Criminal charges will soon be filed in the case of a 6-year-old boy who spurred a frantic search for fear he was inside a wayward helium balloon, but who was later found safe at home, officials said on Saturday.
The Larimer County Sheriff's department was preparing charges over the much-publicized incident. The boy's father, Richard Heene, an amateur scientist and inventor, has denied speculation Thursday's incident was a publicity stunt.
A massive search-and-rescue operation and media frenzy ensued after the Heene's homemade helium balloon broke loose and drifted thousands of feet above Colorado for hours.
"We do anticipate ... there will be some criminal charges filed in respect to this incident," said Sheriff Jim Alderden, speaking to reporters in a news conference televised on CNN.
He said initial charges would likely be a misdemeanor.
The department was preparing search warrants, he said, adding the possible misdemeanor charge "hardly seems serious enough given the circumstances." He said the department was in contact with federal authorities and additional federal charges were possible.
Heene and his wife Mayumi were both questioned by sheriff's officials on Saturday.
Speculation over whether the four-hour ordeal was an elaborate hoax by the family -- who have appeared on reality television and are known as storm chasers -- arose after the boy, named Falcon, said on CNN's "Larry King Live" that he stayed hidden "for the show."
Earlier on Saturday, father Heene reiterated it was not a publicity stunt. He had called media to his Fort Collins, Colorado home for what he said would be a major announcement, but instead requested that reporters put written questions into a box that he would address later.
"Was this some sort of publicity stunt?" asked a reporter outside the home.
"Absolutely no hoax," said Heene.
Falcon, whose older brother had reported seeing him climb into a compartment attached to the balloon, was discovered hiding in a box in the attic above his family's garage.
Alderden said the department would hold a news conference on Sunday morning.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Colorado sheriff sees no hoax in balloon incident
A Colorado sheriff largely dismissed suggestions on Friday that a family of amateur scientists staged a hoax by reporting their 6-year-old son had floated away in a home-made helium balloon.
The bizarre incident on Thursday gripped U.S. television viewers as the silver balloon raced across the Colorado sky, tracked by U.S. National Guard helicopters for hours before the boy, Falcon Heene, was found alive and well in his attic.
Questions about the saga were raised after Falcon was asked on CNN's "Larry King Live" why he had stayed in hiding so long when family members and other searchers were desperately calling his name.
"You guys (his parents) said that, um, we did this for the show," he said.
The boy's father strongly denied in television interviews on Friday that the incident was a stunt.
"We believe at this time that it was a real event," Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden told a news conference on Friday.
"We have to operate on what we can prove as a fact and not what people want to be done or what people speculate should be done," Alderden said.
He acknowledged the boy's comment "has raised everybody's level of skepticism again and we feel its incumbent on us to go back to the family and re-interview them and establish whether in fact this was a hoax," Alderden said.
Authorities had considered desperate measures to bring the craft down safely and, after discovering the boy was not inside, had begun scouring the countryside amid fears he had fallen out.
Richard Heene and his wife, Mayumi, and three sons have appeared on the ABC television reality show "Wife Swap" in which families swap mothers to deal with family problems. Richard Heene said the balloon was part of an experiment by the family, which is known locally for its storm-chasing and scientific experiments.
NEW VIDEO SURFACES
A new videotape surfaced of the balloon leaving the family's yard, which showed Richard and Mayumi Heene and at least one of their sons loudly counting down to the moment of lift-off.
Richard Heene then appears to fly into a rage, kicking a wood framing that had once held the craft.
That video seemed to be at odds with earlier accounts, in which Heene said he was inside the house when the device somehow broke loose from its tethers and floated away.
Alderden told reporters he had not yet seen that videotape but said Heene would be questioned about it as part of the investigation.
The bizarre incident on Thursday gripped U.S. television viewers as the silver balloon raced across the Colorado sky, tracked by U.S. National Guard helicopters for hours before the boy, Falcon Heene, was found alive and well in his attic.
Questions about the saga were raised after Falcon was asked on CNN's "Larry King Live" why he had stayed in hiding so long when family members and other searchers were desperately calling his name.
"You guys (his parents) said that, um, we did this for the show," he said.
The boy's father strongly denied in television interviews on Friday that the incident was a stunt.
"We believe at this time that it was a real event," Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden told a news conference on Friday.
"We have to operate on what we can prove as a fact and not what people want to be done or what people speculate should be done," Alderden said.
He acknowledged the boy's comment "has raised everybody's level of skepticism again and we feel its incumbent on us to go back to the family and re-interview them and establish whether in fact this was a hoax," Alderden said.
Authorities had considered desperate measures to bring the craft down safely and, after discovering the boy was not inside, had begun scouring the countryside amid fears he had fallen out.
Richard Heene and his wife, Mayumi, and three sons have appeared on the ABC television reality show "Wife Swap" in which families swap mothers to deal with family problems. Richard Heene said the balloon was part of an experiment by the family, which is known locally for its storm-chasing and scientific experiments.
NEW VIDEO SURFACES
A new videotape surfaced of the balloon leaving the family's yard, which showed Richard and Mayumi Heene and at least one of their sons loudly counting down to the moment of lift-off.
Richard Heene then appears to fly into a rage, kicking a wood framing that had once held the craft.
That video seemed to be at odds with earlier accounts, in which Heene said he was inside the house when the device somehow broke loose from its tethers and floated away.
Alderden told reporters he had not yet seen that videotape but said Heene would be questioned about it as part of the investigation.
Two years out and Chinese people aren't allowed to play WOTLK because of government interference and corruption.
this is the difference between America and China, and its a difference that isn't going away. For all the idiocy of our politics, for all the ridiculous back and forth and inanity, we're a free country. And it matters. It matters in little ways like being able to play the video games we want to play. It matters in big ways like being able to choose where we want to live.
There is nobody on God's green earth that knows what you want, what makes your pursuit of happiness complete, better than you do. In this country we respect that reality. In China they don't.
Size, guns and money may buy you influence. They may let your fanboys go to sleep with nice dreams. They may let you ban video games until the cows come home. But they don't make you a gladiator. There may be a time when China gets there, but I can tell you this: while its still a place where WOTLK can be banned by the government that time is measured in decades, not in years.
There is nobody on God's green earth that knows what you want, what makes your pursuit of happiness complete, better than you do. In this country we respect that reality. In China they don't.
Size, guns and money may buy you influence. They may let your fanboys go to sleep with nice dreams. They may let you ban video games until the cows come home. But they don't make you a gladiator. There may be a time when China gets there, but I can tell you this: while its still a place where WOTLK can be banned by the government that time is measured in decades, not in years.
Queen slips out for quiet date with hubby
Britain's Queen Elizabeth stunned theater-goers in London this week when she and her husband slipped in to see a play unannounced and at the last minute, newspapers reported.
The queen and Prince Philip apologetically squeezed past other theater-goers to get into their seats for the West End production of World War One play "War Horse" at the New London Theater.
"The Queen and the Duke sat down as the lights dimmed and it was a huge shock when people realized who they were," said a journalist at the show for The Lady magazine. "They were incredibly apologetic for asking people to let them past and there was no hubbub or fuss about it all."
The queen and her husband often make incognito trips to the West End, but are rarely spotted, an aide told London's Evening Standard newspaper.
"The Queen has regularly undertaken similar private visits throughout her reign without any fuss," the aide said. "It allows her to live a bit more of a normal life."
The journalist from The Lady said the queen appeared to enjoy the performance, disappeared during the interval and then reappeared discreetly.
"When they left at the end, they were given a round of applause, which the Queen acknowledged with a wave," she said.
The queen and Prince Philip apologetically squeezed past other theater-goers to get into their seats for the West End production of World War One play "War Horse" at the New London Theater.
"The Queen and the Duke sat down as the lights dimmed and it was a huge shock when people realized who they were," said a journalist at the show for The Lady magazine. "They were incredibly apologetic for asking people to let them past and there was no hubbub or fuss about it all."
The queen and her husband often make incognito trips to the West End, but are rarely spotted, an aide told London's Evening Standard newspaper.
"The Queen has regularly undertaken similar private visits throughout her reign without any fuss," the aide said. "It allows her to live a bit more of a normal life."
The journalist from The Lady said the queen appeared to enjoy the performance, disappeared during the interval and then reappeared discreetly.
"When they left at the end, they were given a round of applause, which the Queen acknowledged with a wave," she said.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
And the most tasteless idea of the week is..
Australian horse racing officials have been slammed for holding a dwarf racing competition called the 'Midget Cup' at a meeting in Melbourne to promote Victoria state's annual carnival.
The race at the Cranbourne Cup Sunday involved three men charging down a 50-metres course with dwarfs dressed in jockey silks riding piggyback, and has been denounced by government officials and advocacy groups.
"Well look, there's often a fine line between a bit of fun and a silly stunt and I think this falls into the latter category," Victorian racing minister Rob Hulls told state radio.
"I mean the Midget's Cup for goodness sake. It's certainly no way of promoting this great Spring Carnival right around the world, right around Australia and right throughout Victoria."
The controversy comes days after an Australian talent show came under fire for airing a comedy troupe skit involving dancers wearing afro wigs and black-painted faces to impersonate late pop star Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5.
Stuart Laing, a marketing manager at Racing Victoria, said the dwarf race was intended to be "harmless fun," but apologized and said it would not be repeated.
"We understand that you can't please everyone and if anyone's offended by the events of Sunday then we apologize to them," he said.
The race at the Cranbourne Cup Sunday involved three men charging down a 50-metres course with dwarfs dressed in jockey silks riding piggyback, and has been denounced by government officials and advocacy groups.
"Well look, there's often a fine line between a bit of fun and a silly stunt and I think this falls into the latter category," Victorian racing minister Rob Hulls told state radio.
"I mean the Midget's Cup for goodness sake. It's certainly no way of promoting this great Spring Carnival right around the world, right around Australia and right throughout Victoria."
The controversy comes days after an Australian talent show came under fire for airing a comedy troupe skit involving dancers wearing afro wigs and black-painted faces to impersonate late pop star Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5.
Stuart Laing, a marketing manager at Racing Victoria, said the dwarf race was intended to be "harmless fun," but apologized and said it would not be repeated.
"We understand that you can't please everyone and if anyone's offended by the events of Sunday then we apologize to them," he said.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Rags-to-riches tramp bags fortune in bottles
A 63-year-old homeless Russian man has gone from street life to stock market trader after collecting thousands of empty booze bottles for cash, a popular Russian tabloid reported on Tuesday.
Pictured in a majestic purple suit and matching violet jewelry, Leonid Konovalov told the Tvoi Den paper he collected around 2,000 bottles a day over the past year since the economic downturn hit Russia last autumn.
"Russians are drinking a little bit more due to the crisis, and this helped me get out of the rubbish dump," said Konovalov, an ex-engineer from the industrial city of Kemerovo in eastern Siberia who has spent the last 20 years living in a tip.
Russia's many homeless are often seen rooting through rubbish for bottles and tins, which they can trade for money. A glass bottle can fetch about 2 rubles ($0.06).
The bearded former tramp said he was encouraged by his two grandchildren to take risks on the stock market and said his first transaction was a 50,000 euro ($74,120) share-purchase.
Pictured in a majestic purple suit and matching violet jewelry, Leonid Konovalov told the Tvoi Den paper he collected around 2,000 bottles a day over the past year since the economic downturn hit Russia last autumn.
"Russians are drinking a little bit more due to the crisis, and this helped me get out of the rubbish dump," said Konovalov, an ex-engineer from the industrial city of Kemerovo in eastern Siberia who has spent the last 20 years living in a tip.
Russia's many homeless are often seen rooting through rubbish for bottles and tins, which they can trade for money. A glass bottle can fetch about 2 rubles ($0.06).
The bearded former tramp said he was encouraged by his two grandchildren to take risks on the stock market and said his first transaction was a 50,000 euro ($74,120) share-purchase.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Once in a black and blue moon...
A German man mooning at railway staff in a departing train got his trousers caught in a carriage door and ended up being dragged half naked along the platform, out of the station and onto the tracks.
The 22-year-old journalism student shoved his backside against the window of a low-slung double-decker train when staff forced him off in Lauenbrueck for traveling without a ticket, a spokesman for police in the northern city of Bremen said.
"It's a miracle he wasn't badly hurt," the spokesman said on Monday. "This sort of thing can end up killing you."
Instead, dangling by his trousers, the man got pulled along for about 200 meters, all the while managing to keep his legs away from the wheels of the train.
The ordeal ended when a passenger pulled the emergency brake. Rescues services were called in, causing rail services between Bremen and Hamburg to be suspended for over an hour, delaying 23 trains.
The man -- unharmed except for cuts and bruises -- now faces charges of dangerous interference in rail transport, insulting the train staff, and may face sizeable a compensation claim for the delays he caused, police said.
"He was full of remorse when I talked to him," the spokesman said. "And he advised others not to try the same thing."
The 22-year-old journalism student shoved his backside against the window of a low-slung double-decker train when staff forced him off in Lauenbrueck for traveling without a ticket, a spokesman for police in the northern city of Bremen said.
"It's a miracle he wasn't badly hurt," the spokesman said on Monday. "This sort of thing can end up killing you."
Instead, dangling by his trousers, the man got pulled along for about 200 meters, all the while managing to keep his legs away from the wheels of the train.
The ordeal ended when a passenger pulled the emergency brake. Rescues services were called in, causing rail services between Bremen and Hamburg to be suspended for over an hour, delaying 23 trains.
The man -- unharmed except for cuts and bruises -- now faces charges of dangerous interference in rail transport, insulting the train staff, and may face sizeable a compensation claim for the delays he caused, police said.
"He was full of remorse when I talked to him," the spokesman said. "And he advised others not to try the same thing."
Man faces prison, flogging over TV sex revelations
A Saudi court has sentenced a man to five years in jail and 1,000 lashes for boasting about his sexual exploits on television, in a case that has divided public opinion in the conservative Islamic kingdom.
Abdul-Jawad, a divorced father of four, was arrested in August after discussing his premarital sexual encounters, showing off his pick-up techniques and displaying some sex toys and lubricants on a Lebanese TV program.
His comments caused a public outcry in Saudi Arabia, where the religious elite has vast powers over society and religious police enforce the segregation of men and women in public.
King Abdullah has begun to reform education and the judiciary in recent years, partly to discourage Islamic militancy. But he faces resistance from clerics and conservative princes and analysts say the case gives fresh momentum to some clerics' calls for strict curbs on social freedoms.
Three of Abdul-Jawad's friends who appeared on the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC) were sentenced to two years in jail and 300 lashes each.
LBC is a popular channel in Saudi Arabia, one of the world's most conservative societies, and many Saudis tune into its Western-style entertainment programs and talk shows.
Abdul-Jawad, 32, spoke from his bedroom on an episode of "In Bold Red." He was shown driving his red convertible to a shopping mall where he said he used his mobile phone to pick up girls.
A court official said that, on top of the lashings and jail sentence, Abdul-Jawad's phone and car would be confiscated and he would be banned from traveling after completing his term.
"Dont push! Don't push," a distressed Abdul-Jawad yelled as he struggled in the grasp of two policemen escorting him out of the judge's office in Jeddah Wednesday.
Lawyers say Abdul-Jawad could have been given the death penalty. Judges, who are clerics of Saudi Arabia's strict Wahhabi school of Islam, have wide powers of discretion.
Abdul-Jawad's brother said it would be difficult for him to be accepted back into society.
"Now he has been fired from his job and after his jail term it won't be possible for him to get a job in government or the private sector because he was charged with a case of moral indecency," the brother, who did not want to be named, told Reuters.
Abdul-Jawad, a divorced father of four, was arrested in August after discussing his premarital sexual encounters, showing off his pick-up techniques and displaying some sex toys and lubricants on a Lebanese TV program.
His comments caused a public outcry in Saudi Arabia, where the religious elite has vast powers over society and religious police enforce the segregation of men and women in public.
King Abdullah has begun to reform education and the judiciary in recent years, partly to discourage Islamic militancy. But he faces resistance from clerics and conservative princes and analysts say the case gives fresh momentum to some clerics' calls for strict curbs on social freedoms.
Three of Abdul-Jawad's friends who appeared on the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC) were sentenced to two years in jail and 300 lashes each.
LBC is a popular channel in Saudi Arabia, one of the world's most conservative societies, and many Saudis tune into its Western-style entertainment programs and talk shows.
Abdul-Jawad, 32, spoke from his bedroom on an episode of "In Bold Red." He was shown driving his red convertible to a shopping mall where he said he used his mobile phone to pick up girls.
A court official said that, on top of the lashings and jail sentence, Abdul-Jawad's phone and car would be confiscated and he would be banned from traveling after completing his term.
"Dont push! Don't push," a distressed Abdul-Jawad yelled as he struggled in the grasp of two policemen escorting him out of the judge's office in Jeddah Wednesday.
Lawyers say Abdul-Jawad could have been given the death penalty. Judges, who are clerics of Saudi Arabia's strict Wahhabi school of Islam, have wide powers of discretion.
Abdul-Jawad's brother said it would be difficult for him to be accepted back into society.
"Now he has been fired from his job and after his jail term it won't be possible for him to get a job in government or the private sector because he was charged with a case of moral indecency," the brother, who did not want to be named, told Reuters.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Birth control pill could put women off macho men?
Why do some women's hearts race over the feminine features of Orlando Bloom while others are more attracted to macho men like Daniel Craig?
Being on the contraceptive pill could be the reason, according to British scientists.
Researchers said that women whose hormones are chemically controlled are less likely to seek out muscular, rugged men.
Whereas, they say, ovulating women not on the pill "exhibit a preference for more masculine features, are particularly attracted to men showing dominance and male-male competitiveness and prefer partners who are genetically dissimilar to themselves."
Women on the pill tend to pick more effeminate men who look like themselves. This could lead to problems conceiving, according to the study conducted at the University of Sheffield.
"There is evidence that genetic similarity between couples might be linked with infertility," said the study, published in the Trends in Ecology and Evolution medical journal.
The birth control pill could also throw a spanner in the works of the laws of natural attraction as it prevents women giving off monthly fertility signals believed to be subtly alluring to men.
"Ovulation is associated with a profound shift in some female physical characteristics, behaviors and perceptions related to male attraction," the report said.
Being on the contraceptive pill could be the reason, according to British scientists.
