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Thursday, August 21, 2008

August 21, 2008 is the 12th major day of the 2008 Olympic games. The below article lists some of the highlights.

Olga Kaniskina, who represents Russia, has set a new Olympic record in the women’s 20km walk with her time of 1 hour and 36 minutes. After the race Kaniskina said that the weather did not affect the record.

“I think my regular training is the most important factor contributing to my victory,” she said, explaining the factors that she believes led her to victory.

Britons Iain Percy and Andy Simptson won the gold medal in the star class sailing event after a successful performance in the final round, which took place today. The pair started today in silver medal position, and gained one place in the final round to win the gold medal.

Spanish Fernando Echavarri and Anton Paz won an Olympic gold medal in Sailing’s fast Tornado catamaran class. Darren Bundock and Glenn Ashby from Australia finished in second place and the Argentinean pair of Santiago Lange and Carlos Espinola won the bronze medal.

Maarten van der Weijden, a long distance swimmer from the Netherlands, beat the favorites in the men’s marathon 10 km swimming event to secure the gold medal with a time of 1:51:51.6. David Davies, who was one of the favourites to win the gold medal, was overtaken by Weijden in the final 500 metres of the race.

Davies finished 1.5 seconds behind Weijden.

Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh won the Olympic gold medal for the United States in the women’s beach volleyball competition by winning every set in the final against the Chinese Tian Jia and Wang Jie.

Both sets were won 21-18.

American LaShawn Merritt won the final of the Men’s 400 meters in an event which saw all three of the medals going to the American team.

Jamaican Veronica Campbell-Brown won the gold medal in the final of the women’s 200m sprint with a time of 21.74 seconds.

Allyson Felix, the defending Olympic champion, who was representing United States, won the silver medal, with her time being approximately 0.2 seconds behind the time of the winner.

Nelson Evora won the men’s triple jump at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. Evora won the gold medal with a jump of 17.67 meters beating silver medalist Phillips Idowu of Great Britain by 5 centimeters (17.62 meters). Leevan Sanders of the Bahamas won the bronze medal with a triple jump of 17.59 meters. link Nelson Evora of Portugal Wins Men’s Triple Jump Gold Medal

Friday, April 15, 2005

The last British-owned volume car manufacturer, MG Rover, has closed down, with the loss of 5,000 jobs.

International accounting firm PriceWaterhouseCooper was brought in last week to put the company into administration. Today PwC announced that MG Rover’s only hope, the Chinese car company SAIC, had no interest in buying the ailing firm. With no further source of revenue, PwC has closed the company’s factory in Longbridge, Birmingham and has laid off 5,000 workers.

Some 1,000 workers will continue for a while to complete the remaining cars left on the production line.

The BBC reported PwC joint administrator Tony Lomas as saying “We’ll explore what we would describe as the break-up of the business, we will carry on with the interested parties who want to talk about pieces of the business.”. PwC said around 70 offers for various parts of the company had been made but no serious offers of money made.

Recent efforts to save the company had been centered on convincing SAIC (Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp.) to buy the company as a going concern, but the Chinese company stated it would only buy the company if it’s financial position could be guaranteed to be secure for at least two years. The British government could not make such a commitment due to European Union trade and competition rules.

The SAIC company did buy the designs for the 75 and 25 models and for the K-Series engines for £67m.

The Rover car company has a long but troubled history. It was formed in 1968 after a series of mergers of existing car manufacturers, and was nationalized in 1975 after it ran into financial difficulties. In 1979 a long-running deal to collaborate on developing new vehicles was established with the Japanese company Honda. In 1988 the company was privatized and was bought by British Aerospace. In 1994 British Aerospace sold the business to BMW, who then sold the Land Rover brand to Ford and finally sold the company in 2000 for just £10, retaining the well-known Mini brand for themselves. The MG Rover company was run by a private group until its collapse.

MG Rover has not launched a new model since the 75 was introduced in 1998 during the period of ownership by BMW. Their next newest model was the 25, originally launched as the 200 series some ten years ago. Rover also produced the 45, which dates from 1990, and the ZF sports car first launched in 1995. Sales of Rover cars accounted for just 3% of the UK car market in 2004.

Tony Blair announced a £150 million support package for the recently unemployed workers of the MG Rover plants, though it has been claimed that his generous offer may be more as a result of the nearby marginal seats in the upcoming elections than compassion on his part.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Officials from France and Germany have warned people against using Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, citing security holes, and encouraged users to find an alternate browser to surf the Internet.

