Former Russian spy Litvinenko dies, radioactive poisoning suspected

Friday, November 24, 2006

Mr Alexander Litvinenko, reputed to have been an Ex-Russian spy who had defected to Britain, died last night in mysterious circumstances. He had alleged many associations between people in high places and organised international crime, implying that President Putin and Romano Prodi among others had been involved personally. He had sought political asylum in UK in 2000 and became a naturalised citizen in October this year, just weeks before his death.

Mr Litvinenko was said to have been investigating the shooting of Russian journalist and human rights activist Anna Politkovskaya, a well-known critic of Russian activities in Chechnya, in her apartment in Moscow October 7, 2006. It is reported that he had met two Russians in a hotel room, one said to be former member of the KGB in connection with the affair and he went on to meet Mario Scaramella at a sushi bar in Piccadilly where some papers were exchanged. Some hours after this he was taken ill.

Mr Litvinenko was admitted to Barnet General Hospital, north London on November 1, 2006 complaining of feeling sick. By November 11, he was said to be suffering from serious poisoning. A week later he was transferred to University College Hospital in central London. A week later he was said to have been poisoned by ingesting thallium, once used in rat poison, but, in the opinion of some doctors, there were signs of radioactive poisoning, including loss of weight and shedding of hair. Various explanations of his condition were offered. Last night he suffered a heart attack, after having left a message blaming President Putin for having him killed.

The radioactive isotope polonium-210 was found in his blood and urine as reported by the United Kingdom’s Health Protection Agency. The post-mortem was cancelled. Subsequently the Agency examined conditions in the hospitals in which Mr Litvinenko has been treated. Police visited the Itsu sushi restaurant in Piccadilly, his home in Muswell Hill and the Millennium Hotel, Grosvenor Square where the meeting on November 1 had been held. Traces of radiocactivity were found in all three places. It is speculated that the polonium was probably eaten by Litvinenko as a substance that could be combined with a salt-like substance, such as polonium nitrate.

It was reported that a meeting had been held in Cabinet Office Briefing Room A (COBRA) used for high level emergency planning and control, to consider the implications of these events. The Foreign Office asked Moscow for a response to the accusation of Russian involvement and President Putin himself dismissed the allegations saying (before the cause of death had been established) that there was no proof of an unnatural death and that the case was being used as a “political provocation”.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Former_Russian_spy_Litvinenko_dies,_radioactive_poisoning_suspected&oldid=4579639”

Things To Do To Prepare For Roof Construction In Edmond

byadmin

One of the most eagerly anticipated parts of construction is the roof. This signals that the structure has turned from a incomplete structure into a real building. While this is a visible sign that the building is well on its way to completion, it is also one of the biggest projects to be accomplished. Thus, there are some things you should do to prepare for this part of the project.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuK1ZIdqQ5M[/youtube]

One of the things you need to do to prepare for Roof Construction Edmond is to check the weather reports for the day it is supposed to begin. If the weather is not going to cooperate with the construction plans, you should make plans to minimize the damage from rain. This means covering up the materials and ensuring that everything is removed from the structure. You should also plan what to do in case the rainfall comes during the middle of the project.

Another thing you should do is to prepare for Roof Construction Edmond is to make sure the construction site is as clean as possible on the day of the construction. While there are multiple contractors working around the site, the roofers will need space to secure their ladders and setup their safety equipment. Since construction also may require the use of heavy equipment, you will need to make sure a path is clear for this equipment.

You should also prepare for Roof Construction Edmond by making sure all of the materials on hand for the project. If these materials have been ordered ahead of time, make sure to do a count before the day of construction. If they are going to be at the project site for several days, they also needed to be protected from construction debris and the weather. This will help ensure that they are ready to be installed on construction day.

While the construction of the roof signals that the structure of the building is nearly complete, you still need to prepare for that day so installation goes smoothly.

These are some of the things you can do prepare. So, that when J&M Roofing Company installs the new roof, there isn’t delays from not having enough material ready or having to clean up the site.

Spelbound declared winner of Britain’s Got Talent 2010

Monday, June 7, 2010

An acrobatic group known by the name of Spelbound has been declared as the winner of Britain’s Got Talent 2010, a televised variety talent show competition broadcast on ITV in the United Kingdom. As the winning act of the show, Spelbound have won £100,000 (US$144,580, €120,313, A$175,079) and a place at The Royal Variety Performance, an annual gala evening that is attended by senior members of the British Royal Family.

