NOVEMBER, 2010                                                                     

Raila denies gays' arrest order

Prime Minister Raila Odinga addresses a rally in Kamukunji, Nairobi on November 28, 2010. He has denied that he ordered the arrest of gay couples but still maintained that such unions were unlawful December 2, 2010. FILE 

Prime Minister Raila Odinga has denied that he ordered the arrest of gay couples but maintained that such unions were unlawful. The PM said that he was quoted out of context after he warned Kenyans against having intimate relations with persons of the same gender on Sunday. Speaking as he made his opening speech at the National Dialogue and Reconciliation Conference in Nairobi Thursday, the PM said that he respected gay rights but was cautioning young people on what the new Constitution says. “Nothing could be further from the truth. I explained the propaganda that was being used to fight the draft constitution that the new law would allow every hospital to have abortion wards and that gay marriages would be allowed,” said Mr Odinga.

“I did not say that police should arrest the gays. I just told the youth that they will be committing a crime by marrying persons of the same sex.” The PM has come under fire over comments he made on Sunday in Kibera to the effect that gay couples should be arrested. Addressing a rally at Kamukunji grounds in his Langata Constituency, the PM said their behaviour was unnatural. The remarks also came months after Special Programmes Minister Esther Murugi attracted the wrath of Kenyans for calling for recognition and acceptance of gays. During the World Aids Day celebrations on Wednesday, gays and lesbians held a silent march asking Mr Odinga to withdraw orders to arrest them. They described the statement as ‘dangerous’ and could instigate violence.

All Southern Railway services cancelled because of heavy snow

Southern Railway

London, Thursday, December 2, 2010. All Southern Railway services have been suspended today because of the snow. A notice on their website read: “Due to heavy snow fall and adverse weather conditions, all Southern services are currently suspended. “There will be no Southern services running south of East Croydon until further notice. “A limited Southern service will begin in the London Metro area at 10am.” Check www.southernrailway.com for updates and more information.

POLICE LAUNCH DRINK-DRIVE CRACKDOWN

The Christmas anti-drink-drive campaign has been launched

LONDON, Wednesday, December 1, 2010. Designated drivers will be offered a buy one get one free deal on soft drinks in pubs as part of the Government's Christmas campaign to crack down on drink-driving. The Government's road safety campaign Think! has joined Coca-Cola to offer the drinks in more than 8,000 participating pubs. The offer is in addition to radio advertising, posters in pub toilets and online search activity in a campaign that will run until January 2. Launching the campaign, road safety minister Mike Penning said: "Drivers should be in no doubt that if they get behind the wheel after drinking this Christmas, they risk losing their licence as well as facing a fine and even a prison sentence.
Last year 380 people were killed in accidents where the driver was over the limit. That is why our message is clear: don't drink and drive." Chief Constable Mick Giannasi, head of roads policing with the Association of Chief Police Officers, said: "This year we are using information from the public to target those areas where drink-driving is a particular problem and so the chances of getting caught are greater than ever. "If the police stop a driver, and there is any suspicion that they have been drinking, then they will be asked to provide a breath test and drivers should be in no doubt that if they are found to be over the limit they will be brought before the courts.
"Many drivers don't realise that alcohol stays in the system for a number of hours, and that they could still be over the limit the next morning when driving to work or dropping the children off at school. That is why we are asking drivers to be safe, not sorry, this Christmas." Coca-Cola Great Britain and Ireland manager Jon Woods said: "This Christmas we're proud to be partnering with the Government's Think! initiative to help raise awareness of responsible drinking." As the campaign was launched, the AA released details of a poll of 18,251 of its members which showed that the most popular excuse for drinking and driving is: "It's only down the road."

Britain Stuck on the road to snowhere

Britain was in danger of grinding to a halt after a 'non-stop onslaughter of snow' brought chaos to road and rail.

In the snow lane: The queue of cars and lorries stretches as far as the eye can see on the M20 near Farningham, Kent, as the bad weather closes in yesterday. 

Some of the worst November weather in decades also closed schools, disrupted air travel and clobbered businesses. Most of the country was under severe weather warnings as the Arctic blast moved south, with Kent and Essex badly hit. nd the worse could yet be to come with snow showers expected to persist overnight.

The worst weather had been confined to the north and Scotland but yesterday its effects were being felt in the capital. Rail services were hit by delays and cancel­lations. Only a handful of trains were getting out of London Victoria last night. The M25 and M20 were snarled up, while other major routes throughout the country were closed. Businesses said four times as many staff as usual failed to make it in. Forecaster Barry Gromett said: ‘It’s been a non-stop onslaught in certain areas.

 

English test for UK foreign spouses for visa issuance

Bridegrooms and Brides marrying UK citizen or residents must pass English test

UK has stated that migrants wishing to marry a Briton or other UK resident will have to undergo basic English test and pass before they are given the permission for a marriage visa. From Monday, November 29, 2010, they will have to prove that they can speak the language as good as a native-born six year old before the visa will be issued. Damian Green, Britain’s immigration minister, said: "Being able to speak English should be a pre-condition for anyone who wants to settle in the UK - that is why from the end of November we are making it compulsory for migrant spouses and partners to demonstrate they can speak English before we grant them a marriage visa. "Speaking English promotes integration into British society and broadens opportunities. Supporting documents will need to be provided with applications that an English test in speaking and listening has been passed.

