Actor and her husband, Lee Chapman, understood to have accepted ‘healthy six-figure sum’ over alleged phone hacking Leslie Ash and her husband, Lee Chapman, have reached an out-of-court settlement with News International over alleged hacking of their phones by the News of the World, but are now considering legal action against other newspapers. The level of damages paid by News International was undisclosed, although Ash is understood to have received a “healthy six-figure sum”, thought to be more than the £100,000 News of the World owner paid to actor Sienna Miller earlier this year in another out-of-court settlement of a civil action over phone hacking. Ash and Chapman began a civil action against News International subsidiary News Group Newspapers, which published the now-defunct News of the World, over allegations that their voicemail messages were intercepted by Glenn Mulcaire , the private detective formerly employed by the paper. “We are pleased to say that our and our sons’ claims against News Group Newspapers (NGN) Ltd and Mr Mulcaire have been resolved,” the pair said in a statement. “NGN has agreed to pay our family an appropriate sum by way of compensation and costs and it has apologised for the harm and distress it has caused us,” they added. “However, we remain concerned that the practices complained of against NGN are likely to have been prevalent within a number of other media publishers, and we will be instructing our lawyer, Charlotte Harris of Mishcon De Reya, to take action against other newspapers in due course.” A News International spokesman said: “News International is committed to reaching swift and fair settlements with victims of illegal voicemail interception and has unreservedly apologised to those affected.” •
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EU leaders echo stinging rebuke, delivered by US president in executive order imposing sanctions and assets freeze The US and Europe have dramatically increased the pressure on the Syrian president, Bashir al-Assad, by calling on him to resign over the brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters. In a stinging written statement, Barack Obama said Assad had overseen a vicious onslaught against his people. “For the sake of the Syrian people the time has come for President Assad to step aside,” Obama said in an executive order imposing sanctions to freeze all Syrian government assets under US jurisdiction and bar US transactions with Assad’s government. The leaders of Britain, France and Germany issued a statement saying Assad should “leave power in the greater interests of Syria and the unity of his people”. David Cameron, Nicolas Sarkozyand Angela Merkel said Assad had “lost all legitimacy” and could no longer claim to lead his people. The declarations are intended to increase the pressure on Assad, who has used his military and security forces to attack protesters seeking an end to four decades of authoritarian rule by himself and his late father, Hafez al-Assad. The diplomatic moves came as UN human rights investigators named 50 regime figures who could be prosecuted by the international criminal court (ICC) for crimes committed against civilians during the violent crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators. The list is believed to contain officials inside president Assad’s inner circle and security agencies. It marks the first time that government insiders have faced the spectre of criminal charges since the five-month uprising began. A decision on whether to refer the names to the ICC is likely to be made on Thursday. Diplomatic pressure on the Syrian government will increase further if, as expected, the US president, Barack Obama, calls for Assad to leave office. US officials said that Obama will release a written statement, with his first explicit call for the Syrian leader to stand down. Washington is also expected to put further sanctions on Syria. The US has calibrated its response to the violence in Syria, wary of Damascus’s role as a strategic key to the Arab world and the risk that crisis could be exported beyond its borders. The US has also been cautious about putting its authority on the line, fearing damage to its standing if Assad were to defy its calls for him to go. The UN report accuses officials of torture, summary executions and abuse of children – allegations that could amount to crimes against humanity. It says security forces have indiscriminately fired at demonstrators, sometimes from helicopters. It also says injured protesters have been killed inside hospitals, sometimes being locked alive in mortuary freezers. It says Syrian officials confirmed that around 1,900 demonstrators had been killed by mid-July. Hundreds more have been killed since then. “Children have not only been targeted by security forces, but they have been repeatedly subject to the same human rights and criminal violations as adults, including torture,” the report said. The report’s authors were denied access to Syria and spent four months interviewing defectors and demonstrators who had fled the country. Dozens of former members of the security forces have made their way to Amman, and Istanbul, where they have detailed orders given to them by senior officers to attack demonstrators who have demanded