In no particular order, the top three acts were revealed to be two dancers known by their stage name of Twist and Pulse, gymnastic group Spelbound and Kieran Gaffney, whose act involves playing on the drum kit. After Kieran Gaffney was revealed to be in third place, Anthony McPartlin, who hosts Britain’s Got Talent with Declan Donnelly, said to Kieran: “Well done Kieran. Kieran, you’re a star, you came back, you got all the way to the final. I know you’ve loved this. You’ve loved this, haven’t you?” In response to this, Kieran Gaffney stated: “Thank you very much. Thank you, everyone for supporting me. Thank you.”

Shortly afterwards, on the episode that was broadcast live on ITV1 on Saturday, Anthony announced: “After tens of thousands of auditons, five semi-finals and an amazing final, this…this is it. One of you is about to walk away with £100,000 and a place at this year’s Royal Variety Performance. The winner of Britain’s Got Talent 2010 is…Spelbound!” Glen Murphy from Twist and Pulse commented about finishing in second place, stating: “Yeah, it’s amazing. I can’t even believe it. I can’t believe it at all.”

Alex Uttley, a 24-year-old member of Spelbound, commented on the gymnastic group’s victory, commenting: “Oh, my god. This is unbelieveable. We just want to say thank you to everyone out there. It just shows that all our hard work has paid off.” One of the coaches of Spelbound, named Neil Griffiths, stated about Spelbound: “Oh, they’ve worked so hard over the last few weeks. Um, since the semi-final, we…we really had to pull out the stops to try and up the game. They’ve not known they’ve worked in the gym from six in the morning till twelve…twelve o’clock of the night. I couldn’t have asked for more. Um, it’s a team of coaches. I don’t take all the credit myself. There’s, uh, two people up there that know who they are who’ve been fantastic.”

Spelbound consists of 24-year-old Alex Uttley, Nicholas Illingworth, aged 24, Adam Buckingham, aged 21, 20-year-old Adam McAssey, 19-year-old Douglas Fordyce, 18-year-old Edward Upcott, 18-year-old Leighanne Cowler, 17-year-old Katie Axten, 17-year-old Lauren Kemp, 15-year-old Jonathan Stranks, Abigail Ralph, aged 15, 13-year-old Hollianne Wood and Amy Mackenzie, aged 12. Bookmakers had previously predicted that Spelbound would be the most likely act to become the winner of the series.

The running order for the final started with Twist and Pulse. The second act to perform was Liam McNally, a 14-year-old singer. The running order subsequently continued with 40-year-old impressionist Paul Burling, singer Christopher Stone, aged 28, Tina & Chandi, a woman and dog dancing act, Connected, a five-piece singing group, Kieran Gaffney, aged 12, 22-year-old Tobias Mead, a dancer, 80-year-old singer Janey Cutler and Spelbound in that particular order.

Earlier on in the final, Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden has stated to Spelbound: “We are hosting the 2012 Olympics and I think ‘what a brilliant opening act’.” Fellow judge Piers Morgan also commented that “[t]he purpose of this show is to identify hidden great British talent. You are that act.” After Spelbound won in the final, another judge, named Simon Cowell, stated that “the right boys and girls won on the night” and that he could “only say on live TV that that was one of the most astonishing things I have ever seen. Seriously.”

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Spelbound_declared_winner_of_Britain%27s_Got_Talent_2010&oldid=4381154”

South Korean scientists claim they have cloned pet dog

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

South Korean scientists have confirmed that they have completed the first ever commercial cloning of a dog to take place.

Bernann McKinney, who ordered the cloning for US$50,000, has said that she is pleased with the result of the cloning. “They are perfectly the same as their daddy. I am in heaven here. I am a happy person,” she said in a press conference delivered earlier today. The regular charge will be up to US$150,000, but was discounted for the first customer.

McKinney continued the press conference by saying that “Booger [the dog] had a kindness in his heart and I believe that kindness is something that can be, I don’t want to use the word reproduced, but the best way Dr Lee explained it is we can give him his body, you are going to give him the love and environment to recreate the original Booger’s personality.”

McKinney ordered five copies of her dog Booger, which she describes as her ‘partner’ and ‘friend’.

RNL Bio, which performed the cloning said that “we commemorate the world’s first commercial cloning of a pet dog, Booger,” on their website. They also stated that anyone interested in getting their pet cloned should contact them.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=South_Korean_scientists_claim_they_have_cloned_pet_dog&oldid=3150346”

Highly preserved mammoth presents scientists with blood sample

Friday, May 31, 2013

An extremely well preserved woolly mammoth has been found by Russian scientists in Siberia, announced Wednesday.

