World Music day

June 21 has been designated as World Music Day, a day the world celebrating the magical gift of music. It’s origins lie in France when, in 1976, American musician Joel Cohen, proposed an all-night music festival to mark the beginning of the summer solstice and since then, it has become a global phenomenon with over 32 countries worldwide having their own celebrations in their own way, regardless of the season.

It is a day of free music, where musicians - local and amateur - are allowed and encouraged to perform their music in public spaces without any limit. Of course, in Mumbai we would have to pay entertainment tax (and shut down by 10 pm), but still, it’s a marvelous day to celebrate the spirit of music in all its forms.

21-year-old Californian crowned Miss USA 2011

Beating out 50 other contestants, an auburn-haired beauty from California who was a favorite among Vegas odds-markers was crowning Miss USA at the end of the pageant's 60th anniversary contest on Sunday in Sin City.

Alyssa Campanella beat out her good friend, Miss Tennessee Ashley Durham, who was named first runner-up by a panel of star judges. The other finalists were Miss Alabama Madeline Mitchell and Miss Texas Ana Rodriguez.

Campanella replaced Miss USA 2010 Rima Fakih and will be America's representative at Miss Universe in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on September 12.

After revealing on the show that she was a "huge history geek" with a special interest in the Tudor and Stuart period, Campanella added that her much loved monarch was Mary, Queen of Scots, who was beheaded in 1587.

The show had three competitions: swimsuit, evening gown and interview question.
The contestants were whittling to 16 after the show's opening number, in which the beauty queens introduced themselves one-by-one. The top 16 were picked by preliminary judges through competitions and interviews during the week before the broadcast. Celebrity judges picked the top eight after the swimsuit competition and the top 4 after the evening gowns portion.

This year's panel of judges included several well-known celebrities, including Dallas Maverick center Tyson Chandler, actress Mariel Hemingway, chef Rocco DiSpirito, magician Penn Jillette, rapper and producer Lil Jon, "Real Housewives of New Jersey" housewife Caroline Manzo and OPI beauty products founder Suzi Weiss-Fischmann.

World Milk day celebration

World Milk Day highlights to hard work of farmers - The FAO said that in the context of poverty and malnutrition in Asia, milk had a special role to play for its many nutritional advantages with providing income for millions of small-scale farmers.

It said the dairy sector continued the income and employment of millions of farm families, provides milk for nutrition, and draught animal power and manure for agriculture.

Asia's milk production crossed the 250-million-tonne mark last year, indicates that the region's output increased five-fold over the last three decades, said the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

In addition, recent high prices for milk products have further induced renewed interest in dairy development in Asia, mainly in recognition of the nutritional importance of milk in rural communities, it said.

Nearly 80 per cent of fresh milk produced in Asia is supplied by smallholders for which women farmers play a main important role.

It said that over the same period, yearly per capita consumption of milk grew from 20 kg to 70 kg.

Across the globe, countries eagerly participate in World Milk Day every year, and through interactive activities with individuals of all ages, praise the benefits of milk and its role in a healthy diet.