would be just 55 miles across the Bering Sea from the isolated Alaskan city of Nome, a major obstacle except in the context of Yakunin’s massive proposed undertaking. If a connection to Nome was followed by a U.S.-built road to Fairbanks, the global triptik would be possible.

Yakunin didn’t directly address the Bering Sea issue, but a ferry system might be the least expensive method.

The thoroughfare would share its easement with a high-speed rail and oil and gas pipelines that Yakunin said could help spur development in such remote zones as Siberia.

The Siberian Times reported March 23 that Yakunin has been working on the ambitious project with Viktor Sadovnichy, the president of Moscow State University.

The project would span the entire length of Russia, linking existing networks in Europe and Asia and creating the first-ever modern route from the Pacific Ocean in the east to the Atlantic Ocean in the west. Yakunin said it could generate an immense number of jobs, sprout new cities and spur development of Siberia and the Far East.

Vladimir Fortov, head of the Russian Academy of Science, said the project is “very ambitious and expensive,” but added that it would “solve many problems in the development of the vast region.”

“The idea is that basing on the new technology of high-speed rail transport we can build a new railway near the Trans-Siberian Railway with the opportunity to go to Chukotka and Bering Strait and then to the American continent,” Fortov said.

If anyone has the juice to make the humongous highway happen, it could be the 66-year-old Yakunin. Not only is he a close friend of Putin, he has even been rumored to be Putin's handpicked successor.

Toronto is officially the best city in the world, according to the Economist

by Emma Finamore

Toronto is the world's best city to live in, according to research looking at a range of factors including safety, cost of living and liveability.

According to analysis carried out by the Economist Intelligence Unit of 36 major cities, Canada's economic powerhouse finished top.

While it wasn't named first in any of the specific rankings, a strong performance overall placed Toronto top. It came eighth in the safety index and fourth in terms of liveability.

Tokyo is named the safest city in the world. Even though it is home to 30 million people and is one of the biggest cities in the world, the Japanese capital sees very little crime and violence. 

With a traditionally well-ordered, hierarchical society, Japan has one of the lowest murder rates in the world, with the use of drugs particularly low. Another Japanese city, Osaka, was ranked third safest city in the world.

Toronto was only placed outside of the top ten in one category: cost of living. Unsurprisingly, London scored poorly in this too, coming around halfway down, alongside South Korea’s capital, Seoul.

Melbourne came top in the liveability ranking, and Hong Kong was one of five to score highest in Food Security.

INDEX RANKS NORWAY TOPS FOR WELL-BEING OF ELDERLY

BY DAVID CRARY
AP WRITER

NEW YORK (AP) -- A global index reflecting economic security, health and other factors - and not deducting for cold winters - ranks Norway and Sweden with the highest level of well-being for older people. Of the 96 nations in the index, Afghanistan ranked last.

The Global AgeWatch Index, released on Tuesday, was compiled by HelpAge International, a London-based nonprofit with affiliates in 65 countries. Its mission is to help older people challenge discrimination, overcome poverty and lead secure, active lives.

The 13 indicators measured in the index include life expectancy, coverage by pension plans, access to public transit, and the poverty rate for people over 60. 

Scores of countries were not ranked due to lack of data for some of the criteria, but HelpAge said the countries included in the index are home to about 90 percent of the world's 60-plus population.

Switzerland, Canada and Germany joined Norway and Sweden in the top five. The United States was eighth, Japan ninth, China 48th, Russia 65th and India 69th.

According to HelpAge, there are now about 868 million people in the world over 60 - nearly 12 percent of the global population. By 2050, that's expected to rise to 2.02 billion, or 21 percent of the total, the group said. In dozens of countries 

- including most of eastern Europe - the over-60 segment will be more than 30 percent of the population.

HelpAge launched the index in 2013. Among the changes for 2014 were the inclusion of five more countries, and Norway replacing Sweden with the highest ranking.

