Monday, January 15, 2007

Legendary Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan has confirmed that his son Abhishek and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai were engaged last evening at a private ceremony at the Bachchans’ residence in Mumbai.

It is believed that the younger Bachchan proposed to his bride-to-be in New York, soon after the Toronto premiere of his new movie Guru. The media had been following the romance between the two closely for some time past, but this is the first time they have come out in the open about their relationship. Rumours that the couple were planning to spread the know began to spread in November last year, when they visited the Sankat Mochan Temple together, with some even saying that they had already been married even earlier at the Meenakshi temple in Madurai

According to one daily, the wedding will take place either on February 19 or March 7 at the Hyatt Mumbai. “The children have decided. We are very happy and thought we should go ahead with the ‘roka’ ceremony. It was held in the evening.”, Amitabh Bachchan said of the ceremony, which was attended by the family’s close friends, including Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh, Aishwarya’s parents, and industrialist Anil Ambani and the latter’s wife Tina Ambani. The couple have now flown to Ujjain to take a holy dip in the Ganga.

Sunday, February 13, 2005

New York –”Buy cheap Viagra through us – no prescription required!” Anyone with an active email account will recognize lines like this one. According to some reports, unsolicited advertisements (spam) for Viagra and similar drugs account for one in four spam messages.

Ever since pharmaceutical giant Pfizer promised to cure erectile dysfunction once and for all with its blue pills containing the drug sildenafil citrate, spammers have tried to tap into male anxiety by offering prescription-free sales of unapproved “generic” Viagra and clones such as Cialis soft tabs. Legislation like the U.S. CAN-SPAM act has done little to stem the tide of email advertising the products.

Now Pfizer has entered a pledge with Microsoft Corporation, the world’s largest software company, to address the problem. The joint effort will focus on lawsuits against spammers as well as the companies they advertise. “Pfizer is joining with Microsoft on these actions as part of our shared pledge to reduce the sale of these products and to fight the senders of unsolicited e-mail that overwhelms people’s inboxes,” said Jeff Kindler, executive vice president at Pfizer.

Microsoft has filed civil actions against spammers advertising the websites CanadianPharmacy and E-Pharmacy Direct. Pfizer has filed lawsuits against the two companies, and has taken actions against websites which use the word “Viagra” in their domain names. Sales of controlled drugs from Canadian pharmacies to the United States are illegal, but most drugs sold in Canada have nevertheless undergone testing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This is not the case for many of the Viagra clones sold by Internet companies and manufactured in countries like China and India. While it was not clear that CanadianPharmacy was actually shipping drugs from Canada, Pfizer’s general counsel, Beth Levine, claimed that the company filled orders using a call center in Montreal, reported the Toronto Star.

For Microsoft’s part, they allege that the joint effort with Pfizer is part of their “multi-pronged attack on the barrage of spam.” As the creator of the popular email program Outlook, Microsoft has been criticized in the past for the product’s spam filtering process. Recently, Microsoft added anti-spam measures to its popular Exchange server. Exchange 2003 now includes support for accessing so-called real-time block lists, or RTBLs. An RTBL is a list of the IP addresses maintained by a third party; the addresses on the list are those of mailservers thought to have sent spam recently. Exchange 2003 can query the list for each message it receives.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), a militant Islamic fundamentalist group based in Pakistan, has been implicated in last week’s Mumbai attacks in India.

Rakesh Maria, a commissioner with the Mumbai Police, said that the sole surviving attacker, whom he identified as Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, has admitted spending three months in a Lashkar-e-Toiba camp preparing the attacks. Kasab, who is reported to be 21 years old, told police that he spent a total of eighteen months training at various LeT camps.

Meanwhile, John Michael McConnell, the United States Director of National Intelligence, indirectly implicated LeT. In a speech at Harvard University, he said that the same group responsible for the 2006 Mumbai train bombings was behind last week’s attacks. LeT has also been blamed for the attack on the Parliament of India in late 2001

“The same group that we believe is responsible for Mumbai had a similar attack in 2006 on a train and killed a similar number of people,” said McConnell without naming LeT. “If you examine the groups we think are responsible, the philosophical underpinnings are very similar to what Al-Qaeda puts out as their view of how the world should be. It is a continuation.”