The government agency Certa, which oversees cyber attacks and security, warned against using all versions of Internet Explorer. Officials from Germany had warned last Friday against the browser when malicious code was published on the Internet.

“Pending a patch from the publisher, Certa recommends using an alternative browser,” Certa said in a statement.

Graham Cluley, from the security firm Sophos, said that the weakness had only been exploited in IE6, but he noted that “Microsoft themselves admit there is a vulnerability, even in IE8.” He noted that, since more information into the malicious code is now available on the internet, hackers could alter the code to make it affect other versions of the browser.

The head of Microsoft’s security and privacy department, however, commented that “the risk is minimal. There are very few of them out there,” adding that in order for a computer to be infected by a virus, it would have to be running IE6 and be on a compromised website. “If you look at other browsers, it’s likely they will have other vulnerabilities,” he said to the BBC. “We feel strongly that IE8 is most secure browser on the market.”

Microsoft encouraged users to upgrade to IE8, which they described as the “most secure browser on the market”.

The firm is working on a patch to fix the problem, however, a spokesman said there wasn’t any specific timeframe for its release.

Thursday, May 31, 2007

A semi-tractor carrying 9,000 gallons (34,000 litres) of liquid butane overturned at the weekend on the United States highway 50 east of Salida, Colorado, rupturing the tank and spilling its contents.

The road was closed to traffic for 20 hours during one of the busiest times of the year, and traffic rerouted along a three-hour diversion route.

Colorado State Patrol reports state the driver, Roger Meely, 62, was hauling a pressurised tank full of butane when he lost control and crashed near Mile Marker 228. Colorado State Patrol Sgt. William Holt described the accident, “He lost control of the vehicle in the curves, veered across the lanes and rolled it.” Meely was treated and released from the Heart of the Rockies hospital in Salida after the crash, but escaped serious injury.

The truck rolled at about 6:50 p.m. six miles from Salida, prompting closure of the highway. Although the driver escaped unharmed, 10-15 homes and an unknown number of campsites along the Arkansas River were evacuated as fumes began to drift downstream towards the town of Swissvale. Rafters were ordered away from the area, but Hazmat crews were able to prevent butane from contaminating the river.

Emergency workers were forced to allow the butane to vent itself through the night. Capt. Jack Cowert of the Colorado State Patrol said, “I would say those of us on scene were surprised it didn’t explode.”

In total, the following organisations responded: the Colorado State Patrol Hazardous Materials Unit, South Arkansas Fire Protection District, Howard Volunteer Fire Department, Arkansas Valley Ambulance, Chaffee County Emergency Services, Alpine Towing and the Colorado Department of Transportation.

An attempt was made at 9:00 a.m. Monday to right the tanker and tow it away, but in the process of securing it to the tow truck it slipped and a dolly axle buckled, further lengthening the delay.

The road was not reopened until 3:10 p.m. Monday. Sheila Johnson, a flagger working for Alpine Towing, later said of the commuters affected that they were mostly understanding, saying of them, “For the most part people were pretty good about the road being closed,”.

Holt blamed the driver for the accident, saying he “will be cited for something,” and that “anytime a crash like this happens, the driver either wasn’t paying attention or he was driving too fast.” It was later determined that the driver’s excessive speed was to blame. He was ultimately charged over the incident.

The incident sparked a full review evaluating the emergency response, which included about ten agencies.

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

All residents within a half-mile radius of the EQ Resource Recovery chemical plant in southeastern Michigan were asked to voluntarily evacuate on Tuesday due to a chemical plant explosion. ClickOnDetroit reported that nearby residents who choose to stay were told to close their doors and windows.

The plant, located in Romulus, near Wayne, is about 15 miles southwest of Detroit. Initial reports stated that a single explosion in a chemical tank was the cause of the fire. The cause of this explosion has not yet been determined. Detroit ABC affiliate WXYZ confirmed that all employees made it out of the plant before the explosion occurred, and that HAZMAT teams were on the scene of the fire. Wayne County Sheriff Warren Evans announced that no injuries were reported in the initial explosion. However, approximately 32 people were treated for breathing problems at nearby Oakwood Annapolis Hospital, due to the subsequent fire.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) analyzed soot in the area and determined that it did not pose a substantial health risk. The company in question has been the target of numerous enforcement actions by the EPA in the past, including a $240,000 fine in 1999. A major chemical processed at the plant is acetone, the main ingredient in nail polish remover, which is known to be toxic in high dosages, especially to those with lung conditions. Acetone is also an eye and skin irritant. Other chemicals, such as antifreeze, are also processed there. Two Detroit-area law firms have filed class action lawsuits against EQ Resource Recovery on behalf of local residents, and a third is considering similar action.

