The Whistleblower is a 2010 thriller film directed by Larysa Kondracki and starring Rachel Weisz(pictured). It was inspired by the story of Kathryn Bolkovac, a Nebraska police officer who worked as a United Nations peacekeeper in post-war Bosnia and Herzegovina for DynCorp International in 1999 and discovered a sex trafficking ring serving (and being facilitated by) DynCorp employees, with the UN turning a blind eye. The Whistleblower—a co-production between Canada, Germany, and the United States—was filmed in Romania in 2009. It premiered on September 13, 2010 at the Toronto International Film Festival. Samuel Goldwyn Films distributed the film in theaters in the United States. The film was advertised as a fictionalization of events occurring during the late 1990s. Kondracki said that the facts are broadly accurate but some details were omitted for the film. Despite garnering mixed reviews, The Whistleblower received several awards and nominations, including three nominations at the 2012 Genie Awards. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon hosted a screening of the film and promised action would be taken to prevent further instances of human trafficking. The Guardian reported that other UN officials attempted to downplay the events depicted and that initiatives against trafficking in Bosnia were aborted. (Full article...)
... that the United States Mint sold the 32 Old Slip site in Manhattan for US$27 million, making it the most valuable US Government property sold at public auction?
A domesticated yak at Yamdrok Lake in Tibet. The animals are important to Tibetan culture, and have been kept for thousands of years. The yaks are a method of transportation and serve as beasts of burden. Their feces are a source of fuel, and their milk can be used for butter, which is then made into sculptures or consumed.
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