Researchers said that women whose hormones are chemically controlled are less likely to seek out muscular, rugged men.
Whereas, they say, ovulating women not on the pill "exhibit a preference for more masculine features, are particularly attracted to men showing dominance and male-male competitiveness and prefer partners who are genetically dissimilar to themselves."
Women on the pill tend to pick more effeminate men who look like themselves. This could lead to problems conceiving, according to the study conducted at the University of Sheffield.
"There is evidence that genetic similarity between couples might be linked with infertility," said the study, published in the Trends in Ecology and Evolution medical journal.
The birth control pill could also throw a spanner in the works of the laws of natural attraction as it prevents women giving off monthly fertility signals believed to be subtly alluring to men.
"Ovulation is associated with a profound shift in some female physical characteristics, behaviors and perceptions related to male attraction," the report said.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Fetch! City pays for dog poo
A city in central Taiwan is offering shopping vouchers to volunteer dog waste collectors in a bid to clean up a perennial problem caused by the large number of stray animals island-wide.
City officials in Taichung, which has a population of one million, said on Wednesday the environmental protection bureau would give vouchers worth 100 Taiwan dollars ($3) for every kilo of dog poo collected. In areas of the city especially affected, the reward will be for every half-kilo.
"By means of offering rewards, the bureau hopes to goad the public into spontaneous clean-up efforts that protect the environment," the city council said on its website.
The 130,000 Taiwan dollar reward program should also raise public awareness of the main cause of the problem -- people who no longer want their pet dogs and who release them onto the streets, said Wang Wen-ge, a project manager with the bureau.
The initiative will start next week and vouchers can be redeemed from a local chain store.
Stray dogs may be a common sight in poor, less developed countries, but affluent Taiwan's cities are also full of them, with official figures showing there are about 180,000 living on the island of 23 million people.
The problem began in the 1980s, when Taiwan saw a boom in pet dogs following economic success, but now residents complain about the canine menace and the government has been fighting the issue for years.
The number of strays has also risen further in the current economic downturn as more pet owners dump animals they can no longer afford to keep.
City officials in Taichung, which has a population of one million, said on Wednesday the environmental protection bureau would give vouchers worth 100 Taiwan dollars ($3) for every kilo of dog poo collected. In areas of the city especially affected, the reward will be for every half-kilo.
"By means of offering rewards, the bureau hopes to goad the public into spontaneous clean-up efforts that protect the environment," the city council said on its website.
The 130,000 Taiwan dollar reward program should also raise public awareness of the main cause of the problem -- people who no longer want their pet dogs and who release them onto the streets, said Wang Wen-ge, a project manager with the bureau.
The initiative will start next week and vouchers can be redeemed from a local chain store.
Stray dogs may be a common sight in poor, less developed countries, but affluent Taiwan's cities are also full of them, with official figures showing there are about 180,000 living on the island of 23 million people.
The problem began in the 1980s, when Taiwan saw a boom in pet dogs following economic success, but now residents complain about the canine menace and the government has been fighting the issue for years.
The number of strays has also risen further in the current economic downturn as more pet owners dump animals they can no longer afford to keep.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Canadian trucker fined for smoking on the job
A Canadian truck driver has been fined for smoking in his vehicle because it is considered his workplace, a police spokeswoman said on Friday.
A police officer saw the 48-year-old trucker driving on a highway in southwestern Ontario with a cigarette in his mouth on Wednesday, and gave him a C$305 ($290) ticket.
The Smoke-Free Ontario Act, adopted in 2006, prohibits smoking in an enclosed workplace or enclosed public area, and that extends to work vehicles, said Constable Shawna Coulter of the Ontario Provincial Police in Essex County.
"We enforce the legislation and this truck driver was in violation of that," she said.
A police officer saw the 48-year-old trucker driving on a highway in southwestern Ontario with a cigarette in his mouth on Wednesday, and gave him a C$305 ($290) ticket.
The Smoke-Free Ontario Act, adopted in 2006, prohibits smoking in an enclosed workplace or enclosed public area, and that extends to work vehicles, said Constable Shawna Coulter of the Ontario Provincial Police in Essex County.
"We enforce the legislation and this truck driver was in violation of that," she said.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Michael Jackson skit sparks racism calls
An Australian talent show skit based around late pop star Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 has backfired after U.S. guest star Harry Connick Jr called for an apology and viewers accused the program of racism.
The comedy troupe, who called themselves "Jackson Jive," painted their faces black and donned black afro wigs in the skit broadcast on Wednesday evening, prompting talent judge Connick to protest and "speak up as an American."
Five members of the group wore white suits and purple shirts, as well as a single jeweled glove favored for a time by Michael Jackson, who died suddenly in June.
Another dressed as Jackson himself, with white face paint.
"If I knew that was going to be part of the show I definitely wouldn't have done it," Connick said after calling a halt to the skit and awarding the six performing members with a zero rating.
The show's host apologized to Connick on air for the so-called "blackface" routine during a special reunion program watched by 2.3 million people, acknowledging producers had been briefed on the skit, based on a similar one performed 20 years previously.
Viewers criticized the skit on Twitter, with one calling the show "embarrassing and distasteful" and questioning whether "Is it racist for white folks to paint their faces black?"
While the live crowd was largely supportive of the skit, 62 percent of respondents to an online poll by The Courier-Mail newspaper called the segment "tasteless and racist."
The comedy troupe, who called themselves "Jackson Jive," painted their faces black and donned black afro wigs in the skit broadcast on Wednesday evening, prompting talent judge Connick to protest and "speak up as an American."
Five members of the group wore white suits and purple shirts, as well as a single jeweled glove favored for a time by Michael Jackson, who died suddenly in June.
Another dressed as Jackson himself, with white face paint.
"If I knew that was going to be part of the show I definitely wouldn't have done it," Connick said after calling a halt to the skit and awarding the six performing members with a zero rating.
The show's host apologized to Connick on air for the so-called "blackface" routine during a special reunion program watched by 2.3 million people, acknowledging producers had been briefed on the skit, based on a similar one performed 20 years previously.
Viewers criticized the skit on Twitter, with one calling the show "embarrassing and distasteful" and questioning whether "Is it racist for white folks to paint their faces black?"
While the live crowd was largely supportive of the skit, 62 percent of respondents to an online poll by The Courier-Mail newspaper called the segment "tasteless and racist."
Donkeys get dye-job, take on zebra role
Two white donkeys dyed with black stripes delighted Palestinian kids at a small Gaza zoo on Thursday who had never seen a zebra in the flesh.
With their long ears, drooping heads and sleepy eyes, the impostors probably would not have fooled the zoo's only lioness. But the effect achieved by the zoo owners' dye job looks not so bad -- to the unpracticed eye, and from a distance.
On closer inspection it resembles the classic striped convict suit of cartoon strips.
Nidal Barghouthi, whose father owns the Marah Land zoo, said the two female donkeys were striped using masking tape and women's hair dye, applied with a paint-brush.
"The first time we used paint but it didn't look good," he said. "The children don't know so they call them zebras and they are happy to see something new."
A genuine zebra would have been too expensive to bring into Israel-blockaded Gaza via smuggling tunnels under the border with Egypt, said owner Mohammed Bargouthi. "It would have cost me $40,000 to get a real one."
Gaza's Palestinians are impoverished by their isolation under an Israeli embargo against its Islamist Hamas rulers, who refuse to give up armed resistance against the Jewish state.
Bargouthi's zoo charged an entrance fee of just $15 for a full busload of children.
With their long ears, drooping heads and sleepy eyes, the impostors probably would not have fooled the zoo's only lioness. But the effect achieved by the zoo owners' dye job looks not so bad -- to the unpracticed eye, and from a distance.
On closer inspection it resembles the classic striped convict suit of cartoon strips.
Nidal Barghouthi, whose father owns the Marah Land zoo, said the two female donkeys were striped using masking tape and women's hair dye, applied with a paint-brush.
"The first time we used paint but it didn't look good," he said. "The children don't know so they call them zebras and they are happy to see something new."
A genuine zebra would have been too expensive to bring into Israel-blockaded Gaza via smuggling tunnels under the border with Egypt, said owner Mohammed Bargouthi. "It would have cost me $40,000 to get a real one."
Gaza's Palestinians are impoverished by their isolation under an Israeli embargo against its Islamist Hamas rulers, who refuse to give up armed resistance against the Jewish state.
Bargouthi's zoo charged an entrance fee of just $15 for a full busload of children.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
College issues dress guidelines -- for teachers
It is normally students who are sent home for inappropriate attire, but one English college is threatening to send lecturers home for violating a dress code, which includes a ban on jeans.
Their union has accused Birmingham Metropolitan College of "acting like the fashion police."
The newly re-issued dress code requires lecturers to wear a "business suit; smart jacket and co-ordinating trousers or skirt; smart shirt/top/blouse or smart dress."
Scruffy trousers, jeans, ostentatious jewelry and outrageous hair styles and colors are strictly banned.
Earrings must not be excessive and are the only form of jewelry allowed in visible piercings. The policy also states that tattoos must be covered.
Nick Varney of the local University and College Union (UCU) branch said the policy "harks back to Victorian times." He told Reuters he has never seen staff so angry.
"They are absolutely fuming. It's about their professionalism and the notion that they haven't got a clue about what to wear when they are teaching," Varney said.
The guidelines are a far cry from the stereotypical image of a college lecturer as a slightly scruffy, chalk-dusted individual wearing corduroy jackets with torn leather elbow pads.
In the policy, the college says: "The College is a professional and business-like organization and staff have a responsibility to uphold and promote these values in their dress and appearance."
The UCU accused the dress code of being possibly discriminatory and subjective.
"Has diversity and the celebration of cultural differences totally passed them by?" asked Varney.
Lecturers are due to meet with the college principal this week. The UCU is demanding the policy be withdrawn.
Their union has accused Birmingham Metropolitan College of "acting like the fashion police."
The newly re-issued dress code requires lecturers to wear a "business suit; smart jacket and co-ordinating trousers or skirt; smart shirt/top/blouse or smart dress."
Scruffy trousers, jeans, ostentatious jewelry and outrageous hair styles and colors are strictly banned.
Earrings must not be excessive and are the only form of jewelry allowed in visible piercings. The policy also states that tattoos must be covered.
Nick Varney of the local University and College Union (UCU) branch said the policy "harks back to Victorian times." He told Reuters he has never seen staff so angry.
"They are absolutely fuming. It's about their professionalism and the notion that they haven't got a clue about what to wear when they are teaching," Varney said.
The guidelines are a far cry from the stereotypical image of a college lecturer as a slightly scruffy, chalk-dusted individual wearing corduroy jackets with torn leather elbow pads.
In the policy, the college says: "The College is a professional and business-like organization and staff have a responsibility to uphold and promote these values in their dress and appearance."
The UCU accused the dress code of being possibly discriminatory and subjective.
"Has diversity and the celebration of cultural differences totally passed them by?" asked Varney.
Lecturers are due to meet with the college principal this week. The UCU is demanding the policy be withdrawn.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Man faces prison, flogging over TV sex revelations
A Saudi court has sentenced a man to five years in jail and 1,000 lashes for boasting about his sexual exploits on television, in a case that has divided public opinion in the conservative Islamic kingdom.
Abdul-Jawad, a divorced father of four, was arrested in August after discussing his premarital sexual encounters, showing off his pick-up techniques and displaying some sex toys and lubricants on a Lebanese TV program.
His comments caused a public outcry in Saudi Arabia, where the religious elite has vast powers over society and religious police enforce the segregation of men and women in public.
King Abdullah has begun to reform education and the judiciary in recent years, partly to discourage Islamic militancy. But he faces resistance from clerics and conservative princes and analysts say the case gives fresh momentum to some clerics' calls for strict curbs on social freedoms.
Three of Abdul-Jawad's friends who appeared on the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC) were sentenced to two years in jail and 300 lashes each.
LBC is a popular channel in Saudi Arabia, one of the world's most conservative societies, and many Saudis tune into its Western-style entertainment programs and talk shows.
Abdul-Jawad, 32, spoke from his bedroom on an episode of "In Bold Red." He was shown driving his red convertible to a shopping mall where he said he used his mobile phone to pick up girls.
A court official said that, on top of the lashings and jail sentence, Abdul-Jawad's phone and car would be confiscated and he would be banned from traveling after completing his term.
"Dont push! Don't push," a distressed Abdul-Jawad yelled as he struggled in the grasp of two policemen escorting him out of the judge's office in Jeddah Wednesday.
Lawyers say Abdul-Jawad could have been given the death penalty. Judges, who are clerics of Saudi Arabia's strict Wahhabi school of Islam, have wide powers of discretion.
Abdul-Jawad's brother said it would be difficult for him to be accepted back into society.
"Now he has been fired from his job and after his jail term it won't be possible for him to get a job in government or the private sector because he was charged with a case of moral indecency," the brother, who did not want to be named, told Reuters.
Abdul-Jawad, a divorced father of four, was arrested in August after discussing his premarital sexual encounters, showing off his pick-up techniques and displaying some sex toys and lubricants on a Lebanese TV program.
His comments caused a public outcry in Saudi Arabia, where the religious elite has vast powers over society and religious police enforce the segregation of men and women in public.
King Abdullah has begun to reform education and the judiciary in recent years, partly to discourage Islamic militancy. But he faces resistance from clerics and conservative princes and analysts say the case gives fresh momentum to some clerics' calls for strict curbs on social freedoms.
Three of Abdul-Jawad's friends who appeared on the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC) were sentenced to two years in jail and 300 lashes each.
LBC is a popular channel in Saudi Arabia, one of the world's most conservative societies, and many Saudis tune into its Western-style entertainment programs and talk shows.
Abdul-Jawad, 32, spoke from his bedroom on an episode of "In Bold Red." He was shown driving his red convertible to a shopping mall where he said he used his mobile phone to pick up girls.
A court official said that, on top of the lashings and jail sentence, Abdul-Jawad's phone and car would be confiscated and he would be banned from traveling after completing his term.
"Dont push! Don't push," a distressed Abdul-Jawad yelled as he struggled in the grasp of two policemen escorting him out of the judge's office in Jeddah Wednesday.
Lawyers say Abdul-Jawad could have been given the death penalty. Judges, who are clerics of Saudi Arabia's strict Wahhabi school of Islam, have wide powers of discretion.
Abdul-Jawad's brother said it would be difficult for him to be accepted back into society.
"Now he has been fired from his job and after his jail term it won't be possible for him to get a job in government or the private sector because he was charged with a case of moral indecency," the brother, who did not want to be named, told Reuters.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Air India says mid-air scuffle no threat to safety
A mid-air scuffle between pilots and crew of an Air India flight at the weekend did not endanger the 106 passengers on board, said a spokesman for the airline which has ordered an inquiry.
Two pilots and two crew members have been grounded following the incident on a Sharjah-Lucknow-Delhi flight, said Jitender Bhargava, which began as a heated exchange on a charge of sexual harassment against the pilots by a crew member.
Blows were also exchanged in the scuffle that spilled into the cabin late on Saturday night, according to media reports.
"At no stage was safety compromised. It was a clear case of indiscipline," Bhargava said.
"Our report is still awaited. We will decide on the course of action when it is ready," he said, adding that Delhi police were also investigating.
The ailing state-run carrier last week canceled dozens of flights when about 250 pilots went on strike to protest against plans to cut pay incentives as part of a broader cost-cutting exercise.
Two pilots and two crew members have been grounded following the incident on a Sharjah-Lucknow-Delhi flight, said Jitender Bhargava, which began as a heated exchange on a charge of sexual harassment against the pilots by a crew member.
Blows were also exchanged in the scuffle that spilled into the cabin late on Saturday night, according to media reports.
"At no stage was safety compromised. It was a clear case of indiscipline," Bhargava said.
"Our report is still awaited. We will decide on the course of action when it is ready," he said, adding that Delhi police were also investigating.
The ailing state-run carrier last week canceled dozens of flights when about 250 pilots went on strike to protest against plans to cut pay incentives as part of a broader cost-cutting exercise.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Giant candy store to open in gigantic mall
A Dubai-based company is opening what it says will be the world's largest confectionary store in Dubai as it looks to tap demand from the Gulf Arab region's hunger for candy.
Candylicious, which initially opens in one of the world's largest shopping centers, The Dubai Mall, is also planning a second store in Singapore early next year, Sunaina Gill, director of Retail Is Detail, a Singaporean family business in Dubai told Reuters on Wednesday.
"We are planning 10-15 stores in the Gulf Arab region over the next 3-5 years, with additional stores to open in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the next 12 months," said Gill.
Dubai, one of seven emirates comprising the United Arab Emirates and the tourism and trade hub of the Middle East, already has the world's tallest skyscraper and one of the longest driverless train systems globally after investing billions of dollars to propel the emirate on to the international map during a six-year oil-fueled boom.
Dubai is an ideal place for the store, said Gill, adding there was a gap and sufficient demand in the market for a confectionary store of this type, especially with 30 million visitors a year expected to visit the Dubai Mall.
Gill said the group, which will sell everything from chocolates, soda and popcorn, was aiming for sales of $10 million annually.
In addition to its sweets, the 10,000 square foot store features a huge 10-meter singing chocolate tree decorated with lollipops.
Customers will not need to necessarily have venture into the store to taste the candy. The store will also employ "Candylicious Junior," a car that will circle the mall.
Candylicious, which initially opens in one of the world's largest shopping centers, The Dubai Mall, is also planning a second store in Singapore early next year, Sunaina Gill, director of Retail Is Detail, a Singaporean family business in Dubai told Reuters on Wednesday.
"We are planning 10-15 stores in the Gulf Arab region over the next 3-5 years, with additional stores to open in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the next 12 months," said Gill.
Dubai, one of seven emirates comprising the United Arab Emirates and the tourism and trade hub of the Middle East, already has the world's tallest skyscraper and one of the longest driverless train systems globally after investing billions of dollars to propel the emirate on to the international map during a six-year oil-fueled boom.
Dubai is an ideal place for the store, said Gill, adding there was a gap and sufficient demand in the market for a confectionary store of this type, especially with 30 million visitors a year expected to visit the Dubai Mall.
Gill said the group, which will sell everything from chocolates, soda and popcorn, was aiming for sales of $10 million annually.
In addition to its sweets, the 10,000 square foot store features a huge 10-meter singing chocolate tree decorated with lollipops.
