Sunday, May 20, 2012

U.S. Democratic Party presidential candidate John Wolfe, Jr. of Tennessee took some time to answer a few questions from Wikinews reporter William S. Saturn.

Wolfe, an attorney based out of Chattanooga, announced his intentions last year to challenge President Barack Obama in the Democratic Party presidential primaries. So far, he has appeared on the primary ballots in New Hampshire, Missouri, and Louisiana. In Louisiana, he had his strongest showing, winning 12 percent overall with over 15 percent in some congressional districts, qualifying him for Democratic National Convention delegates. However, because certain paperwork had not been filed, the party stripped Wolfe of the delegates. Wolfe says he will sue the party to receive them.

Wolfe will compete for additional delegates at the May 22 Arkansas primary and the May 29 Texas primary. He is the only challenger to Obama in Arkansas, where a May 10 Hendrix College poll of Democrats shows him with 38 percent support, just short of the 45 percent for Obama. Such an outing would top the margin of Texas prison inmate Keith Russell Judd, who finished 18 percent behind Obama with 41 percent in the West Virginia Democratic primary; the strongest showing yet against the incumbent president. Despite these prospects, the Democratic Party of Arkansas has already announced that if Wolfe wins any delegates in their primary, again, due to paperwork, the delegates will not be awarded. Wolfe will appear on the Texas ballot alongside Obama, activist Bob Ely, and historian Darcy Richardson, who ended his campaign last month.

Wolfe has previously run for U.S. Congress as the Democratic Party’s nominee. On his campaign website, he cites the influence “of the Pentagon, Wall Street, and corporations” on the Obama administration as a reason for his challenge, believing these negatively affect “loyal Americans, taxpayers and small businesses.” Wolfe calls for the usage of anti-trust laws to break up large banks, higher taxes on Wall Street, the creation of an “alternative federal reserve” to assist community banks, and the implementation of a single-payer health care system.

With Wikinews, Wolfe discusses his campaign, the presidency of Barack Obama, corporations, energy, the federal budget, immigration, and the nuclear situation in Iran among other issues.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

State health officials in Kenya issued an alert Thursday after an outbreak of cholera killed over 60 people in the last five months. All health personnel have been advised to actively monitor patients with diarrhea, and the government issued a ban on preparing and eating food in public gatherings.

Nyanza Province, with 750 infections and 45 deaths, has felt the brunt of the outbreak. Over 1,200 cases have been reported in the provinces of Nyanza, Rift Valley, North Eastern and Western. According to Agence France-Presse, officials have reported 45 people dead in Nyanza Province, 12 in North Eastern Province and seven in Rift Valley Province. Health officials have stated that the actual number of deaths due to the outbreak could be higher due to under reporting.

SK Sharif, senior deputy director of health services in Nyanza, commented on contributing factors to the outbreak: “The mass movement of people during the post-election crisis may also have contributed to the outbreak of the disease as people found themselves in areas with inadequate water and sanitation facilities”.

Health workers are working to contain the outbreak, and are focusing efforts on areas affected by violence related to the December elections. Suba, Migori, Homabay, Rongo, Siaya, Kisumu, Bondo, Nyando, Kisii, Wajir, Mandera, Naivasha, Nakuru and Bunyala are among the worst affected districts.

The possibility of a disease outbreak in Kenya was previously raised by health officials, specifically in camps where hundreds of thousands of displaced people reside. Revenge killings, tribal fighting and upheaval following the December elections in Kenya has displaced many in the country.

Titus Mung’ou, spokesman for Kenya Red Cross Society, told Agence France-Presse “We are trying to reduce the prevalence of the mix up that may happen by scrutinising food donations that are brought in the camps, but mostly we are ensuring that all the water is well treated”.

In a news conference Thursday in Nairobi, Director of Medical Service Dr. James Nyikal said that if urgent measures were not undertaken to control the outbreak, it could become much worse. “Most deaths occurred at home or on the way to hospital,” said Dr. Nyikal. Medicines worth KSh17.3 million (GBP 2.4 million) and other equipment worth KSh700,000 (GBP 5,700) has been sent to the affected areas. The Kenyan government has allocated KSh38 million (GBP 11.75 million) to contain the outbreak.