Assad leave office. Activists and defectors have also compiled details of alleged atrocities committed by troops whose commanders insist are targeting terrorists holding their local communities to ransom. The communities themselves have regularly painted a diametrically opposed version of events, claiming that the armed men terrorising them are government-backed militias, known as al-shabiha or ghosts, who work with security forces. One defector, a conscript who was deployed to the southern city of Deraa in April, told the Guardian that his unit’s first order was not to shoot at armed men. “The officer said they were with us,” the soldier said. ” They said we were only to shoot at the demonstrators .” In a telephone conversation on Wednesday night with UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon, Assad said the operations in the restive Syrian cities of Latakia and Homms had finished. However, activists on the ground reported on Wednesday that security forces were still active in both places. In Latakia, a Mediterranean port city that has been the subject of a four-day military assault, security centres were overflowing with detainees, and hundreds of prisoners were being held in the city’s main football stadium and a cinema. The push into Latakia ordered by commanders this week came under strident criticism from other nations in the region, with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Tunisia and Qatar withdrawing their ambassadors and Turkey warning Damascus it had uttered its “last words” on the crackdown. Syria Arab and Middle East unrest Barack Obama United States Middle East United Nations European Union Martin Chulov guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Cloud b Sleep Sheep On The Go – Travel Sound Machine with Four Soothing Sounds
August 18, 2011 No Comment
Type: Baby Product Title: Cloud b Sleep Sheep On The Go – Travel Sound Machine with Four Soothing Sounds See all customer reviews Amazon. com Product Description: Soothe your child into a restful, relaxing nap or night of sleep with the Sleep Sheep from Cloud b. This soft, adorable and compact sleep time pal plays calming sounds and is great for home or on-the-go use–anywhere baby needs a little extra help drifting into dreams. Four Soothing Nature Sounds Winner of several industry awards, including the National Parenting Council’s Seal of Approval and the iParenting Media Award, the Sleep Sheep is plush and very cuddly, so it immediately gives a restless child something pleasing and calming to hold on to. It also creates a tranquil environment with four soothing nature sounds, including gentle stream, spring showers, ocean waves and harmonious whale sounds, making the Sleep Sheep a kind of audio pacifier that helps take some of the stress and crankiness out of rest time. Great For On-the-Go Parents The Sleep Sheep is specially designed to be easy to take with you on outdoor excursions or car trips. It comes with a Velcro strap that allows for fast and simple attachment to car seats and strollers. As you drive or push baby through the grocery store, he’ll be able to take a breather. And because he’s relaxed, you can focus on task at hand, which makes running errands more productive. User-Friendly Operation The Sleep Sheep features user-friendly operation that both big and little hands can handle. Select sounds by simply pressing the push button, and then choose the most comfortable volume. For added convenience and to save battery power, the sounds automatically time out after either 23 or 45 minutes–giving your little one plenty of time to drift off to dreamland. Compact and portable, the Sleep Sheep stands eight inches tall and takes two “AA” batteries (included). The sound box removes if your child simply wants to use the Sleep Sheep as a stuffed toy, and clean-up is a snap–just wipe the surface with soap and water. About Cloud b Cloud b, the baby sleep specialist, was established by two new mothers with the philosophy that every baby deserves a sound night’s sleep for healthy development. That’s why all of Cloud b’s products are developed in consultation with an advisory board of pediatricians and sleep specialists with a single focus: to achieve a better, safer sleep for baby. What’s in the Box One Sleep Sheep and two “AA” batteries. The On-the-Go Sleep Sheep offers: Cuddly plush toy that provides soothing sounds. Built-in Velcro strap for easy attachment to strollers and car seats. Timer shuts off the sound after either 23 or 45 minutes. Shown together with larger Sleep Sheep. Features: Easily attaches to car seats and strollers with Velcro strap Includes 1 sheep and 2 AA batteries Pushbutton sound selection with volume control and 2 sleep timer options Sleep sheep plays soothing sounds for baby Removable inner pillow with soft cotton outer casing See the details
