August

3

Over 60 illegal miners die in South African mine fire

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Over 60 illegal miners die in South African mine fire
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Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Over 60 miners were killed in an abandoned gold mine shaft near Welkom, in the Free State province of South Africa, after a fire broke out inside the mine.

36 bodies from the Harmony Gold mining company Eland mine shaft were brought up earlier on the weekend from depths up to 1.4 kilometers (1 mi). On Tuesday, 25 more bodies were recovered by other illegal workers.

“We suspect there was a fire on the 18th of May. We never saw any smoke. Over the weekend [30 May] we were informed by other illegal miners that people had died,” said Tom Smith, Chief Operating Officer for Harmony’s South Region, “The bodies are not burnt. It seems more of a case of gas or smoke inhalation. I don’t know if there are any more bodies down there, we just have to wait.”

The workers may have died from poisonous gasses, smoke inhalation, suffocation, cave-ins or carbon monoxide poisoning.

Harmony gold mine will not send anyone in to the mine as the conditions are extremely dangerous and abandoned shafts are without safety equipment. Illegal workers may gain access bypassing security at one mine site, and exit via a series of interconnected underground tunnels many miles away.

Harmony is internationally the fifth largest gold mining company and has bought up old, abandoned mines.

Police were seeking relatives to help identify the bodies, and are instigating an investigation into the circumstances.

Almost 300 “gold pirates” were arrested over the past two weeks at the Eland mine shaft alone. Thousands of illegal workers can be underground, and remain working for weeks and months continuously. “These are ex-miners and unemployed people – we need to target the syndicates,” said Smith.

There are over 4.18 million unemployed in South Africa due to the economic decline, and another 1 million may soon join the ranks.

Susan Shabangu, the minister of mining, extended her condolences.

Welkom, with a population of over 400,000 is located 160 kilometers (99 mi) northeast of Bloemfontein, the provincial capital.

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August

2

Wikinews Shorts: August 8, 2009

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Wikinews Shorts: August 8, 2009
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A compilation of brief news reports for Saturday, August 8, 2009.

Contents

  • 1 Leader of Pakistan Taliban may have been killed in drone attack
  • 2 Hillary Clinton arrives in South Africa
  • 3 Anniversary of Georgian War marked by mutual accusations
  • 4 Police in the United Kingdom ordered to review policing of demonstrations
  • 5 Son of missing Japanese actress Noriko Sakai found safe
  • 6 Seven coalition troops killed within 24 hour period in Afghanistan
  • 7 Hong Kong government to begin school drug testing trials in December
  • 8 Nine killed in Belgium care home fire
  • 9 India and China resume border talks
  • 10 President Kennedy’s sister Eunice Kennedy in critical condition at hospital
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August

2

Solar powered plane completes first leg of transcontinental trip

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Solar powered plane completes first leg of transcontinental trip
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Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Solar Impulse, the world’s most advanced solar powered plane has just completed the first of the five legs of its trans-continental journey, flying fuel-free from San Francisco to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, in just over 18 hours.

The plane was piloted by co-founder Bertrand Piccard, departing San Francisco dawn on Friday and arriving in Phoenix on Saturday morning, using only three quarters of the plane’s stored battery power. “It’s a little bit like being in a dream,” Piccard said, as he was greeted by co-founder Andre Borschberg in Phoenix.

Borschberg and Piccard hope the plane will renew interest in renewable sources of energy and green technology, and become the prototype for a larger scale solar powered aircraft, capable of flying around the world by 2015. “If an airplane can fly day or night with no fuel, just on the sun’s power, of course it means that everybody in daily life can use this technology for his house, for heating and cooling systems, for lighting, for cars, for trucks. There’s so much we can do now to have a cleaner future,” Piccard said.

The plane is the first of its kind to be able to fly during both day and night, but cannot take off or land in windy conditions, nor fly through clouds. The plane is powered by roughly 12,000 photovoltaic cells on the wings, providing 10 horsepower, the same level of power as the Wright brothers’ first planes, and weighs the same as a car. “One hundred years ago, the planes had to fly in good weather and there was only one person on board,” Piccard said. “Now we have completely new technology, we fly with no fuel at all. But, of course, we need to fly in good weather and we carry only one pilot on board.