The level of knowledge required by the immigration department should take 40 to 50 hours of tuition as reported by the media. (ALZ).

Meanwhile, migration campaigners have condemned a law that will require non-EU citizens or migrant wishing to marry a Briton or other UK resident or entering the UK on spousal visas to pass an English language test. As the law came into force from Monday 29, November 2010, protesters marched from Victoria Street in Westminster to the Home Office. The Immigration Minister, Damian Green, said that the new rules “will help ensure that migrant spouses are able to participate in British life from the outset and integrate more easily into our society”. But groups supporting migrant rights are concerned that the law will unfairly impede those who have no access to English lessons in their country of origin, or cannot afford them. The demonstration was called by the group No One is Illegal, with the support of the London No Borders campaign, who commented, “This law will affect those from areas of the world where English classes are not available, or who can’t afford to pay for such classes. It extends the reach of the UK Border Agency to spouses’ countries of origin.”

At the Home Office, protesters handed out leaflets to passers-by and re-created a UK border on the pavement. They held warning tape between them and asked members of the public to take an English language or citizenship test to pass through. Other protesters dressed as a bride and groom to represent couples who will be separated because of the new law. Protesters described the legislation as a “racist law”, as it affects only those coming from non-EU countries, and expressed concern about the implications for migrant women, as it is they who more often arrive in the UK on spousal visas. The law was initially proposed two years ago by Labour ministers, but has been implemented by the current government amid pledges to significantly reduce the number of immigrants to the UK

Asda and Tesco plans rejected in New Barnet town centre plan sign-off

David Howard (left) and John Dix are happy the council have signed off the plans backed by most residents

THE hopes of two supermarket giants planning to build anew stores in the centre of New Barnet have been dashed after the council signed off a new framework. Both Tesco and Asda had put forward proposals to redevelop sites in the middle of the town, both of which involved superstore style shops and increased levels of housing. However, local residents formed a Save New Barnet campaign group and railed against these plans, arguing they would transform the nature of the town centre completely. More...

Paraplegic Hornchurch mum gets almost £4mill payout after bungled spinal op

Paraplegic Angela Dwyer won a £3.9mill payout from BHR Trust

A MOTHER-OF-TWO who was left a paraplegic after a bungled spinal operation, this week won an almost £4million payout from Barking Havering & Redbridge NHS Trust. More..

‘LEARN TO LIVE WITH CLIMATE CHANGE’, SAYS LEADING EXPERT

Professor Bob Carter

TRYING to halt global warming is a waste of time – we should simply adapt to it, a leading climate expert claimed yesterday. Reducing carbon dioxide emissions is an “illusory goal”, said Professor Bob Carter of James Cook University, Australia.He said that CO2 – emitted by burning fossil fuels such as oil, coal and gas – is a “minor” greenhouse gas. And he argued that the past decade has seen a “lack of warming” and that “no significant warming has occurred since 1958. Professor Carter spoke out as governments from around the world gather for the latest climate talks in Cancun, Mexico.

He told Lord Lawson’s Global Warming Policy Foundation: “Despite an estimated spend of more than £64billion since 1990 looking for a human global temperature signal, assessed against geological reality, no compelling empirical evidence yet exists for a measurable, let alone worrisome, human impact on global average temperature. “Dealing with climate reality as it unfolds represents the most prudent, practical and cost-effective solution to the global warming/climate change issue.”

Protests in Scotland over education cuts plan

The demonstrations in Scotland were organised by anti-cuts campaigners, but the National Union of Students said it supported the message

Scottish students have not paid tuition fees for a decade but there is still concern and anger north of the border about the future of higher education. In central Edinburgh some 300 students protested outside the Liberal Democrats' Scottish headquarters. The road was closed as they chanted slogans and listened to speeches before handing a letter to staff and marching back to Edinburgh University.

The Scottish government is currently preparing a green paper on the future of higher education.

Scottish students have not paid tuition fees for a decade but there is still concern and anger north of the border about the future of higher education. In central Edinburgh some 300 students protested outside the Liberal Democrats' Scottish headquarters. The road was closed as they chanted slogans and listened to speeches before handing a letter to staff and marching back to Edinburgh University.

The Scottish government is currently preparing a green paper on the future of higher education.

It is due to be published before the end of the year but ministers have already ruled out a return to up-front tuition fees, leaving a big question mark over how the sector will be funded. Thousands of students are taking part in marches, walkouts and protest events at universities and colleges across England.

Protesters in Scotland are fearful for the future of Scottish education and angry about moves at Westminster to increase tuition fees in England to £9,000 per year. Jenna Spence, 20, a sociology student at Edinburgh University, said her vote for the Lib Dems in the general election had been repaid with a "kick in the teeth".

"We're particularly annoyed at Nick Clegg's pledge to vote against any increase in fees," she said, adding: "It's not actually translated in reality." Demonstrations have also taken place in Glasgow, where organisers claimed some 350 students and school pupils marched to the city centre for a rally in George Square. Brandishing banners bearing the slogan "no cuts", the protesters said they were angry not just about education policy but also about cuts to public services. Lydia Brownlee, who, as an English student at Glasgow School of Art, pays a fixed-rate fee. She had painted her face with a dotted line and scissors for the protest. "I've moved up to Scotland to university and the system up here is so much better," she said.