Customers will not need to necessarily have venture into the store to taste the candy. The store will also employ "Candylicious Junior," a car that will circle the mall.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Miss Singapore World resigns after lingerie fraud
Beauty queen Miss Singapore World has given up her crown after it emerged that she had stolen credit cards to go on a shopping spree for lingerie. Ris Low had come under public pressure to be stripped of her 2009 title, after local media reported she stole seven credit cards last year while working at a medical clinic, buying goods worth about S$8,000 ($5,662) including gold anklets and phones.
Organizers of the pageant ERM World Marketing said she had resigned Tuesday of her own accord. She will no longer represent Singapore at the Miss World finals to be held in South Africa in December, but her replacement has not yet been decided.
Low had also been criticized for her poor English, mispronouncing "bikini" in a recent video, leading others in multicultural Singapore to spring to her defense and soul-searching on websites about the national character.
"If there was a beauty contest for countries, how do you think Singapore would fare on the world stage? We seem to have the aesthetic qualifications. But with a very ugly personality," said blogger Solofigure09 on the Straits Times newspaper's website.
Organizers of the pageant ERM World Marketing said she had resigned Tuesday of her own accord. She will no longer represent Singapore at the Miss World finals to be held in South Africa in December, but her replacement has not yet been decided.
Low had also been criticized for her poor English, mispronouncing "bikini" in a recent video, leading others in multicultural Singapore to spring to her defense and soul-searching on websites about the national character.
"If there was a beauty contest for countries, how do you think Singapore would fare on the world stage? We seem to have the aesthetic qualifications. But with a very ugly personality," said blogger Solofigure09 on the Straits Times newspaper's website.
North American pro sports leagues in a twitter over tweeting
North America's professional sports leagues are all a twitter over tweeting and have pushed through guidelines to ban player access to social networking sites during games.
Following the lead of the NFL and NBA, the NHL said it was close to making recommendations that will prohibit players from using communicational devices for social media activity -- including Twitter and Facebook -- 30 minutes before and after games, practices, meetings and media access periods.
The ban would extend to coaches, trainers and all game-related personnel.
"I looked at what the NBA was doing and what the NFL was doing and used those as a basis for my own recommendations," NHL director of social media marketing Mike Dilorenzo told Reuters on Thursday.
"We've drafted a set of guidelines that are in the process of being vetted by the senior management so they can be rolled out to the teams."
The NBA sent a memo to teams on Wednesday informing them that coaches, players and other basketball operations personnel would be forbidden from accessing social media sites from 45 minutes before tipoff until after the post-game media availability.
The Miami Heat and the Toronto Raptors are among a number of NBA teams that have been even tougher on tweeters.
Raptors head coach Jay Triano has banned the use of smartphones and laptops from practice, including all management staff and media. Even general manager Bryan Colangelo is required to leave the facility to respond to text messages.
MEDIA PLATFORMS
The NFL, which zealously protects its on-field product, was the first of North America's big four professional sports leagues to put a twitter policy in place, banning players from using social media platforms from 90 minutes before kickoff.
Major League Baseball (MLB) has no specific guidelines but pointed to a longstanding policy regarding communicational devices that prohibits their use 30 minutes before the start of a game.
The attempt by the leagues to gain control over the Twitter phenomenon comes after a number of controversial tweets.
While coaches worry reckless tweets may provide inspirational bulletin board material for opposing teams, leagues are working to protect broadcast rights holders from tweeters getting too close to play-by-play.
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Terrell Owens has engaged in a couple of explosive twitter feuds this season involving former Dallas Cowboys team mate Tony Romo and Rodney Harrison.
Following the lead of the NFL and NBA, the NHL said it was close to making recommendations that will prohibit players from using communicational devices for social media activity -- including Twitter and Facebook -- 30 minutes before and after games, practices, meetings and media access periods.
The ban would extend to coaches, trainers and all game-related personnel.
"I looked at what the NBA was doing and what the NFL was doing and used those as a basis for my own recommendations," NHL director of social media marketing Mike Dilorenzo told Reuters on Thursday.
"We've drafted a set of guidelines that are in the process of being vetted by the senior management so they can be rolled out to the teams."
The NBA sent a memo to teams on Wednesday informing them that coaches, players and other basketball operations personnel would be forbidden from accessing social media sites from 45 minutes before tipoff until after the post-game media availability.
The Miami Heat and the Toronto Raptors are among a number of NBA teams that have been even tougher on tweeters.
Raptors head coach Jay Triano has banned the use of smartphones and laptops from practice, including all management staff and media. Even general manager Bryan Colangelo is required to leave the facility to respond to text messages.
MEDIA PLATFORMS
The NFL, which zealously protects its on-field product, was the first of North America's big four professional sports leagues to put a twitter policy in place, banning players from using social media platforms from 90 minutes before kickoff.
Major League Baseball (MLB) has no specific guidelines but pointed to a longstanding policy regarding communicational devices that prohibits their use 30 minutes before the start of a game.
The attempt by the leagues to gain control over the Twitter phenomenon comes after a number of controversial tweets.
While coaches worry reckless tweets may provide inspirational bulletin board material for opposing teams, leagues are working to protect broadcast rights holders from tweeters getting too close to play-by-play.
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Terrell Owens has engaged in a couple of explosive twitter feuds this season involving former Dallas Cowboys team mate Tony Romo and Rodney Harrison.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Clerics torpedo samba show
A protest by Muslim clerics torpedoed a Brazilian samba show in the Lebanese city of Tire on Thursday, local officials said.
A statement by the clerics condemned plans for the open-air display by a dance troupe that has been touring Lebanon.
"We support tourism but are against obscenity," said Sheikh Ali Yassin, who heads a group of clerics in the predominantly Shi'ite Muslim city.
The local council responded by cancelling the show after consulting politicians and security officials, officials said.
The troupe, including musicians and scantily clad dancers, performed in central Beirut's Martyrs' Square last week.
A statement by the clerics condemned plans for the open-air display by a dance troupe that has been touring Lebanon.
"We support tourism but are against obscenity," said Sheikh Ali Yassin, who heads a group of clerics in the predominantly Shi'ite Muslim city.
The local council responded by cancelling the show after consulting politicians and security officials, officials said.
The troupe, including musicians and scantily clad dancers, performed in central Beirut's Martyrs' Square last week.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Schwarzenegger asked to close prostitute Website
A British government minister asked California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday to shut down a U.S. website that allows men to rate prostitutes, including many working in London.
Harriet Harman, minister for women and equality, told the ruling Labor Party's annual conference that "Punternet" fuels the demand for prostitution -- a vice she said degrades women and puts them at risk.
She said the web site was a "very sinister development" in the trade and exploitation of women and allows guests to compare and rate services in the same way as they would a restaurant, a hotel or a holiday.
Pimps put women on sale for sex on the site then clients offered their comments on line, she said.
"Punternet has pages and pages of women for sale in London," said Harman, who is deputy leader of Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Labor Party.
She said she had raised the issue with the U.S. ambassador to Britain and asked California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to close it down as it is based in that state.
"Surely it can't be too difficult for 'The Terminator' to terminate Punternet and that's what I am demanding that he does."
The Punternet site describes itself as "The Online Community for Patrons and Providers of Adult Personal Services in the UK" and says it was "created to facilitate the exchange of information on prostitution in the UK."
A U.S. Embassy spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment.
Prostitution is not illegal in Britain. But associated activities, including soliciting, advertising using cards in telephone boxes and kerb crawling, are criminal offences.
The minister also used the speech to say the government would make it a criminal offence to have sex with a prostitute who is being controlled by a pimp.
The government was also stepping up action to tackle human trafficking in the run up to the 2012 Olympic Games, most of which will be hosted in London.
"We're determined to ensure that, especially in the run-up to the Olympics, international criminal gangs don't trick and abduct women from abroad and sell them for sex in London."
Harriet Harman, minister for women and equality, told the ruling Labor Party's annual conference that "Punternet" fuels the demand for prostitution -- a vice she said degrades women and puts them at risk.
She said the web site was a "very sinister development" in the trade and exploitation of women and allows guests to compare and rate services in the same way as they would a restaurant, a hotel or a holiday.
Pimps put women on sale for sex on the site then clients offered their comments on line, she said.
"Punternet has pages and pages of women for sale in London," said Harman, who is deputy leader of Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Labor Party.
She said she had raised the issue with the U.S. ambassador to Britain and asked California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to close it down as it is based in that state.
"Surely it can't be too difficult for 'The Terminator' to terminate Punternet and that's what I am demanding that he does."
The Punternet site describes itself as "The Online Community for Patrons and Providers of Adult Personal Services in the UK" and says it was "created to facilitate the exchange of information on prostitution in the UK."
A U.S. Embassy spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment.
Prostitution is not illegal in Britain. But associated activities, including soliciting, advertising using cards in telephone boxes and kerb crawling, are criminal offences.
The minister also used the speech to say the government would make it a criminal offence to have sex with a prostitute who is being controlled by a pimp.
The government was also stepping up action to tackle human trafficking in the run up to the 2012 Olympic Games, most of which will be hosted in London.
"We're determined to ensure that, especially in the run-up to the Olympics, international criminal gangs don't trick and abduct women from abroad and sell them for sex in London."
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Girls warned not to hide boyfriends' guns
A campaign warning girls not to stash or carry guns for their boyfriends was launched by London police Wednesday.
The hard-hitting adverts, which are aimed at 15 to 19-year-olds of African and African Caribbean heritage, are designed to combat a worrying growth in the number of young women being arrested and convicted of possessing weapons.
"This year's campaign has been designed to tackle an emerging and concerning trend," said Detective Chief Superintendent Helen Ball, head of Trident, the Metropolitan Police unit that investigates gang shootings.
"Those who store and carry guns for others are partly responsible for the crimes committed with those weapons. The consequences for them, their families and their friends are not worth thinking about."
Police said Trident officers had charged 12 women with possessing a gun so far this year of which seven were teenagers. That compares with 13 charged last year and two the year before.
One recent case saw a 16-year-old girl from southeast London charged with possessing a gun with intent to endanger life and with supplying a firearm after a 9mm Browning self-loading pistol with one round was found in her bedroom.
The four-week campaign, which has the strap line "Hide his gun and you help commit the crime," will run on radio, in cinemas and on billboards.
"Sadly, young women have always been involved in carrying and storing firearms," said Claudia Webbe, chairman of Trident's Independent Advisory Group.
"We are deeply concerned, however, that this involvement seems to be increasing and those who are involved seem to be younger and younger.
"Vulnerable young women are sometimes pressurized into storing or transporting the weapons by men they know, or sometimes willingly do so."
The hard-hitting adverts, which are aimed at 15 to 19-year-olds of African and African Caribbean heritage, are designed to combat a worrying growth in the number of young women being arrested and convicted of possessing weapons.
"This year's campaign has been designed to tackle an emerging and concerning trend," said Detective Chief Superintendent Helen Ball, head of Trident, the Metropolitan Police unit that investigates gang shootings.
"Those who store and carry guns for others are partly responsible for the crimes committed with those weapons. The consequences for them, their families and their friends are not worth thinking about."
Police said Trident officers had charged 12 women with possessing a gun so far this year of which seven were teenagers. That compares with 13 charged last year and two the year before.
One recent case saw a 16-year-old girl from southeast London charged with possessing a gun with intent to endanger life and with supplying a firearm after a 9mm Browning self-loading pistol with one round was found in her bedroom.
The four-week campaign, which has the strap line "Hide his gun and you help commit the crime," will run on radio, in cinemas and on billboards.
"Sadly, young women have always been involved in carrying and storing firearms," said Claudia Webbe, chairman of Trident's Independent Advisory Group.
"We are deeply concerned, however, that this involvement seems to be increasing and those who are involved seem to be younger and younger.
"Vulnerable young women are sometimes pressurized into storing or transporting the weapons by men they know, or sometimes willingly do so."
A mai tai with the Mai Mai?
Congo's army has suspended an officer accused of drinking with the enemy ahead of a militia attack that the United Nations said left six soldiers dead, a top army commander said Tuesday.
Local Mai Mai militia fighters attacked an army camp in the town of Nyamilima, near Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern border with Uganda, early Sunday.
The army's head of operations in North Kivu province said Nyamilima's battalion commander, known as Major Leon, was suspended for negligence in the execution of his functions.
"He was drinking in the camp with the Mai Mai that then came and attacked," Colonel Bobo Kakudji told Reuters.
Congo's U.N. peacekeeping mission, known as MONUC, said eight people died in the fighting, including six soldiers, one Mai Mai, and a civilian. According to the army, one government soldier, a civilian woman, and four Mai Mai were killed.
Government forces are battling Rwandan Hutu rebels the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) in U.N.-backed operations in the eastern border provinces of North and South Kivu.
However, the offensive, launched earlier this year, has led to increased tension among government loyalists and the various rebel factions and militias brought into the army under a peace deal intended to help boost its capacity to take on the FDLR.
The army's previous commander at Nyamilima was transferred earlier this month after hundreds of former rebels deserted and went on a looting spree.
Last week, 20 eastern militia groups suspended their participation in the peace deal, accusing the government of failing to honor pledges to grant them command positions in the army.
Local Mai Mai militia fighters attacked an army camp in the town of Nyamilima, near Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern border with Uganda, early Sunday.
The army's head of operations in North Kivu province said Nyamilima's battalion commander, known as Major Leon, was suspended for negligence in the execution of his functions.
"He was drinking in the camp with the Mai Mai that then came and attacked," Colonel Bobo Kakudji told Reuters.
Congo's U.N. peacekeeping mission, known as MONUC, said eight people died in the fighting, including six soldiers, one Mai Mai, and a civilian. According to the army, one government soldier, a civilian woman, and four Mai Mai were killed.
Government forces are battling Rwandan Hutu rebels the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) in U.N.-backed operations in the eastern border provinces of North and South Kivu.
However, the offensive, launched earlier this year, has led to increased tension among government loyalists and the various rebel factions and militias brought into the army under a peace deal intended to help boost its capacity to take on the FDLR.
The army's previous commander at Nyamilima was transferred earlier this month after hundreds of former rebels deserted and went on a looting spree.
Last week, 20 eastern militia groups suspended their participation in the peace deal, accusing the government of failing to honor pledges to grant them command positions in the army.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Ugandan gorillas make friends online
Lurking deep in the mist-glazed forests of east Africa, Uganda's mountain gorillas are preparing to 'tweet' for their survival.
With the launch on Saturday of the "Friend a Gorilla" campaign, human fans will soon be able to follow the everyday drama of one of the few remaining 720 mountain gorillas online, far from the red ants, mud and tropical rain of their habitats.
When the friendagorilla.org site goes live, users will be able to access videos, pictures and rangers' blogs through websites like Facebook and Twitter, said Moses Mapesa Wafula, head of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).
They will also be able to follow their new friends via satellite tracking.
"By paying one dollar to Friend a Gorilla, everybody contributes to the conservation of this species," Wafula said.
Not everybody can afford the $500 price tag for a real gorilla trek but the fiber-optic tentacles of globalization will make it possible for anyone to watch a mother grooming her children, juvenile males fighting for dominance or even feel the rush of being charged by a 500 pound (225 kg) silverback male.
Tourist receipts represent Uganda's second largest foreign exchange earner.
Organizers say the campaign is the first time social networking has been harnessed for conservation and hope it will generate $100,000 in the first three months and a further $350,000 within the first year.
Drafted in to help publicize the campaign, actor Jason Biggs, star of the American Pie comedies, said gazing into the eyes of a gorilla was like meeting an old friend.
"It was pretty surreal. I felt like when I made eye contact with the gorillas, it was like an out-of-body experience," Biggs told Reuters after a face to face encounter with one of the gorillas at Bwindi. "It was mind-blowing."
With around 370 mountain gorillas, Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park plays host to roughly half the global population, with the remainder scattered across volcanoes in nearby Rwanda and the war-ravaged Democratic Republic of Congo.
The gorilla's habitat is threatened by illegal logging for charcoal, timber and agriculture and are also poached for bush meat, UWA staff said.
Although the gorillas remain endangered, UWA has registered growth rates of 12 percent and watched the gorilla population double over the last 25 years, according to Wafula.
He said the money raised by the Friend and Gorilla campaign would contribute toward conservation efforts as well as help promote alternative livelihoods for people living in and around the park.
With the launch on Saturday of the "Friend a Gorilla" campaign, human fans will soon be able to follow the everyday drama of one of the few remaining 720 mountain gorillas online, far from the red ants, mud and tropical rain of their habitats.
When the friendagorilla.org site goes live, users will be able to access videos, pictures and rangers' blogs through websites like Facebook and Twitter, said Moses Mapesa Wafula, head of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).
They will also be able to follow their new friends via satellite tracking.
"By paying one dollar to Friend a Gorilla, everybody contributes to the conservation of this species," Wafula said.
Not everybody can afford the $500 price tag for a real gorilla trek but the fiber-optic tentacles of globalization will make it possible for anyone to watch a mother grooming her children, juvenile males fighting for dominance or even feel the rush of being charged by a 500 pound (225 kg) silverback male.
Tourist receipts represent Uganda's second largest foreign exchange earner.
Organizers say the campaign is the first time social networking has been harnessed for conservation and hope it will generate $100,000 in the first three months and a further $350,000 within the first year.
Drafted in to help publicize the campaign, actor Jason Biggs, star of the American Pie comedies, said gazing into the eyes of a gorilla was like meeting an old friend.
"It was pretty surreal. I felt like when I made eye contact with the gorillas, it was like an out-of-body experience," Biggs told Reuters after a face to face encounter with one of the gorillas at Bwindi. "It was mind-blowing."
With around 370 mountain gorillas, Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park plays host to roughly half the global population, with the remainder scattered across volcanoes in nearby Rwanda and the war-ravaged Democratic Republic of Congo.
The gorilla's habitat is threatened by illegal logging for charcoal, timber and agriculture and are also poached for bush meat, UWA staff said.
Although the gorillas remain endangered, UWA has registered growth rates of 12 percent and watched the gorilla population double over the last 25 years, according to Wafula.
He said the money raised by the Friend and Gorilla campaign would contribute toward conservation efforts as well as help promote alternative livelihoods for people living in and around the park.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
One-in-five U.S. drivers admit to texting: survey
Nearly one-in-five U.S. drivers surveyed have read or sent a text message while behind the wheel even though nearly all of the respondents in an AAA survey released on Friday considered it unacceptable.
