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A three-story-tall Optimus Prime figure stood at the entrance to the Transformers: The Ride-3D as a formation of private jets flew overhead Thursday at the grand opening of the attraction at Universal Orlando Resort in Orlando, Fla. The scene was completed with faux soldiers and vehicles from Transformer films.

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Pagodas to conceal Vegas eyesore

LAS VEGAS » Fans of the Las Vegas Strip may not have to look at one of the corridor’s most persistent eyesores for much longer.

Genting Group is planning to hide the site of the stalled Echelon project near Circus-Circus while it works on building a new Asian-themed casino-hotel there.

The Clark County Zoning Commission on Wednesday approved a plan that includes two five-story pagodas with columns and tile roofing.

Genting, a Malaysian conglomerate, expects to break ground in 2014 on a new casino featuring panda habitats, tea gardens and red pagodas.

Flood damages U.N. heritage site

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VIENNA » A flash flood unleashed by a major thunderstorm has inundated the Austrian village of Hallstatt, which has been awarded special status by the U.N. because of its unique beauty.

Wednesday’s storm turned the placid village creek into a torrent that flooded the village square, tearing up cobblestones in its wake. Houses and a hotel are partially underwater. State-run broadcaster ORF says 30 people had to be evacuated by ladder from the first floor of a building.

"Mud came from all sides," says hotel owner Monika Wenger. "We had to bring our guests to the first floor."

Huddled next to an Alpineπ lake, the village is one of Austria’s tourist attractions. The U.N. Educational Scientific and Culture Organization has named it one of its heritage sites.

Dubai plans Quran-themed park

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates » Dubai has added a new item to its top ambitions such as building the world’s largest Ferris wheel and bidding for an Angry Birds theme park: a site honoring the Quran.

The estimated $7.3 million project will include a garden with plants mentioned in the Islamic holy book and an air-conditioned tunnel depicting events from the Quran. Dubai media quoted a city official as saying Thursday the park should be ready in September 2014.

It’s a departure from Dubai’s emphasis on Western-style tourism, which draws millions of visitors from around the Muslim world but has its detractors.

This week a Saudi cleric issued a religious edict saying it was a "sin" for Saudi women to visit Dubai, but later retracted the opinion after outcry.