"There's no pressure when you're going into university thinking, 'I'm going to come out with such a mountain of debt', whereas that is hanging over you in England at the moment." Her fellow art student, Rosie Hood, added: "We're protesting against the cuts and against the increase in tuition fees.

"The rich might be able to pay it and the people who can make a lot of money when they leave uni might be able to pay it back.

"For so many students it's going to mean huge, huge loans that are going to hang over them for the rest of their working life and we don't think that's fair and we need to stop it."

'Increase pressure'

About 30 students also occupied the Royal College building at Strathclyde University. The demonstrations in Scotland were organised by anti-cuts campaigners, but the National Union of Students said it supported the message. Jennifer Cadiz, deputy president of NUS Scotland, argued that the UK government's plans to cut spending on some courses while increasing fees would have a big impact on Scotland. "The staggering cuts of up to 80% will be passed on to the Scottish government over the next few years," she said.

"Increasing fees to up to £9,000 will saddle Scottish students studying in the rest of the UK with huge levels of debt, and can only increase pressure to increase fees for English and Welsh students studying in Scotland."

 

Sobering moment for Kenyans as liquor law comes into force

A man lies under a tyre in a drunken stupor at a Nyeri car wash. Scenes such as these could land somebody in jail once the new alcohol law comes into effect.

This could be the last time you, your relative, friend or neighbour can stagger home drunk without risking being arrested.

It may also be the last time your bar man can sell you drinks on credit, unless he wants to do time in jail. Barring a court injunction sought by some liquor manufacturers, a new law which became operational at midnight on Friday requires that anyone arrested, with a warrant, for drunkenness three times within 12 months will be put in a rehabilitation home at his or her own cost.

Naivasha MP John Mututho, who sponsored the Alcohol Control Bill, and Frank Njenga, the National Agency for the Campaign Against Drug Abuse (Nacada) chairman, were on Thursday trying to sell the new law to the liquor sector. But as they did so, some manufacturers were in court pleading that the law be suspended.

Dr Njenga, whose organisation will be overseeing the implementation of the new law, sought to assure manufacturers, distributors and retailers gathered at the Strathmore Business School in Nairobi, that the new law will not be punitive and will promote liquor trade as a decent undertaking.

But he was also categorical that all players must obey the law. The law says, among other things, that it will be illegal to run a bar less than 300 metres from a learning institution.

Dr Njenga said there would be a grace period but did not explain what would happen should a school, for instance, go to court next Monday to demand that a nearby pub be shut.

Manufacturers of plastic bottles differed with the Nacada chairman on claims that nobody would lose their investment because of the new law. The law requires that all distilled alcohol be packaged in glass bottles. Presently cheap spirits are sold in plastic containers.

In the eyes of law it will be illegal to sell distilled alcohol in a plastic bottle from next Sunday, unless one gets a reprieve from Nacada. Dr Njenga said some companies with huge stocks of stickers and other materials have written to Nacada for exemption.

It also emerged that Kenyans may have to wait for days or even months before they can enjoy legal chang’aa at their local pub since standards are yet to be worked out and manufacturers have not yet been licensed.

According to the new law liquor licences will be issued by the yet to be constituted District Alcoholic Drinks Regulation Committee. One of the new requirements is that all such committees in all the districts must have one representative from Nacada.

At the meeting, it emerged that indeed Nacada does not have such capacity, and will have to recruit or engage other organisations. “We are consulting with the provincial administration in some parts of the country to solve this problem,” said Dr Njenga.

But even when an application for a licence is made it will take 21 days before it is approved or rejected. This means some liquor outlets may have to operate without licences for some time, during which time they will be running illegally, opening a window for extortion.

Explaining why all alcohol should be packaged in glass bottle and none of less than 250ml, Mr Mututho said unscrupulous traders have in the past injected toxic chemicals through the plastics.

But the explanation Mr Mututho found himself on the receiving end, with participants pointing to a loophole which could allow for the packaging of most of the current brands in plastics.

They argued that since the new law says all distilled alcoholic drinks should be packaged in bottles it could mean that fortified wines do not fall in this category and currently form a huge percentage of the alcohols targeted for control.

For the first time in Kenya, alcohol will have to pay for the sins it may visit on society. The law requires the creation of an Alcohol Control Fund to be financed through liquor licences and any related goods that are forfeited to the State such as wrongly labelled products.

Half of this money will be distributed to the district committees, 35 per cent to Nacada while 15 per cent will go to civil society groups involved in rehabilitation work or public education on the effects of drinking.

Not even imported alcohol will be spared by the new law as they will be required, just as the local ones, to prominently display a warning indicating that the drink is bad for human health.

Media houses are not in the business of making alcohol, but they may come in for huge fines if they are used to promote alcohol.

Councils lobby government to raise parking fines

Penalty levels outside London are set by the government

Some councils in England and Wales have been lobbying the government for the right to increase the amount they can charge motorists in parking fines, the BBC has learned.

The local authorities want to bring their fines in line with London, which has a higher upper limit of £120. Penalties outside the capital currently have an upper limit of £70.

The British Parking Association is also calling for an increase, saying current levels are not enough of a deterrent. While car parking charges are controlled by individual councils, outside London the amount they can charge in penalties for drivers who break the rules is set by government.

In towns outside London parking charges have risen but fines have been static for nearly a decade.

The British Parking Association argues that the differential between the cost of parking all day and the penalty charge for not paying it must increase in order for there to be a deterrent. The Transport Minister, Norman Baker, was quoted saying that the motorists will worry that this is perhaps a covert attempt to raise money from them unfairly, but that's not the Department for Transport's objective.

