Saturday, January 28, 2006
After seven weeks in the Southern Ocean disrupting the Japanese whaling fleet, a Canadian registered anti-whaling ship, the Farley Mowat, has been detained by South African authorities.
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society vessel, its captain Paul Watson, and his crew, have been detained indefinitely. The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) have placed a guard on the gangplank and are patrolling the ship.
The Farley Mowat, which sailed from Melbourne, Australia on December 6, was detained in Cape Town harbour, following a request from the Canadian government. A SAMSA official said the ship did not have the required certification.
“They don’t have the right certificates for the skipper, the first-mate or the chief engineer,” an official said. According to SAMSA, the detention adheres to Canadian maritime laws and followed correspondence from Canada, who requested that the authorities check the ship.
According to Scoop Independent, the ship and crew have been detained due to the International Maritime Organization’s ISPS Code. Under Canadian maritime law, both the captain and first officer should be Canadian nationals. Captain Paul Watson is Canadian, First Officer Alex Cornelissen is Dutch.
SAMSA claims that the Farley Mowat was not in possession of an international ship security certificate or a ship security plan.
This means the ship allegedly does not comply with the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code) – a comprehensive set of measures to enhance the security of ships and port facilities. The code was developed in response to the perceived maritime threats to ships and port facilities in the wake of the 9/11 attacks in the United States.
The official said the detention was in line with Canadian maritime laws and followed correspondence from Canada requesting the authorities check the ship.
However, Captain Paul Watson says political pressure from Japan is behind the detention of the boat. He says he does not have the necessary documentation required by officials as the boat is registered as a yacht and not a commercial vessel.
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Ian Narev, the CEO of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, this morning “unreservedly” apologised to clients who lost money in a scandal involving the bank’s financial planning services arm.
Last week, a Senate enquiry found financial advisers from the Commonwealth Bank had made high-risk investments of clients’ money without the clients’ permission, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars lost. The Senate enquiry called for a Royal Commission into the bank, and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
Mr Narev stated the bank’s performance in providing financial advice was “unacceptable”, and the bank was launching a scheme to compensate clients who lost money due to the planners’ actions.
In a statement Mr Narev said, “Poor advice provided by some of our advisers between 2003 and 2012 caused financial loss and distress and I am truly sorry for that. […] There have been changes in management, structure and culture. We have also invested in new systems, implemented new processes, enhanced adviser supervision and improved training.”
An investigation by Fairfax Media instigated the Senate inquiry into the Commonwealth Bank’s financial planning division and ASIC.
Whistleblower Jeff Morris, who reported the misconduct of the bank to ASIC six years ago, said in an article for The Sydney Morning Herald that neither the bank nor ASIC should be in control of the compensation program.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
The Blunkett diaries, being serialised in the Guardian, claim that Gordon Brown opposed the war against Iraq. Only at the last minute did he give in, according to the diaries, when he realised that Blair would sack him otherwise.
Gordon Brown, interviewed by the Guardian, said he did not think Blunkett had ever said such a thing and that, if he was reported as having done so, he was being misquoted.
The diary entries are contemporary with the events and were recorded shortly after the Cabinet meeting on Iraq.
byAlma Abell
A law firm in Junction City KS is a legal team prepared to take on any legal charge or claim you may experience. The lawyers who are experienced in cases involving family law, personal injury law, estate law, criminal defense and traffic law including DUIs are the attorneys you need. A lawyer will provide aggressive representation in all cases because he is dedicated to protecting your rights. Experience and aggressiveness is a combination tough to beat and you want to win, so consider this combination when searching for a lawyer. You deserve to have your legal rights protected in all matters which can adversely affect you.
An attorney at the Oleenlawfirm.com, for example, has won the following legal battles:
1. Sex offenses
2. Drug offenses
3. DUI’s
4. High level felonies
5. Misdemeanors
6. Violation of Protective Orders
7. Murder
An attorney should be well known for obtaining not guilty verdicts, but also known for advising a client when they should take a plea deal. This balance of legal perspective is what every client needs, and a Lawyer in Junction City KS should certain get this for their clients.