The adult female was found with blood preserved still intact in ice cavities. When palaeontologists excavated the animal, blood flowed from the space below the animal’s abdomen.

The discovery was made on the Lyakhovsky Islands by scientists from the North-Eastern Federal University in Yakutsk, who estimated the animal’s age at 10,000 years.

The temperature of the ice at time of excavation was estimated between ?7 °C (19 °F) and ?10 °C (14 °F). This has led scientists to believe mammoth blood may contain some cryoprotectant, making it resistant to freezing.

Scientists are currently discussing the possibility of resurrecting extinct animals from their DNA.Along with blood samples taken from the site, scientists also discovered well-preserved muscle tissue described as the color of fresh red meat.

The scientists hypothesise the mammoth had fallen into a swamp or water, where she was trapped and eventually died. The remains are to be transported to Yakutsk and tested to ensure there are no dangerous diseases present.

Researchers said this mammoth is the best-preserved ever discovered.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Highly_preserved_mammoth_presents_scientists_with_blood_sample&oldid=4581664”

Treatment Options For Neck Pain Relief In Castle Rock Co

byadmin

As people age, their cervical vertebrae starts to degenerate. So if you’re starting to suffer from chronic neck pain, don’t think it’s going to go away on its own. It might be the years catching up with you. We list here a few treatment options you can explore:

ExerciseDaily exercise can help stave off the effects of aging and bone degeneration that results in neck conditions. With simple exercises, you can improve neck strength and prevent the onset of chronic pain. However, stretching exercises aren’t going to be enough, says Arthritis.Org. You’ll need to combine it with strengthening exercises as well for better results.

Physical therapyYou don’t have to opt for surgery right away. With the help of a qualified physical therapist, you can look into ways to ease the pain in your neck. From rebuilding your strength to minimizing the pain, this might offer you the solution you need.

Chiropractic treatmentChiropractic treatment is a good option for neck pain relief in Castle Rock CO. This is a fitting solution, particularly if you want to avoid the cost and risks of surgery. Surgery also comes with long recovery times. If you have a demanding schedule and can’t take the time off or you don’t want to expose yourself to the risks, then this is the best solution you can go for.

ConclusionSo don’t put off going to the doctor. Seek out a neck pain relief specialist in Castle Rock CO. Consult a chiropractor. Make an appointment early on. And be sure to check out the operating hours. It should be a good match for your schedule so you’ll be able to keep your appointments with ease. Consider the distance as well. Opt for one near your home or workplace to make it more convenient for you.

Viktor Schreckengost dies at 101

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Viktor Schreckengost, the father of industrial design and creator of the Jazz Bowl, an iconic piece of Jazz Age art designed for Eleanor Roosevelt during his association with Cowan Pottery died yesterday. He was 101.

Schreckengost was born on June 26, 1906 in Sebring, Ohio, United States.

Schreckengost’s peers included the far more famous designers Raymond Loewy and Norman Bel Geddes.

In 2000, the Cleveland Museum of Art curated the first ever retrospective of Schreckengost’s work. Stunning in scope, the exhibition included sculpture, pottery, dinnerware, drawings, and paintings.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Viktor_Schreckengost_dies_at_101&oldid=2584756”

United States: Two killed, more than a hundred injured in Amtrak train collision in South Carolina

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Early on Sunday morning, Amtrak’s passenger train number 91, the Silver Star, bound for Miami from New York, slammed into a stationary CSX freight train in Cayce, about ten miles (16 km) south of Columbia, capital of the US state of South Carolina. Two Amtrak employees were killed and at least 116 were injured, some seriously.

The two killed were 54-year-old engineer Michael Kempf of Savannah, Georgia, and 36-year-old conductor Michael Cella of Orange Park, Florida. Robert Sumwalt, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, told a press conference the passenger train had been diverted into a siding by a switch left “literally locked, with a padlock” in that position.

The collision happened at about 2:35 am local time (0735 UTC) at a switching yard in the small city of Cayce. The Amtrak train, with reportedly 139 passengers and eight employees aboard, collided head on with the freight train, which was parked with no one on board. The Amtrak locomotive and the leading locomotive on the freight train were destroyed; the Amtrak locomotive and some of its passenger cars derailed, and one of those cars was folded in half. Several freight cars were crumpled, Reuters reported. In a press conference, the state governor, Henry McMaster, said the Amtrak locomotive was “barely recognizable” and described it as “a horrible thing to see, to understand the force involved”.