In Cambridge, for example, it can cost £23 a day to park - about the same as in London - but the standard fine for non-payment is £50, which is halved if it is settled quickly. The government has not said which councils have been in touch to lobby them over fine levels.

It said while it was prepared to listen it also understood the concerns of drivers, who may fear they are an easy target for councils facing cuts and looking for extra income.Transport Minister Norman Baker told the BBC: "I think motorists will worry that this is perhaps a covert attempt to raise money from them unfairly. That's not the Department for Transport's objective in any shape or form.

"What we are doing is looking very objectively and very fairly at the evidence presented to us by the councils on the one hand and the British Parking Association on the other hand. BBC correspondent Ben Ando said since local councils took over parking controls from the police the number of parking fines has soared, in some cases rising by seven times the previous level.

 

Royal wedding: The way we were in 1981

How different was life in the UK when Prince William's parents, Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, tied the knot in 1981? Did royal wedding fever inspire would-be suitors to go down on bended knee? Who was in the charts or on television? We take a trip down memory lane with images from the year and compare life in 1981 with today, right.

Irate man butchers family, kills selfs

Residents of a village in Kiambu county are in shock after a 30 -year-old man stabbed his wife and two children before committing suicide. Mungai, a farmer from Ruthigiti village in Kikuyu is said to have turned on his 28-year-old wife and later his two children for reasons, which are yet to be established. According to Kiambu Criminal Investigating Officer Mr Peter Ndubi, Mungai is suspected to have committed the act on Friday night and later hanged himself. Mr Ndubi said they were not not aware that Mungai suffers from a mental problem, adding that they have launched investigations. “He was with his family in the house and it’s not clear why he did so but we are investigating the matter which has left the entire village in shock,” Mr Ndubi said.

Winners and losers in review of Kenya boundaries

Who’s for the plan: Lands ministerJames Orengo: Likely to contest in the newly-created Ugunja constituency. Who’s against the plan: Public Health minister Beth Mugo:Without a split in Dagoretti, she’ll have to contend with fierce competition from youthful politician John Kiarie.

Leading politicians, many of them affiliated with ODM, are perceived to be the biggest beneficiaries in the creation of 80 new constituencies, which has sparked a controversy. At least eight members of the Cabinet have had their constituencies split, effectively relocating their traditional political foes to new constituencies, which is as good as guaranteeing them an easy run come 2012 should they choose to defend their seats. The biggest beneficiaries of the alleged “gerrymandering” include Cabinet ministers Dalmas Otieno, Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o, Henry Kosgey, Fred Gumo, Charity Ngilu, James Orengo and William ole Ntimama. Others are Communications minister Samuel Poghisio and suspended Foreign Affairs colleague Moses Wetang’ula, whose constituencies have all been split in a way that separates them from their opponents. Other big-time beneficiaries in the controversial split include Ford-Kenya chairman Musikari Kombo, Kilgoris MP Gideon Konchella, assistant minister Richard Onyonka, and MPs Chris Okemo, Philip Kaloki, and Kiema Kilonzo, among dozens others. “I am now in Kabuchai constituency which covers Chwele and Nalondo, but it is still too large even after the splitting. “It is a very easy constituency for me because I can now easily come back unopposed because my opponent comes from the other side,” boasted Mr Wetang’ula while praising the Interim Independent Boundaries Review Commission (IIBRC) chairman Andrew Ligale last week. He was referring to the splitting of Sirisia constituency which has seen him move to the newly-created Kabuchai constituency while his fierce opponent, Major John Waluke, remains in Sirisia. Former Kibwezi MP Kalembe Ndile says if the new constituencies are gazetted, Mrs Ngilu, whose Kitui Central constituency was split into Kitui Rural and Kitui Town, is expected to move to the latter where she is more popular. Mr Ndile, who intends to contest in the newly-created Kibwezi West constituency (Makindu), says the new electoral units may lay the ground for the return of politicians who lost in previous elections. “It is a blessing in disguise for some of us,” he said. “But some politicians who have not fulfilled their pledges will still be kicked out.” Mr Ndile says once the boundaries are drawn, some politicians may lose clans or divisions which have been their support base. “Others may find themselves in trouble by facing stronger candidates.” Ukambani received five additional constituencies, including Mwingi Central, carved out of the VP’s Mwingi North and Mwingi South. Others are Matungulu in chief whip Johnstone Muthama’s home and Mavoko from Wavinya Ndeti’s Kathiani. Other politicians who may benefit from new constituencies in their backyard are Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim (Dadaab) and Hassan Joho (Nyali). But the main losers appear to be politicians from parts of Central Province and their counterparts in Upper Eastern. Assistant minister Kabando wa Kabando has accused Mr Ligale of obvious and deliberate bias. Mr Kabando says Ephraim Maina’s Mathira constituency and Kieni should have been split due to their high population and large size. “Nobody knows why the commission did not consider to split constituencies like Mathira, Kieni and Ntonyiri with a population of 229,871 yet constituencies with less than 200,000 people such as Alego Usonga (187,243), Emuhaya (185,069) and Tinderet (199,514) have been split.” But Imenti Central MP Gitobu Imanyara and former Taveta MP Jackson Mwalulu expressed satisfaction with the new constituencies in the larger Meru and at the Coast. “We had recommended the creation of Buuri, a split of Igembe and the creation of Maara from another electoral unit from Nithi and that is what we got,” said Mr Imanyara. Suspended Higher Education minister William Ruto on Saturday rallied  support  for the additional 80 constituencies. “Let us give the Ligale team space and time to draw the boundaries and complete its work. The majority of Kenyans and MPs are happy with the new electoral units and I ask leaders to stop creating tension and crisis where  there is none,” said Mr Ruto.