"The new technologies that help us multitask in our everyday lives and increasingly popular social media sites present a hard-to-resist challenge to the typically safe driver," AAA chief executive Robert Darbelnet said in a statement accompanying the survey commissioned by the AAA Foundation.
"Enacting texting bans for drivers in all 50 states can halt the spread of this dangerous practice among motorists nationwide, and is a key legislative priority for AAA in state capitals," Darbelnet said. The group, which provides emergency road services to its members and lobbies on automobile issues, formerly was known as the American Automobile Association.
The random telephone survey questioned 2,500 U.S. residents 16 and older in April and May.
Although nearly all respondents considered the practice unacceptable, 18 percent said they had sent a text message while driving within a month of being surveyed.
Most data available on texting and driving is anecdotal but the U.S. Transportation Department is seeking more information as pressure grows to ban the practice. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will hold a two-day conference on distracted drivers next week in Washington.
Separately on Friday, 93 percent of 1,000 licensed drivers responding to a survey commissioned by Ford Motor Co supported a nationwide ban on texting while behind the wheel. AAA says surveys of its members also favor a ban, a step that is supported by Ford and other major automakers.
About a dozen states have imposed prohibitions and proposals for a national ban have been introduced in Congress.
The wireless industry -- including cellphone manufacturers, carriers, and some Internet companies represented by the CTIA-Wireless Association -- support state and local efforts to ban texting while driving.
"The new technologies that help us multitask in our everyday lives and increasingly popular social media sites present a hard-to-resist challenge to the typically safe driver," AAA chief executive Robert Darbelnet said in a statement accompanying the survey commissioned by the AAA Foundation.
"Enacting texting bans for drivers in all 50 states can halt the spread of this dangerous practice among motorists nationwide, and is a key legislative priority for AAA in state capitals," Darbelnet said. The group, which provides emergency road services to its members and lobbies on automobile issues, formerly was known as the American Automobile Association.
The random telephone survey questioned 2,500 U.S. residents 16 and older in April and May.
Although nearly all respondents considered the practice unacceptable, 18 percent said they had sent a text message while driving within a month of being surveyed.
Most data available on texting and driving is anecdotal but the U.S. Transportation Department is seeking more information as pressure grows to ban the practice. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will hold a two-day conference on distracted drivers next week in Washington.
Separately on Friday, 93 percent of 1,000 licensed drivers responding to a survey commissioned by Ford Motor Co supported a nationwide ban on texting while behind the wheel. AAA says surveys of its members also favor a ban, a step that is supported by Ford and other major automakers.
About a dozen states have imposed prohibitions and proposals for a national ban have been introduced in Congress.
The wireless industry -- including cellphone manufacturers, carriers, and some Internet companies represented by the CTIA-Wireless Association -- support state and local efforts to ban texting while driving.
Poland okays forcible castration for pedophiles
Poland on Friday approved a law making chemical castration mandatory for pedophiles in some cases, sparking criticism from human rights groups.
Under the law, sponsored by Poland's center-right government, pedophiles convicted of raping children under the age of 15 years or a close relative would have to undergo chemical therapy on their release from prison.
"The purpose of this action is to improve the mental health of the convict, to lower his libido and thereby to reduce the risk of another crime being committed by the same person," the government said in a statement.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said late last year he wanted obligatory castration for pedophiles, whom he branded 'degenerates'. Tusk said he did not believe "one can use the term 'human' for such individuals, such creatures."
"Therefore I don't think protection of human rights should refer to these kind of events," Tusk also said.
His remarks drew criticism from human rights groups but he never retracted them.
"Introducing any mandatory treatment raises doubts as such a requirement is never reasonable and life can always produce cases that lawmakers could never have even dreamt of," said Piotr Kladoczny from the Helsinki Foundation of Human Rights.
"If somebody is of sound mind, we punish him. If he is sick, we try to cure him -- that's how it works in Polish law. This bill introduces both approaches. As far as I know, this makes our law the strictest in Europe on this issue," Kladoczny said.
The bill, which also increases prison sentences for rape and incest, must still be approved by the upper chamber of parliament. This is seen as a formality as Tusk's Civic Platform party holds a majority of its 100 seats.
Under the law, sponsored by Poland's center-right government, pedophiles convicted of raping children under the age of 15 years or a close relative would have to undergo chemical therapy on their release from prison.
"The purpose of this action is to improve the mental health of the convict, to lower his libido and thereby to reduce the risk of another crime being committed by the same person," the government said in a statement.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said late last year he wanted obligatory castration for pedophiles, whom he branded 'degenerates'. Tusk said he did not believe "one can use the term 'human' for such individuals, such creatures."
"Therefore I don't think protection of human rights should refer to these kind of events," Tusk also said.
His remarks drew criticism from human rights groups but he never retracted them.
"Introducing any mandatory treatment raises doubts as such a requirement is never reasonable and life can always produce cases that lawmakers could never have even dreamt of," said Piotr Kladoczny from the Helsinki Foundation of Human Rights.
"If somebody is of sound mind, we punish him. If he is sick, we try to cure him -- that's how it works in Polish law. This bill introduces both approaches. As far as I know, this makes our law the strictest in Europe on this issue," Kladoczny said.
The bill, which also increases prison sentences for rape and incest, must still be approved by the upper chamber of parliament. This is seen as a formality as Tusk's Civic Platform party holds a majority of its 100 seats.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
After clergy abuse settlements, a new suffering
David Guerrero lies curled like a small child in bed, his teeth chattering and his fever spiked at 104 degrees. He has left his room only once since he crawled home from his latest crystal meth binge three days ago, to let his mother drive him to the emergency room for his soaring temperature.
Now, Minerva Guerrero hovers close to her 41-year-old son, making a mental list of the day ahead: she must change his bed linens, nurse him, pick up his new prescriptions.
Sixty miles away and days later, Dominic Zamora rages at his father, who suspects he bought a house in someone else's name. You're not my father, Dominic screams. You just want my money. When the 36-year-old finally calls his parents three weeks later, he is drunk and angry at the world — and most especially, at them.
Now, Minerva Guerrero hovers close to her 41-year-old son, making a mental list of the day ahead: she must change his bed linens, nurse him, pick up his new prescriptions.
Sixty miles away and days later, Dominic Zamora rages at his father, who suspects he bought a house in someone else's name. You're not my father, Dominic screams. You just want my money. When the 36-year-old finally calls his parents three weeks later, he is drunk and angry at the world — and most especially, at them.
Poland okays forcible castration for pedophiles
Poland on Friday approved a law making chemical castration mandatory for pedophiles in some cases, sparking criticism from human rights groups.
Under the law, sponsored by Poland's center-right government, pedophiles convicted of raping children under the age of 15 years or a close relative would have to undergo chemical therapy on their release from prison.
"The purpose of this action is to improve the mental health of the convict, to lower his libido and thereby to reduce the risk of another crime being committed by the same person," the government said in a statement.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said late last year he wanted obligatory castration for pedophiles, whom he branded 'degenerates'. Tusk said he did not believe "one can use the term 'human' for such individuals, such creatures."
"Therefore I don't think protection of human rights should refer to these kind of events," Tusk also said.
His remarks drew criticism from human rights groups but he never retracted them.
"Introducing any mandatory treatment raises doubts as such a requirement is never reasonable and life can always produce cases that lawmakers could never have even dreamt of," said Piotr Kladoczny from the Helsinki Foundation of Human Rights.
"If somebody is of sound mind, we punish him. If he is sick, we try to cure him -- that's how it works in Polish law. This bill introduces both approaches. As far as I know, this makes our law the strictest in Europe on this issue," Kladoczny said.
The bill, which also increases prison sentences for rape and incest, must still be approved by the upper chamber of parliament. This is seen as a formality as Tusk's Civic Platform party holds a majority of its 100 seats.
Under the law, sponsored by Poland's center-right government, pedophiles convicted of raping children under the age of 15 years or a close relative would have to undergo chemical therapy on their release from prison.
"The purpose of this action is to improve the mental health of the convict, to lower his libido and thereby to reduce the risk of another crime being committed by the same person," the government said in a statement.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said late last year he wanted obligatory castration for pedophiles, whom he branded 'degenerates'. Tusk said he did not believe "one can use the term 'human' for such individuals, such creatures."
"Therefore I don't think protection of human rights should refer to these kind of events," Tusk also said.
His remarks drew criticism from human rights groups but he never retracted them.
"Introducing any mandatory treatment raises doubts as such a requirement is never reasonable and life can always produce cases that lawmakers could never have even dreamt of," said Piotr Kladoczny from the Helsinki Foundation of Human Rights.
"If somebody is of sound mind, we punish him. If he is sick, we try to cure him -- that's how it works in Polish law. This bill introduces both approaches. As far as I know, this makes our law the strictest in Europe on this issue," Kladoczny said.
The bill, which also increases prison sentences for rape and incest, must still be approved by the upper chamber of parliament. This is seen as a formality as Tusk's Civic Platform party holds a majority of its 100 seats.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Man sues BofA for "1,784 billion, trillion dollars"
Dalton Chiscolm is unhappy about Bank of America's customer service -- really, really unhappy.
Chiscolm in August sued the largest U.S. bank and its board, demanding that "1,784 billion, trillion dollars" be deposited into his account the next day. He also demanded an additional $200,164,000, court papers show.
Attempts to reach Chiscolm were unsuccessful. A Bank of America spokesman declined to comment.
"Incomprehensible," U.S. District Judge Denny Chin said in a brief order released Thursday in Manhattan federal court.
"He seems to be complaining that he placed a series of calls to the bank in New York and received inconsistent information from a 'Spanish womn,'" the judge wrote. "He apparently alleges that checks have been rejected because of incomplete routing numbers."
Chin has experience with big numbers. He's the judge who sentenced Bernard Madoff to a 150-year prison sentence for what the government called a $65 billion Ponzi scheme.
Bank of America Corp faces real legal problems, including New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's threat to sue its chief executive and a judge's embarrassing rejection of a settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Yet the money Chiscolm wants could dwarf all the bank's other problems.
It's larger than a sextillion dollars, or a 1 followed by 21 zeros. Chiscolm's request is equivalent 1 followed by 22 digits.
The sum also dwarfs the world's 2008 gross domestic product of $60 trillion, as estimated by the World Bank.
"These are the kind of numbers you deal with only on a cosmic scale," said Sylvain Cappell, New York University's Silver Professor at the Courant Institute for Mathematical Sciences. "If he thinks Bank of America has branches on every planet in the cosmos, then it might start to make some sense."
Judge Chin gave Chiscolm until October 23 to better explain the basis for his claims, or else see his complaint dismissed.
Chiscolm in August sued the largest U.S. bank and its board, demanding that "1,784 billion, trillion dollars" be deposited into his account the next day. He also demanded an additional $200,164,000, court papers show.
Attempts to reach Chiscolm were unsuccessful. A Bank of America spokesman declined to comment.
"Incomprehensible," U.S. District Judge Denny Chin said in a brief order released Thursday in Manhattan federal court.
"He seems to be complaining that he placed a series of calls to the bank in New York and received inconsistent information from a 'Spanish womn,'" the judge wrote. "He apparently alleges that checks have been rejected because of incomplete routing numbers."
Chin has experience with big numbers. He's the judge who sentenced Bernard Madoff to a 150-year prison sentence for what the government called a $65 billion Ponzi scheme.
Bank of America Corp faces real legal problems, including New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's threat to sue its chief executive and a judge's embarrassing rejection of a settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Yet the money Chiscolm wants could dwarf all the bank's other problems.
It's larger than a sextillion dollars, or a 1 followed by 21 zeros. Chiscolm's request is equivalent 1 followed by 22 digits.
The sum also dwarfs the world's 2008 gross domestic product of $60 trillion, as estimated by the World Bank.
"These are the kind of numbers you deal with only on a cosmic scale," said Sylvain Cappell, New York University's Silver Professor at the Courant Institute for Mathematical Sciences. "If he thinks Bank of America has branches on every planet in the cosmos, then it might start to make some sense."
Judge Chin gave Chiscolm until October 23 to better explain the basis for his claims, or else see his complaint dismissed.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Maoists protest "undignified" pageant
Scores of Maoist activists protested outside the venue of the controversial "Miss Nepal" contest on Thursday, saying the beauty pageant was an insult to women.
The former civil war rebels chanted "you can't expose the women" as they sat on the street outside a high security army club in the heart of Kathmandu.
Many protesters waved black flags in protest as 15 young Nepali contestants, wearing multi-colored shining saris, took center stage on the catwalk.
"The contest is a forum where women are used by companies to popularize and sell their products," said Manu Humagain, head of an anti-pageant Maoist panel. "It is a blow to the dignity of the women. We oppose it."
On the other hand, the contestants said the event helped them forge a "separate identity" for themselves.
The winner will represent the young Himalayan republic at the Miss World contest in Johannesburg in December, organizers said.
Riot police stood guard outside the club but there was no violence and no arrests were made, police said.
Organizers said they were making the event, beamed out live on state-run Nepal Television, a low-key affair in view of the Maoists' concerns.
The Miss Nepal contest has been running for 15 years, though organizers canceled last year's show because of Maoist protests.
The Maoists waged civil war from 1996 until a 2006 peace deal.
They led a coalition government after a surprise election victory, but the Maoist chief Prachanda resigned as prime minister in May after just eight months in office in a row over the sacking of the country's army chief.
The former civil war rebels chanted "you can't expose the women" as they sat on the street outside a high security army club in the heart of Kathmandu.
Many protesters waved black flags in protest as 15 young Nepali contestants, wearing multi-colored shining saris, took center stage on the catwalk.
"The contest is a forum where women are used by companies to popularize and sell their products," said Manu Humagain, head of an anti-pageant Maoist panel. "It is a blow to the dignity of the women. We oppose it."
On the other hand, the contestants said the event helped them forge a "separate identity" for themselves.
The winner will represent the young Himalayan republic at the Miss World contest in Johannesburg in December, organizers said.
Riot police stood guard outside the club but there was no violence and no arrests were made, police said.
Organizers said they were making the event, beamed out live on state-run Nepal Television, a low-key affair in view of the Maoists' concerns.
The Miss Nepal contest has been running for 15 years, though organizers canceled last year's show because of Maoist protests.
The Maoists waged civil war from 1996 until a 2006 peace deal.
They led a coalition government after a surprise election victory, but the Maoist chief Prachanda resigned as prime minister in May after just eight months in office in a row over the sacking of the country's army chief.
Police hold suspect after chopper robbery
Swedish police said they were holding one suspect after armed robbers used a helicopter to stage a spectacular raid on a cash storage unit on the outskirts of the capital on Wednesday.
The gang landed a helicopter on the roof of a cash storage facility belonging to Anglo-Danish firm G4S in Vastberga, just south of Stockholm, and made their way into the building through a window, police said.
Witnesses reported several explosions.
The gang then loaded up the helicopter and flew off.
"The attackers used helicopters and explosives to enter the premises and they escaped with an unconfirmed amount of money," G4S said in a statement.
"A substantial reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible and recovery of the stolen money."
Police said they were questioning one person suspected of being involved in the heist but that the person had not been charged. They gave no further details.
"It was well-organized, it was well-planned," police spokesman Christian Agdur said at a press conference.
Nobody was injured in the raid though several of the staff at the warehouse were left shaken up, police said. The helicopter was later found abandoned north of the city and police dogs were being used to search the area.
A police helicopter in the Stockholm area had been prevented from taking off in pursuit of the robbers by a suspicious bag close to the aircraft. A chopper had to be called in from Gothenburg, some 400 km (250 miles) away, police said.
The gang landed a helicopter on the roof of a cash storage facility belonging to Anglo-Danish firm G4S in Vastberga, just south of Stockholm, and made their way into the building through a window, police said.
Witnesses reported several explosions.
The gang then loaded up the helicopter and flew off.
"The attackers used helicopters and explosives to enter the premises and they escaped with an unconfirmed amount of money," G4S said in a statement.
"A substantial reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible and recovery of the stolen money."
Police said they were questioning one person suspected of being involved in the heist but that the person had not been charged. They gave no further details.
"It was well-organized, it was well-planned," police spokesman Christian Agdur said at a press conference.
Nobody was injured in the raid though several of the staff at the warehouse were left shaken up, police said. The helicopter was later found abandoned north of the city and police dogs were being used to search the area.
A police helicopter in the Stockholm area had been prevented from taking off in pursuit of the robbers by a suspicious bag close to the aircraft. A chopper had to be called in from Gothenburg, some 400 km (250 miles) away, police said.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Kids, it's a nature walk -- sounds like fun!
German naturists will soon have their own 18-km (11-mile) long trail for hiking in the nude and some enthusiasts have been trying it out before the official opening next May.
Heinz Ludwig, who runs a nearby campsite, has led the project to create the nudist trail that meanders up and down the Harz mountain range in central Germany, overcoming some local protests by pointing out its potential boost for tourism.
"I think it's a great way to promote tourism here," Ludwig told Reuters on Tuesday after Bild newspaper published a picture of two women wearing nothing but rucksacks on the trail. "There's already been a lot of interest in it."
The trail runs between the village of Dankerode and the Wippertal dam. Naturism fans have been monitoring progress of the trail in Internet chatrooms for months and a band of naked hikers took a test walk on the not-quite-finished trail in May.
The trail is being marked with special signs warning the uninitiated that they could encounter nude hikers.
"If you don't want to see people with nothing on then you should refrain from moving on!," reads one warning sign.
Heinz Ludwig, who runs a nearby campsite, has led the project to create the nudist trail that meanders up and down the Harz mountain range in central Germany, overcoming some local protests by pointing out its potential boost for tourism.
"I think it's a great way to promote tourism here," Ludwig told Reuters on Tuesday after Bild newspaper published a picture of two women wearing nothing but rucksacks on the trail. "There's already been a lot of interest in it."
The trail runs between the village of Dankerode and the Wippertal dam. Naturism fans have been monitoring progress of the trail in Internet chatrooms for months and a band of naked hikers took a test walk on the not-quite-finished trail in May.
The trail is being marked with special signs warning the uninitiated that they could encounter nude hikers.
