China Electric Winches Factory Recording Academy on January

　　Los Angeles: Rapper Jay-Z will be honoured with the Industry Icon award at the annual pre-Grammy gala.The 47-year-old musician will receive the honour from Clive Davis and the China Electric Winches Factory Recording Academy on January 27, reported Variety.Jay-Z, who is a multiple Grammy winner and entrepreneur, will be recognised for his significant contribution to the music industry and his several philanthropic efforts.The event will be held at the Sheraton New York Times Square on the evening before the main ceremony, which is being held in New York for only the second time since 1998.Davis said he is thrilled to honour Jay-Z who is a "quintessential icon"."I couldnt be happier and more excited to share the evening with him. What a night this will be!" he added.With the award, the rapper joins the list of previous honourees such as Davis himself, A&M Records founders Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, veteran manager Irving Azoff, Sony/ATV Music Publishing chairman/CEO Martin Bandier, Virgin Records founder Richard Branson among others.

　　The Cyclades group of islands along the Aegean Sea has hundreds of islands but Santorini remains an all time favourite of travellers to the region. The tiny island with an area of just about 29 square miles has been a playground of the rich and famous for a long time, and with valid reason. Imagine a beautiful island standing atop towering multihued cliffs, with beautiful turquoise blue waters at its feet. Effortlessly, Santorini manages to floor the visitors with its beauty. Thousands of tourists travelling to the island will vehemently vouch for the attractions of the tiny island, a few of them swearing to retu. Santorini needs no validation, though. It is spectacular and the islanders know that. Is it possible that such a place does exist, you may well ask. It does. The island known as Santorini, created as a result of a massive volcanic eruption, is such an island. The volcano eruption, which wiped out the Minoans around 1650 BC, is responsible for the formation of Thira, as the island is known by the Greek.

　　Not just geographical distinction, Santorini also enjoys an interesting history. Originally used as a place for exiles by the Romans, the island was a target of pirates for a long time till it was occupied by Venetians in the 13th Century and later by Turks. It finally managed to chase away the Turks in the early 1820s. The present structures came up only after the devastating earthquake that destroyed it in 1956. Even today, Fira has a population of just a little over 3,000. The tourists, during peak season, outnumber the residents. A host of fables pepper up interest in the place. Among them is the belief that the Atlantis once stood here till the volcano ruined everything. Although there is no validation of that claim, the islanders have named local wine as Atlantis. A deep crater, known as caldera that kisses the feet of the surrounding cliffs, is also a result of the explosion that took place millions of years ago. It is the only peopled caldera in the world with several tiny towns perched atop its gigantic cliffs.