Monday, June 02, 2008

Smoke it now

A woman smokes waterpipe at a cafe in Dubai. (AFP/Marwan Naamani)

Massive Fire devours sets at Universal Studios



The front entrance to the Universal Studios theme park is seen as smoke burns from a fire on a movie production backlot of Universal Studios in the Universal city section of Los Angeles on Sunday, June 1, 2008. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)

Smoke from a fire burning on a movie production backlot of Universal Studios is seen in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 1, 2008. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)

In this image from video, firefighters battle a blaze at Universal Studios Sunday morning, June 1, 2008 in Universal City, Calif. The fire broke out just before dawn on a sound stage, according to officials. (AP Photo/APTN)

Firefighters work to contain a three-alarm fire at Universal Studios in Los Angeles June 1, 2008. REUTERS/Phil McCarten (UNITED STATES)

A TV cameraman, a photographer and onlookers watch as a fire rages at a back lot filled with movie sets at Universal Studios in Universal City, California, 12 miles (20 km) from downtown Los Angeles, June 1, 2008. A portion of what is believed to be a prop warehouse is shown on the left. Hundreds of firefighters are battling a large blaze that broke out on Sunday on a back lot at Universal Studios, site of movie and television production, a spokesman for a neighboring fire department said. REUTERS/Fred Prouser (UNITED STATES)

Firefighters work to contain a three-alarm fire at Universal Studios in Los Angeles June 1, 2008. Hundreds of firefighters are battling a large blaze that broke out on Sunday on a back lot at Universal Studios, site of movie and television production, a spokesman for a neighboring fire department said. REUTERS/Phil McCarten (UNITED STATES)

The King Kong attraction on the Universal Studios Hollywood backlot tour is shown in this undated publicity photo. A fire rages out of control at the backlot filled with movie sets at Universal Studios in Universal City, California June 1, 2008, 12 miles from downtown Los Angeles. It is believed that the King Kong attraction was destroyed. REUTERS/Universal Studios Hollywood/Handout

Los Angeles County and Los Angeles City firefighters battle a fire at Universal City Studios in Universal City, Calif., north of Los Angeles Sunday, June 1, 2008. The fire at Universal Studios on destroyed a set from 'Back to the Future,' the King Kong exhibit and a video vault containing more than 40,000 videos and reels. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

Smoke rises from a fire behind the main gate at Universal Studios in Los Angeles Sunday, June 1, 2008. Roughly 40,000 to 50,000 videos and reels were damaged in the video vault, but there are duplicates stored in a different location, said said NBC Universal President and Chief Operating Officer Ron Meyer. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)

Smoke billows from Universal City Studios in Universal City, Calif., north of Los Angeles Sunday June 1, 2008. A large fire tore through a back lot at Universal Studios early Sunday, destroying a set from 'Back to the Future,' the King Kong exhibit and a video vault containing more than 40,000 videos and reels. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

Smoke rises from a fire in the early hours at Universal Studios in Los Angeles, Sunday June 1, 2008. A large fire tore through a back lot at Universal Studios early Sunday, destroying a set from 'Back to the Future,' the King Kong exhibit and thousands of videos and reels in a vault. (AP Photo/Mike Meadows)

Smoke pours out of a sound stage as Los Angeles City firefighters attempt to save the historic studio set while a fire continues to burn at Universal City Studios in Universal City, Calif., north of Los Angeles Sunday, June 1, 2008. The fire at Universal Studios destroyed a set from 'Back to the Future,' the King Kong exhibit and a video vault containing more than 40,000 videos and reels. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

A studio set is engulfed in fire as fire fighters work to extinguish the burning set in the early hours at Universal Studios in Los Angeles, Sunday June 1, 2008. A large fire tore through a back lot at Universal Studios early Sunday, destroying a set from 'Back to the Future,' the King Kong exhibit and thousands of videos and reels in a vault. (AP Photo/Mike Meadows)

Smoke rises from a fire at Universal Studios Sunday, June 1, 2008 in Los Angeles after a fire ripped through a lot, destroying a set from 'Back to the Future,' a King Kong exhibit and a streetscape seen frequently in movies and TV shows. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

A studio set is engulfed in fire as a fire fighter works to extinguish the burning set in the early hours at Universal Studios in Los Angeles, Sunday June 1, 2008. A large fire tore through a back lot at Universal Studios early Sunday, destroying a set from 'Back to the Future,' the King Kong exhibit and thousands of videos and reels in a vault. (AP Photo/Mike Meadows)

