Friday, November 13, 2009
Wikinews interviewed author Marc Headley about his new book Blown for Good, and asked him about life inside the international headquarters of Scientology known as “Gold Base“, located in Gilman Hot Springs near Hemet, California. Headley joined the organization at age seven when his mother became a member, and worked at Scientology’s international management headquarters for several years before leaving in 2005.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
In recognition for the discovery of the Higgs Boson and Higgs mechanism, the American Physical Society has awarded the 2010 J. J. Sakurai Prize for Theoretical Particle Physics to Drs. C. R. Hagen, University of Rochester; G. S. Guralnik, Brown University; Tom Kibble, Imperial College London; Robert Brout, Université Libre de Bruxelles; François Englert, Université Libre de Bruxelles; and Peter Higgs, University of Edinburgh, Emeritus.
The 2010 prize was awarded “For elucidation of the properties of spontaneous symmetry breaking in four-dimensional relativistic gauge theory and of the mechanism for the consistent generation of vector boson masses.” The J. J. Sakurai Prize will be presented at the APS 2010 meeting in Washington, DC at a special Ceremonial session in February 2010.
The mechanism is the key element of the electroweak theory that forms part of the standard model of particle physics, and of many models, such as the Grand Unified Theory, that go beyond it. The papers that introduce this mechanism were published in Physical Review Letters in 1964 and were each recognized as milestone papers by PRL’s 50th anniversary celebration.
Presently, Fermilab’s Tevatron and the Large Hadron Collider at CERN are searching for a particle that will constitute evidence for this significant discovery. This particle is often referred to as the “God Particle”. The Large Hadron Collider, a vast scientific experiment to smash together sub-atomic particles, moved a step closer to its goal tonight. Physicists announced they had sent protons all the way round the 27 km ring beneath the France–Switzerland border, for the first time since a major failure 14 months ago.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
At least sixteen people are reported killed in a terrorist bombing in the city of Marrakech, Morocco. The bombing occurred in the busy Argana café before lunch time, Thursday. The café, located in the popular Jemaa el-Fnaa square, is within what is known as the old city. The square, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the country’s top tourist attractions, draws many foreign visitors.
Early reports blamed a gas can catching fire. Witness reports indicate the blast destroyed the entire second floor of the café, blasting off the terrace and roof demolishing the front of the building.
Photographer Tarek Bozid reported, “Everything was covered in blood. The scene was horrifying. Tables were broken and glass was shattered.”
Ten of the victims were foreign, including six French nationals and one Briton. Half of the dead are reported to be women; and, at least 20 other people were critically wounded including a number foreigners. Two Swiss nationals, two Russians, two Tunisians and two Dutch tourists are reported to be amongst those injured.
Although the blast was at first considered an accident, the Interior Ministry confirmed it was an intentional act. “Analysis of the early evidence collected at the site of the blast confirms the theory of an attack,” he said in a statement issued through the official Maghreb Arabe Presse (MAP) news agency.
Medics said nails, often used in suicide bombs, were found in the bodies of most victims.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has expressed his outrage, considering it to be “heinous, cruel and cowardly”. The act has been condemned by leaders internationally. French foreign minister Alain Juppe stated he is unaware of any particular threat to France in Morroco, once a French protectorate.
This is the first major attack on Morocco since the 2003 Casablanca bombings, which killed 45 and injured more than 100.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Government officials have confirmed that a six-year-old boy from the Claudy area of Londonderry Northern Ireland has drowned while on vacation with his family in Algarve, Portugal. The confirmation came from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London, England which stated that the boy drowned on Thursday July 24.
The boy, identified by the FCO as Nathan Sharkey, had been on holiday with his family since earlier this week. Authorities have not released anymore information about the incident because the boy is a minor.
“Because the national in question is a minor we can release no further details,” stated the FCO.
