Official emblem of FIFA unveiled
Chili - 2007, 24 november

The official emblem shows a kite in the colours of the Chilean flag, including light blue, symbolising the fact that it is a women's event. The dynamic airwave is an element which also imparts a feminine expression, as it pictures the wind

carrying the kite and (when the emblem is held lengthways) depicts the unique shape of the country. The kite is one of the most popular symbols of Chilean culture, and it is a tradition for children to fly them during national holidays such as Independence Day.

The official emblem of the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Chile 2008 was unveiled today during a ceremony held in Santiago de Chile. Brazil's star Marta Vieira da Silva, top goalscorer and voted best player of the FIFA Women's World Cup China 2007, was present at the event.

X-station, a zeppelin for telecoms.
Suisse - 20 november

More practical and definitely less expensive than the terrestrial antennas and the satellites, large stratospheric balloons could meet all our requirements in telecommunications.
       
Based at Friedrichshafen, this project of an Iranian established in Switzerland interests the countries of the South highly. In October, swissinfo went on German Lake of Constancy shore, to see the first X-Station.
The X-Station of the engineer and contractor Kamal Alavi is not therefore a Zeppelin product. It is right which the father of the project did not find in Switzerland of enough large hangar to assemble his prototype. Kamal Alavi explains his idea: “The only means of breaking the monopoly of the operators on the last kilometre of the fixed networks, it is to develop the networks without wire”. There are few obstacles to cross with waves which arrive of the sky.
For the moment, the balloon is still a prototype. Only the flight tests will make it possible to check that all functions. After some tests with a mini-zeppelin (10 meters), a model of 30 meters must be tested before the end of the year. Then it will be the turn of the monster assembled in Friedrichshafen, which will fly initially above Switzerland before touching African skies, as of the next year.
The X-Stationis is like a large plastic cigar to double envelope (helium in the centre, air around) with a small plane without pilot attached below. Made carbon fibre, this one is produced at RUAG, a company of munitions. It is used to maintain the position of the station, against the winds of altitude. It can be detached itself and return on ground if it is necessary, in particular when the balloon arrives at the end of the lifetime, in theory after five years.

Child stars of The Kite Runner have been flown out of Afghanistan
Décember

At the beginning of October, the studio Paramount had estimated that the two children of a dozen years playing the principal parts of the film, and of which one is violated in the scenario, could find itself in danger. Paramount Vantage had then decided to push back the exit of the full-length film in North America at 14 December, six weeks later that envisaged.
          
“Their safety and wellbeing were always our priority and we are happy to have been able to place them in a sure and stable environment before the release of film”, say the studio, according to which “the children go well and will enter in January a very good school”. Paramount has agreed to pay for their education until they are 18, and will meet their families’ expenses. Now, the children are in a secret location in the United Arab Emirates.
It is an unexpected effect of the hacking. Everyone recognizes that as of the American release of the film, pirated cassettes and DVD will circulate in Afghanistan, which does not have exploitation: it was necessary thus that at that time, the kids are already out of Afghanistan.

Kite flying event for scouts. UK – october, 23 Celebrations to mark 100 years of scouting reached Shipley Country Park last week in the form of a special kite flying event. Every Beavers, Cubs and Scout group in Ripley and Heanor was represented with the aim of flying 100 kites, all made out of recycled plastic, to mark the anniversary. Despite unfavourable conditions they did manage to get more than 150 kites in the air at one time and prizes for the best designed kite were handed out at the end of the day.

High-Flying Stars design Kites for Charity Auction
5 décember

Madonna, Angelina Jolie, Jodie Foster and Cher are among the celebrities designing kites for charity. The high-flyers will auction off their authentic Afghan kites on eBay as part of the launch of Participant Productions, a social action

The Afghan kite was made by one of Kabul's best kite makers. The celebrity has signed only the kite tail, which measures approximately 4"x8". The signed tail will come with a certificate of authenticity from Participant Productions.
Support too this great cause by bidding on an official promotional replica kite from The Kite Runner. The nylon kite measures approximately 22” x 27” and will come with a tail, string, and flying instructions. (like on photo)

Red ribbon flies across China on World AIDS Day
Beijing - 1st décember
               
On the 20th World AIDS Day, the campaign to prevent HIV/AIDS and combat discrimination is being publicized across China with the aim of raising public awareness about the virus, which was previously linked to "immoral conduct" in the country.
     
In cities like Beijing and Shanghai, people distributed AIDS prevention brochures along the streets and promoted the use of condoms. In Changsha, capital of Hunan Province in central China, more than 40,000 official warning signs were put on the bedstand of 120 hotels across the city.
In the eastern city of Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province, Chinese college students flew kites embroidered with red ribbons in front of the railway stations. Volunteers fly kites carrying red ribbon at the Renmin Square in Weihai, a coastal city in east China's Shandong Provinc.

Colourful kites add a smile to their dials.
November 6, 2007 - Australia

Entering the Warrnambool Special Development School classrooms with Port Fairy's ``kite man'' working his magic is like walking into a rainbow.

Denea Gillin enjoys the colourful kite she made at Warrnambool Special Development School. Colours filled the classrooms as the middle school created their own kites with Ted Mellor on a recent visit. Mr Mellor, who started Port Fairy's kite shop 17 years ago, had plenty of

experience teaching people how to make kites.
``I've worked with lots of special schools and adult community groups through this district,'' he said. ``I make kites with 3000 kids a year.''
Unfortunately, wet weather didn't allow the kites to be flown. ``We will have a bit of a run around the courtyard with the kites on short strings though,'' Mr Mellor said. ``It's about them being successful for the day.''
He said the best part about making kites with the pupils, who he said had been very attentive and enthusiastic, was seeing them smile.