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Tuesday, March 28, 2006Petrol prices across the UK rose to an average of 91.1p per litre (U.S. $6.02 per U.S. gallon) of premium unleaded on Tuesday, which is the highest they have been for five months. Prices have been rising ever since December 2005, when they reached a trough in the current cycle of 87.6p a litre ($5.79/gal.), and have gained about 1.5p a litre (2.6 cents) in the last 10 days.

Across the UK, petrol prices ranged from 86.9p to 100.9p ($5.74 to $6.67) for unleaded and 89.9p to 105.9p ($5.94 to $7.00) for diesel.

These figures coincide with the results of a motorists survey from AA Personal Loans, which showed that most drivers are ignorant of petrol prices. Just 14% of those surveyed were able to correctly give the current price of petrol. Out of 1700 people surveyed, the lowest estimate was 69p a litre ($4.56/gal.) and the highest was £3 a litre ($19.83/gal.).

Saturday, April 2, 2005

Despite controversy ignited by the White House nomination of Paul Wolfowitz to head the World Bank (WB), the 24-member board of directors voted unanimously on Thursday to accept his confirmation. A whirlwind tour by Wolfowitz, who traveled to many capital cities of the bank’s major shareholders and met with voting board members, quieted misgivings over his succession to the incumbent president John Wolfensohn.

Widespread criticism of the Wolfowitz role in the US build-up to war in Iraq heightened levels of security concerns within the bank as they anticipate his arrival. The WB, from the executive level down to memos circulated among departments, express concern for it becoming the target of terrorist attack. The level of seriousness being taken by WB led it to set up cost estimates for improving security.

Wolfowitz will assume leadership in June this year. Despite a belief by some that he acts unilaterally and lacks development experience, a European Commission spokeswoman, speaking for Commissioner Olli Rehn, told a news conference that[Rehn] “was satisfied with everything he heard from Mr Wolfowitz concerning free trade and also on poverty reduction and development policy.”

The Associated Press quotes the Belgian Development Aid minister saying, “There are no objections of EU countries.”

The public display of support belies dissention underneath. Reuters reportedly received a confidential email that provided details of a comment line on an internal website for the WB staff who use it from their far flung locations. The feelings about the Wolfowitz nomination received 1,300 responses, mostly about the bank’s reputation and effectiveness under the new leadership.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Former German national coach Jürgen Klinsmann has been signed as the new Bayern Munich coach for the 2008/2009 Bundesliga season. This will mark Klinsmann’s first managerial position at club level, succeeding current coach Ottmar Hitzfeld.

Over the past few months Klinsmann was being considered for various coach positions after reforming the German national team and finishing 3rd at the 2006 Football World Cup as coach of the German national team. Previously there had been reports that he was looking at Newcastle, Chelsea, Tottenham and there also was a possibility for him to be Steve McClaren’s successor as the national coach for the English football team.

Klinsmann will be returning to the club where he played from 1995 till 1997 and won a UEFA Cup, a German league championship and a League Cup. Klinsmann’s contract will start on July 1, 2008.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Five police officers were injured as they attempted to quell a demonstration over plans to build a large garbage tip on the edge of an Italian town, officials confirmed on Saturday. Two police officers and three carabinieri suffered minor injures during the protest, which lasted several hours. Residents of Terzigno, a municipality in the Province of Naples, hurled stones and fireworks at the police, who responded by attempting to disperse the demonstrators using teargas and baton charges. Protesters are campaigning against the opening of a new waste dump near the town, and the incident on Saturday is the latest in a series of demonstrations in which campaigners are preventing access to the existing garbage tip.

The blockade means waste disposal workers are unable to collect refuse, and it has been reported that 2,000 tones of rubbish has already piled up on the streets of Naples. Protesters set the garbage alight on Friday evening, Rosa Russo Iervolino, the mayor of Naples confirmed. Some protesters burned Italian flags and set cars on fire. “The bad smell bothers us, but it is the lesser evil,” one protester, a grammar school teacher, said. “The most important thing is that we are dying here, there is leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma, there are the most terrible diseases around.” Two parents added that their children were suffering from respiratory problems and paediatricians had advised them to move away from the area. “They have ruined our lives, the lives of our children who are growing up in a world of rubbish, they are destroying our lives day by day,” said one.

In 2007, Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi pledged to create a solution to Italy’s ever-growing problem with litter. However, a European commisioner has warned the Italian government that they may face legal action from the European Union (EU), who may be able to fine them for failing to improve waste management in Naples. “I am worried by what has been happening in Campania in recent days,” said Janez Poto?nik, the European Commissioner for the Environment. He added that the EU were considering sending a team to the area to assess whether laws protecting human health and the enviroment were being breached. “Today’s situation leads us to believe that measures taken by Italian authorities since 2007 are insufficient,” he said. “What has been happening in the last days shows that the Italian authorities have not yet done what is needed.” Mr. Poto?nik added that he felt that the region still had no waste management and that the only incinerator “is not functioning properly and at full capacity.”