On Friday the Health Ministry requested aid from the United Nations Children’s Fund, and Dr. Nyikal stated: “Health workers are a problem and we have written to Unicef, requesting assistance. Already some staff have been dispatched”. Dr. Nyikal voiced concerns over high risk areas: “We are particularly concerned by risk areas such as eating premises and bus stops in major towns such as Busia, Kisumu, Kericho, Nakuru, Naivasha, Nairobi, Voi, Mtito Andei and Mombasa”.

World Health Organization Country Director Dr. David Okello emphasized the importance of hygiene, stating: “We need to emphasise the importance of water safety and the public needs to adopt the measures of keeping water safe.” Dr. Okello stressed that “Boiling drinking water or treating water with chlorine and practising good toilet manners are necessary to avoid contamination”.

Cholera is a waterborne disease and causes serious diarrhea and vomiting. The disease can be fatal if it is not treated within 24 hours. Spread of the disease can be prevented by avoiding contaminated drinking water, and practicing proper hand washing before touching food. Southern Sudan also reported an increase in cholera cases recently.

Friday, April 18, 2014

Thursday, July 1, 2010

A court in England, UK has jailed a policeman for ten months after he was convicted of defrauding his car insurance company.

Police Constable Simon Hood, 43, arranged for a friend who dealt in scrap metal to dispose of his Audi TT, then claimed it had been stolen.

Hood had been disappointed with the car’s value when he tried to sell it two years after its purchase in 2008. He arranged for friend Peter Marsh, 41, to drive the vehicle to his scrapyard in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Marsh then dismantled the vehicle with the intent of disposing of it, but parts were later found wrapped in bubblewrap at Ace Tyre and Exhaust Centre.

Marsh picked up the TT from outside nearby Gorleston police station. Records show mobile phone conversations between the conspirators that day in March, both before and after the vehicle was reported stolen. The pair denied wrongdoing but were convicted of conspiring to commit insurance fraud after trial.

The fraud was uncovered after Hood told former girlfriend Suzanne Coates of the scheme. It was alleged before Norwich Crown Court that he had confessed to her in an effort to resume their relationship. Coates said that after the pseudotheft, Hood told her “he didn’t want to look for it. He said it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack, which I thought was a bit strange.”

Shortly afterwards Hood suggested they should become a couple once more, she said; she challenged his version of events regarding the car: “He said he did it but I couldn’t tell anyone. He said he did it with Peter. Peter had a key and took the car away and it was going to be taken to bits and got rid of so it was never found.”

Hood was defended by Michael Clare and Marsh by Richard Potts. Both lawyers told the court that their clients had already suffered as a result of the action in mitigation before sentencing. Clare said Hood had resigned from the police after fifteen years of otherwise good service and risked losing his pension. “It is not a case where his position as a police officer was used in order to facilitate the fraud,” he pointed out. “His career is in ruins.” Hood is now pursuing a career in plumbing.

Potts defended Marsh by saying that he, too, had already suffered from his actions. His own insurers are refusing to renew their contract with him when it expires and his bank withdrew its overdraft facility. His business employs 21 people and Potts cited Marsh’s sponsorship of Great Yarmouth In Bloom as amongst evidence he supported his local community.

Judge Alasdair Darroch told Marsh that he did accept the man was attempting to help his friend. He sentenced Marsh to six months imprisonment, suspended for two years and ordered to carry out 250 hours of community service. He was more critical of Hood:

“As a police officer you know the highest possible standards are demanded by the public. You have let down the force. You knew throughout your career that policemen that get involved in serious dishonesty get sent to prison.”

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Dima Bilan has won the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest, the 53rd, for Russia with his song Believe. The song was developed by US R&B artist Timbaland. The song won the competition with 272 points; 42 points ahead of Ukraine’s Ani Lorak in second place with 230 points for the song Shady Lady. Third was Kalomira for Greece with Secret Combination The voting for the competition came from 43 countries across Europe, but with 25 countries competing, the others having failed to get through the semi finals. Russia has never won the contest before, Bilan having come second in 2006, losing out to Finnish hard rock band Lordi with Hard Rock Halellujah.