Commissioner Maria said that the training took place in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan, near the disputed Kashmir region. Kasab received very specific instructions, according to Maria.

“He was told things like, ‘You’ll come in through this door, then go over here, then go out through that door,'” Maria told CNN‘s Nic Robertson. “Very, very detailed, explicit instructions. The gunmen were hand-picked, but there were no examinations per se.”

India has also said that Kasab named known LeT leader, Yusuf Muzammil, as the mastermind behind the attacks.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited the Indian capital of New Delhi on Wednesday.

“Pakistan needs to act with resolve and urgency and cooperate fully and transparently,” said Rice. “That message has been delivered and will be delivered to Pakistan.”

Analysts cited by Reuters are saying that India will not resort to a military response over the Mumbai attacks.

“The military option has never been an option, because the military can’t guarantee you an outcome,” said Manoj Joshi, an editor at the Mail Today. “We have been there, done it, and it doesn’t work.” In 2002, India threatened military action after the parliament attack.

“If you want a solution to Afghanistan, you have to lean on Pakistan to shut down all jihadist operations,” said Siddharth Varadarajan, an editor at The Hindu. “You have to tackle the root cause, which is the attitude of the Pakistani military. That is the silver bullet.”

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

The Australian Greens have attacked the governments green energy targets. Prime Minister John Howard announced the national targets yesterday, requiring that by 2020, 30,000 gigawatt hours of electricity each year comes from low emissions sources. The Greens claim that the targets do not go far enough. “John Howard’s 15% ‘clean’ target by 2020 is too little, too late,” said Greens Senate candidate for South Australia, Sarah Hanson-Young.

The Greens also claim that the inclusion of clean coal technology in the definition of “green energy” is misleading. “Howard’s spin doctors have been at it again. The target is misleading – it includes the unproven ‘clean coal’ technology, so the proportion of genuine clean, renewable energy generated is far less than we are led to believe,” Ms Hanson-Young said.

The clean energy target is part of the government’s A$3.5 billion climate change strategy.

Saturday, April 9, 2005

The top money grossing entertainers in Australia in 2005 were not Kylie Minogue, Nicole Kidman, or Russell Crowe. In fact, it was four tot-time entertainers, the Wiggles, with their preference for bright colours and sing-along dance numbers. Their earnings level was estimated at AU$45 million over the last year by Australian publication Business Review Weekly (BRW), in its yearly who’s-who ranking of the nation’s top 50 entertainment earners.

“They got into the market early, they took time to understand their audience, not only children but the parents who pay for everything,” BRW managing editor Tony Featherstone, said.

Though almost doubling her earnings from the previous year, Nicole Kidman only made second place, at AU$40m. And Crowe came in third, at “only” AU$27m. Fourth place was long-time heavy metal favourites, AC/DC, whose estimated income was AU$18m.

Another children’s entertainment band, Hi-5 came in sixth with $15m, after Naomi Watts.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Controversy has arisen over the reported presence of blue asbestos on the MV Freewinds, a cruise ship owned by the Church of Scientology. According to the Saint Martin newspaper The Daily Herald and the shipping news journal Lloyd’s List, the Freewinds was sealed in April and local public health officials on the Caribbean island of Curaçao where the ship is docked began an investigation into the presence of asbestos dust on the ship. Former Scientologist Lawrence Woodcraft supervised work on the ship in 1987, and attested to the presence of blue asbestos on the Freewinds in an affidavit posted to the Internet in 2001. Woodcraft, a licensed architect by profession, gave a statement to Wikinews and commented on the recent events.

According to The Daily Herald, the Freewinds was in the process of being renovated by the Curaçao Drydock Company. The article states that samples taken from paneling in the ship were sent to the Netherlands, where an analysis revealed that they “contained significant levels of blue asbestos”. An employee of the Curaçao Drydock Company told Radar Online in an April 30 article that the Freewinds has been docked and sealed, and confirmed that an article about asbestos ran in the local paper.