Romulus is the site of the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), the primary airport for the Detroit area and a hub for Northwest Airlines. However, airport service was not affected. News of this explosion came as a chemical plant explosion in Story City, Iowa happened just a day before and three similar explosions in Texas occurred July 28.

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

SkyCabs International, a New Zealand company based in Auckland, New Zealand, has announced that it is planning to build a monorail in New Zealand’s capital, Wellington for about NZ$300 million.

SkyCabs International’s plans are to build a monorail service that starts in Johnsonville which then travels into the central business district (cbd) and then finally goes to Wellington International Airport.

The chief executive of SkyCabs, Hugh Chapman, said that it could be “…economically feasible.” And that the monorail would be “a real opportunity.” The monorail would also be environmentally friendly, according to Mr Chapman.

“SkyCabs’ cabs could run in opposite directions on both sides of the beam – instead of on the top as standard monorails do – at speeds of up to 80kmh and carrying 4800 people an hour in each direction. A monorail around Evans Bay and Oriental Bay would blow tourists’ minds,” said Mr Chapman.

SkyCabs is currently trying to raise $31.2 million so it can built a 600 metre track in Auckland to show investors and the public what the monorail will look like and how it will work as their technology is so far unproven and untested. The possible site is Rainbows End, a theme park in Auckland.

“Potentially, if we can prove it works, the market is about $25.4 billion a year,” Mr Chapman said.

Andrew Cutler, spokesman for the greater Wellington regional council, said: “SkyCabs had briefed some council staff on its ideas. However, given the council and Government recently committed to a $50 million upgrade of the Johnsonville rail line, SkyCabs would certainly not be constructing a Johnsonville-to-city monorail.”

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Americans pay twice as much for heart-bypass surgery as the socialized Canadian system, with no difference in outcome, according to today’s issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine in a study funded by American drug company, Pfizer Inc.. The research found that heart bypass surgery costs an average of $10,373 in Canada, compared with $20,673 in the United States. Even though the costs were double in the United States, the rate of complications and death following bypass surgery was similar.

High administrative costs and overtreatment are usually blamed for the higher cost in the profit-driven U.S. system. Americans spent $5,635 per capita on health care in 2003, while only $3,003 was spent by Canadians. Health spending accounts for almost 15 per cent of gross domestic product in the U.S. and just under 10 per cent in Canada; while at the same time, all Canadian residents are full covered. In addition, the average Canadian lives 2 years longer than the average American.

This is one of the first studies directly comparing the costs of surgery in Canada and the United States and it reinforces the view of Dr. Mark Eisenberg, head of cardiovascular epidemiology at Jewish General Hospital in Montreal; “The conventional wisdom is that health care is much more expensive in the U.S. and the conventional wisdom is right.” by finding that Canada’s socialized system is far more cost efficient than the U.S. model.

The cost of medications used to treat bypass patients were as much as 68 percent greater in the U.S. than in Canada and the cost of a surgical bed was 36 percent greater in the U.S.. In Canada, nursing accounted for 44 percent of the treatment costs, compared with 21 percent in the U.S. and patients stayed longer in hospital following surgery in Canada.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

A fire broke out in a refugee camp in eastern Chad Friday, leaving 3,000 people homeless and injuring 10, according to the United Nations (UN) refugee agency United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Refugees have been living in the camp as a result of the conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan.

The fire started in the Goz Amer camp triggered by a cooking fire that had gone unwatched. The fire moved quickly through the camp due to high winds. Many of the refugees lost all of their belongings and food rations in the blaze. After receiving tents from the UNHCR in 2004, many of the refugees built traditional dwellings out of sticks and mud, and these shelters burned rapidly in the fire.

In a UNHCR press release, Emmanuel Uwurukundo, acting UNHCR head in Koukou-Angarana said: “Everybody around, refugees and all our partners alike, rushed to the spot and tried to extinguish the fire with whatever they had: clothes, extinguishers and water. The teamwork was outstanding.”

In Geneva the UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres commented on the situation: “The refugees have already suffered so much tragedy and now face yet another trauma. I am deeply relieved that there was no loss of life in this devastating fire. We will do everything we can to help and to get shelter and food supplies to them as quickly as possible.”

Families affected by the fire were housed at three area schools, and the UNHCR announced on Friday that it planned to deliver aid supplies including sleeping mats, blankets and kitchen sets. The World Food Programme was also asked by the UNHCR for an extra monthly food ration to be delivered to the families whose homes were destroyed in the blaze.