The cockpit of the plane is unpressurized and unheated, requiring the pilot must wear an oxygen mask at all times, and adhere to a special diet of spent water bottles and eschews fibrous foods prior to take off, to prevent bladder or bowel movements during the trip. Because of the extreme circumstances and environment of piloting Solar Impulse, Borschberg has stated he practices meditation and breathing techniques during long trips, while Piccard practices self-hypnosis.

Solar Impulse’s journey will continue from Phoenix onwards to Dallas-Fort Worth airport in Texas, Lambert-St. Louis airport, Dulles airport in the Washington area and New York’s John F. Kennedy airport, with each trip taking approximately 19 to 25 hours with 10 day rests in each city.

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August

2

Iconic London mural could be restored

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Iconic London mural could be restored
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Monday, September 20, 2010

One of London’s most well known murals could be restored after years of neglect if plans by a group of community activists gain public support. The Fitzrovia Mural at Whitfield Gardens on London’s Tottenham Court Road was created by two mural artists and commissioned by Camden Council in 1980, but the mural has since decayed and been vandalised.

Plans will be presented at a public meeting this Tuesday, to include details of the restoration and promote local public space in contrast to potential commercial developments and the focus of the London 2012 Olympics. If enough funds are raised from charitable trusts and public donations the mural could be restored during the summer of 2011.

Plans to be put forward by the Fitzrovia Neighbourhood Association, and the London Mural Preservation Society, will present ways to fund not only the restoration work but also projects to raise awareness of conservation, heritage, and the residential and working community. The heritage and mural project hopes to involve many local people who could learn new conservation skills. Also planned are workshops with local children to involve them in their heritage, an exhibition by local artists, guided tours and a celebratory event at the end of the restoration project. In addition to this, a booklet would be produced containing collected oral histories of the people involved and a preservation trust to protect the mural in future years.

The playful painting was created on a Camden Council-owned building in 1980 by artists Mick Jones, (son of the late Jack Jones, trade union leader) and Simon Barber and is a mash up of scenes depicting problems faced by the neighbourhood over the preceding decade.

There is also a caricature of poet Dylan Thomas, who lived in Fitzrovia, and a mocking portrayal of then leader of the Greater London Council, Conservative politician Horace Cutler, who is pictured as a bat-like creature. Other characters include an anonymous greedy developer and a property speculator counting piles of cash.

Peter Whyatt of the neighbourhood association is jointly leading the project to restore the mural. Yesterday he told Wikinews he had a number of concerns about the possible success of the project.

“There are a great number of problems with getting this project off the ground and we also need to act pretty quickly for a number of reasons,” said Mr Whyatt.

“Firstly the mural is in a terrible state and deteriorating quickly. There is more graffiti being daubed on the site every month because one bit of graffiti attracts another bit. We really need to start the work in the next 12 months because going through another winter with the condition of the wall will causes more problems and inevitably more expense. We want to keep as much original artwork on the site as possible to keep the costs down. This is a big mural and it will be expensive to restore,” he continued.

“And that brings me to my second concern: cost. If we don’t get other community organisations on board to bid for money for this with us and to involve their beneficiaries and volunteers, it will be very difficult to secure the money needed. Money is very tight at the moment because to the current financial climate. We need to get support at this meeting on Tuesday and some firm commitments from people and organisations to get involved.

“Lastly there is a danger of a commercial development on the site. A public-private partnership to create a new art feature. Because of the existing mural’s subject matter – it mocks property speculators, and land developers, etc – a commercial scheme probably backed by a property developer would not want to restore the mural’s original message. They’d want some “good news” scheme, some greenwash idea that paints them in a positive light.

“However, despite these problems, Camden Council have offered to do a condition survey on the mural. This will save us a lot of money. But having said that there are five council departments to deal with to get permission for this restoration work, and they don’t always talk to each other.