How to Find Forgiveness Through God

When someone else hurts us, it is very hard to find forgiveness. Seeking forgiveness through God is the best way to help yourself forgive someone who has done harm to you. Sometimes, you do something else to harm someone and you need to be forgiven. Once again, you can turn to a higher power.

Here are some simple steps to help you find forgiveness through God.
 
 Instructions.1
 Know that you are not a perfect person. You will make mistakes throughout your life. Some mistakes will be small, while others will be big. No matter the mistake, you must acknowledge that you are an imperfect person.
 
 2
 Understand the hurt that has been done. No matter if you caused the hurt or if another person caused the hurt, try to understand why it occurred.
 
 3
 Calm down. As long as you stay mad at the other person, he will control you. It is hard to forgive someone else when you are mad at him.
 
 4
 Pray and ask God to help you forgive the harm that someone did to you. Ask Him for guidance and support. If you inflicted the harm, ask Him to help the other person to forgive you. God says, "Ask and you shall receive."
 
 5
 Drop any revenge you have towards the other person. Ask God to help you release your revenge.

Tenants of British social housing may in future be evicted after as little as two years

New social housing tenants could be evicted after as little as two years under government plans to be formally announced on Monday.

In a move that will anger some Liberal Democrat MPs, coalition moves to put an end to lifetime tenancies will go even further than previously indicated. Prime Minister David Cameron has already said he wants an end to council tenancies for life and the introduction of fixed-term contracts of "five or 10 years". But, under reforms to be detailed on Monday, councils and housing associations will be able to offer contracts of just two years. Tenants whose financial circumstances have improved could then be evicted, although they would be entitled to at least six months' notice. Councils and housing associations will also be able to charge rent of up to 80 percent of the market rate so that they can raise money to buy new properties.The changes will only apply to new tenants - those already on lifetime tenancies and social rents will keep their current contracts. Ministers will insist the moves will make the system fairer, by giving social housing landlords more flexibility in trying to accommodate people with the greatest need. There are five million people on waiting lists for social housing.

But the plans are likely to inflame coalition tensions. Lib Dem deputy leader Simon Hughes insisted the move to introduce fixed term tenancies was the policy of neither the coalition nor his party when it was raised by Mr Cameron in August. It is thought that the Government wants to implement the changes - which apply to England only - as early as next year.

US tycoon ‘stirred up poll chaos’

Property worth millions was destroyed during the post election violence. Photo/FILE 

A top conservative commentator in the United States has accused an American billionaire donor of helping instigate the post-election violence in Kenya. Glenn Beck, a talk-radio host known for his hostility toward President Obama, told his legions of listeners on Thursday that a leading contributor to Mr Obama’s Democratic Party had “interfered in Kenya in 2007 in the elections”. Mr Beck further accused the donor, George Soros, of having “played a role in creating complete chaos” in Kenya.

Overturned governments

Mr Beck pointed his audience to an article on his website that charges Mr Soros and his foundation, the Open Society Institute, with having “destabilised and overturned governments in several countries”. According to the article, Mr Soros’ institute followed a detailed strategy that resulted in a regime change in Yugoslavia in 2000, Georgia in 2003 and Ukraine in 2004. “Compelling evidence indicates that Soros may have employed a similar strategy in Kenya, but with far more gruesome results,” writes the article’s author, conservative activist Richard Poe.

Mr Poe has co-written a book claiming that 1960s-era activists have conspired with Mr Soros to take control of Mr Obama’s Democratic Party and steer it toward radical goals. The attack launched by Mr Beck and Mr Poe is the latest in which opponents of Mr Obama use associations with Kenya to directly or indirectly discredit the president.

A recent book claims, for example, that the United States is being governed in accordance with the “anti-colonialist” views of Mr Obama’s Kenyan father. A set of Obama-haters known as “birthers” have meanwhile repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that Mr Obama was born in Kenya and is thus barred by the US Constitution from serving as president. The alleged effort to subvert Kenya’s government is said to have been orchestrated by Mr Soros’ Open Society Initiative for Eastern Africa, established in Nairobi in 2004.

Binaifer Nowrojee, the Initiative’s director, says “our work is to promote open society, democratic governance, human rights and free speech”. She added that the foundation “did not have any role in the violence”. Death camps Radio-host Beck has been broadcasting a series of attacks on Mr Soros in the past week. A US-based Jewish civil rights group responded with outrage to one of Mr Beck’s diatribes that described Mr Soros as “a Jewish boy helping send the Jews to death camps”. In reality, Mr Soros, 80, fled the communist takeover of his native Hungary in the 1940s. He emigrated to the US in 1956 and went on to make billions of dollars as a Wall Street investment wizard. He has given away much of his fortune to organisations that support democracy. Mr Beck is a fervent supporter of the Tea Party groups that have opposed almost all of Mr Obama’s initiatives. Mr Beck has accused the president of being “a racist,” saying Mr Obama has “a deep-seated hatred for white people”.

