8.0 Magnitude Earthquake in Solomon Islands

Feb. 06 Environment, International News no comments

The shake was felt all over the Island and right after the 8.0 magnitude earthquake a wide tsunami alert was issued for the countries near the Pacific Ocean. Everyone were alerted especially in the near by Islands that there would be a big wave coming right after the tremendous shaking. Most of the affected residents were near the epicenter of the quake which was situated just close to an Island called Santa Cruz which can be seen in the Solomon. According to a figure released by the United States Geological Survey the earthquake took place at 1:12 GMT. It was also reported by the same agency that the quakes have been happening near the islands the past week. Strong aftershock then surfaced after the said 8.0 magnitude quake in the same area.

The earthquake was not that strong in the capital of Solomon Islands and the residents of the place did not felt the tremor. Much of the destruction only occurred in some small villages in Santa Cruz because it was reported to be the epicenter of the quake. Another agency, The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, who is responsible for issuing Tsunami alert levels, predicted that due to the strong magnitude of the quake there would be that big possibility that huge waves will destroy areas near the epicenter of the quake.

After the issued Tsunami warnings, the local residents in the island were vigilant and careful in monitoring the waves. Most of them stayed outside to see if there were any sign of the waves coming in. The alert level 1 warning also took effect for other neighboring countries like, New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea and other coast near the Pacific.

Riot in one of Venezuela’s Prison

Jan. 30 Crime, International News no comments

It is no longer a shocking news when riots do occur inside the prison cell. More often the case of fight can spark inside any prison. They say that it is dangerous to be inside a small prison cell where every criminal tries to fit in. Most of the countries’ guilty criminals who are convicted with various cases stay for a couple of years or even a lifetime in jail.

A typical scenario of chaos in the jail occurs when groups of prisoners have their own fights within other particular groups. Riot may also take place between the jail guards and the prisoners. In most situations like this, the jail guards are tasked to control every problem that can happen inside the cell. What’s worst is when the behavior of the prisoners is uncontrollable.

A country situated in the northern part of South America, known as Venezuela reported a bloody riot that have taken away fifty lives and a dozen more people injured during a chaos inside one of Venezuela’s notorious and violent jail. The prison was said to be described as a very crowded jail. The report coming from the officials of the said detention said that a fight between gangs occurred this week.

The incident cause was still investigated for it was hard to determine who started the riot inside the prison. The government of Venezuela was also criticized and labeled by the opposition as irresponsible for not being able to control the said incident. It was reported that families and relatives of the prisoners were worried when the news came out and started calling for help.

Threat of a Widespread Flood

Jan. 23 Environment no comments

According to weather forecasters, the snow chaos is set to give way to flooding and heavy rain.The meltdown of snow will put to risk many areas this weekend. The big freeze is about to end within the next few days and it will be replaced by the threat of a widespread flood.

The blizzards hit the southern parts yesterday night, the forecasters warned the residents that a new wave of chaos that is caused by the heavy rain and melting snow will put people at risk this weekend. More than 4 inches of snow fell in some parts of Scotland and northern England yesterday. Last night, the snow also dropped a similar amount in just a span of three hours on the southern part of England. In the morning, further falls were expected in the parts of South West, West Midlands, and Wales. The temperatures are expected to rise to 8C by Saturday after a week of a freezing condition.

The arctic-like condition claimed another life of a 54-year-old man, James Hurst, slipped on ice and banged his head on a doorstep. Hurst had spent the night at a hotel in Accrington, Lancashire before he took a taxi home. He slipped just yards away from his front door and was not found until 8am on Sunday. A shocked neighbor named Heath Vickey said, “We opened the curtains and just saw his body lying there.”

The Met Office issued amber warnings of snow for south-east Wales and south-west England last night.The frost and the ice will give way to torrential downpours from Saturday. Charles Powell, a Met Office spokesman said that some areas could see as much as an inch of rain over the weekend. The temperatures will also rise from Friday that would reach 3C in the East and 8C in the South West. It’s not going to be mild by any stretch of the imagination, but compared to what we have experienced it will feel warmer.” he added.

Cameron Says No to Decriminalising Drugs

Dec. 10 Political World no comments


The campaign to decriminalise a number of illegal drugs, put forward by a group of MP’s and backed by celebrities such as comedian Russell Brand and businessman Richard Branson, has hit a snag as Prime Minister David Cameron has rejected the idea. The campaign has been gathering ground in recent days and has met with considerable publicity, but the PM is set against the idea of using a royal commission to change the law.

The Home Affairs Select Committee had produced a report on the matter, but Mr Cameron appears adamant:

“Drugs use is coming down, the emphasis on treatment is absolutely right, and we need to continue with that to make sure we can really make a difference. Also, we need to do more to keep drugs out of our prisons. These are the government’s priorities and I think we should continue with that rather than have some very, very long-term royal commission.”

The committee had pointed to the situation in such as Portugal in which those found with illegal drugs are not always prosecuted, but this appears to have failed to sway Mr Cameron’s beliefs.

