The time is 22:30 (UTC) on August 9th, 2006, and this is Audio Wikinews News Briefs.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Insurgents in Iraq have used a chemical car bomb to kill at least 32 people and injuring at least 50 in the Diyala Province, in the village of Abu Saydah on Tuesday. Reports say that the vehicle used in the attack was parked at a market near two tea stalls.
“A small van with gas canisters exploded in a crowded market, there were many people dead at the scene,” said Iraqi police officer, Captain Sadiq Mohammed.
According to police, the bomb was described as being filled with chlorine gas and injuries reported at the local hospital include burns from a “poisonous gas,” but the United States military in Iraq denies those reports.
| My eyes became puffy due to the chlorine gas that was packed in the car bomb…also I had many pieces of shrapnel in my chest and right shoulder | ||
“Our folks on the scene… who are investigating this do not have any of those indications,” said a spokesman for the U.S. military in Iraq, Lt-Col Michael Donnelly.
One of the injured, Kadim Hussein, who was taken to the Imam Ali hospital in Sadr City for treatment, complained of eye irritation. “My eyes became puffy due the chlorine gas that was packed in the car bomb…also I had many pieces of shrapnel in my chest and right shoulder,” he said.
Hospitals in Muqdadiyah and Sadr City received most of the victims of the bomb blast. Doctors and authorities at the Imam Ali hospital reported that 11 of the patients they treated were presented with symptoms typical of chlorine poisoning and that many of the victims had trouble breathing.
Chlorine can burn the skin almost instantly and can kill a person if they inhale too much of the fumes. Chlorine is usually used domestically as a disinfectant as well as a bleach.
In April, at least 35 were killed when insurgents detonated a chlorine bomb in the city of Ramadi.
This comes just 6 days after Army Maj. Gen. Benjamin R. Mixon, commander of the 25th Infantry Division based in Iraq’s Diyala province asked for more troops to help with insurgents.
Monday, March 25, 2013
In February, Japanese herpetologists Kanto Nishikawa, Masafumi Matsui (of the Kyoto University), and Tao Thien Nguyen (of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology) discovered Ziegler’s crocodile newt in Vietnam. The new species, called Tylototriton ziegleri, is characterised by a unique morphology, most noticeably the rough skin. The researchers noticed the new set of species features when examining a specimen in National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo and confirmed the species after a field study and DNA analysis.
On February 18, the researchers successfully published the paper at Current Herpetology,published by the Herpetological Society of Japan.
Masafumi Matsui asked Kanto Nishikawa to identify the species from the museum. After a discussion with Tao Thien Nguyen, younger brother of T. Q. Nguyen, co-author of an existing Tylototriton vietnamensis species, Kanto Nishikawa identified the species as a new one.
Last Friday, Wikinews interviewed the research team about the study.
((Wikinews)) What is most particular in the new species morphology?
((WN)) What kind of environments do the newts live in?
((WN)) What do the newts eat?
((WN)) What equipment was used during the research?
((WN)) What were the roles of the people involved in the research? What activity was most time-consuming?
((WN)) Who did you have to get research permission from?
((WN)) What was the purpose of the field study? Is an alive individual required for DNA analysis, for species description and depiction, or for something else?
Monday, January 1, 2007
A crowd of approximately 1 million has welcomed the new year in Sydney overnight. Many of the crowd had camped out since 6 AM AEDT (7PM UTC) to ensure they had the best vantage point for the fireworks displays at 9 PM and 12 AM. Earlier predictions of rain failed to dampen enthusiastic revellers and fortunately did not eventuate.
According to police, vantage points were Circular Quay and Sydney Opera House closed around 7 PM.
This year’s theme was “A diamond night in Emerald City” and celebrated the Sydney Harbour Bridge’s diamond anniversary of 75 years which will fall in March.
As usual, the bridge became the centre piece of Sydney’s celebrations with a question mark turning into a coat hanger during the 9 PM fireworks show before a diamond appeared at 11 PM.
Entertainment was held in the city throughout the day, culminating in a spectacular fireworks display at midnight. Revellers counted down the final seconds of 2006 with numbers on the side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
The festivities are estimated to have cost AUD $4 million and organisers claim their fireworks display is “the largest in the world”. Sydney’s celebrations were broadcast on television live around the world as other countries prepared their New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Despite the large crowd, police made only 58 arrests for offences including offensive conduct, stealing, assaulting police, goods in custody, assault, drink driving and affray.
Ambulance officers were called to 1,139 incidents in Sydney with another 900 in country areas.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Family First Senator Steve Fielding arrived at Parliament today, dressed as a beer bottle to raise awareness of a bill he intends to move in the Senate today. Senator Fielding will introduce a bill to establish a nationwide refund scheme for bottles and cans.
A similar scheme has operated in South Australia since 1977.
Family First wants a rebate of 10 cents per container, while the Australian Greens want 20 cents.
Speaking to reporters outside parliament dressed as a beer bottle, the Senator said the legislation would reduce litter by 25 per cent. “There’s a message in this bottle.”