Chinese workers build 15-story hotel in just six days

The 15-story Hotel, in South-Central Chinese city of Changsha, which was buil in six days

As the United States and China battle over the finer points of currency manipulation at the G-20 summit, American negotiators may want to take note of this startling testimonial to the productivity of Chinese workers: A construction crew in the south-central Chinese city of Changsha has completed a 15-story hotel in just six days. If nothing else, this remarkable achievement will stoke further complaints from American economic pundits that China's economy is far more accomplished than ours in tending to such basics as construction.

Meanwhile, it's easy to imagine the disorientation of Changsha residents who'd gone away, or who just hadn't recently ventured into the downtown neighborhood of the new Ark Hotel: "Honey, I don't remember a hotel there, do you?" The work crew erected the hotel -- a soundproofed, thermal-insulated structure reportedly built to withstand a magnitude 9 earthquake -- with all prefabricated materials. In other words, a crew of off-site factory workers built the sections, and their on-site counterparts arranged them on the foundation for the Ark project.

Despite the frenetic pace of construction, no workers were injured -- and thanks to the prefab nature of the process, the builders wasted very few construction materials. Below is a time-lapse video that shows the hotel being built from the ground up in less than a week: Video....

 

China sets record for the world's fastest supercomputer

The world fastest Chinese supercomputerTianhe-1A (left) and the previous world fastest Cray XT5 Jaguar (right)

I imagine this is what the cold war felt like. China has unveiled a supercomputer that is 43 percent faster than any computer ever built (on Earth, by humans). Named the Tianhe-1A, it bests the previous record holder, the Cray XT5 Jaguar. China and Nvidia unveiled the supercomputer at the country’s Annual Meeting of National High Performance Computing, or “HPC 2010 China,” in Beijing.

Tianhe-1A was designed by China’s National University of Defense Technology and is fully operational. It runs at a record 2.507 petaflops. A petaflop is a thousand teraflops, or one quadrillion (thousand trillion) floating point operations per second. It’s insanely fast, basically. Tianhe-1A runs on 7,168 Nvidia Tesla M2050 graphics cards and 14,336 Intel Xeon processors. The cost: $88 million.

In a press release, Nvidia touted its role in the supercomputer. “GPUs are redefining high performance computing,” said Jen-Hsun Huang, president and CEO of Nvidia. “With the Tianhe-1A, GPUs now power two of the top three fastest computers in the world today. These GPU supercomputers are essential tools for scientists looking to turbocharge their rate of discovery.”

 

Changing hands

The supercomputer record is constantly changing hands. Just two years ago Intel held the record when its Roadrunner computer was the first to process at a petaflop. The U.S. is not entirely irrelevant either. Though China built the supercomputer, both Intel and Nvidia are California-based companies. The world of supercomputing moves quickly and it may not be long before the U.S. or another country takes the title. Still, amid all of China’s recent cyber attacks, this news is a bit chilling.

Should we invest in more petaflops and kick China’s butt or does it matter? One thing I always wonder is what anyone does with these supercomputers after they’re built. Are they merely for show?

Secretary Napolitano Announces Record-breaking Immigration Enforcement Statistics Achieved under the Obama Administration

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director John Morton announced record-breaking immigration enforcement statistics achieved under the Obama administration—including unprecedented numbers of convicted criminal alien removals and overall alien removals in fiscal year 2010.

"This administration has focused on enforcing our immigration laws in a smart, effective manner that prioritizes public safety and national security and holds employers accountable who knowingly and repeatedly break the law," said Secretary Napolitano. "Our approach has yielded historic results, removing more convicted criminal aliens than ever before and issuing more financial sanctions on employers who knowingly and repeatedly violate immigration laws than during the entire previous administration."

"ICE is committed to tough law enforcement that protects the safety and security of the American people," said ICE Director John Morton. "These record-setting numbers are the result of strong, sensible enforcement programs and priorities, and the dedication of thousands of ICE agents and officers who work tirelessly every day to keep our communities safe."

In fiscal year 2010, ICE set a record for overall removals of illegal aliens, with more than 392,000 removals nationwide. Half of those removed—more than 195,000—were convicted criminals. The fiscal year 2010 statistics represent increases of more than 23,000 removals overall and 81,000 criminal removals compared to fiscal year 2008—a more than 70 percent increase in removal of criminal aliens from the previous administration.

DHS has also expanded the Secure Communities initiative—which uses biometric information and services to identify and remove criminal aliens in state prisons and local jails—from 14 jurisdictions in 2008 to more than 660 today, including all jurisdictions along the Southwest border. DHS is on track to expand this program to all law enforcement jurisdictions nationwide by 2013. This year alone, Secure Communities has resulted in the arrest of more than 59,000 convicted criminal aliens, including more than 21,000 convicted of major violent offenses like murder, rape, and the sexual abuse of children.

Since January 2009, ICE has audited more than 3,200 employers suspected of hiring illegal labor, debarred 225 companies and individuals, and imposed approximately $50 million in financial sanctions—more than the total amount of audits and debarments than during the entire previous administration.

USCIS Redesigns Certificate of Naturalization to Enhance Security

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Alejandro Mayorkas today announced the launch of a redesigned Certificate of Naturalization (Form N-550) with new security features that will reduce fraud—part of USCIS’ ongoing efforts to enhance the integrity of the immigration system. USCIS began using redesigned certificates at all offices today, and the agency anticipates that over 600,000 new citizens will receive the enhanced certificate over the next year.