The new report devotes special attention to the issue of pensions and their role in helping older people remain active and self-sufficient. It praised several Latin American nations, including Bolivia, Peru and Mexico, for steps to extend pension coverage even to older people who did not contribute to pension plans when they were younger. Peru's government established a means-tested pension program in 2011 that gives the equivalent of about $90 every two months to older people living in extreme poverty.

According to HelpAge, only half the world's population can expect to receive even a basic pension in old age. It urged governments to move faster to extend pension coverage as their elderly populations swell.

Release of the Index was timed to coincide with the United Nations International Day of Older Persons on Wednesday. Various events were planned in dozens of countries to call on governments and civic institutions to better address the needs of older people.

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Online:

http://www.helpage.org/global-agewatch/

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Follow David Crary on Twitter at http://twitter.com/CraryAP

© 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Florianopolis, Brazil Named the world's friendliest city!

LOOKING for the most welcoming places in the world to visit? It turns out you don't have to look very far.

Travel magazine Conde Nast Traveler has unveiled the results of its readers choice survey on the world's friendliest cities, with two Australian destinations making a list of the top 10.

Hobart was beaten to the top spot only by the 'Island of Magic', Florianopolis in Brazil. It's a city described as having "outgoing locals, gorgeous views and an excellent airport".

Meanwhile, the Tasmanian capital, which was also recently named one of the world's best cities to visit in 2013 by Lonely Planet, was praised for its 'unique location, beauty and kind, friendly city natives'.

"They know how to treat visitors," one commenter said. Another described it as "one of the best places I've visited".

The second Aussie destination to make the top 10 list, Margaret River tied with Paro, Bhutan, for sixth place and was praised for its vineyards and beaches.

A Conde Nast Traveler spokesperson said: "It's no wonder this small town, just south of Perth on Australia's west coast, ranked high in the friendliest category: It's known for excellent vineyards and plenty of surfing; who wouldn't be happy? Our readers also praised the town's ambience and restaurants."

Friendliest cities:

1. Florianopolis, Brazil

2. Hobart, Tasmania

3. Thimpu, Bhutan

4. Queenstown, New Zealand

5. Charleston, South Carolina

6. Paro, Bhutan

Equal 6. Margaret River, Australia

7. Mandalay, Burma

9. Kilkenny, Ireland

Equal 9. Ubud, Bali

10. Chiang Mai, Thailand

Unfriendliest cities:

1. Newark, New Jersey

2. Islamabad, Pakistan

3. Oakland, California

4. Luanda, Angola

5. Kuwait City, Kuwait

6. Lome, Togo

7. New Haven, Connecticut

8. Detroit, Michigan

9. Atlantic City, New Jersey

10. Tangier, Morocco

Memorial Day Weekend Heat Wave

By Alex Sosnowski, Expert Senior Meteorologist

Break out the fans and air conditioners and get the pools ready as Mother Nature has a stretch of hot, humid weather just in time for the Memorial Day weekend for portions of the Midwest and East.

As cool air with gust winds sweep over the Southwest and snow falls over the high country in the Rockies, building heat over the southern Plains is forecast to surge northeastward later this week.

While the pattern is only likely to last several days, it will feature the highest actual temperatures and AccuWeather.com RealFeel® temperatures of the season so far. (The RealFeel temperature incorporates a number of atmospheric conditions to show how it feels on the human body).

Early-season warmth will evolve into a several-day stretch of 90-degree temperatures and high humidity with the core over the Ohio Valley states Friday into the Memorial Day weekend.

RealFeel temperatures will top 100 degrees and could reach 105 degrees for a few hours each day from St. Louis, Mo., to Cincinnati, Memphis and Nashville.

Ninety-degree temperatures and near 100-degree RealFeel temperatures will also nose eastward into Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Richmond.