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Neverland Valley Ranch, owned by Michael Jackson, is to be sold at auction on March 19, 2008, unless Jackson pays over US$24 million.

Financial Title Company, the trustee of his Santa Barbara County, California, home and amusement park, has foreclosed on the property. They notified Jackson of the foreclosure and sale on Monday. Jackson had only just recently paid an overdue property tax bill of $600,000.

The court filing, addressed to Jackson, says, “You are in default of a deed of trust … Unless you take action to protect your property it may be sold at a public sale.” Fox News published the filing.

The foreclosure includes the ranch and all possessions on the property, inside or out.

The foreclosure auction will take place in front of the Santa Barbara County Courthouse in Santa Barbara. Jackson has until then to pay $24,525,906.61 he owes the title company.

In 2006, Jackson refinanced previous loans that had been bought up by Fortress Investment Group. The $300-million loan was secured with the aid of Sony Music Entertainment. However, the Neverland property was not part of that deal.

Jackson has not lived at Neverland since June 30, 2005, when he moved to Bahrain after a rape charge and subsequent acquittal.

Sunday, November 4, 2007

Australian federal member of Calare, Peter Andren died on Saturday after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. He was aged 61.

Mr Andren who had held the seat since being elected in 1996 had previously announced his intention to run for the senate after his electorate was changed for the 2007 federal election. After Mr Andren was diagnosed with cancer in July, he announced that he would be retiring from politics at the election.

Mr Andren’s 1996 campaign platform was based upon retaining services in regional Australia, particularly banking, health and telecommunications. Over the next 11 years, Mr Andren’s primary vote grew and at the 2001 and 2004 elections was elected without preferences, achieving a majority primary vote.

In 2001, Mr Andren disagreed with his electorate on refugees. The electorate supported the government’s tough stance but Mr Andren could not support the government’s border protection measures. Following this, a vicious letter-box campaign rose up saying “you might like Peter Andren … but you won’t like what he’s got to say about keeping our borders safe”.

Fellow NSW independent member, Tony Windsor said Mr Andren’s stance on asylum seekers was just one sign of his compassion and strong belief in human rights.

Mr Windsor described Mr Andren as the “conscience” of parliament. “Peter Andren was a true representative of the people of the Calare electorate, a man of the highest integrity and the conscience of the Parliament,” he said.

“He was subjected to vitriol from time to time within the Parliament over issues, but if he believed in something he stuck to it. He didn’t compromise and I think that’s a lasting legacy that Peter will leave.”

Prime Minister John Howard said despite having a difference of opinion with Mr Andren on many issues, he had a lot of respect for him.

“I respected his skills as a local member,” he said.

“Mr Andren and I frequently disagreed on major issues and he made no bones about that and I made no bones about it either but that didn’t stop me respecting him and acknowledging the tremendous work he did for his electorate.”

Labor leader Kevin Rudd described Mr Andren as a true independent.

“Peter Andren will be a great loss to the Australian parliament,” he said.

“He was a man of principle, a man of commitment, a man who was an absolute independent.”

Leader of the Greens, Bob Brown said Mr Andren was an example of how a politician should be.

“He was an exemplar of representative politics for his electorate and the people of Calare kept returning him with a bigger and bigger majority,” he said.

“[If] anybody ever asks me how a politician should be, I am going to say, ‘Look at the record of Peter Andren'”

“He was a great Australian representative and he is a great loss to this country.”

During his political career, Mr Andren fought the sale of Telstra, introduced a bill to allow MPs to opt-out of their generous superannuation schemes, opposed the Iraq war and campaigned on environmental issues.

Mr Andren was born at Gulargambone, near Dubbo in Western NSW in 1946. Before he entered politics Mr Andren worked as a teacher before moving into journalism. Mr Andren worked as a news producer in Sydney for the Seven and Nine networks, before moving back to regional NSW where he worked as the news editor for both Radio 2GZ and Prime Television.

Mr Andren is survived by his partner and two sons.

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Alan Mercer is running for the Ontario Libertarian Party in the Ontario provincial election, in the Scarborough—Rouge River riding. Wikinews’ Nick Moreau interviewed him regarding his values, his experience, and his campaign.

Stay tuned for further interviews; every candidate from every party is eligible, and will be contacted. Expect interviews from Liberals, Progressive Conservatives, New Democratic Party members, Ontario Greens, as well as members from the Family Coalition, Freedom, Communist, Libertarian, and Confederation of Regions parties, as well as independents.