Lloyd’s List reported that work on the interior of the Freewinds was suspended on April 27 after health inspectors found traces of blue asbestos on the ship. According to Lloyd’s List, Frank Esser, Curaçao Drydock Company’s interim director, joined Curaçao’s head of the department of labor affairs Christiene van der Biezen along with the head of the local health department Tico Ras and two inspectors in an April 25 inspection of the ship. “We are sending someone so that they can tell us what happened, where it came from, since when it has been there,” said Panama Maritime Authority’s director of merchant marine Alfonso Castillero in a statement to Lloyd’s List.

The Church of Scientology purchased the ship, then known as the Bohème, in 1987, through an organization called Flag Ship Trust. After being renovated and refitted, it was put into service in June 1988. The ship is used by the Church of Scientology for advanced Scientology training in “Operating Thetan” levels, as well as for spiritual retreats for its members. Curaçao has been the ship’s homeport since it was purchased by the Church of Scientology.

According to his 2001 statement, Lawrence Woodcraft had been an architect in London, England since 1975, and joined Scientology’s elite “Sea Organization” (Sea Org) in 1986. He wrote that he was asked by the Sea Org to work on the Freewinds in 1987, and during his work on the ship “noticed a powdery blue fibrous substance approximately 1 ½” thick between the paint and the steel wall,” which he believed to be asbestos. He also discovered what he thought was blue asbestos in other parts of the ship, and reported his findings to Church of Scientology executives. Woodcraft discussed his experiences in a 2001 interview published online by the Lisa McPherson Trust, a now-defunct organization which was critical of the Church of Scientology.

Church of Scientology spokeswoman Karin Pouw responded to Radar Online about the asbestos reports, in an email published in an article in Radar on May 1. “The Freewinds regularly inspects the air quality on board and always meets or exceeds US standards,” said Pouw. She stated that two inspections performed in April “confirmed that the air quality is safe,” and asserted that the inspections revealed the Freewinds satisfies standards set by the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the U.S. Clean Air Act.

Pouw told Radar that “The Freewinds will be completing its refit on schedule.” The Church of Scientology-affiliated organization Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) had been planning a cruise aboard the Freewinds scheduled for May 8, but according to Radar an individual who called the booking number for the cruise received a message that the cruise had been delayed due to ongoing work on the ship. Citing an article in the Netherlands Antilles newspaper Amigoe, Radar reported on May 6 that a team from the United States and supervised by an independent bureau from the Netherlands traveled to Curaçao in order to remove asbestos from the Freewinds.

“I stand by everything I wrote in my 2001 affidavit,” said Lawrence Woodcraft in an exclusive statement given to Wikinews. Woodcraft went on to state: “I would also comment that if the Church of Scientology claims to have removed the blue asbestos, I just don’t see how, it’s everywhere. You would first have to remove all the pipes, plumbing, a/c ducts, electrical wiring etc. etc. just a maze of stuff. Also panelling as well, basically strip the ship back to a steel hull. Also blue asbestos is sprayed onto the outer walls and then covered in paint. It’s in every nook and cranny.”

Many Scientologist celebrities have spent time aboard the Freewinds, including Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, John Travolta, Kelly Preston, Chick Corea, Lisa Marie Presley, Catherine Bell, Kate Ceberano, and Juliette Lewis. Now magazine reported that Tom Cruise has been urged to seek medical attention regarding potential asbestos exposure, however a representative for Cruise stated he has “absolutely no knowledge” of the recent asbestos controversy. Cruise, Holmes, Travolta and Preston have celebrated birthdays and other events on the Freewinds.

In a May 15 statement to the United Kingdom daily newspaper Metro, a representative for the Church of Scientology said that “There is not now and never has been a situation of asbestos exposure on the Freewinds.” The Asbestos and Mesothelioma Center notes that agencies have recommended anyone who has spent time on the Freewinds consult with their physician to determine if possible asbestos exposure may have affected their health.

Raw blue asbestos is the most hazardous form of asbestos, and has been banned in the United Kingdom since 1970. Blue asbestos fibers are very narrow and thus easily inhaled, and are a major cause of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a form of cancer which can develop in the lining of the lungs and chest cavity, the lining of the abdominal cavity, or the pericardium sac surrounding the heart. The cancer is incurable, and can manifest over 40 years after the initial exposure to asbestos.