Personal injury cases, whether they are worker comp cases, accident injuries, auto collision related injuries, medical malpractice or nursing home negligence are all under the legal umbrella of a lawyer in Junction City and their team. Where many injured would not feel compelled to fight for their rights, a quality lawyer in Junction City will never give in or give up. Even traffic cases can damage your life for a long time. Cases such as:
1. DUI
2. OWI
3. DWI
These cases can cause you untold embarrassment and hardship for your family. Loosing your driving privileges can lead to a substantial level of family distress and put your job in jeopardy. Time is critical in these cases because there may be evidence that the attorney will want to challenge before trial. Family law can get very sticky and very nasty unless you have an attorney who is accustomed to handling cases where the difficult matters must be resolved before court so that a workable settlement of the major issues can be developed. This is just one legal matter that a Lawyer in Junction City KS and the entire team can deal with very successfully if you hire them in time.
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Monday, July 25, 2005
Windsor Castle, one of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom’s official residences, is to get a hydro-electric power scheme.
The £1 million project will consist of a series of under-water turbines to be installed at Romney Weir in the nearby River Thames. The system will generate 200kW, enough to meet approximately one third of the castle’s electricity needs.
The electricity from the four turbines will not be sold into the local electricity grid, but will instead be directly connected to Windsor Castle’s electrical system. It will save 600 tonnes of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere every year.
The scheme was announced after it gained planning permission from the local council, the plans having been submitted in February of last year. A feasability study will now be conducted, with construction scheduled to start next year.
The Windsor Castle is not the only environmentally-friendly Royal scheme. A borehole beneath Buckingham Palace provides cold water for air-conditioning and the Duke of Edinburgh’s taxi runs on liquid petroleum gas.
Going Off Road In Your 4×4 For The First Time
by
Hugh McInnes
You finally took the plunge and purchased your first four-wheel drive vehicle. Now, you’re ready to take your 4×4 SUV out for its first off-road experience. Not so fast. Before you head off to the back of Bourke and get yourself in a bingle, there are some things you need to be aware of.
First off, never take your off-road vehicle out if you haven’t checked it over properly first. You need to be aware of your front bumper, rear bumper, and undercarriage – specifically, how much clearance exists between the ground and your vehicle. Try to go over something too big and your expensive SUV will cark it before you’ve gotten half way to the back of beyond.
Be aware of what your brakes can do as well. In slippery conditions, even a slight incline can be a major obstacle. Knowing if your brakes are anti-lock and what traction control you have is imperative to understanding what your four-wheel drive vehicle can do.
When you have to tackle inclines, it’s important that you get used to the idea of two-footed driving. This means that even as you’re accelerating the car to make that climb, you’re stepping on the brake to control any slide. Slow and steady is the best method to take. It preserves the environment and ensures that you won’t be sliding your way back to the bottom of the hill.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc[/youtube]
Once you’ve made it to the top, remember that the descent could be just as full of unexpected surprises as the ascent. If the hill’s slippery, this is even more important. Align your off-road SUV with the trail. Go slowly. Keep your foot off the brake pedal. If you’re braking constantly, they might lock up and send you careering wildly to the bottom of the hill.
Now, keep in mind that different off-road situations will require different approaches and angles. The most important are approach angles, breakover angles, departure angles, and roll-over angles. In order to successfully cross an obstacle or navigate a tilted trail, you have to angle the 4WD accordingly.
The approach angle is the angle that extends from the leading edge of your front tyre to the lowest point of the bumper. The first few times you approach an obstacle, stop and get out. Take your time judging the angle to determine if your bumper will hit the obstacle before your tyre clears it.
Breakover angles are the steepest obstacles over which you can drive without scraping the undercarriage. Figuring out the breakover angle can be a little tricky, and the easiest way is to draw it. Geometry will actually be useful here – see, your maths teacher wasn’t lying. Draw your vehicle to scale (just the outline of the tyres and the undercarriage). The bottoms of the tyres are the first two points of the triangle. The lowest point of the undercarriage is the third point. The lower of the two angles is the maximum angle you can drive over without scraping the undercarriage. Once you have this basic visual in your head, you can successfully estimate obstacle heights relative to your off-roader.