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UN report details abuses that could amount to crimes against humanity as Barack Obama prepares to call on Assad to resign UN human rights investigators have listed the names of 50 regime figures who could be prosecuted by the international criminal court (ICC) for crimes committed against civilians during the violent crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators. The list is believed to contain officials inside president Bashar al-Assad’s inner circle and security agencies. It marks the first time that government insiders have faced the spectre of criminal charges since the five-month uprising began. A decision on whether to refer the names to the ICC is likely to be made on Thursday. Diplomatic pressure on the Syrian government will increase further if, as expected, the US president, Barack Obama, calls for Assad to leave office. US officials said that Obama will release a written statement, with his first explicit call for the Syrian leader to stand down. Washington is also expected to put further sanctions on Syria. The US has calibrated its response to the violence in Syria, wary of Damascus’s role as a strategic key to the Arab world and the risk that crisis could be exported beyond its borders. The US has also been cautious about putting its authority on the line, fearing damage to its standing if Assad were to defy its calls for him to go. The UN report accuses officials of torture, summary executions and abuse of children – allegations that could amount to crimes against humanity. It says security forces have indiscriminately fired at demonstrators, sometimes from helicopters. It also says injured protesters have been killed inside hospitals, sometimes being locked alive in mortuary freezers. It says Syrian officials confirmed that around 1,900 demonstrators had been killed by mid-July. Hundreds more have been killed since then. “Children have not only been targeted by security forces, but they have been repeatedly subject to the same human rights and criminal violations as adults, including torture,” the report said. The report’s authors were denied access to Syria and spent four months interviewing defectors and demonstrators who had fled the country. Dozens of former members of the security forces have made their way to Amman, and Istanbul, where they have detailed orders given to them by senior officers to attack demonstrators who have demanded Assad leave office. Activists and defectors have also compiled details of alleged atrocities committed by troops whose commanders insist are targeting terrorists holding their local communities to ransom. The communities themselves have regularly painted a diametrically opposed version of events, claiming that the armed men terrorising them are government-backed militias, known as al-shabiha or ghosts, who work with security forces. One defector, a conscript who was deployed to the southern city of Deraa in April, told the Guardian that his unit’s first order was not to shoot at armed men. “The officer said they were with us,” the soldier said. ” They said we were only to shoot at the demonstrators .” In a telephone conversation on Wednesday night with UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon, Assad said the operations in the restive Syrian cities of Latakia and Homms had finished. However, activists on the ground reported on Wednesday that security forces were still active in both places. In Latakia, a Mediterranean port city that has been the subject of a four-day military assault, security centres were overflowing with detainees, and hundreds of prisoners were being held in the city’s main football stadium and a cinema. The push into Latakia ordered by commanders this week came under strident criticism from other nations in the region, with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Tunisia and Qatar withdrawing their ambassadors and Turkey warning Damascus it had uttered its “last words” on the crackdown. Syria Middle East Bashar Al-Assad Arab and Middle East unrest United Nations US foreign policy United States Human rights Martin Chulov guardian.co.uk
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Torrential rain drenches residents and holidaymakers at south coast resort of Bournemouth causing floods Torrential rain has drenched residents and holidaymakers in the south coast resort of Bournemouth, causing flash floods and traffic chaos. Dorset police are reporting floodwater up the the level of car bonnets in some areas, with manhole covers lifting and, in one case a “fountain” of water gushing upwards as a road split under the pressure. Bournemouth’s Central Gardens and Boscombe Gardens were both under water following heavy storms accompanied by thunder and lightning. Parts of Poole and Christchurch were also affected. The storms hit on the first day of the Bournemouth Air Festival, with emergency calls starting to come in between 10.30am and 11am on Thursday. Dorset police said the flooding was predominantly in the central Bournemouth area. Roads had to be closed and several vehicles broke down. One of the worst affected roads was the A338 Wessex Way, which was temporarily closed with flood water reported between 2ft and 3ft. “The rainwater was very deep, apparently, almost reaching the bonnets of some of the vehicles along the road”, said the spokesman. It has since reopened. A woman caller told police a slip road was “splitting” and that “water was coming out of the road like a fountain”. The fire brigade were in attendance. By 11.30am, the rain had stopped, and floodwater was beginning to subside. In Westbourne, the fire brigade were called to bail out two basements. Flooding Weather Caroline Davies guardian.co.uk