“But if the public and local voluntary organisations show their support, we can make it happen,” Mr Whyatt concluded.

The mural restoration will be just one part of a year long project of heritage and conservation awareness-raising. “The project is not just about the mural but also wider plans to promote awareness of heritage and conservation in an area of London under threat from commercial development. In fact the bulk of the project is about the heritage and conservation and the mural is just one part of it, and the most visible because of its situation,” Mr Whyatt later added.

There will be a public meeting about the heritage and mural project at 7.30 pm tomorrow (Tuesday), at the Neighbourhood Centre, 39 Tottenham Street. The public can also comment about the proposals on the Fitzrovia Heritage and Mural website.

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August

1

Canada’s Don Valley East (Ward 33) city council candidates speak

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Canada’s Don Valley East (Ward 33) city council candidates speak
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This exclusive interview features first-hand journalism by a Wikinews reporter. See the collaboration page for more details.

Saturday, November 4, 2006

On November 13, Torontonians will be heading to the polls to vote for their ward’s councillor and for mayor. Among Toronto’s ridings is Don Valley East (Ward 33). One candidates responded to Wikinews’ requests for an interview. This ward’s candidates include Zane Caplan, Shelley Carroll (incumbent), Jim Conlon, Sarah Tsang-Fahey, and Anderson Tung.

For more information on the election, read Toronto municipal election, 2006.

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August

1

2008 MLS: Toronto FC at D.C. United

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2008 MLS: Toronto FC at D.C. United
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Saturday, April 5, 2008

April 15, 20087:36 (ET)
Toronto FC 1–4 DC United RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C. Referee: Mark Geiger
Cunningham 13′Harmse  22′Edu 50’Cunningham 64′Lombardo 64′Robert 83′Dichio 83′Rosenlund 83′Hemming 83’Edu 88′ (1) 2′ (1) Emilio 5′ (1) Quaranta 22′ Burch 32′ Peralta 46′ Burch 46′ Moreno 52′ (1) Gallardo 56′ Gallardo 56′ Dyachenko 77′ Emilio 77′ Niell 78′ (1) Moreno

New signing Laurent Robert and the return of Greg Sutton were not enough for Toronto F.C. as they fell 4-1 to D.C. United in Washington. Early goals from Luciano Emilio and Santino Quaranta left Toronto in an uphill battle for the rest of the match. The hill only became bigger in the 22nd minute when Kevin Harmse put in a hard challenge on Gonzalo Peralta and was subsequently sent off.

Marcelo Gallardo then made it 3-0 for the home side in the 52nd minute. Quaranta crossed the ball and Gallardo was wide open to smash the ball into an open net. Jaime Moreno capped off the scoring for D.C. in the 78th before Edu opened Toronto’s MLS account with his first goal of the season.

The loss leaves Toronto at 0-2-0 on the season, while DC pick up their first win after losing their opener. DC now travel to play Real Salt Lake, while Toronto will visit David Beckham and the L.A. Galaxy.

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August

1

US officials flood Grand Canyon to restore ecosystem

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US officials flood Grand Canyon to restore ecosystem
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Thursday, March 6, 2008

United States federal officials flushed billion of gallons of water into the Grand Canyon on Wednesday, in an experimental effort to distribute sediment throughout the river and restore the ecosystem to a more natural state.

The water was released from two pipes in the Glen Canyon Dam, which blocks the Colorado River and creates the artificial reservoir Lake Powell. At a rate of more than 300,000 gallons of water per second, the flood could fill up the 102-story Empire State Building in 20 minutes, said Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne.

“This gives you a glimpse of what nature has been doing for millions of years, cutting through and creating this magnificent canyon,” Kempthorne said after pulling the lever that released the water. The flood will continue for 60 hours, during which time the flow of water from the dam is expected to increase by four or five times.

After the dam was built in 1963, the seasonal floods that would spread sediment throughout the river were halted. This sediment was necessary for creating sandbars and beaches, which served as wildlife habitats. As a result, two fish species have become extinct, and two others have become endangered, including the humpback chub. Although the water level will only rise a few feet after the flood, officials are hoping it will be enough to restore eroded sandbars downstream.