“I am no longer trash, I’m cash.”
“We should get the litter off the streets and off the creeks and into recycling – that’s good for the environment and good for the community”
“It’s a win-win and I can’t understand why nationally we don’t have a scheme,” said Senator Fielding.
Senator Fielding said that recycling not only reduced litter, but also consumes less energy than making new containers from scratch. “Recycling a plastic bottle saves more than 80 per cent of the energy used to make a bottle from scratch and recycling aluminium cans uses just five per cent of the energy used making a can from scratch,” said the Senator.
Senator Bob Brown, leader of the Greens said while there were environmental benefits from recycling, it would also create thousands of new jobs.
“This is a very good way of recycling and reducing energy because a lot of energy goes into making cans and bottles,” Senator Brown told reporters.
“It will employ tens of thousands of people across Australia.”
Monday, June 16, 2008
The gas crisis in Western Australia continues to deepen with more businesses standing people down without pay. Businesses have been instructed to turn off non-essential items including limiting the number of lifts and reduced lighting; domestic customers are also urged to reduce energy use.
In the Federal parliament today Resources Minister Martin Ferguson raised the prospect of activating the Liquid Fuel Emergency Act. “During such a situation, I can control the production, transfer and stock levels of crude and liquid fuel…While I sincerely hope that this will not be required, the Liquid Fuel Emergency Act provides authority for the Australian Government to prepare for and manage a national liquid fuel supply emergency,” he said.
Western Australian Premier Alan Carpenter called on all Western Australians to reduce energy usage, saying that the situation could be managed with on going co-operation, while reassuring everyone that the crisis will be short, with the Apache Corporation expected to begin partial operations in two months. Supplies were interrupted after a fire at Apache’s Vanarus Island refinery, which supplied 30% of the state’s natural gas requirements.
An Alinta spokesman has said that with the expected cold weather during the next week demand will put further pressure on supplies, advising that it is critical that all consumers limit energy usage.
Alinta requests that residential customers;
While suggesting small businesses;
Sunday, January 21, 2007
In the United Kingdom, an anti-pollution operation is under way after the stricken ship MSC Napoli started to leak dangerous heavy fuel oil.
The heavy fuel oil that is leaking from the beached Italian ship is extremely dangerous for the environment. Fear of pollution increased after the ship was further damaged during storms last Thursday. MSC Napoli was beached by Devon coastguards after it suffered heavy structual damage in the gale force storms of Thursday, 18 January 2007, that wreaked havoc across Northern Europe. The ship, which contains 160 containers of hazardous chemical substances, is listing at 35 degrees.
The entire 26-man crew was rescued by navy helicopters Thursday after severe gales. Cracks were found on both sides of the ship, but the current oil leak was not expected.
Around 2,400 containers were carried by the 62,000 tonne ship, some of which contain potentially dangerous hazardous chemicals.
The Coastguards have reported that up to 200 of the containers carrying materials such as perfume and battery acid are loose from the ship and they are looking for missing containers. South African stainless steel producer Columbus Stainless confirmed on Friday that there was at least 1,000 tonnes of nickel on board MSC Napoli.
A hole in the ship flooded the engine room and there’s now fears that the ship will break up. Saturday MSC Napoli was towed to Portland when a ”structural failure” forced the salvage team to beach it. As the storms have continued MSC Napoli has been further damaged.
The authorities have warned people about the pollution, which already has reached the beaches at Devon, but many want to see it on their own. Police have closed Branscombe Beach as more than 20 containers have broken up scattering their contents along the beach.
Sky News reported Sunday that the costs of the accident might be very high as thousands of pounds worth of BMW motorbikes, car parts, empty oak barrels and perfume might get lost in flooding containers.
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Submitted by: Zameen1 Zaidad
Metro Max Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd. presents a 100 acres integrated township, Rosewood city at Jaipur. This premium residential project at Jaipur offers plots with sizes ranging from 100 sq. yards. to 350 sq. yards at extraordinarily low prices. Location of Rosewood City on Sambhar-Jodhpur state highway is closely connected to Jaipur-Ajmer Express highway (NH-8). The project is in the neighborhood of Mahendra Sez. Proposed Kishangarh airport is in close vicinity. IT giants like Wipro, Infosys, Tech Mahindra, Nagarro Software etc. have already invested greatly in the region. Ajmer road is the right mix of residential, institutional, industrial and recreational development.
Rosewood City Jaipur has provision for amenities like- School, Park, Grocery Store, Party Lawn, Temple and many more. There is provision for essential facilities like- 24 hours security, Adequate water supply and Electric lines network. This project offers an excellent investment opportunity for those looking to buy properties for investment purpose. Appreciation in property prices in Jaipur has been hovering around a healthy 12% per annum, which is remarkable for a tier- II city. Property prices here are quiet low compared to big cities and other tier- II cities. This provides great scope of appreciation. Jaipur real estate can be a good investment option for those having small amounts to invest. In the case of Rosewood City, which offers plots of sizes 100 sq. yards, 150 sq. yards, 200 sq. yards, 250 sq. yards, 300 sq. yards and 350 sq. yards, a 100 sq. yards plot can be bought by investing Rs. 129600.