"If you don't want to see people with nothing on then you should refrain from moving on!," reads one warning sign.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Prison sentence for woman who kept mom's body
A Florida woman was sentenced on Monday to a year and a day in prison for keeping her dead mother's body in a bedroom for years while collecting more than $230,000 in pension benefits, prosecutors said.
Penelope Sharon Jordan, 61, of Sebastian, Florida, pleaded guilty to theft of government funds in June, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Miami said.
Police said when they found the body in a spare bedroom in March, Jordan told them her mother had been dead for at least six years. During the sentencing hearing, evidence indicated that Jordan told her sister their mother had died before December, 2001.
An autopsy on the body found no signs of foul play.
Jordan told the court she concealed her mother's death in order to continue collecting her Social Security and military pension benefits. Over a six-year period she received $61,415 in Social Security payments and $176,461 from the military pension.
She was ordered to repay $237,876 to the government.
Penelope Sharon Jordan, 61, of Sebastian, Florida, pleaded guilty to theft of government funds in June, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Miami said.
Police said when they found the body in a spare bedroom in March, Jordan told them her mother had been dead for at least six years. During the sentencing hearing, evidence indicated that Jordan told her sister their mother had died before December, 2001.
An autopsy on the body found no signs of foul play.
Jordan told the court she concealed her mother's death in order to continue collecting her Social Security and military pension benefits. Over a six-year period she received $61,415 in Social Security payments and $176,461 from the military pension.
She was ordered to repay $237,876 to the government.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Comfy cows more productive, more relaxed?
Comfortable Norwegian cows are producing more milk and have less udder infections since new regulations allowing them to relax for up to half a day on soft rubberized mattresses were introduced.
In 2004, Norway introduced rules to replace gradually all sheds where cows are kept in stalls with ones that allow them to move more freely and lie down on a softer surface.
"They lie about half of the day, which is natural for them," doctoral student Lars Erik Ruud told Reuters after researching the impact of the rules, the first of their kind in the world.
"Production increases by 5-6 percent," Ruud said, explaining that a more relaxed lifestyle boosted the volume of blood flowing through the cows' udders, which meant more liters of milk produced from each cow.
But the rules also have a drawback, he said, as the relaxed cows' hooves do not naturally wear down as they would if in contact with a hard surface.
In 2004, Norway introduced rules to replace gradually all sheds where cows are kept in stalls with ones that allow them to move more freely and lie down on a softer surface.
"They lie about half of the day, which is natural for them," doctoral student Lars Erik Ruud told Reuters after researching the impact of the rules, the first of their kind in the world.
"Production increases by 5-6 percent," Ruud said, explaining that a more relaxed lifestyle boosted the volume of blood flowing through the cows' udders, which meant more liters of milk produced from each cow.
But the rules also have a drawback, he said, as the relaxed cows' hooves do not naturally wear down as they would if in contact with a hard surface.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Shirtmaker designs tie for your iPod
For bored commuters with already bulging pockets, a shirt design company has come up with the perfect solution to keep them entertained on the trip to work -- a commuter tie with a hidden iPod storage pocket.
Thomas Pink, the British shirt brand, is introducing the Commuter Tie as part of its main line for the autumn and winter 2009/2010 with the silk tie featuring a small pocket on the reverse designed to hold an iPod nano or mp3 player.
"The music player is placed in the pocket to avoid having expensive devices on display or damaging the line of one's suit," the company said in a statement.
An extra fabric loop keeps wires, including headphone wires, out of sight and close to the body.
Thomas Pink, which has its flagship store on Jermyn Street, London, is owned by luxury goods group LVMH and has more than 80 boutiques and concessions in Europe, the United States and Asia.
Thomas Pink, the British shirt brand, is introducing the Commuter Tie as part of its main line for the autumn and winter 2009/2010 with the silk tie featuring a small pocket on the reverse designed to hold an iPod nano or mp3 player.
"The music player is placed in the pocket to avoid having expensive devices on display or damaging the line of one's suit," the company said in a statement.
An extra fabric loop keeps wires, including headphone wires, out of sight and close to the body.
Thomas Pink, which has its flagship store on Jermyn Street, London, is owned by luxury goods group LVMH and has more than 80 boutiques and concessions in Europe, the United States and Asia.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Identical lottery draw was coincidence
The draw of the same six winning numbers twice in a row in Bulgaria's national lottery was a freak coincidence, officials said Thursday.
Sports Minister Svilen Neikov ordered an investigation after the numbers 4, 15, 23, 24, 35 and 42 were selected, in a different order, by a machine live on television on September 6 and 10. The results caused suspicions of manipulation.
An investigation found no wrongdoing in the draw or determining the winners, its chairman Konstantin Simeonov said.
"We cannot talk about any manipulation," he said.
The chance of the same six numbers coming up twice in two consecutive rounds was one in more than 4 million but was not impossible, respected mathematician Michail Konstantinov has said.
An unprecedented 18 people guessed all six numbers when they were drawn the second time and each got 10,164 levs ($7,700). Nobody won the top prize the first time.
The lottery organizers say it is impossible to tamper with the lottery machine. The draws take place in the presence of a special committee and is broadcast live on national television which guarantee no cheating, they say.
"This is happening for the first time in the 52-year history of the lottery. We are absolutely stunned to see such a freak coincidence but it did happen," a spokeswoman said.
Sports Minister Svilen Neikov ordered an investigation after the numbers 4, 15, 23, 24, 35 and 42 were selected, in a different order, by a machine live on television on September 6 and 10. The results caused suspicions of manipulation.
An investigation found no wrongdoing in the draw or determining the winners, its chairman Konstantin Simeonov said.
"We cannot talk about any manipulation," he said.
The chance of the same six numbers coming up twice in two consecutive rounds was one in more than 4 million but was not impossible, respected mathematician Michail Konstantinov has said.
An unprecedented 18 people guessed all six numbers when they were drawn the second time and each got 10,164 levs ($7,700). Nobody won the top prize the first time.
The lottery organizers say it is impossible to tamper with the lottery machine. The draws take place in the presence of a special committee and is broadcast live on national television which guarantee no cheating, they say.
"This is happening for the first time in the 52-year history of the lottery. We are absolutely stunned to see such a freak coincidence but it did happen," a spokeswoman said.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Even Miss Venezuela can't escape economic crisis
Despite a second consecutive victory at this year's Miss Universe, even Venezuela's hugely successful beauty factory is feeling the global pinch.
The local "Miss Venezuela" organization -- which has landed the South American nation more international pageant titles than any other country -- announced on Wednesday it had slashed the number of national competitors to 20 from 30.
"We have had to tighten our belt a bit too," said Joaquin Riviera, organizer of the annual Miss Venezuela competition, which is wildly popular and draws huge TV audiences.
The next national winner will be chosen on September 24.
"I've asked Osmel to be a bit stricter choosing 20 girls, so we only have the best," Riviera added, referring to local beauty "czar" Osmel Sousa, who prepares the competitors.
Sousa denied the cuts, however, would mean fewer dresses or less plastic surgery for girls competing. Venezuela has one of the highest rates of cosmetic surgery in the world.
Venezuela's Stefania Fernandez, an 18-year-old brunette, won the Miss Universe 2009 title last month in the Bahamas, giving her country its second win in a row and its sixth in that pageant's history.
The local "Miss Venezuela" organization -- which has landed the South American nation more international pageant titles than any other country -- announced on Wednesday it had slashed the number of national competitors to 20 from 30.
"We have had to tighten our belt a bit too," said Joaquin Riviera, organizer of the annual Miss Venezuela competition, which is wildly popular and draws huge TV audiences.
The next national winner will be chosen on September 24.
"I've asked Osmel to be a bit stricter choosing 20 girls, so we only have the best," Riviera added, referring to local beauty "czar" Osmel Sousa, who prepares the competitors.
Sousa denied the cuts, however, would mean fewer dresses or less plastic surgery for girls competing. Venezuela has one of the highest rates of cosmetic surgery in the world.
Venezuela's Stefania Fernandez, an 18-year-old brunette, won the Miss Universe 2009 title last month in the Bahamas, giving her country its second win in a row and its sixth in that pageant's history.
Can men be taking to eyebrow-grooming?
British men are becoming increasingly interested in having their eyebrows professionally groomed, according to Debenhams department store which plans to hold men-only "guybrow" nights.
Men, it said, now make up 40 percent of the visitors to its brow bars, double the proportion of a year ago.
They are going for a treatment called "threading," an ancient method of hair removal which originated in India in which a thin twine of cotton thread is rolled over the offending area, plucking the hair from the follicle level.
Unlike plucking, threading removes an entire row of hair at a time so is quicker, more accurate and less painful, the store says, although the treatment still smarts.
Debenhams said its consumer research showed many men initially came for threading either in a bid to look good for a job interview, or at the behest of their fiancees as part of the wedding preparations.
Most later return for regular appointments, it added.
"As with self-tanning and facials, the taboo around eyebrow shaping is quickly disappearing," said Sara Stern, Director of Cosmetic Merchandising at Debenhams.
She added in a statement: "Men are recognizing the power of a groomed brow to frame the face and create a sexy James Bond-style arch when raised.
"The Neanderthal monobrow, famously displayed by Noel Gallagher, will soon be ancient history as alpha males look to cultivate dark, strong brows with the help of threading and dying.
"The over-plucked feminine look favored by Sylvester Stallone however is a serious no-no. A quick tidy-up in the style of Jude Law is all that's needed."
Men, it said, now make up 40 percent of the visitors to its brow bars, double the proportion of a year ago.
They are going for a treatment called "threading," an ancient method of hair removal which originated in India in which a thin twine of cotton thread is rolled over the offending area, plucking the hair from the follicle level.
Unlike plucking, threading removes an entire row of hair at a time so is quicker, more accurate and less painful, the store says, although the treatment still smarts.
Debenhams said its consumer research showed many men initially came for threading either in a bid to look good for a job interview, or at the behest of their fiancees as part of the wedding preparations.
Most later return for regular appointments, it added.
"As with self-tanning and facials, the taboo around eyebrow shaping is quickly disappearing," said Sara Stern, Director of Cosmetic Merchandising at Debenhams.
She added in a statement: "Men are recognizing the power of a groomed brow to frame the face and create a sexy James Bond-style arch when raised.
"The Neanderthal monobrow, famously displayed by Noel Gallagher, will soon be ancient history as alpha males look to cultivate dark, strong brows with the help of threading and dying.
"The over-plucked feminine look favored by Sylvester Stallone however is a serious no-no. A quick tidy-up in the style of Jude Law is all that's needed."
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
City advertises porn on website by accident
Authorities in the western German city of Gelsenkirchen accidentally advertised porn among the services on offer for residents on its website.
"It was a mistake," said a spokesman for the city authorities Tuesday. "There was never any intention of the city providing pornography as a service."
The administrative error arose when an employee compiling the list thought that brothel owners might type "porn" into the search box to find out about the city's sex tax, he added.
The city has now removed the word from the list.
"It was a mistake," said a spokesman for the city authorities Tuesday. "There was never any intention of the city providing pornography as a service."
The administrative error arose when an employee compiling the list thought that brothel owners might type "porn" into the search box to find out about the city's sex tax, he added.
The city has now removed the word from the list.
Kids send Marcus the lamb to slaughter
A group of schoolchildren who reared a lamb from birth and named it Marcus has overridden objections by parents and rights activists and voted to send the animal to slaughter.
Marcus the six-month-old lamb has now been culled, the head teacher of the primary school in Kent confirmed on Monday, after the school's council -- a 14-member group of children aged 6 to 11 -- voted 13-1 to have him killed.
The decision has provoked fury among animal-loving celebrities, animal and human rights campaigners and the parents of some of the children, and led to threats against Lydd primary school and its teachers, according to a member of staff.
Around 250 children at the school take part in a program designed to teach them about rearing and breeding animals.
The educational farm was started this year, with Marcus being hand-fed by the children. The children also look after ducks, chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs.
The intention had been to buy pigs with the money raised from slaughtering Marcus, but those plans have been put on hold following the furor created by the lamb's culling. The school said the program may now have to be stopped.
"It's all up in the air," said a member of staff. "There's been so much pressure on us as a result of all this."
Despite that, the school said there had been overwhelming support among the children, the staff and most of the parents to have Marcus -- a castrated male who could not have been used for breeding -- sent to the slaughterhouse.
But opponents branded it heartless and cruel, with animal rights campaigners asking why Marcus could not have been used to teach the children about wool, and human rights campaigners worried about the emotional impact of Marcus's death on the children.
A popular talkshow host offered to buy the lamb and give it sanctuary and Facebook groups sprung up to rally support to keep Marcus alive. But the children had the final say. The school defended the children's decision, calling it educational.
"When we started the farm in spring 2009, the aim was to educate the children in all aspects of farming life and everything that implies," the school said in a statement.
"The children have had a range of opportunities to discuss this issue, both in terms of the food cycle and the ethical aspect... It is important for everyone to move on from this issue, so the children can focus on their education."
Marcus the six-month-old lamb has now been culled, the head teacher of the primary school in Kent confirmed on Monday, after the school's council -- a 14-member group of children aged 6 to 11 -- voted 13-1 to have him killed.
The decision has provoked fury among animal-loving celebrities, animal and human rights campaigners and the parents of some of the children, and led to threats against Lydd primary school and its teachers, according to a member of staff.
Around 250 children at the school take part in a program designed to teach them about rearing and breeding animals.
The educational farm was started this year, with Marcus being hand-fed by the children. The children also look after ducks, chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs.
The intention had been to buy pigs with the money raised from slaughtering Marcus, but those plans have been put on hold following the furor created by the lamb's culling. The school said the program may now have to be stopped.
"It's all up in the air," said a member of staff. "There's been so much pressure on us as a result of all this."
Despite that, the school said there had been overwhelming support among the children, the staff and most of the parents to have Marcus -- a castrated male who could not have been used for breeding -- sent to the slaughterhouse.
But opponents branded it heartless and cruel, with animal rights campaigners asking why Marcus could not have been used to teach the children about wool, and human rights campaigners worried about the emotional impact of Marcus's death on the children.
A popular talkshow host offered to buy the lamb and give it sanctuary and Facebook groups sprung up to rally support to keep Marcus alive. But the children had the final say. The school defended the children's decision, calling it educational.
"When we started the farm in spring 2009, the aim was to educate the children in all aspects of farming life and everything that implies," the school said in a statement.
"The children have had a range of opportunities to discuss this issue, both in terms of the food cycle and the ethical aspect... It is important for everyone to move on from this issue, so the children can focus on their education."
Monday, September 14, 2009
Train misses drunken teen napping on track
A drunk French teenager narrowly escaped death on Sunday after falling asleep on a railway track and slumbering undisturbed as a high-speed train roared over him, police said.
The 19-year old, whose name was not released, remained fast asleep face down on a stretch of track near Saint Nolff in southern Brittany, as the Quimper to Paris train passed, leaving only a few grease stains on the back of his jacket.
The driver saw the body lying on the tracks and slammed on the brakes, but was only able to stop a few hundred meters further on.
"It was his unconscious state that saved him really, as he lay there completely still like a dead body," said a spokesman for the local police force, adding that the clearance under the train is only around 20 centimeters.
According to the spokesman, the teenager was making his way back from the Saint Nolff music festival when he stopped to take a nap on the railway line.
Roused by police and fire fighters who attended the scene, the young man gave a one-fingered salute before rolling over and going back to sleep.
He was subsequently transferred to a nearby hospital where police say he is still recovering from his alcohol binge.
"He's not really aware of what happened," said the police spokesman.
The 19-year old, whose name was not released, remained fast asleep face down on a stretch of track near Saint Nolff in southern Brittany, as the Quimper to Paris train passed, leaving only a few grease stains on the back of his jacket.
The driver saw the body lying on the tracks and slammed on the brakes, but was only able to stop a few hundred meters further on.
"It was his unconscious state that saved him really, as he lay there completely still like a dead body," said a spokesman for the local police force, adding that the clearance under the train is only around 20 centimeters.
According to the spokesman, the teenager was making his way back from the Saint Nolff music festival when he stopped to take a nap on the railway line.
Roused by police and fire fighters who attended the scene, the young man gave a one-fingered salute before rolling over and going back to sleep.
He was subsequently transferred to a nearby hospital where police say he is still recovering from his alcohol binge.
"He's not really aware of what happened," said the police spokesman.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Bizzare Ping Pong
bizzare ping pong A good show. Exhibition. Entertainment, ever heard of that people? they're not playing to win.
Buddhist Bhutan warns felling trees a threat to happiness
Bhutan has warned its citizens over cutting down thousands of young trees every year to make prayer flags, a threat to the tiny kingdom's lush scenery and the government's duty to bring "Gross National Happiness."
Himalayan Buddhists put up prayer flags for good luck or to help the dead find the right path to their next life. The more flag poles put up for the departed the better, and Buddhist monks say fresh poles must be used each time.
Having failed to convince its citizens to switch from wood to steel for prayer flags, the government of the Himalayas' last Buddhist kingdom is growing bamboo, which it hopes will be an attractive alternative.
"The pressure on forest is from all sides -- from flagposts to hydropower. We are discussing this every day," Agriculture Secretary Sherub Gyaltshen, said.
Bhutan's constitution, which emphasises the importance of Gross National Happiness over Gross Domestic Product, stipulates the country must have at least 60 percent forest cover.
Himalayan Buddhists believe winds will carry positive vibrations of tantric symbols written on the prayer flags in yellow, green, red, white and blue to represent the five elements, and 108 prayer flags are put up when someone dies.
"If you re-use an old flagpole, you aren't putting in effort, which means the merit earned is compromised," explained Lopon Gyem Tshering, a monk who teaches at a religious school.
Bhutan felled around 60,000 trees between June 2007 and June 2008 just for flag poles, according to official data, and per capita consumption is rising in the country of around 700,000.
Himalayan Buddhists put up prayer flags for good luck or to help the dead find the right path to their next life. The more flag poles put up for the departed the better, and Buddhist monks say fresh poles must be used each time.
Having failed to convince its citizens to switch from wood to steel for prayer flags, the government of the Himalayas' last Buddhist kingdom is growing bamboo, which it hopes will be an attractive alternative.
"The pressure on forest is from all sides -- from flagposts to hydropower. We are discussing this every day," Agriculture Secretary Sherub Gyaltshen, said.