A studio set is engulfed in fire as a fire fighter works to extinguish the burning set in the early hours at Universal Studios in Los Angeles, Sunday June 1, 2008. A large fire tore through a back lot at Universal Studios early Sunday, destroying a set from 'Back to the Future,' the King Kong exhibit and thousands of videos and reels in a vault. (AP Photo/Mike Meadows)

A studio set is engulfed in fire as a fire fighter works to extinguish the burning set in the early hours at Universal Studios in Los Angeles, Sunday June 1, 2008. A large fire tore through a back lot at Universal Studios early Sunday, destroying a set from 'Back to the Future,' the King Kong exhibit and thousands of videos and reels in a vault. (AP Photo/Mike Meadows)

Firefighters work to contain a three-alarm fire at Universal Studios in Los Angeles June 1, 2008. REUTERS/Phil McCarten (UNITED STATES)

A huge plume of smoke and flames rises up from the Universal Studios lot in Studio City, CA in the early morning hours of June 1. The fire destroyed several key sets. (Photo and caption submitted by Rick Mogil)

A raging fire blazes through the back lot of Universal Studios in Studio City, CA on June 1. The fire destroyed several key sets. (Photo and caption submitted by Patrick Gannon)

A huge plume of smoke rises from the Universal Studios lot as a fire raged through Studio City, CA on June 1. (Photo and caption submitted by Patrick Gannon)

Smoke rises over burning structures at Universal Studios, in Universal City, California. Firefighters on Sunday battled a blaze at Hollywood's famed Universal Studios that ravaged some of the legendary film studio's most iconic stage sets and tourist attractions. (AFP/Gabriel Bouys)

Firefighters battle a massive fire on the backlot of Universal Studios in Universal City, California. Firefighters on Sunday battled a blaze at Hollywood's famed Universal Studios that ravaged some of the legendary film studio's most iconic stage sets and tourist attractions. (AFP/Getty Images/David Mcnew)

Black smoke billows and flames lick skyward from a huge fire on the backlot of Universal Studios on June 1in Universal City, California. Firefighters on Sunday battled a gigantic blaze at Hollywood's famed Universal Studios 12 hours after it erupted, ravaging the legendary film studio's most famous stage sets and tourist attractions. (AFP/Getty Images/David Mcnew)

A fire rages out of control at the backlot filled with movie sets at Universal Studios in Universal City, California, June 1, 2008. A portion of the set used in Steven Spielberg's film 'War of the Worlds' including a a jet airplane is shown foreground. The blue screen (L) is used in filming in front of an artificial lake. (Fred Prouser/Reuters)

Smoke climbs hundreds of feet into the air as a fire rages out of control at the backlot filled with movie sets at Universal Studios in Universal City, California, June 1, 2008. A portion of the set used in Steven Spielberg's film 'War of the Worlds' including a a jet airplane is shown foreground. The blue screen (L) is used in filming in front of an artificial lake. (Fred Prouser/Reuters)

A fire rages out of control at the backlot filled with movie sets at Universal Studios in Universal City, California, June 1, 2008. A portion of the set used in Steven Spielberg's film 'War of the Worlds' including a a jet airplane used in the film is shown foreground. The blue screen (L) is used in filming in front of an artificial lake. (Fred Prouser/Reuters)

Black smoke billows from a massive fire on the backlot of Universal Studios on June 1, 2008 in Universal City, California. Investigators Monday were combing through the ruins of famous sets at Hollywood's Universal Studios gutted by a huge blaze in a search for clues as to how the inferno started. (AFP/Getty Images/David Mcnew)

A helicopter flies over burning structures at Universal Studios, in Universal City, California, on June 01, 2008. Investigators Monday were combing through the ruins of famous sets at Hollywood's Universal Studios gutted by a huge blaze in a search for clues as to how the inferno started. (AFP/File/Gabriel Bouys)

Black smoke billows and flames lick skyward from a huge fire on the backlot of Universal Studios on June 1in Universal City, California. Firefighters on Sunday battled a gigantic blaze at Hollywood's famed Universal Studios 12 hours after it erupted, ravaging the legendary film studio's most famous stage sets and tourist attractions. (AFP/Getty Images/David Mcnew)

A fire rages out of control at the backlot filled with movie sets at Universal Studios in Universal City, California, June 1, 2008. (Fred Prouser/Reuters)