The family is currently receiving assistance from the British Consul and the FCO. Nathan is survived by his parents and two brothers, one being his twin.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
The New Zealand government has announced that the Telecommunications Amendment Bill, which will make Telecom unbundle the ‘local loop’, has passed in parliament only six months after it was introduced. The bill was passed under urgency on the last sitting day of the year.
The bill was opposed by two members of parliament from the ACT party and supported by 119 votes. The ACT party voted against the bill to prevent a split of the company into three divisions: retail, business and network.
Unbundling the local loop means that Telecom, New Zealand’s telecommunications monopoly company, will open its lines to competitors and provide “naked DSL”, which some say will lead to equal and fair competition in the Internet sector. The decision to unbundle the local loop occurred earlier this year when a mole leaked the proposal and the government had to make the announcement earlier than planned.
The bill will also enable minister of communications Cunliffe and the Commerce Commission the powers to split Telecom into the three divisions, after public consultation. The Telecommunications Commissioner will also have more power to implement the changes and monitor the implementation.
The bill will ensure that consumers do not have to purchase a phone account when signing up for an Internet account; before the bill was passed, a NZ$10 fee was added to the bill if the phone account was not with the Internet service provider.
The Honourable David Cunliffe, minister of communications, said that “We now have a clear, firm mandate from the people of New Zealand. Kiwis are demanding fast, ‘all you can eat’ broadband, which this legislation is designed to deliver.”
Hon Cunliffe said that history has been made with the new bill as it will bring New Zealanders faster and better broadband. “What some people said couldn’t be done is being done. What some people said wouldn’t work is being given the opportunity to work with an overwhelming majority. The bill equips New Zealand for the new digital age— an age where the smart use of technology will determine our continued prosperity as a country and make economic transformation a reality.”
Friday, May 1, 2009
The American auto company Chrysler filed for bankruptcy Thursday, however a deal with European auto maker Fiat went through. The emerging Chrysler will be owned 55 percent by the United Auto Workers, eight percent by the United States Government, two percent by the Canadian Government and Fiat would begin with a 20 percent share.
Chrysler Chief Executive Robert Nardelli will step down when the bankruptcy proceedings are finalized.
Initially, the Italian company, Fiat, will appoint three members on the emerging Chrysler’s new board, and the United States government will appoint six. Fiat can assume the majority of the ownership upon repayment of American loans.
Chrysler administrators expect that the bankruptcy should take a couple of months.
“We expect this to be a very short, 30-to-60-day bankruptcy process, during which the company will function normally,” a top administration official said, “People will be able to buy cars, they will have their warranties honored, and everything should go on normally.”
The bankruptcy filing indicated that Chrysler was in debt to 20 creditors to a tune of more than $10 million each.
Meanwhile, the deal with Fiat did go through, and Chrysler should have cars designed by Fiat out on the market by 2011.
“It’s a partnership that will give Chrysler a chance not only to survive, but to thrive in a global auto industry,” said American president Obama, “Fiat has demonstrated that it can build the clean, fuel-efficient cars that are the future of the industry.”
However, automotive analyst Erich Merkle has hesitations.
“History would show that alliances really don’t work that well,” Merkle said, “even though, no matter how good they may look on paper.”
The restructuring has been managed by Steve Rattner, a former investment banker, and the U.S. Government auto task force.
Obama has set three ultimatums before Fiat. Fiat should produce a 40 mile per gallon vehicle while managing the new Chrysler, transfer fuel efficient Fiat technology to Chrysler factories in the United States, and produce cars in Chrysler factories and distribute them in Europe.
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
The crew of the Space shuttle Discovery – which launched successfully yesterday – have begun to make inspections of the exterior of the Orbiter.
They are checking for any damage that may have occurred during take-off – the Columbia was destroyed after a piece of foam falling from the external fuel tank split open a wing, allowing super-heated gas to enter the craft upon reentry, leading to its break-up.