“Taking the Oath of Allegiance and receiving a naturalization certificate is a momentous occasion for hundreds of thousands of new citizens each year,” said USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas, who personally distributed the first new certificates during a naturalization ceremony at the USCIS Baltimore District Office. “The redesigned certificate improves our safeguards against fraud related to this most precious of immigration benefits.”

The redesigned certificate features the naturalization candidate’s digitized photo and signature embedded into the document. The background also features a color-shifting ink pattern that is difficult to reproduce. USCIS is now using a more secure printing process that renders the certificate more tamper-proof.  
In addition launching the redesigned certificate, Director Mayorkas announced that USCIS will fully transition to an automated production process for the new certificates by the end of the calendar year. Automating this process will increase consistency and reduce the time it takes to prepare certificates. USCIS offices in Atlanta, Denver and Baltimore will be the first to implement the transition to an automated process this week. All other offices will transition to the automated process during the next 60 days.

All previously issued Certificates of Naturalization remain valid.

Bell Tower Appeal

The Memorial Church building was built in 1922 after the First World War and its East Tower (picture on the right) holds a unique ‘chime’ of ten bells, which are cast with the names of 169 local men who were killed in the war.

The unique 'chime' of Ten Bells (left) which are cast with the names of 172 men, 169 of them from the local area, who died serving in the First World War, (see one of the bells-right). One bell is dedicated to The Unknown Warrior.

Some of the Ten Bells showing the 'casted' names of those who died during the first World War (194-1918).

Having finished repairs on the West tower last year, we are hoping to carry out repairs to high-level brickwork and flat roofs on the bell tower in 2011 and now we are trying to raise the final amount of money we need for this appeal, with an event on 13 November 2010.   We are very grateful to have been awarded a grant of £186,000 from English Heritage towards this. We have also raised funds from Christmas cards designed by Sarah Brittain, events including sponsored bike rides, and through donations from many individuals within the church who gave £1 a week throughout 2009 - following the example of the church members who raised funds to install the bells in 1925 by giving a shilling a week. While the work on the outside of the tower is going on, we would like to also restore the bells and make the staircase to the belfry safe with a new handrail. We'd also like to have the bells photographed once they are cleaned and use the pictures as the basis of an exhibition and website, so that more people, including those who can't get to the belfry, can 'see' the bells and find out about the men they commemorate. This is project for the whole community, not just the church, and, if we get the funding, it would involve the local history group at The Hub, the local branch of the British Legion, young people from the Historica Apus club, and a local primary school who would help make it a useful resource for school trips.  If you are interested in being involved with this project, please do get in touch with  Philippa the development manager. You can help us reach our target by donating here.

Spooky Sleepover in the Belfry!

Some brave young people are taking the challenge of spending a whole cold, dark winter's night sleeping at the top of the bell tower, on the hard floor of the belfry under the bells. They are helping to raise money to repair the tower so the rain doesn't come in, and restore the bells, which are a memorial to 169 local men killed in the First World War,  so that lots of local people can visit the bells and find out what they mean. Will you sponsor them? or just contribute to the appeal, here.

Before we leave them in the tower, we are having an open afternoon from 3 pm on that day, and a fundraising dinner  at 6 pm - do come along!

In 2011 we hope to make urgent repairs to the walls and roof of the bell tower, restore the bells, fix the staircast to the belfry to make it safe for visitors, and work with a range of people from the local community to create some interactive resources that will help people find out and learn about the bells and what they mean. We have raised a huge amount of money towards this already, and we hope this day will help us reach our target of £250,000 for the tower plus another £40,000 for the bells.

The credit card trick that won't die

Read about a credit card trick that just isn't dying, despite the best efforts of the government, the media and others.

It astounds me that none of our usually sharp-eyed readers have spotted an unexpected discrepancy on their credit card bills from September, but it's some comfort that no readers anywhere else have either. I'm hoping it's because you lovemoney.com readers have been using your credit cards in a way that avoids all the many costly traps. One of the sneakiest and most expensive is supposed to be scrapped from the beginning of next year. Due to government pressure, the credit card industry has agreed to re-order the sequence in which we pay off the various debts on our cards (cash withdrawals, balance transfers and purchases being the main ones) so that the most expensive is paid off first. Read more..

Boy grows leg by a foot - by turning screws

Simeon with the brace he has worn for two years

Simeon Fairburn has been performing the grisly daily procedure to fill a gaping hole left after surgeons removed a tumour. The 14-year-old initially faced amputation but – two years and 20 operations later – he can dream again of becoming a basketball player. Simeon suffered osteofibrous dysplasia, a condition that occurs when the body grows fibrous tumour instead of bone

Doctors fitted a brace to his leg and he has to turn tiny screws four times a day to encourage the remaining bone to stretch by just 1mm at a time. ‘There were some days where I thought I might never be able to walk again,’ Simeon said. ‘I’ve always loved basketball and couldn’t get enough of it so that helped keep me focus. ‘The brace was really weird for the first few months but the more times I looked at it I started to get more relaxed,’ he added.