Portuguese Visit

Nevertheless, while Portugal has not legalised drugs its methods of handling the situation clearly impressed MP’s who visited to see how it is done. The report states:

“We were impressed by what we saw of the Portuguese depenalised system. It had clearly reduced public concern about drug use in that country and was supported by all political parties and the police. The current political debate in Portugal is about how treatment is funded… not about depenalisation itself. Although it is not certain that the Portuguese experience could be replicated in the UK, given societal differences, we believe this is a model that merits significantly closer consideration.”

The report also pointed to Colorado and Washington, in the USA, where there are plans to legalise the use of cannabis, and urged MP’s to keep a close eye on what happens in those countries. Uruguay is also looking at doing the same. A royal commission is an inquiry commissioned by the head of state into a certain, specific subject, and is overseen by a commissioner with certain powers. While drug use is seen to be at the lowest level since the middle of the 1990’s many MP’s are still concerned with the use of ‘legal highs’, some of which are in fact illegal and have been involved in the death of users.

Climate Change Controversy Continues

Dec. 03 Environment, Science no comments


The ongoing debate surrounding man-made climate change is one that has two distinct opposing sides: there are those who believe our CO2 emissions are damaging the earth’s atmosphere and adding to the rising temperatures, and those who believe that warming is a natural phenomenon that comes in cycles. A new report from the Global Carbon Project, which looks at emissions from industry across the world, has further inflated the debate by declaring that dangerous climate change – inducing adverse weather conditions and such – is now all but a certainty. The news will have startling effects on the views of many, and are bound to be counteracted by those who do not agree.

3.1% Growth in 2011

The report claims that CO2 emissions from world industry rose by 3.1% in the year 2011, and indicated that unless such growth is stemmed we are on a direct path to disaster. The warming could induce heatwaves, droughts and extreme weather patterns across the world, and cause a major global disaster. Corinne le Quere, a co-author of the report and an expert in climate research, said:

“I am worried that the risks of dangerous climate change are too high on our current emissions trajectory. We need a radical plan.”

The report continues in the same vein, stating:

“Unless large and concerted global mitigation efforts are initiated soon, the goal of remaining below 2C will soon become unachievable.”

China and the USA

It is notable that China, which is continuing with a programme of building new fossil-fuel power stations – saw its emissions rise by a massive 9.9% over 2011, just short of the figure achieved in the previous year, and the country now accounts for more than a quarter of all carbon emissions in the world. India is anointer country that contributes large amounts, with 7.5% increase in 2011. Conversely, emissions in the UK and the USA fell, but by largely inconsiderable amounts. With the aim of keeping warming to below two degrees centigrade being the ultimate mission it is looking as though a major argument may be about to break out between the pros and the cons, but there is no doubt that – whether man is the main contributor or not – the earth is currently seeing rising emissions of carbon dioxide. There are currently 200 countries involved in international climate talks in Doha, Qatar, and much will be made of these latest figures in the remainder of the meeting.

Benitez Booed by Own Fans

Nov. 26 Sporting no comments


Chelsea supporters expressed their disapproval over the appointment of Rafael Benitez as manager, following the sacking last week of Roberto Di Matteo. Fans held aloft placards and notices, and actively booed the Spaniard, during his first game in charge against Manchester City. The controversial change of manager has left Chelsea with a lot of bewildered fans, and has put Benitez into the firing line right away. He initially denied having heard the booes and catcalls, but later on admitted that he was aware  of the animosity towards him. In his fairness, nobody was going to step into the role easily.

Focused on the Game

Benitez was adamant that he was the man for the job, and expressed the opinion that h was there to get the best out of the players:

“The main thing is that the players are focused on the games,” he said. “If they are, it’ll be fine. I have confidence we will do well and win games. Some of the fans will realise it’s not the way to support their team. They’ll know they have a professional manager in charge, someone who wants to win games. I was just concentrating on the game and not listening to anything else. My experience in England is that when the fans are singing in the stands, I don’t understand what they say.”

The former Liverpool manager saw a match with a reserved style, with his side only managing a single shot on goal in a 0-0 draw.

Local Hero

Di Matteo was, and is, a local hero here, having played for the team and managed them through successes, and the fans support for him was displayed in the 16th minute when the crowd began to chant his name feverishly; 16 was the number of the shirt that he famously wore when he played at Stamford Bridge. Although he led them to FA Cup and Champion League victories, Di Matteo was unceremoniously dumped after a poor showing  this year. It is doubtful thwart Benitez, who is on a short term contract, will ever garner the same level of respect.

Tower of London Security Breach

Nov. 14 Legal no comments


One of the UK’s most famous landmarks, the Tower of London, is at the centre of a curious security breach. It would appear that someone has broken into the building – home to the world famous Crown Jewels – and stolen a set of keys. An investigation is underway, and disciplinary procedures have begun.  Historic Royal Palaces, which administers the Tower, said that the keys did not give direct access to the building, but the theft did represent a notable security breach.

