Becky has landed!
First impressions of Abu Dhabi!
In the throes of packing for the UAE Wednesday, I hastily threw in a brolly at the last minute along with the bikinis. It seemed the rain gods had beaten me to it and the Gulf was awash in thunderstorms. But on arrival Friday morning, the sun is shining, the sky is clear and the welcoming Emirati smiles truly genuine – the perfect place to touch down for the next stage in my life.
Professionally, this is a fantastic opportunity. Bringing my prime time show – Connect the World with Becky Anderson – to Abu Dhabi makes sense for all sorts of reasons. Not least, this is an incredibly exciting global hub which sits at the very heart of a region gaining increasing resonance and influence on the geopolitical stage. We've had a fantastic TV news hub in Abu Dhabi for over 5 years – the next 5 should be even more exciting.
News, business, sports, entertainment, arts and culture – this is a region that has it all, and we'll be taking on the stories with the energy you'd expect from the CNN brand. Our move here will also give us access to a region humming with news – expect CTW to be out and about across the region and beyond right in the thick of it as we travel to the places and meet the people making headlines around the world.
Disappearing app
Social networks can keep you up to date on your friends' every move – where they are, what they're eating, and what games they're playing.
If you find it all a bit overwhelming and prefer to maintain a low profile, a new app called Cloak aims to do the opposite. It's more like an anti-social network – designed to help you avoid friends, colleagues or exes, using data from Instagram and Foursquare.
Putting it to the test, CNN's Tech Correspondent Samuel Burke took to the streets of London, to discover how effectively Cloak could help him disappear.
Text: New app helps you avoid your friends, exes
Filed under: Social Media • Technology
Copenhagen Zoo euthanizes four lions
The Copenhagen Zoo provoked outrage for its killing of a healthy giraffe named Marius in February.
Now, it's back in the spotlight after euthanizing four lions. The zoo argues that it was a necessary move, to accommodate a new male lion. It explains that the new arrival would likely have attacked and killed two of the younger lions anyway.
To discuss the controversial practice of euthanasia by zoos, Max spoke to animal rights activist Mirja Holm Thansen. She said "Copenhagen Zoo is playing God. It's immoral and unethical to interfere with the circle of life by killing healthy animals."
Connect the World also asked Copenhagen Zoo whether they wanted to appear on the program, but they responded that they had nothing more to say on the matter.
Text: Copenhagen Zoo kills 4 lions, weeks after shooting giraffe
Video: Zoo director debates giraffe decision
Filed under: Activism • Denmark • Europe
Compensation for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370
How do you value the loss of a life? It would seem that different countries value it differently.
Under an international treaty known as the Montreal Convention, an airline must pay $175,000 for the death of each individual, but there is scope for additional damages too.
This is where the amount owed can differ depending on the passenger's country of origin. Experts estimate that the families of Americans lost on board MH370 could get up to $10 million, while the families of those from other countries may receive $400,000 per passenger.
To find out more about the legal complexities behind an airline tragedy, Max spoke to attorney Floyd Wisner. He's handled many cases involving family members of people killed in aviation accidents.
Wisner said a lot of the difference is based on where the case is filed, and what the norm for compensation is in that country. "An American jury is going to award damages ten times the amount of a Chinese court."
Unfortunately, though, he said that this "places a greater value on an American life than on another life."
Text: Families turn MH370 grief into action
Text: China treads carefully amid the anger and grief of MH370 relatives
Filed under: Asia • China • Malaysia • United States
Why is a "black box" orange?
The search for Malaysia Flight 370 is not over yet.
The U.S. is sending special ships to locate the flight's data recorder, or "black box."
Black boxes aren't actually black, they're orange, to make them easier to spot in wreckage. They record things like altitude, air speed and audio while a flight is in the air.
To help rescuers find them, they send out a homing signal for up to 30 days after a crash, which can be detected even when 4,000 metres underwater.
On the various challenges search crews looking for the Malaysia Airlines plane are facing, Max spoke to David Gallo. He's an oceanographer who helped in the search for the Titanic and co-led the search for the missing Air France Flight 447.
Gallo said the search would be getting "tougher by the day," and highlighted some of the difficult conditions in the area – including whirlpools, bad weather, and the depth of the sea.
Filed under: Asia
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