Sunday, November 11, 2007
Besides becoming a political stomping ground for the Pan-Green and Pan-Blue coalitions, there are other changes from past years of Taipei Audio Video Fair (TAVF). With those changes in mind, Wikinews reporter Rico Shen interviewed You-peng Wang, chairman of the Taipei Electrical Commercial Association (TECA), the main organizer of TAVF, about the 60th year anniversary of TECA and the changes to the show.
A compilation of brief news reports for Thursday, August 13, 2009.
The French capital Paris has seen a second night of violence by demonstrators, who have blamed police for the death of a motorcyclist on Sunday.
On Sunday night youths in the eastern suburb of Bagnolet, set 29 vehicles alight and threw stones and petrol bombs at police. Monday night was “relatively calm” according to Samira Amrouche, spokeswoman for the regional administration, the authorities having depolyed 40 vans of riot police only 8 vehicles were burnt.
The motorcyclist, a pizza deliveryman, was killed when he fled police attempting to examine his documents, dying when he was struck by a pursuing police vehicle according to the youths,however in the police version his death was a result of him crashing into barriers.
The current violence has echoes of the unrest in 2005, with again dissaffected youths of Arab and black descent venting their anger and frustration.
Sources
The leaders of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) met in Guadalajara, Mexico on Sunday and Monday. The leaders of the three countries (Barack Obama of the United States, Felipe Calderón of Mexico, and Stephen Harper of Canada) promised to work together on swine flu, organised crime and green issues.
Despite disputes in a number of areas remaining unresolved, the three leaders succeeded in presenting an amiable Three Amigos image. The three leaders expressed solidarity, and an understanding of each others position.
The unresolved issues include the buy American clauses in the US stimulus package, tit for tat reprisals by the Mexican authorities over Canadian visa restrictions on Mexican travellers, and the US ban on Mexican trucks from crossing the border.
Risking the ire of human rights activists back home President Obama expressed support for President Calderón’s war against drugs saying he had “great confidence” in the Mexican authorities.
Sources
Mexican Federal Police (Policía Federal) have foiled an alleged plot to assasinate the President of Mexico Felipe Calderón. Acting on intelligence gathered over a year the Federal Police arrested five drug cartel members on Sunday and publicly paraded their captives and a number of weapons ,including automatic rifles, on Monday. Speaking during a summit of North American leaders Calderón played down the threats on his life, saying that the cartels are being destroyed by his policies.
Some 11000 have died since President Calderón’s took office in 2006 and made the war on drugs a cornerstone of his administration.
Sources
Aung San Suu Kyi has been sentenced by a court in Burma to a further three years of house arrest for violating the terms of her previous sentence. However her sentence was immediately commuted to 18 months on the orders of Burmese head of state Senior-General Than Shwe out of respect for her father General Aung San and out of a desire for “national reconciliation”.
The period of her arrest will prevent Aung San Suu Kyi from participating in the general elections scheduled for 2010. The sentence was immediately condemned by Western leaders, and breaking from their usual silence, the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) through its current chair Thailand issued a statement expressing disappointment. The ASEAN statement and talk of further European Union and United States sanctions are unlikely to have any impact on Southeast Asian country given the support of India and China.
The Chinese issued a statement calling for the world to respect Burmese sovereignty and laws, and is seen as an indication that China, a veto power will not support any United Nations actions.
John Yettaw whose unauthorised visit led to Aung San Suu Kyi’s prosecution has himself been sentenced to seven years imprisonment, four of which will be for hard labour.
Sources
Four employees of the Rio Tinto Group have been formally arrested in China on charges of bribery and using improper practises in its negotiations with Chinese companies. The Chinese accuse the men of improperly learning the negotiating position of Chinese companies wishing to buy iron ore, and through this charging 700 billion yuan (US$102.46 billion) more then they would otherwise have been able to
The four were initially held on espionage charges and have been held since early July. The formal charges allows the Chinese authorities to hold the four a further seven months as it prepares its case against them. Their arrests followed the collapse of an attempted by Chinese owned Chinalco to raise its stake in the Anglo-Australian Rio Tinto Group to 18%.
Sources
Michael Jackson will be the star of a film to be released on October 28, some four months after his death. The film will be primarily cut from footage of Jackson rehearsing for the series of concerts that would have taken place at the O2 in London, but will also feature interviews with Jackson’s family and friends.
The film becomes possible after AEG Live, the promoter of the O2 concerts, reached an US$60 million agreement with Columbia Pictures for over 100 hours of footage of Jackson preparing for his swan song.
“He was the architect of ‘This is it‘, and we were his builders…” said Kenny Ortega, Jackson’s collaborator on the project “…it was clear that he was on his way to another theatrical triumph.”