Man Caught Trespassing

A man is reported to have been caught trespassing on the premises on the 6th of November, and was subsequently escorted from the site. The Tower of London was begun in 1080 on the orders of William the Conqueror, and is better known for people wanting to get out than to break in. It has been used as, variously, a prison, a home, a zoo and – most famously – a place of execution during its colourful life, and is visited by many tourists who are give tours and informed of its fascination history.

Crown Jewels

The Crown Jewels are undoubtedly one of the star attractions at the Tower, and have a history that is very much of their own. Ironically, one of the most famous traditions at the Tower is the Ceremony of the Keys, a 700 year-old ceremony in which a Yeoman of the Guard (one of the famous Beefeaters) locks the Tower every night. The Tower has been subject to security breaches during its illustrious history, not least a legendary attempt – in 1671 – to steal the Crown Jewels that was foiled by a warder.

A statement regarding the latest incident reads:

“Our well-established security systems and procedures are robust. However on this occasion, these procedures were not carried out to the expected standard.”

Coolio Speaks Against “Musical Tyranny” In the Music Industry

Nov. 11 Entertainment no comments

“Gangster’s Paradise” Rapper Coolio accused record labels of signing up “drones” and employing “musical tyranny” for the sake of earning money in place of decent music. He said in a statement that music “is not creating individuals anymore”, that the industry is continuously becoming one obsessed with making money.

He said that there is a cover up going on today in terms of how the music business works and how people are considered idols and talents. While he never stated any names, he is pertaining to the current chart-toppers and mainstays and the people who support the careers of the the current pop artists who have dominated the charts.

The 49-year old Grammy-award winning rapper said that the music industry has become a machine used by the elite to make people “easier to handle” through mass manipulation using music and making entertainment “easily packaged and sold” with a tested formula.

He said that musicians today are more obsessed with exciting “sounds”, loud bass and electronic sounds created by computers and other software. Coolio states that the “soul” of music had gone.

Coolio announces that he would be releasing an album dedicated to revealing truths about life and revolution. Best known for his song “Gangster’s Paradise”, he appeared in many reality television shows after his five consecutive albums failed to get recognition.

 

Wiggins Injured in Road Accident

Nov. 08 Sporting no comments


It has been a great year for cyclist Bradley Wiggins – until yesterday! The Englishman has been involved in a road accident when out training, and was apparently hit by a van when riding near to his home in Lancashire. The accident happened as he was training with his support crew in tow, and he is not thought to be seriously injured. The accident happened in the early evening, and police were called to the scene.

A Police spokesman said:

“A cyclist has been involved in a collision with a white van. The rider was taken to hospital with relatively minor rib injuries, possible fractures.”

The statement explained that the cyclists’ family were aware of the situation. Wiggins was taken to hospital close to his home, an area in which he often rides in training for his various competitions. The hospital confirmed that, despite fearing broken ribs, Wiggins has suffered only ‘minor rib injuries’.

Lucky Sideburns

Wiggins, who famously won the iconic Tour de France for Team Sky, heading home his team-mate Chris Frome, has become something of a sporting idol for many youngsters this year, with the momentous victory in the Champs Elysee followed by major medal success for the whole of Team GB in the cycling disciplines at the London 2012 Olympic Games. It is reported that Wiggins had recently shaved off his ‘lucky’ sideburns, a feature for which he had become as famous as his cycling successes.

Team Sky published a statement following the incident, at which Wiggins was well attended at all times:

“A cyclist has been involved in a collision with a white van. The rider was taken to hospital with relatively minor rib injuries, possible fractures.”

The details of the accident are not known, but police are involved and will be interviewing the driver of the van.

The Expanse of the UK PPI Scandal

Nov. 08 Economy, Legal no comments

The true expanse of the PPI financial scandal committed by banks, financial institutions and other lending companies in the United Kingdom is as immense as the Financial Services Authority tells it to be. Almost every citizen in the country is potentially mis sold at least one to three payment protection insurance policies costing an average of £2750 each. Claims management companies such as www.PPICo.org state that most customers might potentially have two to four PPI with their financing.

The consumer group Which? first made a collective complaint with thousands of customers about the selling methods of financial advisers, who they mentioned to have used generalizations to skip explaining about the insurance policy’s exclusions. The formal complaint was investigated by the Financial Services Authority, who then discovered that virtually all UK borrowers may be mis sold PPI.

Financial advisers often lead customers to believe that the insurance policy is a requirement for the loan application. They also hint to customers that PPI can increase their chances of getting their application approved. Customers are also led to understand that the PPI is a free product because of their high credit scores.

Based on further investigation, PPI was the main source of income for banks and financial institutions during the insurance boom of 2005 to 2007. It was sold in a way that customers will not notice the amounts they repay for the insurance while guaranteeing at least £1 billion in profit for banks.

Today, the total amount of payment protection compensation is now at £12.96 but financial analysts state that it can reach at least £16 billion by the time the PPI crisis has slowed down. The Financial Ombudsman recently reached its 500,000th PPI claim which signifies that the country is halfway to getting back all the repayments they deserve