Bhutan's constitution, which emphasises the importance of Gross National Happiness over Gross Domestic Product, stipulates the country must have at least 60 percent forest cover.
Himalayan Buddhists believe winds will carry positive vibrations of tantric symbols written on the prayer flags in yellow, green, red, white and blue to represent the five elements, and 108 prayer flags are put up when someone dies.
"If you re-use an old flagpole, you aren't putting in effort, which means the merit earned is compromised," explained Lopon Gyem Tshering, a monk who teaches at a religious school.
Bhutan felled around 60,000 trees between June 2007 and June 2008 just for flag poles, according to official data, and per capita consumption is rising in the country of around 700,000.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Chavez and Spanish king share a joke
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Spain's King Juan Carlos appeared to have put their dramatic public spat of 2007 well behind them when they met on Friday, even sharing a joke about the monarch's recently grown beard.
Chavez said to the king: "You've grown a beard like Fidel," referring to former Cuban leader Fidel Castro, to which the king replied: "I'm changing my look."
Relations between the two have been closely monitored since the king shouted: "Why don't you shut up?" at Chavez after the Venezuelan leader called former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar a fascist at an Iberian-American Summit in 2007.
Footage of the outburst was broadcast around the world and became hugely popular. The two leaders officially made up at the Spanish royals' summer residence on the island of Mallorca in July 2008.
Spain is a major investor in Venezuela and a visit by Spanish Foreign minister Miguel Angel Moratinos with a group of business leaders in July sealed agreements worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
On Friday Chavez also met Antonio Brufau, chairman of Spanish-Argentine oil major Repsol YPF, which has investments in Venezuela and sold $188 million of assets to its national oil company PDVSA in July.
Chavez said to the king: "You've grown a beard like Fidel," referring to former Cuban leader Fidel Castro, to which the king replied: "I'm changing my look."
Relations between the two have been closely monitored since the king shouted: "Why don't you shut up?" at Chavez after the Venezuelan leader called former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar a fascist at an Iberian-American Summit in 2007.
Footage of the outburst was broadcast around the world and became hugely popular. The two leaders officially made up at the Spanish royals' summer residence on the island of Mallorca in July 2008.
Spain is a major investor in Venezuela and a visit by Spanish Foreign minister Miguel Angel Moratinos with a group of business leaders in July sealed agreements worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
On Friday Chavez also met Antonio Brufau, chairman of Spanish-Argentine oil major Repsol YPF, which has investments in Venezuela and sold $188 million of assets to its national oil company PDVSA in July.
Body Worlds plans cadaver show dedicated to sex
German anatomists plan a new show dedicated solely to dead bodies having sex as part of the Body Worlds exhibitions.
Gunther von Hagens and his wife Angelina Whalley show corpses prepared using a technique invented by von Hagens called "plastination," that removes water from specimens and preserves them with silicon rubber or epoxy resin.
"It's not my intention to show certain sexual poses. My goal is really to show the anatomy and the function," Body Worlds creative director Whalley told Reuters in an interview, adding the sex exhibition may open next year.
Body Worlds exhibitions, visited by 27 million people across the world, have been criticized for presenting entire corpses, stripped of skin to reveal the muscles and organs underneath, in lifelike and often theatrical positions.
Von Hagens has already triggered uproar with a new exhibit which shows just two copulating corpses.
German politicians called the current "Cycle of Life" show charting conception to old age "revolting" and "unacceptable" when it showed in Berlin earlier this year because it included copulating cadavers.
The way a plastinate is exhibited can vary from country to country to reflect local sensibilities. A vote of local employees decided that one of the copulating female cadavers should wear fewer clothes in Zurich than was the case in Berlin.
"Switzerland is the first country that already said from the outset that we could show whatever we wanted," said von Hagens.
"Zurich is ready ... but it's maybe not so easy in every other town," he said. "We have discussed whether it is proper to show homosexuality and in what way. This is a very delicate subject."
Von Hagens and Whalley said they both intended to donate their bodies for plastination, but would not leave instructions about how to display them, dismissing this as vanity.
"I find it a great opportunity to give something to others by donating my body, namely self-awareness," said Whalley.
Von Hagens said he and some other body donors even saw plastination as an alternative to burial or cremation, giving them more certainty about would happen to their bodies after death.
"Cremation for me is hell," he said.
Gunther von Hagens and his wife Angelina Whalley show corpses prepared using a technique invented by von Hagens called "plastination," that removes water from specimens and preserves them with silicon rubber or epoxy resin.
"It's not my intention to show certain sexual poses. My goal is really to show the anatomy and the function," Body Worlds creative director Whalley told Reuters in an interview, adding the sex exhibition may open next year.
Body Worlds exhibitions, visited by 27 million people across the world, have been criticized for presenting entire corpses, stripped of skin to reveal the muscles and organs underneath, in lifelike and often theatrical positions.
Von Hagens has already triggered uproar with a new exhibit which shows just two copulating corpses.
German politicians called the current "Cycle of Life" show charting conception to old age "revolting" and "unacceptable" when it showed in Berlin earlier this year because it included copulating cadavers.
The way a plastinate is exhibited can vary from country to country to reflect local sensibilities. A vote of local employees decided that one of the copulating female cadavers should wear fewer clothes in Zurich than was the case in Berlin.
"Switzerland is the first country that already said from the outset that we could show whatever we wanted," said von Hagens.
"Zurich is ready ... but it's maybe not so easy in every other town," he said. "We have discussed whether it is proper to show homosexuality and in what way. This is a very delicate subject."
Von Hagens and Whalley said they both intended to donate their bodies for plastination, but would not leave instructions about how to display them, dismissing this as vanity.
"I find it a great opportunity to give something to others by donating my body, namely self-awareness," said Whalley.
Von Hagens said he and some other body donors even saw plastination as an alternative to burial or cremation, giving them more certainty about would happen to their bodies after death.
"Cremation for me is hell," he said.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Chen Shui-bian gets life
The Taipei District Court yesterday sentenced former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and his wife to life in prison after handing down a guilty verdict in the graft trial against the former first couple and 11 co-defendants.
The verdict makes Chen the first former president in the country’s history to be indicted and convicted.
Presiding Judge Tsai Shou-hsun (蔡守訓) began reading from the court’s 1,000-page verdict at 4pm. Chen received a life sentence, a fine of NT$200 million (US$6.1 million) and had his civil rights annulled for life for violating the Punishment of Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例), Money Laundering Control Act (洗錢防制法) and Criminal Code (刑法).
Chen chose not to attend yesterday’s proceedings. Lee Ta-chu (李大竹), deputy warden at the Taipei Detention Center, where Chen has been imprisoned since Dec. 30 last year, said that the former president went about his daily activities as usual.
Lee said the former president was calm after finding out about his sentence through TV news.
The court ruled that Chen, during his term as president, “for selfish reasons … used his power to create wealth while putting aside integrity and loyalty to the country.”
The ruling states that as president, Chen should have known that “if one person in power developed a greed for the people’s money, the entire country would devolve into chaos.”
The court found Chen and his wife guilty of embezzlement and taking bribes totaling NT$800 million, some of which was laundered overseas through Swiss bank accounts and paper companies.
Former first lady Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍) was given a life sentence, a fine of NT$300 million and also had her civil rights annulled for life. The ruling states that although the court was sympathetic toward her disability, as a former legislator Wu “knows the country’s money comes from its hardworking people,” yet “used her position countless times to obtain large amounts of public funds to be used for personal expenses.”
However, because Wu has been in a wheelchair since an incident in 1985 and needs full-time care, she might be allowed to serve out her sentence in an alternative way, such as house arrest.
In the money laundering case, Chen Shui-bian’s son, Chen Chih-chung (陳致中), was sentenced to two years and six months, as well as a fine of NT$150 million, for helping his parents wire money to overseas bank accounts.
Chen Shui-bian’s daughter-in-law, Huang Jui-ching (黃睿靚), was sentenced to one year and eight months and fined NT$150 million on money laundering charges.
Speaking briefly to reporters after hearing the verdict, Chen Shui-bian’s court-appointed attorney Tseng Te-rong (曾德榮) said he found the life sentence “rather heavy,” but declined to comment further, saying that he would first need to read through the entire ruling.
Cheng Wen-lung (鄭文龍), a former attorney for Chen Shui-bian, said the ruling was a “political ruling” because the court handed down a guilty verdict when there was no proof Chen Shui-bian was guilty.
Lin Chih-hung (林志忠), an attorney for the former first lady, said the sentence was too heavy and would advise her to appeal the ruling.
Yeh Ta-hui (葉大慧), an attorney for Chen Chih-chung and his wife, said he would discuss whether to appeal the ruling after he receives a copy of it. However, Yeh said that even if they decided to appeal, the young couple would not change their decision to plead guilty in hopes of leniency.
The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office said prosecutors would decide whether to appeal after they receive a copy of the ruling.
Two former presidential aides, former deputy secretary-general Ma Yung-cheng (馬永成) and former Presidential Office director Lin Teh-hsun (林德訓), were found guilty of helping the former first family embezzle money from public funds and were sentenced to 20 and 16 years respectively and had their civil rights annulled for 10 and eight years respectively.
The court said the former first family’s bookkeeper Chen Chen-hui (陳鎮慧) escaped a prison sentence because she showed remorse for her crimes and provided key evidence to prosecutors and judges, including computer records she kept detailing the former first family’s official and personal expenses.
The former president and his wife were found guilty of receiving kickbacks from a development company to pave the way for the construction of the Hsinchu Science Park by purchasing a plot of land in Taoyuan County from the company at a price prosecutors argued was unreasonably high.
Former Hsinchu Science Park head James Lee (李界木) and Wu’s friend Tsai Ming-che (蔡銘哲) were found guilty of pocketing part of the money and transferring kickbacks to accounts held by family members of Chen Shui-bian and Wu.
Lee was sentenced to six years in prison and had his civil rights annulled for three years. Tsai Ming-che was sentenced to two years in prison and five years probation. His brother Tsai Ming-chieh (蔡銘杰) was also found guilty of taking kickbacks and received a two-year prison sentence and five years probation.
The ruling found the former first family guilty of collecting bribes from contractor Kuo Chuan-ching (郭銓慶) between 2002 and 2003 to help him win a tender to build the Nangang Exhibition Hall. Kuo was sentenced to six months in jail, of which three months have been suspended.
Prosecutors argued that Kuo won the contract by bribing members of a panel organized by the Ministry of the Interior to assess the bidding after then-interior minister Yu Cheng-hsien (余政憲) revealed the list of panel members to Kuo at Wu’s request.
Tsai Ming-chieh and Kuo early last month pleaded guilty to helping Wu obtain US$2.73 million in bribes in connection with a land deal in Longtan (龍潭), Taoyuan County.
Yu has also been indicted for allegedly leaking secrets, but the court has not yet passed a verdict in his case because he is not one of the co-defendants in the Chen Shui-bian case.
BRIBES
The District Court also found Chen Shui-bian and his wife guilty of some of the charges prosecutors added against them on May 5. These include taking NT$10 million in bribes from former Taipei Financial Center Corp (台北金融大樓公司) chairwoman Diana Chen (陳敏薰) and NT$300 million in political donations from former Chinatrust Financial Holding Co (中信金控) vice chairman Jeffrey Koo Jr (辜仲諒).
Members of the former first lady’s family and some of her friends also received prison sentences for helping her launder money.
Wu’s brother Wu Ching-mao (吳景茂) and his wife, Chen Chun-ying (陳俊英), who pleaded guilty to helping the former first lady launder money through overseas accounts, were each sentenced to two years in prison, five years’ probation and a fine of NT$3 million.
Tsai Mei-li (蔡美利), a classmate of the former first lady, is critically ill and has not been sentenced. She allegedly also played a role in the money-laundering schemes.
In related news, the Taipei District Court yesterday said it respected Chen Shui-bian’s decision not to appear in court to hear the ruling. The court’s decision not to require his presence signals that the detention hearing would be held next week at the earliest, or at the High Court if the appeal is processed before the former president’s current term of detention expires on Sept. 25.
APPEAL?
As Chen Shui-bian and his lawyers do not expect a favorable decision from Tsai Shou-hsun, who has repeatedly ruled that the former president should remain in detention, it is expected that Chen Shui-bian’s lawyers would file an appeal as soon as possible.
The former president has denied the charges and says his detention and trial amount to political persecution by the administration of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT).
The verdict makes Chen the first former president in the country’s history to be indicted and convicted.
Presiding Judge Tsai Shou-hsun (蔡守訓) began reading from the court’s 1,000-page verdict at 4pm. Chen received a life sentence, a fine of NT$200 million (US$6.1 million) and had his civil rights annulled for life for violating the Punishment of Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例), Money Laundering Control Act (洗錢防制法) and Criminal Code (刑法).
Chen chose not to attend yesterday’s proceedings. Lee Ta-chu (李大竹), deputy warden at the Taipei Detention Center, where Chen has been imprisoned since Dec. 30 last year, said that the former president went about his daily activities as usual.
Lee said the former president was calm after finding out about his sentence through TV news.
The court ruled that Chen, during his term as president, “for selfish reasons … used his power to create wealth while putting aside integrity and loyalty to the country.”
The ruling states that as president, Chen should have known that “if one person in power developed a greed for the people’s money, the entire country would devolve into chaos.”
The court found Chen and his wife guilty of embezzlement and taking bribes totaling NT$800 million, some of which was laundered overseas through Swiss bank accounts and paper companies.
Former first lady Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍) was given a life sentence, a fine of NT$300 million and also had her civil rights annulled for life. The ruling states that although the court was sympathetic toward her disability, as a former legislator Wu “knows the country’s money comes from its hardworking people,” yet “used her position countless times to obtain large amounts of public funds to be used for personal expenses.”
However, because Wu has been in a wheelchair since an incident in 1985 and needs full-time care, she might be allowed to serve out her sentence in an alternative way, such as house arrest.
In the money laundering case, Chen Shui-bian’s son, Chen Chih-chung (陳致中), was sentenced to two years and six months, as well as a fine of NT$150 million, for helping his parents wire money to overseas bank accounts.
Chen Shui-bian’s daughter-in-law, Huang Jui-ching (黃睿靚), was sentenced to one year and eight months and fined NT$150 million on money laundering charges.
Speaking briefly to reporters after hearing the verdict, Chen Shui-bian’s court-appointed attorney Tseng Te-rong (曾德榮) said he found the life sentence “rather heavy,” but declined to comment further, saying that he would first need to read through the entire ruling.
Cheng Wen-lung (鄭文龍), a former attorney for Chen Shui-bian, said the ruling was a “political ruling” because the court handed down a guilty verdict when there was no proof Chen Shui-bian was guilty.
Lin Chih-hung (林志忠), an attorney for the former first lady, said the sentence was too heavy and would advise her to appeal the ruling.
Yeh Ta-hui (葉大慧), an attorney for Chen Chih-chung and his wife, said he would discuss whether to appeal the ruling after he receives a copy of it. However, Yeh said that even if they decided to appeal, the young couple would not change their decision to plead guilty in hopes of leniency.
The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office said prosecutors would decide whether to appeal after they receive a copy of the ruling.
Two former presidential aides, former deputy secretary-general Ma Yung-cheng (馬永成) and former Presidential Office director Lin Teh-hsun (林德訓), were found guilty of helping the former first family embezzle money from public funds and were sentenced to 20 and 16 years respectively and had their civil rights annulled for 10 and eight years respectively.
The court said the former first family’s bookkeeper Chen Chen-hui (陳鎮慧) escaped a prison sentence because she showed remorse for her crimes and provided key evidence to prosecutors and judges, including computer records she kept detailing the former first family’s official and personal expenses.
The former president and his wife were found guilty of receiving kickbacks from a development company to pave the way for the construction of the Hsinchu Science Park by purchasing a plot of land in Taoyuan County from the company at a price prosecutors argued was unreasonably high.
Former Hsinchu Science Park head James Lee (李界木) and Wu’s friend Tsai Ming-che (蔡銘哲) were found guilty of pocketing part of the money and transferring kickbacks to accounts held by family members of Chen Shui-bian and Wu.
Lee was sentenced to six years in prison and had his civil rights annulled for three years. Tsai Ming-che was sentenced to two years in prison and five years probation. His brother Tsai Ming-chieh (蔡銘杰) was also found guilty of taking kickbacks and received a two-year prison sentence and five years probation.
The ruling found the former first family guilty of collecting bribes from contractor Kuo Chuan-ching (郭銓慶) between 2002 and 2003 to help him win a tender to build the Nangang Exhibition Hall. Kuo was sentenced to six months in jail, of which three months have been suspended.
Prosecutors argued that Kuo won the contract by bribing members of a panel organized by the Ministry of the Interior to assess the bidding after then-interior minister Yu Cheng-hsien (余政憲) revealed the list of panel members to Kuo at Wu’s request.
Tsai Ming-chieh and Kuo early last month pleaded guilty to helping Wu obtain US$2.73 million in bribes in connection with a land deal in Longtan (龍潭), Taoyuan County.
Yu has also been indicted for allegedly leaking secrets, but the court has not yet passed a verdict in his case because he is not one of the co-defendants in the Chen Shui-bian case.
BRIBES
The District Court also found Chen Shui-bian and his wife guilty of some of the charges prosecutors added against them on May 5. These include taking NT$10 million in bribes from former Taipei Financial Center Corp (台北金融大樓公司) chairwoman Diana Chen (陳敏薰) and NT$300 million in political donations from former Chinatrust Financial Holding Co (中信金控) vice chairman Jeffrey Koo Jr (辜仲諒).
Members of the former first lady’s family and some of her friends also received prison sentences for helping her launder money.
Wu’s brother Wu Ching-mao (吳景茂) and his wife, Chen Chun-ying (陳俊英), who pleaded guilty to helping the former first lady launder money through overseas accounts, were each sentenced to two years in prison, five years’ probation and a fine of NT$3 million.
Tsai Mei-li (蔡美利), a classmate of the former first lady, is critically ill and has not been sentenced. She allegedly also played a role in the money-laundering schemes.
In related news, the Taipei District Court yesterday said it respected Chen Shui-bian’s decision not to appear in court to hear the ruling. The court’s decision not to require his presence signals that the detention hearing would be held next week at the earliest, or at the High Court if the appeal is processed before the former president’s current term of detention expires on Sept. 25.
APPEAL?