Sources
Tuesday, December 27, 2005 The Nine Network has announced the death of one of Australia’s richest men, Kerry Packer, aged 68.
Announcer Richard Wilkins said on the Today Show that he had just been handed official confirmation of Mr Packer’s death at 68.
He said a statement from Tony Ritchie, Nine head of news, said: “Mrs Kerry Packer and her children James and Gretel sadly report the passing last evening of her husband and their father Kerry. He died peacefully at home with his family at his bedside”.
Packer was the major shareholder in Publishing and Broadcasting Limited (PBL) which owns the Nine television network and Australian Consolidated Press, the producer of many Australian and New Zealand magazines.
Packer was also involved in the gambling and tourism industries and owned the Crown Casino in Melbourne.
In the 1970s, his World Series Cricket revolutionised cricket, bringing One-day cricket to the fore by introducing things such as coloured uniforms, white balls & day/night matches.
Business Review Weekly magazine estimated Packer’s net worth at AU$6.5 billion in 2004. Another famous rich Australian media magnate, who may have lost his Australian nationality, is Rupert Murdoch.
Read An Opinion On:
Submitted by: Rogers Stevens
What is fly fishing? Fly fishing refers to a specific method of catching fish using an artificial fly. A special weighted line is used and the flies are hand-tied to resemble natural lures.
You have to have a proper idea about fly fishing equipment if you want to crack the success mantra of fishing at the very first go. At first, you need to decide on several factors such as the type of water- whether you will go in salt water or in fresh water. You also have to consider what type of fish you want to catch and what your level of expertise is. Fly Rod Blanks and other fly fishing equipment will largely depend on the above mentioned factors. You will get a wide variety to select from while buying fly fishing lines, fly fishing knives, fly fishing reels and fly fishing boots.
You have to choose your first fly rod and reel very carefully. You need to have a balanced Fly Fishing Outfit that will perfectly match the size and type of your fish.
When it comes to fly fishing, there is no piece of equipment more important than the fly fishing rod. The rod is what makes the artistic whip-like cast possible, and what allows the fisherman to delicately place a fly on top of the water at 40 yards right where the rising fish is.
When shopping for fly fishing rods, it is important to read plenty of fly fishing rod reviews online.
Fly fishing is most popular for catching trout and salmon. However, this method of fishing is also used for catching a wide variety of other species which includes carp, pike and bass. With the advancement in technology, stronger reels and rods have been developed. These help in catching marlin, tuna, and even some sharks.
Fly fishing outfit includes boots, waders, rod and reel. There are plenty of pockets in a good quality fly fishing vest. It is made of breathable material. This material helps to wick away moisture, giving comfort to the wearer. Wearing a matching hat will not only make a style statement but will also protect you from harmful UV rays.
Fly fishing boots are essential for keeping your feet dry and warm. You can wear wader when you start for water excursions so that you can protect your clothing. You will need a select number of knives, as each one will serve a different purpose and each is specially made for certain species of fish.
You cannot simply go fly fishing without having lines, reels and flies. There are different styles and brands available in the market. RIO Fly Lines are quite popular among flying fish experts.
Having good quality fly boxes is also very much essential. The boxes should be waterproof. It is better if the boxes have compartments and threaded boxes. It is important to keep the flies dry even if dripped in water. Some of the boxes come lined with foam. You can hook your flies into the foam and arrange them in any order.
About the Author: Rogers Stevens is a fly fishing guide and a columnist too. He is associated with
burfish.com
and loves to share his views on various topics such as Fly Rod Blanks and fly fishing outfit.
Source:
isnare.com
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Monday, October 12, 2015
Wikinews interviewed Australian painter Pricasso on his unique artwork created using his penis, and how his art relates to freedom of expression and issues of censorship. He is to be featured at the upcoming adult entertainment event Sexpo Australia in Melbourne this November 5 to November 8.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Wikinews spoke to several residents of the US state of Texas finding varying opinions, and responses, to the threat from the West Nile virus; this, in contrast to the troubling media reports released recently. The state as a whole has seen more than 400 confirmed instances of the illness so-far this year.
A Longview woman, said, “[…] It’s terrifying. I’m so scared.” The woman was quick to point out a virus-related death occured in her city the same day. When asked about her daily routines, in light of the virus, she said, “I don’t go outside. I stay indoors. West Nile [virus] is bad.” The Director of Nursing for a large encampment located near Tyler said their operation had seen no cases of the illness, despite serving over 19,000 campers this summer. Her staff took no special precautions during August.
Although having some worries, Jimmy Philmont, 39, of Fairfield told Wikinews, “[…] I don’t let it keep me up at night. Overall, I’m not too scared.” Asked if he was aware of recent virus-related deaths in Texas, Philmont said, “Yeah, I am. That’s kind of scary. But, you have to live your life, you know? The world is hot now. You can’t go hide in a hole somewhere.” Earlier in the month, Tim Whitley, a city official in Malakoff, told Wikinews his city had began using a pesticide specialist to spray twice-weekly. Whitley explained two treatments per week is more often than usual for the city, “With the concerns in Dallas, we’re taking it seriously”, he said.