Harrison Cahill, a spokesman for Lexington County, gave a count of 116 injured, up from an initial report of 70; according to Derrec Becker, public information officer for the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, injuries ranged “from cuts and bruises to severe broken bones”. On Monday a Palmetto Health spokesperson said two patients were in serious and two in critical condition at their facilities. A spill of approximately 5,000 gallons of fuel from the freight train posed no safety hazard, according to officials.

Passenger Derek Pettaway told the CNN network that like most others, he had been sleeping when the collision happened. He said Amtrak staff cleared the passengers from the train rapidly, and there was no panic; “I think people were more in shock than anything else”, he said.

“Key to this investigation is learning why the switch was lined that way”, Sumwalt said. Amtrak’s CEO, Richard Anderson, speaking to reporters on Sunday, held CSX responsible; he stated the track in that area is operated by CSX and the signals, which CSX operates, were not working at the time of the collision and a CSX dispatcher was therefore directing the Amtrak train’s movements. Sumwalt noted an automatic monitoring and braking system called positive train control, which was not in use on the stretch of line, could have forestalled the collision.

Several fatal incidents involving Amtrak trains have occurred in the past three months. On December 18, the inaugural train on a new route in Washington state derailed at high speed while crossing above a highway, killing three; on January 31, the driver of a garbage truck was killed in Virginia when he collided with an Amtrak train chartered to take Republican lawmakers to a retreat.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=United_States:_Two_killed,_more_than_a_hundred_injured_in_Amtrak_train_collision_in_South_Carolina&oldid=4383226”

British TV presenter Rico Daniels tells Wikinews about being ‘The Salvager’

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Rico Daniels is a British TV presenter living in France who is known for his two television series — The Salvager — whilst he still lived in the UK and then Le Salvager after he moved to France. Rico has been in a variety of jobs but his passion is now his profession – he turns unwanted ‘junk’ into unusual pieces of furniture. Rico’s creations and the methods used to fabricate them are the subject of the Salvager shows.

Rico spoke to Wikinews in January about his inspiration and early life, future plans, other hobbies and more. Read on for the full exclusive interview, published for the first time:

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=British_TV_presenter_Rico_Daniels_tells_Wikinews_about_being_%27The_Salvager%27&oldid=1100139”

Ways To Use A Portable Gps System}

Submitted by: Charles Hammer

Since GPS technology became available, the number of devices that contain GPS units has increased. You probably have or know someone that has a GPS unit installed in their car. Technically, the GPS units that are installed in cars are mobile GPS systems, since a car has wheels and it moves around. Other, newer devices that contain portable GPS systems are just as popular.

Serious Portable GPS Systems

Many of the devices that contain portable GPS systems are used for business purposes, emergencies and other very serious matters. The mobile phone is a device that is most likely to contain one. In the past several people would call 911 but they were unable to give their location, so a law was passed that required mobile phones to contain a GPS signal emitter.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sj-1GG23gwU[/youtube]

Now, a 911 cell phone caller can be located as easily as someone calling from a home phone. PDAs are used by delivery people, sales people, repair people and other people that need them to find their way around, are used to track their positions and keep track of their phone calls. Some software that is being used in conjunction with GPS units can create routes that are efficient by grouping customers together by their location.

Surveyors use a very precise portable GPS system to plan roads, map fields, and locate survey markers and boundaries. Besides PDAs, laptops can be equipped with a Global Positioning System as well as software to use the signal for mapping, traveling and many other purposes. Police and Fire services find new ways to save lives with different types of portable GPS system every day.

Fun Stuff

Almost all electronic gadgets gets turned into toys for adults, and the portable GPS units are no different. Remember that tracking your own position isn’t the only way to use a portable GPS system. You can use them track the position of someone or something else too.

Competitive glider pilots use portable GPS units to provide proof that they reached the race markers. Geocaching is a game that is played using a small item that emitters a GPS signal that is hidden and players with PDAs compete to find it. Now that watches and cameras can be found with a portable GPS system, the possibilities of their uses are seemingly endless.

The camera can imprint photos with the latitude and longitude of the places that they were taken. This is very useful on vacations. Smaller GPS units can be used to track pets and other things that might wander off. Besides doing fun things, just having some of the odder new items equipped with a portable GPS system is pretty fun, too. It looks like GPS units are here to stay!

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