As Chen Shui-bian and his lawyers do not expect a favorable decision from Tsai Shou-hsun, who has repeatedly ruled that the former president should remain in detention, it is expected that Chen Shui-bian’s lawyers would file an appeal as soon as possible.
The former president has denied the charges and says his detention and trial amount to political persecution by the administration of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT).
World's oldest person dies in Los Angeles at 115
Although she liked her bacon crispy and her chicken fried, she never drank, smoked or fooled around, Gertrude Baines once said, describing a life that lasted an astonishing 115 years and earned her the title of oldest person on the planet.
It was a title Baines quietly relinquished Friday when she died in her sleep at Western Convalescent Hospital, her home since she gave up living alone at age 107 after breaking a hip.
She likely suffered a heart attack, said her longtime physician, Dr. Charles Witt, although an autopsy was scheduled to determine the exact cause of death.
"I saw her two days ago, and she was just doing fine," Witt told The Associated Press on Friday. "She was in excellent shape. She was mentally alert. She smiled frequently."
Baines was born in Shellman, Ga., on April 6, 1894, when Grover Cleveland was in the White House, radio communication was just being developed and television was still more than a half-century from becoming a ubiquitous household presence.
She was 4 years old when the Spanish-American War broke out and 9 when the first World Series was played. She had already reached middle age by the time the U.S. entered World War II in 1941.
Throughout it all, Baines said last year, it was a life she thoroughly enjoyed.
"I'm glad I'm here. I don't care if I live a hundred more," she said with a hearty laugh after casting her vote for Barack Obama for president. "I enjoy nothing but eating and sleeping."
Her vote for Obama, she added, had helped fulfill a lifelong dream of seeing a black man elected president.
"We all the same, only our skin is dark and theirs is white," said Baines, who was black.
The centenarian, who worked as a maid at Ohio State University dormitories until her retirement, had outlived all of her family members. Her only daughter died of typhoid at age 18.
In her final years, she passed her days watching her favorite TV program, "The Jerry Springer Show," and consuming her favorite foods: bacon, fried chicken and ice cream. She complained often, however, that the bacon served to her was too soft.
"Two days ago, when I saw her, she was talking about the fact that the bacon wasn't crisp enough, that it was soggy," Witt said.
She became the world's oldest person in January when Maria de Jesus died in Portugal at 115.
The title brought with it a spotlight of attention, and Baines was asked frequently about the secret to a long life. She shrugged off such questions, telling people to ask God instead.
"She told me that she owes her longevity to the Lord, that she never did drink, she never did smoke and she never did fool around," Witt said at a party marking her 115th birthday.
At the party, Baines sat quietly, paying little attention as nursing home staffers and residents sang "Happy Birthday" and presented congratulatory notices from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sen. Dianne Feinstein and others. But she laughed when told the Los Angeles Dodgers had given her a cooler filled with hot dogs.
With Baines' death, 114-year-old Kama Chinen of Japan becomes the world's oldest person, said Dr. L. Stephen Coles of the Gerontology Research Group, which tracks claims of extreme old age. Chinen was born May 10, 1895.
The oldest person who ever lived, Coles said, was Jeanne-Louise Calment, who was 122 when she died Aug. 4, 1997, in Arles, France.
It was a title Baines quietly relinquished Friday when she died in her sleep at Western Convalescent Hospital, her home since she gave up living alone at age 107 after breaking a hip.
She likely suffered a heart attack, said her longtime physician, Dr. Charles Witt, although an autopsy was scheduled to determine the exact cause of death.
"I saw her two days ago, and she was just doing fine," Witt told The Associated Press on Friday. "She was in excellent shape. She was mentally alert. She smiled frequently."
Baines was born in Shellman, Ga., on April 6, 1894, when Grover Cleveland was in the White House, radio communication was just being developed and television was still more than a half-century from becoming a ubiquitous household presence.
She was 4 years old when the Spanish-American War broke out and 9 when the first World Series was played. She had already reached middle age by the time the U.S. entered World War II in 1941.
Throughout it all, Baines said last year, it was a life she thoroughly enjoyed.
"I'm glad I'm here. I don't care if I live a hundred more," she said with a hearty laugh after casting her vote for Barack Obama for president. "I enjoy nothing but eating and sleeping."
Her vote for Obama, she added, had helped fulfill a lifelong dream of seeing a black man elected president.
"We all the same, only our skin is dark and theirs is white," said Baines, who was black.
The centenarian, who worked as a maid at Ohio State University dormitories until her retirement, had outlived all of her family members. Her only daughter died of typhoid at age 18.
In her final years, she passed her days watching her favorite TV program, "The Jerry Springer Show," and consuming her favorite foods: bacon, fried chicken and ice cream. She complained often, however, that the bacon served to her was too soft.
"Two days ago, when I saw her, she was talking about the fact that the bacon wasn't crisp enough, that it was soggy," Witt said.
She became the world's oldest person in January when Maria de Jesus died in Portugal at 115.
The title brought with it a spotlight of attention, and Baines was asked frequently about the secret to a long life. She shrugged off such questions, telling people to ask God instead.
"She told me that she owes her longevity to the Lord, that she never did drink, she never did smoke and she never did fool around," Witt said at a party marking her 115th birthday.
At the party, Baines sat quietly, paying little attention as nursing home staffers and residents sang "Happy Birthday" and presented congratulatory notices from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sen. Dianne Feinstein and others. But she laughed when told the Los Angeles Dodgers had given her a cooler filled with hot dogs.
With Baines' death, 114-year-old Kama Chinen of Japan becomes the world's oldest person, said Dr. L. Stephen Coles of the Gerontology Research Group, which tracks claims of extreme old age. Chinen was born May 10, 1895.
The oldest person who ever lived, Coles said, was Jeanne-Louise Calment, who was 122 when she died Aug. 4, 1997, in Arles, France.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Court delays ruling on woman in penis-chopping case
A Turkish woman accused of cutting off her lover's penis must wait 18 months for a verdict and sentencing while a court determines whether his re-attached penis still functions, a court source said Thursday.
The criminal court in the Black Sea town of Trabzon will wait for a medical report assessing whether the 28-year-old victim has regained full use of his organ or if he is permanently disabled, an official involved in the trial said.
"To determine which crime was committed, we first need the report," the source said. "We'll continue holding hearings in the trial from time to time until we receive the report."
The 39-year-old defendant faces between one and three years in prison if her former lover recovers, Haber Turk newspaper said. She will be jailed for at least 8 years if he does not.
The woman told the court he had broken his promise to marry her and forced her into prostitution and beat her.
Surgeons worked for 11 hours to re-attach the penis in an operation which they described as successful, and said full sexual function should return within six months, Hurriyet said.
The defendant, who has not been jailed during the trial, told the court she cut off her former lover's penis and threw it onto the roof of a neighboring building while he was drunk, the newspaper quoted her as saying.
The criminal court in the Black Sea town of Trabzon will wait for a medical report assessing whether the 28-year-old victim has regained full use of his organ or if he is permanently disabled, an official involved in the trial said.
"To determine which crime was committed, we first need the report," the source said. "We'll continue holding hearings in the trial from time to time until we receive the report."
The 39-year-old defendant faces between one and three years in prison if her former lover recovers, Haber Turk newspaper said. She will be jailed for at least 8 years if he does not.
The woman told the court he had broken his promise to marry her and forced her into prostitution and beat her.
Surgeons worked for 11 hours to re-attach the penis in an operation which they described as successful, and said full sexual function should return within six months, Hurriyet said.
The defendant, who has not been jailed during the trial, told the court she cut off her former lover's penis and threw it onto the roof of a neighboring building while he was drunk, the newspaper quoted her as saying.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Que shiraz, shiraz!
An Australian wine that was once considered a non-collectable item has sold at a record price, surpassing the country's most acclaimed vintage as wine lovers target rare bottles from the last century.
At the annual Penfolds Wine Auction this weekend, the Penfolds 1957 Shiraz St. Henri was hammered off for A$8,110 ($6,991) a bottle, the highest price ever paid for a St. Henri.
Bottles of 1955, 1959 and 1971 St. Henri also beat the records for the same vintages of the famous Penfolds Grange, widely recognized as Australia's most coveted and expensive wine.
"The result is extraordinary, probably ten times what they expected to bring, we don't see that very often," Stewart Langton of Langton's wine auction house told Reuters.
"I don't think any wine is intrinsically worth A$8,000 a bottle and basically people who spend that on a bottle aren't going to drink that wine, they put it away, it's a trophy," said Winsor Dobbin of "Food and Wine" magazine.
While Penfolds Grange was seen as a collectable wine, St. Henri was usually drunk, making older bottles of it quite rare.
St. Henri's first commercial vintage was 1957 and it gained a new lease of life in the 1990s as wine connoisseurs started to appreciate its distinctive style.
"People are focusing on those hard to find rare bottles that occasionally come up, so we are seeing price rises across the board from the wines from the 50s and early 60s," Langton said.
Penfolds, one of Australia's oldest wineries with an extensive product range, was founded in 1844 by British physician Christopher Rawson Penfold. The winery is now part of the beverage giant Foster's Group.
At the annual Penfolds Wine Auction this weekend, the Penfolds 1957 Shiraz St. Henri was hammered off for A$8,110 ($6,991) a bottle, the highest price ever paid for a St. Henri.
Bottles of 1955, 1959 and 1971 St. Henri also beat the records for the same vintages of the famous Penfolds Grange, widely recognized as Australia's most coveted and expensive wine.
"The result is extraordinary, probably ten times what they expected to bring, we don't see that very often," Stewart Langton of Langton's wine auction house told Reuters.
"I don't think any wine is intrinsically worth A$8,000 a bottle and basically people who spend that on a bottle aren't going to drink that wine, they put it away, it's a trophy," said Winsor Dobbin of "Food and Wine" magazine.
While Penfolds Grange was seen as a collectable wine, St. Henri was usually drunk, making older bottles of it quite rare.
St. Henri's first commercial vintage was 1957 and it gained a new lease of life in the 1990s as wine connoisseurs started to appreciate its distinctive style.
"People are focusing on those hard to find rare bottles that occasionally come up, so we are seeing price rises across the board from the wines from the 50s and early 60s," Langton said.
Penfolds, one of Australia's oldest wineries with an extensive product range, was founded in 1844 by British physician Christopher Rawson Penfold. The winery is now part of the beverage giant Foster's Group.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
H1N1 flu stops Italians kissing saint's blood
Fear of H1N1 flu will stop devout Neapolitans from performing the time-honored ritual of kissing the blood of their patron Saint Gennaro when the city's annual festival begins later this month.
The decision to forbid kissing of the glass vial containing the saint's blood was taken reluctantly by ecclesiastical and city authorities Monday, and has brought protests from local politicians.
The vial will be put on display in the city's cathedral for a week from September 19 and the faithful will be allowed to touch it only with their foreheads.
Marco Di Lello, national co-ordinator of the Socialist Party, said the ban would "fuel the psychosis (over flu) which risks becoming unstoppable," and appealed to the archbishop of Naples to try to have the ban revoked.
Last week, a 51-year-old man became Italy's first fatal victim of the H1N1 flu virus, popularly known as swine flu, when he died in a Naples hospital.
In one of Italy's best-known festivals, Saint Gennaro's dried blood is said to liquefy twice a year, 17 centuries after his death. Some Neapolitans fear disaster may strike the city if the "miracle" does not occur.
Legend has it that when Gennaro was beheaded by pagan Romans in 305 A.D., a Neapolitan woman soaked up his blood with a sponge and preserved it in a glass vial.
The substance usually turns to liquid on September 19, the saint's feast day, and on the first Saturday in May. The "miracle" was first recorded in 1389, more than 1,000 years after Gennaro's martyrdom.
More scientifically minded skeptics say the phenomenon is due to chemicals present in the vial whose viscosity changes when it is stirred or moved.
Italy has not been among the nations hardest hit by the H1N1 flu virus, which has spread to at least 177 countries and caused at least 2,800 deaths, the World Health Organization says.
The decision to forbid kissing of the glass vial containing the saint's blood was taken reluctantly by ecclesiastical and city authorities Monday, and has brought protests from local politicians.
The vial will be put on display in the city's cathedral for a week from September 19 and the faithful will be allowed to touch it only with their foreheads.
Marco Di Lello, national co-ordinator of the Socialist Party, said the ban would "fuel the psychosis (over flu) which risks becoming unstoppable," and appealed to the archbishop of Naples to try to have the ban revoked.
Last week, a 51-year-old man became Italy's first fatal victim of the H1N1 flu virus, popularly known as swine flu, when he died in a Naples hospital.
In one of Italy's best-known festivals, Saint Gennaro's dried blood is said to liquefy twice a year, 17 centuries after his death. Some Neapolitans fear disaster may strike the city if the "miracle" does not occur.
Legend has it that when Gennaro was beheaded by pagan Romans in 305 A.D., a Neapolitan woman soaked up his blood with a sponge and preserved it in a glass vial.
The substance usually turns to liquid on September 19, the saint's feast day, and on the first Saturday in May. The "miracle" was first recorded in 1389, more than 1,000 years after Gennaro's martyrdom.
More scientifically minded skeptics say the phenomenon is due to chemicals present in the vial whose viscosity changes when it is stirred or moved.
Italy has not been among the nations hardest hit by the H1N1 flu virus, which has spread to at least 177 countries and caused at least 2,800 deaths, the World Health Organization says.
Monday, September 7, 2009
McDonald's vs McCurry heads for Malaysia court again
An eight-year legal battle between fast food giant McDonald's and a Malaysian restaurant called McCurry over copyright infringement is set to continue on Monday in the country's highest court.
McDonald's, which has 185 outlets in Malaysia, is appealing against the decision made on April 29 that its trademark had not been infringed upon by the local restaurant, which has one outlet in the Southeast Asian country's capital of Kuala Lumpur.
McCurry serves Malaysian staples such as fish head curry and is short for "Malaysian Chicken Curry," according to the company website (www.mccurryrecipe.com).
"The whole issue is about the name of my restaurant on the signboard," McCurry owner, P. Suppiah told Reuters on Friday.
Monday's hearing in the federal court will determine if the
case goes to another trial.
The McDonald's operation in this country of 27 million people is run as a franchise by prominent businessman Vincent Tan.
"McDonald's vigorously defends its trademarks against violations anywhere in the world. This particular case is no different," McDonald's Asia corporate relations vice president, Liam Jeory, said in an emailed statement.
McDonald's, which has 185 outlets in Malaysia, is appealing against the decision made on April 29 that its trademark had not been infringed upon by the local restaurant, which has one outlet in the Southeast Asian country's capital of Kuala Lumpur.
McCurry serves Malaysian staples such as fish head curry and is short for "Malaysian Chicken Curry," according to the company website (www.mccurryrecipe.com).
"The whole issue is about the name of my restaurant on the signboard," McCurry owner, P. Suppiah told Reuters on Friday.
Monday's hearing in the federal court will determine if the
case goes to another trial.
The McDonald's operation in this country of 27 million people is run as a franchise by prominent businessman Vincent Tan.
"McDonald's vigorously defends its trademarks against violations anywhere in the world. This particular case is no different," McDonald's Asia corporate relations vice president, Liam Jeory, said in an emailed statement.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Drunk grandmaster checkmated after dozing off
A leading French chess player turned up drunk and dozed off after just 11 moves in an international tournament in Kolkata, losing the round on technical grounds, domestic media reported Friday.
Grandmaster Vladislav Tkachiev arrived for Thursday's match against India's Praveen Kumar in such an inebriated state that he could hardly sit in his chair and soon fell asleep, resting his head on the table, Hindustan Times newspaper reported.
Indian papers carried pictures of the world number 58 sleeping and the organizers' futile attempts to wake his up.
The game was awarded to the Indian on the technical ground of Tkachiev being unable to complete his moves within the stipulated time of an hour and 30 minutes, the paper said.
The player was warned and reprimanded by the organizers afterwards but has been allowed to take part in the remainder of the competition, the paper said.
Grandmaster Vladislav Tkachiev arrived for Thursday's match against India's Praveen Kumar in such an inebriated state that he could hardly sit in his chair and soon fell asleep, resting his head on the table, Hindustan Times newspaper reported.
Indian papers carried pictures of the world number 58 sleeping and the organizers' futile attempts to wake his up.
The game was awarded to the Indian on the technical ground of Tkachiev being unable to complete his moves within the stipulated time of an hour and 30 minutes, the paper said.
The player was warned and reprimanded by the organizers afterwards but has been allowed to take part in the remainder of the competition, the paper said.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Artwork gets onlookers asking - will he jump?
A small crowd of people wonder if the smart businessman clutching a briefcase will jump off the edge of a four-storey building in central Vienna -- but he won't. He can't.
The man, dressed in a grey suit, dark shoes and a black hat, is a life-size plastic art installation, which will be perched atop the office of an investment and real estate company for the next year.
The artist, Austrian Ronald Kodritsch, says the piece -- called "Reason to Believe" -- is not necessarily about suicide.
"It's not interesting whether he will jump or not. It's all about having a different perspective on things and about what might cross his mind," Kodritsch told Reuters. "Hyperrealism is boring!"
Although the man may evoke images of ruined businessmen ending it all in the dire economic climate, the idea for the work came to Kodritsch a year before the banking crisis erupted.
While some passers-by like 23-year-old Verena Kircher found the piece "alarming," others like Caroline van Kelst thought it was beautiful.
"It is crystal clear that this is not a suicide," she said. "He has definitely got something about him which is majestic, not desperate."
The man, dressed in a grey suit, dark shoes and a black hat, is a life-size plastic art installation, which will be perched atop the office of an investment and real estate company for the next year.
The artist, Austrian Ronald Kodritsch, says the piece -- called "Reason to Believe" -- is not necessarily about suicide.
"It's not interesting whether he will jump or not. It's all about having a different perspective on things and about what might cross his mind," Kodritsch told Reuters. "Hyperrealism is boring!"
Although the man may evoke images of ruined businessmen ending it all in the dire economic climate, the idea for the work came to Kodritsch a year before the banking crisis erupted.
While some passers-by like 23-year-old Verena Kircher found the piece "alarming," others like Caroline van Kelst thought it was beautiful.
"It is crystal clear that this is not a suicide," she said. "He has definitely got something about him which is majestic, not desperate."
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Obviously it wasn't armed robbery...