Thunderstorms on Rim of Heat

North of this zone, cloudy intervals and a couple of rounds of thunderstorms are forecast to mitigate the heat. As a result, areas from Chicago to Detroit, New York City and Boston will have less extreme warmth on a daily basis or only a brief spike in heat.

Chicago is likely to have one nasty hot day Sunday with temperatures making a run into the 90s. Temperatures around Detroit will peak in the 80s to near 90 most days of the weekend.

Late in the weekend, the heat is likely to collapse from northwest to southeast from thunderstorms. As a result, folks enduring several days of heat will want to keep an eye on the sky during the holiday itself.

Interestingly, folks along the southern Atlantic Seaboard could have a visit from a tropical system later in the weekend with downpours and locally gusty thunderstorms.

Be Ready for Summer Heat

While many folks may welcome the heat on the first unofficial weekend of summer for seasonal activities, many people will be sweltering away at memorial services, graduations and sports venues ranging from baseball to auto racing.

The heat and humidity will catch some folks off guard who are not yet accustomed to the conditions.

Be sure to drink plenty of fluids if you will be exposed to the heat this weekend. Avoid prolonged strenuous activity from late morning through the afternoon. Try to take breaks from the sun, if possible.

Heat could also raise mechanical issues for highway travelers and weekend automobile race activities.

Highway travelers are reminded to make sure their vehicle is ready to handle hot weather conditions. It is best to check tire pressure levels after the vehicle has been parked overnight. Only add radiator fluid to the reserve reservoir. Never take the radiator cap off of a hot engine.

Driving at excessive speed with or without properly inflated tires during hot weather can exceed the threshold of what the tire is designed to handle and could lead to a dangerous blowout.

According to AccuWeather.com Forensic Department Manager Edward Adams, "While the RealFeel temperature has no bearing on mechanical objects, given a high in the mid-90s, the actual temperature on paved surfaces exposed to sunshine much of the day will top 120 degrees."

This year's Indianapolis 500 on Sunday is forecast to take place with blazing afternoon sunshine, a high temperature challenging the highest May temperature on record and very humid conditions. The RealFeel temperature is forecast to be between 100 and 105 degrees for the Indy 500.

Meanwhile, NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600, scheduled to start early Sunday evening at Charlotte Motor Speedway will begin with temperatures near 90 degrees.

Some summer weather enthusiasts will have swimming on their minds this weekend. Even though stream, lake and ocean water temperatures are averaging about five degrees above normal for this point in the year, the water is still at its chilliest point of the summer season.

The chilly water can lead to muscle cramps and raise the risk of drowning. Swim only when and where a lifeguard is on duty and take frequent warm-up breaks.

This story was originally published on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 and has been updated.

2.9 million miles and 50 years later car still on the road!

By Noah Joseph

Think of Volvos and you're likely to picture a station wagon carrying kids home from soccer practice. But 50 years ago, the Swedish automaker produced one of the most curvaceous sportscars on the market.

It was called the P1800, and it still stands as an icon in the company's history and a cult favorite among collectors. Conceived in Sweden, designed in Italy and built in England, the P1800 gained fame on the screen as Roger Moore's car in The Saint, and served as a precursor of today's halo cars, envisioned to draw customers into the showroom.

The P1800 offered customers Ferrari-like styling with Volvo levels of dependability. That last part has certainly proven true for one owner, who holds the world record for most miles traveled in a non-commercial vehicle, and continues to beat his own record every time he pulls out of the driveway.

Irv Gordon – a retired science teacher from Patchogue, New York – racked up 1,500 miles in the first 48 hours after buying his P1800 in 1966. Within ten years of ownership, he had put on 500,000 miles. He reached the Guinness Book of World Records with 1.69 million miles in 1998, and hit the big two-million mark arriving in Manhattan's Times Square in 2002. As of this writing, his odometer reads 2.9 million, and he's not about to stop short of the three-million mark, touring classic car events around the world on Volvo's behalf.