Due to depreciation in rupee against dollar, NRIs and PIOs are also showing heightened interest in investing in real estate sector. Rosewood City, Jaipur can be a good investment opportunity for them too. Rupee has plunged by about 20% within a year and is showing upward trend now. If the rise in rupee is similar to its fall, NRIs and PIOs investing now can expect windfall gain of more than 30% within a year ( on account of appreciation in value of rupee and general appreciation in property prices in Jaipur). Government policies for NRI and PIO real estate investors are also quiet favorable. As government allows 100% repatriation, they can easily take the rental income and capital investment in the property outside India subject to FEMA. NRIs can get loans easily from banks to invest in properties but NRI remittances and repatriation procedures have emerged as the best option for them. NRIs are permitted to use their own funds to acquire immovable property. These funds can be remitted through Non-resident external(NRE), Non-resident ordinary(NRO) or Foreign currency non-resident(FCNR) accounts.
Developer of this project, Metro Max Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd. is a leading real estate developer of India. Some other residential projects developed by them in Jaipur include, Aravali farms, Lotus valley and Aaron farms.
Due to depreciation in rupee against dollar, NRIs and PIOs are also showing heightened interest in investing in real estate sector. Rosewood City, Jaipur can be a good investment opportunity for them too. Rupee has plunged by about 20% within a year and is showing upward trend now. If the rise in rupee is similar to its fall, NRIs and PIOs investing now can expect windfall gain of more than 30% within a year ( on account of appreciation in value of rupee and general appreciation in property prices in Jaipur). Government policies for NRI and PIO real estate investors are also quiet favorable. As government allows 100% repatriation, they can easily take the rental income and capital investment in the property outside India subject to FEMA. NRIs can get loans easily from banks to invest in properties but NRI remittances and repatriation procedures have emerged as the best option for them. NRIs are permitted to use their own funds to acquire immovable property. These funds can be remitted through Non-resident external(NRE), Non-resident ordinary(NRO) or Foreign currency non-resident(FCNR) accounts.
Developer of this project, Metro Max Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd. is a leading real estate developer of India. Some other residential projects developed by them in Jaipur include, Aravali farms, Lotus valley and Aaron farms.
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Wednesday, March 16, 2005
The United Kingdom Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Right Honourable Gordon Brown PC MP, in a speech to the British House of Commons today presented his ninth Budget, what is very likely to be his last Budget before the next UK General Election. This opened the parliamentary debate on the 2005 Finance Bill, and was followed by responses from the opposition parties.
In a 48 minute long speech, the Chancellor presented a Budget of “tax cuts that are reasonable, spending that is affordable, and [economic] stability that is paramount”, that was “the prudent course for Britain”. There were few surprises that had not already been indicated in his 2004 pre-Budget report. The increase in the threshold on stamp duty was greater than that forecast by commentators, as was the amount of the Council Tax rebate to households with pensioners.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
The popular American soap opera The Young and the Restless, currently the reigning Emmy Award-winner for best daytime drama, celebrated 35 years on the air Wednesday.
The 35th anniversary also comes after the series, known colloquially as Y&R, marked its 1,000th straight week as the highest-rated soap opera in a daytime slot. In addition to keeping the #1 spot every week since December 1988, Y&R has also been the top-rated soap in the African-American demographic since 1991.
A trend-setter since the beginning, Y&R relied on character-driven storytelling, accentuated with understated sexuality from its cast, which at that time was mostly young, in order to bring in teenage and twentysomething viewers who were ignored by soap producers and networks up to that time. These traits immediately set Y&R apart from other soap operas, and other soaps have since mimicked Y&R’s formulaic approach to offering something for everyone, especially younger viewers.
Since premiering on March 26, 1973, Y&R has become a worldwide cultural institution in its own right, racking up an impressive 100 Emmy Awards between the writers, producers, cast and crew since 1974. The show has aired in over 100 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, and Turkey, and reaches a worldwide audience of ten million daily. So far-reaching was Y&R’s appeal that Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci chose the serial’s theme song as accompanying music to her floor exercises at the 1976 Summer Olympics. In Australia, where Y&R has aired since 1974, the show was canceled by the original network that aired it in 2007, prompting a widespread fan backlash in that country. It was quickly moved to a pay channel.
Over the past 35 years, countless characters, marriages, divorces, births, deaths, and every joy and trauma in between have visited the residents of Genoa City, where Y&R is set. To commemorate the milestone, Mike Halterman from Wikinews interviewed three actresses who have played long-running characters on Y&R, and asked them to share their memories. All three responded to questions about what being on Y&R means to them, what their favorite storylines were, what they perhaps would have wanted to do all over again, and what they’d love to tell their fans directly.
Below are portions of all three interviews.