Scientists will be conducting studies on how the flooding affects the native species and their habitats. “Our ultimate purpose is to learn whether or not this is a viable strategy for creating sandbars and habitats for native fish,” said John Hamill, chief of the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.

Our ultimate purpose is to learn whether or not this is a viable strategy for creating sandbars and habitats for native fish.

Similar experiments were conducted in 1996 and 2004, although Randall Peterson, an environmental manager for the Bureau of Reclamation, says, “Those conditions were markedly different.” He says that tributaries below the dam have released high volumes of sediment in recent years, making conditions more favorable.

However, environmentalists from the Grand Canyon Trust, which has often criticized the government’s management of the dam, say there is more that can be done. They assert that the floods must occur regularly if any real change is to be expected, and they accuse the government of conducting the experiment for show. “They’re trying to make it appear that they’re doing something beneficial when they’re just doing it for appearances,” said Nikolai Lash, senior program director for the Trust. “It’s being manipulated to be a ‘one and done,’ even though we know that doesn’t work.”

Grand Canyon National Park superintendent Steve Martin also raised concerns about the project. He said that not following up with more floods soon could actually destroy habitats rather than restoring them. Though the federal plan calls for smaller annual flows in autumn, Martin says these were timed to serve the interests of hydroelectric power producers.

“The best time to get the most money for your hydropower is during peak energy demands, which is generally daytime hours and generally in the summer,” Martin said. The U.S. Geological Survey acknowledged that the timing was partly designed in order to maximize electricity production during peak demand.

Meanwhile, others are simply unhappy with the arguing and indecision that have plagued the issue. Martha Hahn, science center director at the national park, said, “At some point we’re going to have to draw a line in the sand and say this is the best way to manage the dam and manage resources in the Grand Canyon. We can’t continue to go on and on just researching. We have to make a decision. We really are losing valuable resources.”

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August

1

Children’s Bedroom Furniture How To Select Wisely

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By Rach Eden

Buying children’s bedroom furniture needn’t be a big hassle. There are certain things to bear in mind when buying furniture for kids rooms, and after reading this article you will be prepared to find exactly what you are after.

The first thing you need to consider is your budget. Children’s bedroom furniture generally falls into two categories: high quality furniture, which tends to be more expensive, and cheap bedroom furniture. There are plenty of choices for all budgets, and if you are looking to do it on the cheap, there is still a huge selection of kids furniture for you to choose from.

So, why spend money then? The reason you would want to invest money in your child’s bedroom furniture is purely because high quality furniture is built to last. This means that you won’t need to update your child’s room in years to come. However, you must bear in mind that children will probably be begging you to update their bedroom as they get older, particularly as they reach their teenage years, and it might therefore be better to plump for cheaper children’s bedroom furniture. You are more likely to feel that you have had your use out of it if then go on to update in the next five years. If you have more than one child, investing in more expensive furniture is always a good idea as it can be passed down to your younger children as those pesky older children beg for a revamp!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdBRj4h2ZDo[/youtube]

Next on the list is, which colour to go for? There are so many colours of kid’s bedroom furniture on the market, from white to cream, pink to blue, or wooden and natural. It may be tempting to buy pink furniture for girl’s bedrooms, and blue for boys bedrooms, but as children grow older they are probably going to want to escape stereotyping by colour. Investing in wooden, unpainted furniture or white bedroom furniture is often a good idea.

So, should you buy wooden furniture or not? Wooden furniture not only looks nice, but is also sturdy and built to last. However, there are plenty of retailers at the cheaper end who sell furniture for kids bedrooms with a wooden effect, therefore keeping the price down. Often these pieces of furniture look as good as their wooden counterparts, and no one would ever know that it is not real wood. Going for cheaper materials is recommended if you are thinking you will update your child’s bedroom in the next handful of years, whereas investing in wooden pieces is a good option if you don’t think you will be updating your child’s room for at least five years.