“This is the most dangerous type of asbestos because the fibres are smaller than the white asbestos and can penetrate the lung more easily,” said toxicologist Dr. Chris Coggins in a statement published in OK! Magazine. Dr. Coggins went on to note that “Once diagnosed with mesothelioma, the victim has six months to a year to live. It gradually reduces lung function until the victim is no longer able to breathe and dies.”

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Strathclyde Police have arrested a 19-year-old man in relation to a reported incident of a boy, aged four, being sexually assaulted in the toilet of an Asda supermarket in the town of Clydebank in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. The suspect is being held in police custody and has an appearance scheduled for Tuesday at Dumbarton Sheriff Court.

Police were initially alerted to the incident at 31 Britannia Way in Clydebank approximately 1355 BST (1255 UTC) Tuesday. According to Sky News, the boy’s mother had given him permission to enter the toilet by himself as she waited outside. Police said the incident took place in the minutes following the boy’s entrance into the toilet; upon his departure, the boy raised the alert.

“This is an isolated incident, nevertheless, one that has caused significant stress to the young child and his family,” said Detective Inspector Graham Cordner, who said the child was not injured and is at home with his family.

Police said that they had taken one whole day to interview the child and an additional day to have initial investigations into the incident. All supermarket staff have been questioned and CCTV video has been examined.

“We have taken this report very seriously”, said a spokeswoman for Asda. “We alerted the police and are supporting them fully in their investigation.”

Friday, June 9, 2017

On Tuesday, German football club Borussia Dortmund (BVB) announced Peter Bosz as their new head coach. Bosz, who spent one season with the Dutch Eredivisie runners-up Ajax, was to sign a two-year deal with the DFB Pokal winners BVB which runs through June 2019. Ajax’s assistant coach Hendrie Krüzen also was to leave the Dutch side for Dortmund.

The 53-year-old Dutch manager led the the Dutch capital club to a second place finish in the Dutch league Eredivisie, finishing just one point below Feyenoord Rotterdam and won a silver medal in the UEFA Europa League, losing 2–0 against Manchester United.

Bosz’s predecessor Thomas Tuchel led Dortmund to the DFB Pokal victory, third place finish in Bundesliga the last season and a qualification to next season’s Champions League group stage. Two years ago, Tuchel succeded Jürgen Klopp and his side remained unbeaten in the home games. On May 30, days after winning his first trophy with Borussia Dortmund, the club announced Tuchel was sacked with immediate effect via their official website. “‘Unfortunately we couldn’t see a basis for continued work together built on trust with a successful outlook in the current personnel constellation.”, the CEO said.

Edwin van der Sar, Ajax’s General Manager said, “I have mixed feelings about this transfer. When we brought Peter in to Ajax last summer, it wasn’t our intention that our partnership would end after just one season. Especially in the Europa League, we’ve had an amazing season. For our players, and our coach, that has attracted extra attention from clubs in top European competitions. But we couldn’t go so far as to bind him to his contract, and we worked out a good deal with Dortmund. It’s now up to us, prior to the start of the pre-season, to sign on a good successor.”^{((nl))Dutch language: Ik heb gemengde gevoelens bij deze overgang. Toen we Peter vorige zomer naar Ajax haalden was het niet de bedoeling dat na één jaar alweer een einde zou komen aan de samenwerking. We hebben, met name in de Europa League, een geweldig seizoen neergezet. Net als bij onze spelers trekt dat ook voor de trainer de aandacht van clubs uit de Europese topcompetities. Het ging ons te ver om hem aan zijn contract te houden en we zijn er met Dortmund goed uitgekomen. Het is nu aan ons om, voordat de voorbereiding begint, een goede opvolger te contracteren.}

Under former coach Thomas Tuchel, Borussia Dortmund’s key players ?lkay Gündo?an, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Dortmund then-captain Mats Hummels left Signal Iduna Park last season, but signed Ousmane Dembélé, André Schürrle, Marc Bartra and Mario Götze.

This season, Dortmund signed Ömer Toprak, Mahmoud Dahoud, Dan-Axel Zagadou and Maximilian Philipp.