A nurse at a senior activity center in Austin told media she’d taken time to educate their facility’s clients about the virus and proper precautions; Adding, “They feel less alarmed and we try to protect our folks here […]”. Mark Kitsmore, 54, of Tyler said, “Honestly, I’m not too worried about it.” He jokingly commented, “I’ve probably used a little more bug spray over the past few weeks, though.”
Twenty-six people have died so-far this year as result of having contracted the virus, approximately half occurring in Texas. The mayor and county judge in Dallas have declared a state of emergency in response to the virus.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Many media outlets traditionally deliberately spread hoaxes on April Fools’ Day, including notable quality sources such as National Geographic and Science.
The popular British tabloid The Sun wrote that French President Nicolas Sarkozy is to undergo stretch surgery to make him taller than his wife, Italian artist and model Carla Bruni. The report claimed the 5 foot 5 inch leader would be made 5 inches taller in one year using a method by Israeli professor Ura Schmuck. The Sun noted that during his visit to Britain last week, Sarkozy had high-heel shoes while his wife wore a pair of flat pumps.
The Guardian on the other hand ran an article that suggested that Carla would head an initiative by Prime Minister Gordon Brown to bring more glamour, good taste and sophistication to the U.K. general population. This would involve collaboration with Marks & Spencer for high-street fashion and Jamie Oliver for meals and wine.
BBC News had real-looking footage of flying penguins fronted by documentary host Terry Jones, which were actually an advertisement for its new iPlayer.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Several tobacco manufacturers and retailers in the United Kingdom have been fined a total of £225 million for price fixing. The fines were imposed by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) following an investigation lasting seven years. It is the largest penalty ever issued by the OFT for breaches of the 1998 Competition Act, with the case involving two major tobacco makers and numerous British supermarkets.
Together the manufacturers involved, Imperial Tobacco (whose brands include Golden Virginia and Lambert & Butler) and Gallaher Group (who own Silk Cut and Benson & Hedges among others) make almost 90% of all cigarettes and roll-ups sold in the UK. They were fined £112 million and £50 million respectively.
The supermarkets facing the largest penalties were Asda and The Co-operative Group, at £14 million each. Other stores fined were First Quench, Morrisons, Safeway, Shell garages, Somerfield, T&S Stores (now One Stop) and TM Retail. Also taking part in the price fixing were Sainsbury’s, though they received immunity from being fined after alerting the OFT and co-operating with the investigation. Some of the other companies also earned reductions in their fines through co-operation with the OFT.
Similar allegations against Tesco were not pursued due to a lack of evidence.
Imperial Tobacco denied the charges, claiming in a statement that its dealings with the retailers were simply legitimate “promotional arrangements”. They have said they are considering an appeal against the decision.
In a press release the OFT said that the fines would send out a strong message. “Practices such as these, which restrict the ability of retailers to set their resale prices for competing brands independently, are unlawful.” said Simon Williams, OFT Senior Director of Goods. “They can lead to reduced competition and ultimately disadvantage consumers.”
“This enforcement action will send out a strong message that such practices, which could in principle be applied to the sale of many different products, can result in substantial penalties for those who engage in them.”
| Company | Fine | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Imperial Tobacco | £112,332,495 | Manufacturer |
| Gallaher Group | £50,379,754 | Manufacturer |
| The Co-operative Group | £14,187,353 | |
| Asda | £14,095,933 | |
| Safeway | £10,909,366 | Now part of Morrisons |
| Morrisons | £8,624,201 | |
| Somerfield | £3,987,950 | Now part of The Co-operative group |
| Shell | £3,354,615 | |
| TM Retail | £2,668,991 | |
| First Quench | £2,456,528 | Now in administration |
| T&S Stores | £1,314,095 | Now One Stop, part of Tesco |
| Sainsbury’s | £0 | Granted immunity from fines |
| Total | £224,311,281 |
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
On Sunday, London-based club Arsenal F.C. agreed to sign 21-year-old Japanese forward Takuma Asano from Sanfrecce Hiroshima and their city rivals Chelsea F.C. has signed 22-year-old Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi from French club Olympique de Marseille.
Thursday, February 3, 2005
Australia –The whole of the east coast of Australia has been lashed by severe storms in the last 24 hours, with at least one reported death. Wind gusts in some areas reached 110 kilometers per hour, and flash flooding and power cuts were reported from Far North Queensland to Tasmania in the South.
State Emergency Services (SES) crews are stretched to the limit, working into the night to cope with the effects of the freak weather.