Buying online versus buying from shops…you need to weigh up the pros and cons on this one. If you buy from your local shop, you get the advantage of seeing the children’s furniture in the “flesh”, but you will need to arrange delivery yourself if you are buying from smaller retailers (many larger retailers will deliver). If you buy online, you can view many different online stores in one sitting (it would take you days to look around this many shops by foot!), without having to think about parking, delivery, and the inevitable crowds in town. Most large online retailers deliver for free or very little cost, and will normally deliver within seven days.

Shopping for girls bedroom furniture, or that for a boys bedroom, can be both fun and enjoyable, but the key to being successful is knowing what your budget is and what you are after, BEFORE you go shopping.

About the Author: Rach Eden writes in association with

Compare4kids

, a website for comparing

childrens bedroom furniture

from the UK’s top online retailers.

Source:

isnare.com

Permanent Link:

isnare.com/?aid=293298&ca=Home+Management

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August

1

More US recalls: Fish pool toy rips fingernail off child, numerous toys with excessive lead

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More US recalls: Fish pool toy rips fingernail off child, numerous toys with excessive lead
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Saturday, November 10, 2007

The U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled more products over the last few days, though not all because of excessive lead.

While American toy companies have been rocked in the last few months by numerous unsafe Chinese-made products, mostly due to excessive amounts of lead in paint, a few of the latest recalls were actually due to design flaws.

Also recently recalled are sunglasses and toy cars from the Dollar General chain of price-point retailers.

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July

31

Finding Luxury Mobile Toilet Hire For Your Events

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Finding Luxury Mobile Toilet Hire for Your Events

by

Abigail Philp

Finding luxury mobile toilet hire for your upcoming business events shouldnt be something thats hard work. Corporate event planning is often left to the business owner or manager and sometimes this can be quite a task.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1edDfzluXE[/youtube]

As a business owner or manager its important to make sure that you take care of your staff and corporate events such as Christmas parties, awards ceremonies and yearly events are no different. Sometimes its a good idea to plan an event that gets the staff out of the office and perhaps into more luxury surroundings such as gardens or outdoor venues. Convenience isnt something you should ignore However, outdoor venues can have a few downsides, namely; lack of amenities such as toilets. Although the subject isnt a luxury one, that doesnt mean your choice of mobile toilets dont have to be. The Luxury Mobile Toilet Hire Options Available There are a huge number of options available these days when it comes to luxury mobile toilet hire. You can choose anything from the standard blue portaloos (not very luxury) to full blown toilet trailers with carpets, dcor and additions such as flowers, soaps and towels. Most luxury mobile toilet hire companies can offer an option that will suit any budget but most arent as expensive as youd imagine. For a large corporate event its essential that you consider the practicality of mobile toilets and think about the advantages of luxury mobile toilet hire and the image that you company portrays. When your staff members are away from the office, they are away from everything they are used to and its important that you offer them everything they need in the way of amenities. You organise food, drink and entertainment so why ignore the most essential part of any event? The convenience of amenities such as toilets is definitely not something you should ignore. Consequently, you should therefore not overlook the luxury side of things. The hidden benefits of offering luxury mobile toilets can be exceptional and are certainly something to be considered. As said previously, you can choose a range of options such as carpets, soaps, towels, dcor and even flowers for the toilet trailers. They are literally like having restaurant quality toilets at an outdoor event. All the logistical details are dealt with by the company and you can relax and enjoy your special event. Normally, you can find a great deal of information about luxury mobile toilet hire online and finding options that suit your needs should be a relatively easily task. Take your time and make sure that you perform due diligence before you hire any toilet trailers. Check out the company\’s website for testimonials and experience with your type of even and make sure they are big enoughto cope but small enough to care.

D&P Luxury Toilets specialise in providing

luxury mobile toilet hire

for parties,

weddings portable toilets

,exhibitions, balls, concerts and sporting events.We are based in Buckinghamshire allowing a competitive service to the Home Counties and London.

Article Source:

ArticleRich.com

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