The Goz Amer camp houses about 20,500 refugees, and is located approximately 70 kilometers from the Sudanese border. Goz Amer is one of 12 UNHCR-run camps along the Chad-Sudan which all told contain over 240,000 refugees from Darfur.

Chad and Sudan signed a peace agreement on March 13 in an attempt to end a five-year conflict, and the leaders of both countries agreed not to back rebel groups that are active near their borders.

Approximately 2.2 million people from the Darfur region have left their homes since the beginning of the violence in 2003. The UN puts the number of deaths due to the Darfur conflict at over 200,000, and the Sudanese government has said that only 9,000 have died.

Thursday, June 21, 2018

Yesterday, day seven of the 2018 FIFA footall World Cup, Portugal defeated Morocco 1–0, Uruguay defeated Saudi Arabia 1–0 and Iran lost 1–0 against Spain with goals from Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Suárez and Diego Costa respectively. With this victory, Uruguay and hosts Russia have qualified for the Last 16 knockout phase.

Portugal faced Morocco in the first game of the day at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium. Morocco had better ball possession in the match. Morocco conceded a corner kick early in the first half in the 4th minute. Portugal’s captain Cristiano Ronaldo scored a header from João Moutinho’s assist, giving Portugal an early lead. In the 9th minute, Ronaldo almost doubled the lead for Portugal, but his shot went wide to the left of the goal. Two minutes later, Morroco’s captain Medhi Benatia got a chance to equalise, but his header was blocked. Morocco had multiple attempts to equalise but all missed or were blocked. Benatia was booked in the 40th minute for a bad foul. The first half ended with Portugal leading 1–0.

In the second half, Ronaldo had another chance to double Portugal’s lead but his shot missed the target. Though Morocco had several attempts for goal, Portugal’s goalkeeper Rui Patricio managed not to let any goals in. The match finished 1–0 as Morocco fell to the bottom of the table, having lost both matches in this tournament and having zero points.

After the match, Morocco’s manager Herve Renard said, “We qualified for a World Cup after 20 years and we’ve showed that we can play football.” Ronaldo was named Budweiser Man of the Match. He has scored four goals in this tournament.

Uruguay faced Saudi Arabia at the Rostov Arena for the second match of the day. Uruguayan striker Suárez was playing his 100th international match for the country. Saudi Arabia had better ball possession in the match. Uruguay’s Edinson Cavani missed a chance to open the scoring, with his left-footed shot going wide above the goal. In the 23rd minute, Suárez scored a close-range shot, assisted by Carlos Andrés Sánchez. Saudi Arabia’s Taiseer Al Jassam was substituted just a few minutes before the end of the first half, due to injury.

Uruguay missed out some opportunities to increase their lead in the second half but the first half goal by Suárez was sufficient for the South Americans to ensue three points at Rostov-on-Don.

Suárez was named Budweiser Man of the Match award. He became the first Uruguayan to score goals in three FIFA World Cup tournaments.

With this victory Uruguay and Russia mathematically secured their sports in the knockout phase of the tournament, while Saudi Arabia and Egypt, who are yet to face each other, are out of the competition.

Iran faced Spain in the last match of the day at the Kazan Arena. Spain had greater ball possession in the match. Spanish defender Gerard Piqué played his 100th international match for the country. In the first half, Gerard Piqué, Isco, David Silva, Dani Carvajal and Spanish captain Sergio Ramos had attempts for the goal as they had the ball for longer duration. Despite multiple attempts, the first half remained goalless.

In the second half, Sergio Busquets’ attempt was saved, as Alireza Beiranvand made a double-save. The Spanish side finally got the lead when Diego Costa scored a goal in the 54th minute in the bottom left corner of the goal. Just at the one-hour mark, Mehdi Taremi missed the chance to equalise for Iran. In the 62nd minute, Iran managed to put the ball at the back of the net, but was ruled offside. Iran’s Vahid Amiri was booked in the 79th minute for a bad foul. Omid Ebrahimi was also shown a yellow card in the injury time. The match ended with Spain winning three points and finishing at the top spot in the group table.

After the match, Iran’s manager Carlos Queiroz said, “We showed that we were ready to suffer and ready to compete […] There’s no doubt Spain play wonderful, stylish football but we deserved more for the way we played. […] We will learn a lot from this game. If you think of it like tennis, we had one match point today and we will have another against Portugal. Everything is still open. We are still alive and still dreaming.” Costa won the Budweiser Man of the Match award.

With Spain’s victory, Morocco also missed out the chance to advance to the next phase of the tournament.