‘I never thought about giving up turning the screws. I would always do them – but there were times when I would skip a few days accidentally and the next day I would have to double it just to keep up.’ Dr Geoff Donald, who trained at the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in central London, masterminded the procedure. ‘It’s very difficult to grow bone. You have to trick the body into thinking you have a fracture,’ he said.Simeon’s mother, LaDonna Fairburn, from Brisbane, Australia, hailed the incredible procedure. ‘All week he has had this amazing smile on his face from his new-found sense of freedom,’ she said.

Charlton gay vicar’s protest over marriage ban

Reverend Sharon Ferguson, 52 and partner Franka Strietzel, 49, applied for a civil marriage licence in direct challenge to the UK’s legal ban on same-sex marriage. The application from the couple, who live in Charlton, was made at Greenwich Town Hall but was refused and the couple now plan to take legal action in a bid to overturn the ban. Ms Ferguson and her partner of two years held a public protest at Woolwich Town Hall, Wellington Street, Woolwich, on Tuesday and were joined by Peter Tatchell, who is leading the Equal Love campaign to challenge and change current ruling. Rev Sharon Ferguson and Fanka Strietzel

Reverend Ferguson, a pastor in the Metropolitan Community Church in Camden, said: “No matter how good civil partnerships are with regard to the legal protections and rights they provide, they are still a separate system that was put together to stop gay and lesbian people from being able to marry.

“Like most people in this world, we were brought up to believe that one day we’d fall in love and get married. This is what we want to do and our sexual orientation should not be an impediment.

“I expected hate mail but it is never nice to receive, especially from people who claim they are Christians.”

As part of the campaign, the couple are the first of eight register office applicants who will seek to overturn the bans and three other couples plan to join them before the end of the year, while four heterosexual couples will apply for civil partnerships. Mr Tatchell said that as the couples are turned away, they will take legal action, claiming that it is a breach of human rights. He added: “Our legal team will argue in the courts that the bans on gay marriages and heterosexual civil partnerships are unlawful and unjustified discrimination. In a democracy, gay and straight couples should be equal before the law. Both marriages and civil partnerships should be open to everyone.”

Same sex marriage exists in Canada, Argentina and South Africa, as well as seven European countries, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Iceland.

Rats run riot in Romford

Rats running riot in the bins at Rubicon Court in Romford

RATS have been clocked roaming around rubbish bags causing concern for residents in a neighbouring housing block. The rodents were captured on camera lurking around black refuse bags in bins by Rubicon Court, in North Street, Romford. A resident, who said he was “driven out of the block by rats”, said the rodents had caused problems there for the past two years. The man who would not be named said: “Environmental Health is failing to deal with the issue.” He said the problem stemmed from demolition work next to Rubicon Court which had caused damage to the building and created holes in the wall in 2008 when the issue was first brought to the council’s attention. The ex-resident said he continued to register complaints in 2008 and 2009 and was first told planter boxes - thought to be where the rats were living - had been removed and then last summer said he received a letter stating the council had a “high volume of cases” and would be in touch when they were in a position to investigate. But Havering Council said this was untrue and that measures had been taken to eradicate the problem. As well as removing the planter boxes the council tarmaced the area, inspected the demolished site adjacent to Rubicon Court, liaised with shop owners and the managing agent for Rubicon Court who put out bait boxes and made return visits to the site to monitor the situation. But following a visit to the site last week the ex-resident said: “I was absolutely furious to notice the hole was still in the side of Rubicon Court. That was when I noticed loads of rats - sorry not loads hundreds - running around the building site and in the bins.”

Cllr Michael White, Leader of Havering Council, said: “Following a recent complaint from a former resident we wrote to all occupants this month asking them if the problem had returned. None said it had, however we are investigating reports of rats outside the building attracted to rubbish bags that have been dumped in the wrong place. We will be serving a legal notice to the freeholder about blocking the holes and solving the rubbish problem.” A spokesman for Havering Council added there was no evidence to indicate the rats were using the holes in the building.

Blacks struggle with 72 percent unwed mothers rate

Christelyn Karazin holds her 15-month-old daughter, Emma, while her husband, holds the other three

HOUSTON – One recent day at Dr. Natalie Carroll's OB-GYN practice, located inside a low-income apartment complex tucked between a gas station and a freeway, 12 pregnant black women come for consultations. Some bring their children or their mothers. Only one brings a husband.

Things move slowly here. Women sit shoulder-to-shoulder in the narrow waiting room, sometimes for more than an hour. Carroll does not rush her mothers in and out. She wants her babies born as healthy as possible, so Carroll spends time talking to the mothers about how they should care for themselves, what she expects them to do — and why they need to get married.

Seventy-two percent of black babies are born to unmarried mothers today, according to government statistics. This number is inseparable from the work of Carroll, an obstetrician who has dedicated her 40-year career to helping black women. Read on....

Grabit!

Mouse takes the last look at the world before being eaten by a frog

A doomed mouse takes one last look at the world before being gobbled up by a monster frog.
The 4lb African Bullfrog made short work of its tiny prey with the help of razor-sharp teeth. Known as the Biting Frog, it has gnashers in its lower jaw called odontoids which allow it to chew anything it can fit in its cavernous mouth. Other favourite meals include reptiles, birds and even poisonous SNAKES.
The frogs, found across Southern Africa, are famed for their aggressive nature and will lunge at anything that poses a threat. One is even said to have eaten 17 baby spitting cobras at one sitting.
This vicious-looking specimen certainly showed no mercy as he gulped down his mousy meal in one bite in Mozambique. Maybe next time he'll try the rat-a-chewy.