A fire truck and firefighters are seen at Gate 2 of Universal Studios as smoke rises (background) from a fire that rages out of control at the backlot filled with movie sets in Universal City, California, June 1, 2008. (Fred Prouser/Reuters)

Smoke rises as a fire rages out of control at the backlot filled with movie sets at Universal Studios in Universal City, California, June 1, 2008. (Andrew Gombert/Pool/Reuters)

Monday, May 19, 2008

Powerful quake rocks central China

Map of Sichuan province in China locating the epicentre of the May 12 earthquake. China has suspended its Olympic torch relay, curbed entertainment and lowered flags to half-mast as the nation began three days of mourning for the worst earthquake in a generation (AFP/Graphic)

A bridge that collapsed due to the earthquake in Beichuan, Sichuan province is pictured May 18, 2008. (China Daily/Reuters)

The Chinese national flag is flown at half-mast at the Badaling sector of the Great Wall on the outskirts of Beijing May 19, 2008. Sirens wailed as China paused in grief on Monday as the country began three days of mourning for more than 30,000 victims of an earthquake that struck a week ago. REUTERS/Paul Zhang (CHINA)

A man sits in front of a collapsed house in the earthquake-hit in town of Pingtong in Pingwu county, Sichuan province May 19, 2008. China began three days of national mourning on Monday for more than 30,000 victims of an earthquake that struck a week ago. The official death toll stands at nearly 32,500 from the original quake of 7.9 magnitude that rattled Sichuan province. REUTERS/Nicky Loh (CHINA)

A view of the destruction caused by southwest China's earthquake in a street in Chenjiaba in Sichuan province, May 18. The massive quake is expected to bring down the nation's soaring economic growth in 2008 by at least 0.2 percentage points, state media said. (AFP/File/Peter Parks)

A Chinese rescuer comes down to search for survivors at a collapsed building which was destroyed by Monday's earthquake, in Mianzhu, in China's southwest Sichuan province Monday May 19, 2008. China stood still and sirens wailed Monday to mourn the country's tens of thousands of earthquake victims, exactly one week after a powerful earthquake hit Sichuan province. (AP Photo/Kyodo News)

Rescue workers hold their helmets to observe a three minutes of silence near the destroyed town of BeiChuan, southwestern China's Sichuan province, Monday, May 19, 2008. China stood still Monday in mourning over tens of thousands of earthquake victims, and the government appealed for more international aid to cope with the country's deadliest disaster in a generation. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Earthquake survivors walk among the rubble of a collapsed Houses following the powerful earthquake in Dujiangyan, southwest China's Sichuan Province Monday, May 19, 2008. China declared three days of national mourning for earthquake victims and ordered a suspension of the Olympic torch relay, as the search for survivors of the disaster grew bleak. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

A man walks along a street in the earthquake-hit in town of Pingtong in Pingwu county, Sichuan province May 19, 2008. (Nicky Loh/Reuters)


A woman washes dishes in the kitchen of her destroyed house May 18, 2008, following last week's earthquake in Longmanshan in Sichuan Province. (Nir Elias/Reuters)

Workers seen through a hall in wall as they collect the remains from collapsed buildings in Dujiangyan, southwest China's Sichuan Province Monday, May 19, 2008. China declared three days of national mourning for earthquake victims and ordered a suspension of the Olympic torch relay, as the search for survivors of the disaster grew bleak.
(AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

An earthquake survivor washes his clothes next to a collapsed buildings in Dujiangyan, southwest China's Sichuan Province Monday, May 19, 2008. China declared three days of national mourning for earthquake victims and ordered a suspension of the Olympic torch relay, as the search for survivors of the disaster grew bleak. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

Chinese soldiers search for survivors at a collapsed chemical factory in Yinghua town near Shifang. From the heart of Beijing to the devastated southwest, China came to a standstill to mourn its earthquake victims as the number of dead, missing or buried soared past 71,000. (AFP/Liu Jin)

A resident searches for bodies in a house which was destroyed by last week's earthquake at the town of Yingxio, Sichuan province May 19, 2008. (Reinhard Krause/Reuters)

An aerial view shows the collapsed buildings at Yingxiu town of Wenchuan County, the epicenter of the earthquake, Sichuan province, May 18, 2008. (China Daily/Reuters)

A picture shows a dead student's hand holding a pen in the debris site of the Dongqi Middle School in Hanwang Town of the earthquake-hit Mianzhu, Sichuan Province, May 18, 2008 in this picture distributed by China's official Xinhua News Agency. (Xinhua/Liu Zhongjun/Reuters)