Tharaldson Motels Inc. building Quantico Corporate Center in North Stafford

A 96-room Courtyard by Marriott will be built near the entrance of the Quantico Corporate Center in North Stafford. North Dakota-based Tharaldson Motels Inc. recently bought a 2.7-acre parcel from QCC developer the Silver Cos. for $1,416,000. Construction is expected to start this coming spring or summer, said David Newman, a Silver vice president handling leasing at the QCC off U.S. 1 near the Quantico Marine Corps Base. He said the hotel “will provide a tremendous benefit to the Quantico community and supporting businesses in the area.” A Fairfield Inn is now under construction a few miles south of the QCC on U.S. 1.

In addition, The Columbia Group defense contracting firm recently signed a lease for 6,415 square feet of space in the under-construction 140,000-square-foot office building at the QCC, the third of that size at the development. The first two office buildings are fully leased by defense contractors. QinetiQ North America will lease about half of the new office building. Another defense contractor, Patricio Enterprises, is now building a 30,000-square-foot office building at the QCC. Stafford County’s Board of Supervisors recently allocated $237,000 from its Opportunity Fund toward a roughly 3,500-square-foot lease in one of the two new buildings. That could be used for classroom space geared toward the defense and intelligence communities and be the first step toward a research and technology park at the QCC.

Steve Burman with Jones Lang LaSalle represented Columbia on the recent lease, and Silver Commercial Brokerage represented the landlord.

Norwegian Cruise Line to Homeport Next Ship in New York City

It was a celebration of all things New York today at Manhattan's Pier 88, as Mayor Michael Bloomberg, NYC-based pop art icon Peter Max and top brass from Norwegian Cruise Line gathered for the next reveal on Norwegian Breakaway, the 144,017-ton, 4,000-passenger ship debuting in May 2013. 

The ship, the first of two Project Breakaway vessels, will homeport year-round in the Big Apple, sailing weeklong cruises to Bermuda. (Itineraries for sister ship Norwegian Getaway, which will launch in spring 2014, will be revealed at a later date.) 

Pop artist Peter Max, whose omnipresent work has appeared on everything from postage stamps to Grammy Award posters, will design the ship's hull. He called the assignment his "largest canvas ever." Max is creating four designs, from which NCL will make the final selection. "I'm on pins and needles to see what Norwegian will pick," he added. The line's distinctive hull designs -- jewels, flowers, a radiating sun -- have become one of its signature elements. 

The event was punctuated by a visit from Bloomberg, who touted the $35 million jolt to the local economy that Breakaway -- which will bring 140,000 cruisers to the city over two years -- will create. "It boils down to one word," said Bloomberg. "Jobs." 

Breakaway will become the largest ever year-round New Yorker. Cunard's 151,400-ton Queen Mary 2, which sails frequently from Brooklyn and Manhattan, is larger by volume, but carries only 2,620 passengers at double occupancy. Despite being slightly smaller than QM2, the city will need to adjust the pier and extend the embarkation tunnels to accommodate Breakaway's overhanging lifeboats. 

Norwegian has long been a stalwart NYC resident, featuring two ships in the city for a number of years. In 2013, Breakaway will join Norwegian Gem in residency. (Norwegian Pearl, which will be stationed in Manhattan beginning in fall 2012, will move out of New York when Breakaway moves in.) 

Though we know little about the ship beyond its accommodations, the line is opening bookings next week. Past passengers can secure a spot on October 14, after which the general public will be allowed to book, beginning October 17. 

Norwegian has been revealing a steady stream of information on the Breakaway duo. Last week, the line announced plans for its solo cabin-and-lounge complex. Earlier this summer, it showcased the ships' exclusive suite complex, The Haven, indicating its newly designed bathrooms would eschew the controversial bowl sinks and revealing frosted-glass shower doors that were introduced on Norwegian Epic. 

For more information visit:

Norwegian Cruise Line