The departure angle is similar to the approach angle, but it’s figured by estimating the leading edge of the rear tyre to the lowest point on the rear bumper. This is the maximum clearance you have coming off of an obstacle.
The roll-over angle is one calculation that’s best left to the engineers. Your 4×4 SUV comes with instructions detailing the maximum side slope at which your AWD vehicle can maneuver without rolling over. Don’t take a chance with this. Check your vehicle’s safety standards.
Once you understand these angles and the basics of tackling hills, you’re ready to attempt your first off-road experiences. However, it’s important to remember that these are just the basics. Don’t tackle obstacles that you are unsure of, and seek out instruction to take your off-road driving to the next level.
Hugh McInnes is a bit of a daredevil – he loves travelling around, especially offroad in a stable and secure
four-wheel drive
vehicle. When he’s not traipsing up and down around the countryside he loves to wind it back and cruise comfortably in his
4×4 SUV
. Nice life if you can get et, eh?
Article Source:
Going Off Road In Your 4×4 For The First Time
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Journalist, counselor, painter, and US 2012 Presidential candidate Joe Schriner of Cleveland, Ohio took some time to discuss his campaign with Wikinews in an interview.
Schriner previously ran for president in 2000, 2004, and 2008, but failed to gain much traction in the races. He announced his candidacy for the 2012 race immediately following the 2008 election. Schriner refers to himself as the “Average Joe” candidate, and advocates a pro-life and pro-environmentalist platform. He has been the subject of numerous newspaper articles, and has published public policy papers exploring solutions to American issues.
Wikinews reporter William Saturn? talks with Schriner and discusses his campaign.
Monday, May 11, 2009
On May 9, Moscow heralded its celebrations of Victory Day with one of the largest military parades seen since the fall of the Soviet Union through the Red Square and the streets of Moscow. Signifying the defeat over Nazi Germany in 1945 in World War 2, Victory Day continues to be one of the most poignant and emotional celebrations and national holidays in Russia. Estimates of more than 27 million lost lives during the war continues to leave a vein of sadness in Russia.
Victory day began early in Moscow with inner city streets being closed from 6am and the major entrance of Tverskaya Ulitsa completely locked down with all access to non-military blocked until the end of the parade. Tens of thousands of people lined the upper parts of Tverskaya to see the exit of the military as well as the air force fly-over on their entrance to Red Square. In total more than 9,000 troops, 69 planes and a huge collection of armored vehicles, tanks, and massive anti-aircraft missile defense systems ensured that Moscovites and the rest of Russia will remember Victory Day 2009.
In scenes reminiscent of the end of the war military bands played around the city until all hours of the night. At Leningradsky station departing veterans and widows danced and celebrated with younger generations whilst loudly singing the national anthem. As trains departed, staff handed out flowers in recognition of the contributions made and loud cheers were heard across the many platforms. In a touching event it seemed to bond the generations of yesterday and today.
Preparations for the military parade began months ago with regular rehearsals in Alabino including the erection of a mock Red Square and Kremlin to ensure authenticity. Final dress rehearsals took place in Moscow on May 7 including a full practice of the air show. On display for the first time was the S-400 air defense system which is capable of intercepting airborne targets at ranges up to 400 kilometers (249 mi).
Following the official parades and ceremonies, Red Square and the the inner city was opened to the public, albeit under extreme security and an ever watching eye from Interior Ministry troops. During the afternoon there was an estimated crowed of over 100,000 which entered Red Square to admire the parade ground and decorations, including the official stand for the dignitaries.
Closing the festivities was a series of fireworks in fourteen different locations throughout Moscow including the grand display over the Kremlin and Red Square.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
A New Zealand Marilyn Manson gig was evacuated after a fire scare. Four songs into the performance by the shock rock act at Auckland Town Hall, a fire scare caused an evacuation of the venue. On-site security stopped the performer from continuing and asked the audience to leave immediately.
Fire and ambulance crews responded, but discovered that the alarms had been caused by dry ice smoke machines.
Manson was able to continue his performance after a delay of ten minutes.