A bank in Florida refused to cash a check for an armless man because he could not provide a thumbprint.
"They looked at my prosthetic hands and the teller said, 'Well, obviously you can't give us a thumbprint'," Steve Valdez told CNN on Wednesday.
But he said the Bank of America Corp branch in downtown Tampa, Florida, still insisted on a thumbprint identification for him to cash a check drawn on his wife's account at the bank, even though he showed them two photo IDs.
In the incident last week, a bank supervisor told Valdez he could only cash the check without a thumbprint if he brought his wife in with him or he opened an account with them.
"I told them I neither wanted an account with them and couldn't bring my wife in because she was nowhere close by," Valdez told CNN.
Bank of America said in a statement cited by CNN: "While the thumbprint is a requirement for those who don't have accounts, the bank should have made accommodations."
Valdez said his treatment by the bank violated the U.S. Americans with Disability Act requiring institutions to provide reasonable accommodation to disabled persons.
"They looked at my prosthetic hands and the teller said, 'Well, obviously you can't give us a thumbprint'," Steve Valdez told CNN on Wednesday.
But he said the Bank of America Corp branch in downtown Tampa, Florida, still insisted on a thumbprint identification for him to cash a check drawn on his wife's account at the bank, even though he showed them two photo IDs.
In the incident last week, a bank supervisor told Valdez he could only cash the check without a thumbprint if he brought his wife in with him or he opened an account with them.
"I told them I neither wanted an account with them and couldn't bring my wife in because she was nowhere close by," Valdez told CNN.
Bank of America said in a statement cited by CNN: "While the thumbprint is a requirement for those who don't have accounts, the bank should have made accommodations."
Valdez said his treatment by the bank violated the U.S. Americans with Disability Act requiring institutions to provide reasonable accommodation to disabled persons.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Advert criticized over "young" partial nude model
Britain's advertising watchdog has criticized an ad for a clothing company featuring a partially nude model who appeared to be younger than 16.
The advert for American Apparel clothing featured on the back cover of Vice magazine, a free publication aimed at 18 to 34-year-olds, and showed the young-looking girl modeling a hoodie top in a series of photographs.
In one picture, she was wearing the hoodie unzipped and one of her nipples was partially exposed.
One reader complained to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) that the ad was offensive and inappropriate because the model appeared young and it could be seen to sexualize a child.
American Apparel said although the advert did feature partial nudity, it did not think it would cause widespread offence.
It said the model was 23 and did not look under 16, nor was she portrayed as a sex object.
However the ASA disagreed, and ruled that the advert should not be used again.
"While the ad depicted only partial nudity, we considered that the images were provocative with the model exposing progressively more skin in each photo in the series," the ASA said.
"Because the ad could be seen to sexualize a model who appeared to be a child, under the age of 16 years, we concluded that it was inappropriate and could cause serious offence to some readers."
The advert for American Apparel clothing featured on the back cover of Vice magazine, a free publication aimed at 18 to 34-year-olds, and showed the young-looking girl modeling a hoodie top in a series of photographs.
In one picture, she was wearing the hoodie unzipped and one of her nipples was partially exposed.
One reader complained to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) that the ad was offensive and inappropriate because the model appeared young and it could be seen to sexualize a child.
American Apparel said although the advert did feature partial nudity, it did not think it would cause widespread offence.
It said the model was 23 and did not look under 16, nor was she portrayed as a sex object.
However the ASA disagreed, and ruled that the advert should not be used again.
"While the ad depicted only partial nudity, we considered that the images were provocative with the model exposing progressively more skin in each photo in the series," the ASA said.
"Because the ad could be seen to sexualize a model who appeared to be a child, under the age of 16 years, we concluded that it was inappropriate and could cause serious offence to some readers."
Looking for an evening class? Try butchery
Britain's recession has prompted a wave of self-help trends ranging from bee-keeping to growing vegetables -- and one of the fastest growing is DIY butchery.
Witness the Ginger Pig butcher's shop in the fashionable Marylebone area of London, where nine men and three women, dressed in white coats stained with blood, are learning the tricks of the trade.
Some just want to know more about food, others are City high-fliers with time on their hands.
They pay 120 pounds ($195) for a three-hour class, complete with beaujolais and lamb stew afterwards.
"They want something new to do and something cheaper than expensive restaurants," says shop manager Perry Bartlett.
"They come here and cook an equally good meal and have an education as well about meat.
"We have people from all walks of life. We've had surgeons, dentists, doctors, and normal people from down the street ... and lots and lots of girls."
The shop opened in 2003 and gets organic meat from the Ginger Pig farm in North Yorkshire, where rare breeds such as Longhorn and Belted Galloway cattle, and Tamworth pigs are reared.
Bartlett plans to build a bigger classroom holding up to 20 students, and expects strong demand in the run-up to Christmas.
In the current economic climate, he said more and more city bankers and businessmen were looking for fun and social gatherings.
"It was a birthday gift from my girlfriend," said Mark Mcardle, a 22-year old private banker, standing in front of pig carcasses hanging from hooks in the shop.
"She is not here tonight, but she thought it would be a good gift for me to become a professional butcher, so I'll have a go at it."
Borut Kozelj, Bartlett's assistant, holds a Master's degree from a butchery school in Slovenia and is one of about 20 butchers working at the Ginger Pig.
"The business is exploding," he said. "More people want to cook at home in the recession, eat fresher meat and know where it is produced."
Participants learn about different cuts of meat, how to prepare fillet, sirloin, rump or rib eye, and can take their juicy piece home afterwards.
Witness the Ginger Pig butcher's shop in the fashionable Marylebone area of London, where nine men and three women, dressed in white coats stained with blood, are learning the tricks of the trade.
Some just want to know more about food, others are City high-fliers with time on their hands.
They pay 120 pounds ($195) for a three-hour class, complete with beaujolais and lamb stew afterwards.
"They want something new to do and something cheaper than expensive restaurants," says shop manager Perry Bartlett.
"They come here and cook an equally good meal and have an education as well about meat.
"We have people from all walks of life. We've had surgeons, dentists, doctors, and normal people from down the street ... and lots and lots of girls."
The shop opened in 2003 and gets organic meat from the Ginger Pig farm in North Yorkshire, where rare breeds such as Longhorn and Belted Galloway cattle, and Tamworth pigs are reared.
Bartlett plans to build a bigger classroom holding up to 20 students, and expects strong demand in the run-up to Christmas.
In the current economic climate, he said more and more city bankers and businessmen were looking for fun and social gatherings.
"It was a birthday gift from my girlfriend," said Mark Mcardle, a 22-year old private banker, standing in front of pig carcasses hanging from hooks in the shop.
"She is not here tonight, but she thought it would be a good gift for me to become a professional butcher, so I'll have a go at it."
Borut Kozelj, Bartlett's assistant, holds a Master's degree from a butchery school in Slovenia and is one of about 20 butchers working at the Ginger Pig.
"The business is exploding," he said. "More people want to cook at home in the recession, eat fresher meat and know where it is produced."
Participants learn about different cuts of meat, how to prepare fillet, sirloin, rump or rib eye, and can take their juicy piece home afterwards.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Hoarding energy-guzzling bulbs ahead of EU ban
Germans, who sometimes see themselves as guardians of the environment, are hoarding energy-guzzling incandescent light bulbs ahead of a looming European Union-wide ban, the GfK market research agency said.
The Nuremberg-based GfK reported sales of incandescent bulbs had soared about 35 percent in the first half of the year ahead of a ban that starts Tuesday -- even though it was proposed by German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel in 2007.
Some German retailers said they have seen sales of 100-watt incandescent bulbs soar 600 percent since the end of July.
The EU is planning to phase out use of the incandescent bulbs as part of its push to save energy, cut greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change. From Tuesday the light bulbs above 75 watts can no longer be produced or imported in the EU.
The ban will be expanded each year and by 2012 production and importing of all incandescent bulbs will be prohibited.
The EU Commission projects the ban on the energy-inefficient bulbs will save about 40 terawatt hours of energy in the EU per year -- enough to meet the energy demands of a small country.
The idea to ban incandescent bulbs came from Gabriel in 2007 when Germany held the EU's rotating presidency. The German said the switch to energy saving bulbs could save about 25 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.
The Nuremberg-based GfK reported sales of incandescent bulbs had soared about 35 percent in the first half of the year ahead of a ban that starts Tuesday -- even though it was proposed by German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel in 2007.
Some German retailers said they have seen sales of 100-watt incandescent bulbs soar 600 percent since the end of July.
The EU is planning to phase out use of the incandescent bulbs as part of its push to save energy, cut greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change. From Tuesday the light bulbs above 75 watts can no longer be produced or imported in the EU.
The ban will be expanded each year and by 2012 production and importing of all incandescent bulbs will be prohibited.
The EU Commission projects the ban on the energy-inefficient bulbs will save about 40 terawatt hours of energy in the EU per year -- enough to meet the energy demands of a small country.
The idea to ban incandescent bulbs came from Gabriel in 2007 when Germany held the EU's rotating presidency. The German said the switch to energy saving bulbs could save about 25 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Amsterdam lets "beer bike" ride on, with limits
The beer bike will ride on in Amsterdam.
The outsized bikes, seating groups of people around a central bar, are something of a fixture in the city's center. But two accidents within two months prompted the city councillor responsible for transport to launch an investigation in June.
Following that review the city has decided to allow the bikes to carry on riding, a city spokesman said Saturday.
They will, however, need permits from the various city boroughs, and those permits are likely to come with restrictions on hours of operation and requirements for a sober driver.
While non-drinkers already typically steer the bikes, their size has also been an issue in some cases on the city centre's narrow streets. One of the better-known operators, PartyFiets.nl, offers two-hour tours on bikes that seat up to 22 people and carry 30 litres (7.9 gallons) of beer.
The outsized bikes, seating groups of people around a central bar, are something of a fixture in the city's center. But two accidents within two months prompted the city councillor responsible for transport to launch an investigation in June.
Following that review the city has decided to allow the bikes to carry on riding, a city spokesman said Saturday.
They will, however, need permits from the various city boroughs, and those permits are likely to come with restrictions on hours of operation and requirements for a sober driver.
While non-drinkers already typically steer the bikes, their size has also been an issue in some cases on the city centre's narrow streets. One of the better-known operators, PartyFiets.nl, offers two-hour tours on bikes that seat up to 22 people and carry 30 litres (7.9 gallons) of beer.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Amsterdam lets "beer bike" ride on, with limits
The beer bike will ride on in Amsterdam.
The outsized bikes, seating groups of people around a central bar, are something of a fixture in the city's center. But two accidents within two months prompted the city councillor responsible for transport to launch an investigation in June.
Following that review the city has decided to allow the bikes to carry on riding, a city spokesman said Saturday.
They will, however, need permits from the various city boroughs, and those permits are likely to come with restrictions on hours of operation and requirements for a sober driver.
While non-drinkers already typically steer the bikes, their size has also been an issue in some cases on the city centre's narrow streets. One of the better-known operators, PartyFiets.nl, offers two-hour tours on bikes that seat up to 22 people and carry 30 litres (7.9 gallons) of beer.
The outsized bikes, seating groups of people around a central bar, are something of a fixture in the city's center. But two accidents within two months prompted the city councillor responsible for transport to launch an investigation in June.
Following that review the city has decided to allow the bikes to carry on riding, a city spokesman said Saturday.
They will, however, need permits from the various city boroughs, and those permits are likely to come with restrictions on hours of operation and requirements for a sober driver.
While non-drinkers already typically steer the bikes, their size has also been an issue in some cases on the city centre's narrow streets. One of the better-known operators, PartyFiets.nl, offers two-hour tours on bikes that seat up to 22 people and carry 30 litres (7.9 gallons) of beer.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
No Muslims at Black Eyed Peas concert
Muslims in Malaysia have been barred from attending a concert by U.S. hip hop band the Black Eyed Peas sponsored by Guinness which is owned by the world's biggest spirits group Diageo.
The move comes after a Malaysian Islamic court sentenced a 32-year Muslim woman to be caned after she was caught drinking beer in a hotel and at a time when an opposition Islamic party has moved against beer sales.
The concert, part of celebrations of Guinness 250th birthday, asks on its website (www.arthursday.com.my) "Are you a non-Muslim aged 18 years and above?" and if the response is no, access is not allowed.
Muslims account for 55 percent of the 27 million people in this Southeast Asian country and are barred from consuming alcohol although the rules are regularly flouted, especially in big cities like the capital, Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia's Guinness Anchor which sells Guinness and other brands here had sales of 1.2 billion Malaysian ringgit ($340.6 million) in 2008.
Even without alcohol, foreign bands are subject to scrutiny. Earlier this week, the Pan Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) said it wanted Danish band Michael Learns to Rock banned from performing as it would cause immorality.
Since 2007, PAS, the country's second largest political group measured by party membership, has campaigned against performances by the likes of Beyonce, Rihanna, Gwen Stefani and Avril Lavigne.
($1=3.523 Malaysian Ringgit)
The move comes after a Malaysian Islamic court sentenced a 32-year Muslim woman to be caned after she was caught drinking beer in a hotel and at a time when an opposition Islamic party has moved against beer sales.
The concert, part of celebrations of Guinness 250th birthday, asks on its website (www.arthursday.com.my) "Are you a non-Muslim aged 18 years and above?" and if the response is no, access is not allowed.
Muslims account for 55 percent of the 27 million people in this Southeast Asian country and are barred from consuming alcohol although the rules are regularly flouted, especially in big cities like the capital, Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia's Guinness Anchor which sells Guinness and other brands here had sales of 1.2 billion Malaysian ringgit ($340.6 million) in 2008.
Even without alcohol, foreign bands are subject to scrutiny. Earlier this week, the Pan Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) said it wanted Danish band Michael Learns to Rock banned from performing as it would cause immorality.
Since 2007, PAS, the country's second largest political group measured by party membership, has campaigned against performances by the likes of Beyonce, Rihanna, Gwen Stefani and Avril Lavigne.
($1=3.523 Malaysian Ringgit)
Lego giraffe tail repeatedly stolen
Visitors to a tourist attraction in Berlin have been making off with an unusual memento -- the 30 cm long tail of a Lego giraffe.
The Lego tail belongs to a six meter tall model that has stood outside the entrance to the Legoland Discovery Center on Potsdamer Platz since 2007.
"It's a popular souvenir," a spokeswoman for the center said Tuesday. "It's been stolen four times now ..."
The tail is made out of 15,000 Lego bricks. It takes model workers about one week to restore it at a cost of 3,000 euros ($4,300), the spokeswoman said.
The Lego tail belongs to a six meter tall model that has stood outside the entrance to the Legoland Discovery Center on Potsdamer Platz since 2007.
"It's a popular souvenir," a spokeswoman for the center said Tuesday. "It's been stolen four times now ..."
The tail is made out of 15,000 Lego bricks. It takes model workers about one week to restore it at a cost of 3,000 euros ($4,300), the spokeswoman said.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Farmers issue warning after fatal cow attacks
The deaths of no fewer than four people after being trampled by cows in the past two months has prompted Britain's main farming union to issue a warning about the dangers of provoking the normally docile animals.
Cows can become aggressive and charge, especially when calves are present and walkers are accompanied by dogs, said the National Farmers Union (NFU).
The union and the Ramblers' Association both advise that walkers release dogs from their leads when passing through a field of cows.
"The cattle are interested in the dog, not the walker," said Robert Sheasby, Rural Surveyor at the NFU.
"As the cattle try to get the dog, there's a high chance they will get the walker too."
Britain has 7.5 million cows but in the past eight years there have only been 18 deaths involving cattle, including bulls whose dangers are well-known.
The current spate of attacks by cows began on the Pennine Hills on June 21, when Liz Crowsley, a veterinary surgeon from Warrington, was crushed against a wall and then trampled underfoot while out walking with her two dogs.
On July 15, another attack took place in Derbyshire, when Barry Pilgrim, a 65-year old from the area, was trampled to death by a cow as his wife looked on.
Three days later, Anita Hinchey, a 63-year-old, was walking her dog near Cardiff when a cow attacked her and trampled her to death.
The fourth fatal attack claimed the life of Harold Lee, a 75-year-old farmer from Burtle in the West Country. He was killed by his own herd, which may have been made nervous by the siren of a passing ambulance.
The risk is especially high in the spring when many of the calves are only a month or two old and the mothers are therefore especially protective, the NFU said.
"It's to do with spring and autumn calving," said Sheasby.
"In the autumn, cattle will be coming into winter housing but in spring you want them out grazing the grass."
Cow-charging incidents received extended coverage when former Home Secretary David Blunkett was attacked by one in June as his guide dog led him across a field in England's Peak District.
Blunkett broke a rib and was heavily bruised but survived.
Cows can become aggressive and charge, especially when calves are present and walkers are accompanied by dogs, said the National Farmers Union (NFU).
The union and the Ramblers' Association both advise that walkers release dogs from their leads when passing through a field of cows.
"The cattle are interested in the dog, not the walker," said Robert Sheasby, Rural Surveyor at the NFU.
"As the cattle try to get the dog, there's a high chance they will get the walker too."
Britain has 7.5 million cows but in the past eight years there have only been 18 deaths involving cattle, including bulls whose dangers are well-known.
The current spate of attacks by cows began on the Pennine Hills on June 21, when Liz Crowsley, a veterinary surgeon from Warrington, was crushed against a wall and then trampled underfoot while out walking with her two dogs.
On July 15, another attack took place in Derbyshire, when Barry Pilgrim, a 65-year old from the area, was trampled to death by a cow as his wife looked on.
Three days later, Anita Hinchey, a 63-year-old, was walking her dog near Cardiff when a cow attacked her and trampled her to death.
The fourth fatal attack claimed the life of Harold Lee, a 75-year-old farmer from Burtle in the West Country. He was killed by his own herd, which may have been made nervous by the siren of a passing ambulance.
The risk is especially high in the spring when many of the calves are only a month or two old and the mothers are therefore especially protective, the NFU said.
"It's to do with spring and autumn calving," said Sheasby.
"In the autumn, cattle will be coming into winter housing but in spring you want them out grazing the grass."
Cow-charging incidents received extended coverage when former Home Secretary David Blunkett was attacked by one in June as his guide dog led him across a field in England's Peak District.
Blunkett broke a rib and was heavily bruised but survived.
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