The crew of Discovery are using a laser–scanner mounted on the end of the shuttle’s 15 m (49.2 ft) long robotic arm. The inspection will consist of 90 minute sessions, during which a three-dimensional image of the surface of the nosecone and the leading edges of the wings will be built up.
NASA engineers are studying footage taken from a camera mounted on the external fuel tank, which appears to show a 1.5″ (3.8 cm) piece of tile falling away from on or near the nose landing-gear doors. There is also footage of an unidentified piece of debris which fell away as the solid rocket boosters were jettisoned, and did not appear to strike the shuttle.
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byAlma Abell
Being overwhelmed with debt is extremely stressful, but the federal government has provided ways for individuals to get out from under the burden. Filing for bankruptcy helps the person start over and get back on track financially. Many people find the bankruptcy option known as Chapter 13 in Lawrence KS appealing because it allows them to make payments to their creditors for a few years instead of defaulting entirely. They can pay back all, or nearly all, of the money they owe. But, does it make sense to file even if they aren’t completely sure they can afford those monthly payments?
Strict Payment Plans
Before a payment plan is approved after filing for Chapter 13 in Lawrence KS, the person must verify income to prove that the payments can be made as scheduled. Theoretically, payments could be made even on a very tight budget, but this leaves no room for unexpected bills or true emergencies.
If there is no safety net of savings or the ability to borrow some money from friends or family for unexpected expenses, the bankruptcy plan will collapse at that point. Typically, even if just one payment is missed, the trustee overseeing the plan ends the agreement. The creditors can immediately begin demanding full payment and start taking legal action. The individual then , which discharges much of the debt after dissolving assets to pay whatever can be managed.
Budget Considerations
All of this can be exhausting and time-consuming. It if income levels are just barely adequate for the agreement. Consulting a lawyer such as Joseph I. Wittman Attorney at Law can provide insight on which strategy is best.
If the budget appears sufficient and would cover relatively small emergency expenses, choosing Chapter 13 could be a reasonable decision. The person must understand, however, that he or she will be living very frugally for the next three to five years. If the person’s income increases, the court requires this information to be disclosed to the trustee. Payments are likely to increase to ensure creditors receive everything they are owed.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Officials in France have issued a pollution alert after an unladen freighter grounded on a breakwater at Anglet, Basque yesterday. The vessel split in two and is leaking fuel oil.
The Luno had 120–160 cubic metres of fuel aboard when it broke down and high winds and waves pushed it into the breakwater. Helicopters rescued the twelve crewmembers and the only injury was a broken nose. The 100-metre ship was en route to pick up its usual fertiliser cargo and initially officials feared the vessel could spill a load.
The ship has split around the breakwater, one part remaining on the rocks at one side and the other pushed almost to the beach on the other. Junior transport, seas, and fishing minister Frederic Cuvillier is heading to Anglet. Anglet is near the Spanish border, with the ship registered in Spain.
One eyewitness, commenting to BBC News, called the rescuers “brave considering the state of the sea”. She said the ship had tried to anchor itself but broke away.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
File:Bbcr2electricpromslogo.jpg
The BBC have announced they are to axe annual music festival Electric Proms from their schedule for financial reasons. The festival first took place in October 2006. The 2011 event will not go ahead, with last year’s festival being the last.
Bob Shennan, controller of BBC Radio 2, said he was “disappointed” with the decision to cancel the festival. He said “In the current climate, we are faced with making difficult decisions, including how best to deliver high-quality live music programming throughout the year in light of continuing efficiency savings. I feel that Radio 2 can achieve the same impact of the Electric Proms in an alternative, more cost-effective way. I’m disappointed that the lifetime of Electric Proms has come to an end, but very proud of its fantastically rewarding run of creating new moments in music for the past five years.”
During the festival’s five year run it has featured performances from stars such as Elton John, Neil Diamond, and Shirley Bassey.
The decision to axe the festival comes at a time when the BBC are planning a 20% savings cut. Last week BBC director general Mark Thompson announced 650 job losses after dropping five languages from the BBC World Service.