Furtherdown the scale Germany’s No Angels with Disapear, Poland’s Isis Gee with For Life and the United Kingdom’s Andy Abraham with Even If came joint last with 14 points. Fourth last was Teräsbetoni, a Finnish heavy metal band performing in their native language with Missä Mihet Ratsastaa (Where Men Ride). Sweden’s Charlotte Perrelli had been predicted to repeat her 1999 victory, this time with Hero, but also received a low score.

There was an estimated 100 million television viewers from across Europe.

UK commentator Terry Wogan has garnered significant media attention for criticising the contest live towards the end of the broadcast for being overly political. “It’s a disappointment, considering that Andy Abraham gave, I think, the performance of his life with a song that certainly deserved more marks than it got when you look at the points that Spain got, that Bosnia-Herzegovina got – some really ridiculous songs,” he said. “You have to say that this is no longer a music contest… I have to decide whether we (himself and his producer, who already announced he wanted to leave) want to do this again. Western European participants have to decide whether they want to take part from here on in, because their prospects are poor.” He called the contest “political”.

Spain was represented by Rodolfo Chikilicuatre with Baila el Chiki Chiki (Dance the Chiki Chiki) and Bosnia and Herzegovina by Elvir Lakovi? Laka with Pokušaj (try).

Bilan, who received the maximum 12 points from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Belarus and Armenia, all of which are former Soviet countries, was sent a telegram from Putin to congratulate him after his victory. Mevedev also contacted him later by phone to congratulate him. “Russia is the favorite now, it’s just tearing everybody up — in basketball, football, hockey, and Eurovision!” commented champion figure skater Evgeni Plushenko, who had joined Bilan onstage to skate as part of the winning performance. He is now also a politician.

Next year’s contest will be held in Russia.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Zimbabwe has decided to abandon its currency, the Zimbabwean dollar, in favour of other currencies.

Acting Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa announced today that Zimbabweans will be allowed to make transactions in other currencies along with the local currency. “In line with the prevailing practices by the general public, [the] government is therefore allowing the use of multiple foreign currencies for business transactions alongside the Zimbabwean dollar,” he said, adding that the Zimbabwean dollar will not be removed from circulation and would be used alongside other currencies.

This decision comes during the current period of hyperinflation, which has massively devalued the Zimbabwean dollar. Banknotes up to $100 trillion have been printed, despite the removal of ten zeroes from the currency last summer to try to make transactions easier. The official inflation rate, last updated in July 2008, was 231,000,000% a year, although independent estimates place the number as high as 6.5×10¹⁰⁸, or 6.5 quindecillion novemdecillion, percent.

Up to now, only vendors with licenses were legally able to accept foreign currencies, although the practice was widespread — private businesses altogether refuse to accept the unstable Zimbabwean dollar.

Large sections of the workforce, including teachers and doctors, have gone on strike because hyperinflation rapidly renders their wages worthless. Representative groups said salaries, now measured in trillions of dollars, are insufficient to pay for even the bus fare to work.

Zimbabwe also faces other crises, including a cholera epidemic that has claimed the lives of over 3,000 people, according to statistics from the World Health Organisation.

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Monday, March 5, 2018

Australian government provided Philip Ellery, a researcher in Queensland, Australia, with a research grant (which? how large?) to assess the feasibility of producing edible worms to sell as animal food, such as for pets or for fish. Worms had adequate protein nutritional value and did not need much energy or feeding resources, making them potentially cheap food to produce.

Dr Ellery remarked that it could be easy to grow many worms in a small scale without spending water resources. He said, “We can massively grow a large amount of insects in a relatively small space and — they don’t require watering”.

Dr Ellery also said the worms had adequate protein contents, “A dehydrated mealworm is about 50 to 55 per cent protein — they also have an excellent fat profile, polyunsaturated fats, the omega 6s and omega 3s”.

The worms would be grown in “a 500 square metre warehouse, where tonnes of mealworm product would be produced”, Dr Ellery said.

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