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Gunmen fire on passenger bus as fears grow that Egyptian security forces are losing grip on Sinai desert region Southern Israel was hit by what appeared to be a series of attacks on Thursday as two vehicles were fired on near the Egyptian border. Israeli television reported that several were killed in the first attack, which struck a bus carrying off-duty soldiers back from their bases. Reports said a vehicle had followed the bus, and two to three gunmen got out and opened fire with automatic weapons. The second, which rescue services said was on a passenger car, came close to the site of the earlier ambush. Ha’aretz reported that in addition mortars were fired from the Egyptian side of the border. Israel’s military spokesman, Brigadier General Yoav Mordechai, confirmed that soldiers had been targeted by explosive devices. He said there were fatalities as well as wounded and civilians and soldiers were among the casualties. The vehicle carrying the assailants fled the scene with Israeli security forces in pursuit and a gunbattle followed. TV footage showed the bus pulled over by a red rocky cliff. Windows and a door of the bus were shattered, and soldiers were patrolling the area on foot. The ambush will fuel concerns that Egyptian security forces are losing control of the Sinai desert region bordering southern Israel following the removal of Egypt’s longtime dictator, Hosni Mubarak, who was ousted earlier this year. Last week, Egypt moved thousands of troops into Sinai in an attempt to rout militants from the peninsula. Israel approved the move, the second time Egypt has mobilised forces in Sinai since Mubarak’s fall. Israel Middle East guardian.co.uk
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Police, firefighters and coastguard battle to recover bodies at the foot of island’s Culver Down Police are investigating the deaths of a man and woman who were killed when their car went over a 100-metre (328ft) cliff on the Isle of Wight. Hampshire police said the pair’s bodies were recovered from an upturned blue car at the bottom of Culver Down cliffs. Emergency services were called at around 8pm on Wednesday and battled against the incoming tide to try to recover the pair from the “very crushed” car, Solent coastguard said. A coastguard spokeswoman said three teams from Bembridge, Ryde and Ventnor were called to the scene, along with the coastguard helicopter from Solent. Two lifeboats from Bembridge also joined the search with fire and rescue, ambulance and police teams. Anne Ricketts, 47, from nearby Sandown, was walking her dog along the beach around the time of the accident. The social worker said she saw a tractor dragging a trailer containing four firefighters towards the beach at the time. Just after 8pm she said she saw a coastguard helicopter drop someone into the water before leaving, while “truckloads” of rescuers from the coastguard were being dropped off nearby. Police are appealing for witnesses to call Newport CID on 101. guardian.co.uk
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Return of otter shows English rivers are healthiest for 20 years, says Environment Agency It has been a long and perilous journey, but otters have finally managed to swim back from the brink of extinction and into every county in England. Two otters have been spotted building their holts on the banks of the rivers Medway and Eden in Kent, delighting conservationists who had previously predicted they would not return to the county for another 10 years. “The fact that otters are now returning to Kent is the final piece in the jigsaw for otter recovery in England and is a symbol of great success for everybody involved in otter conservation,” said Alastair Driver, the national conservation manager for the Environment Agency. Otters have reappeared in places where they have not been seen since the industrial revolution, including Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester, and even on the Thames and the Lea in north London. A recent survey on the river Ribble, in Lancashire, showed a 44% increase in otter numbers since 2008. The Kentish otters herald a remarkable – if slow – renaissance for the sleek, fish-devouring member of the mustelid family, which declined by 95% of its range in western Europe during the 20th century. In England the otter disappeared dramatically between the 1950s and 1970s because of persecution and pesticides washing into waterways. After otter hunting was belatedly banned in Britain in 1978, numbers began to increase – particularly following the withdrawal of organochlorine chemicals and a more general improvement in water quality, leading to more fish in rivers and lakes. The resurgence of the otter, which is top of the food chain in river environments, is an indicator that English rivers are at their healthiest for more than 20 years, according to the Environment Agency. Terry Nutkins, the naturalist and friend of Gavin Maxwell, author of Ring of Bright Water, said he was “absolutely overjoyed” by the return of the otter across England. “They are such a beautiful species of the weasel family and part of our heritage,” he said. “It’s good news and shows that the rivers are clean and there are more people becoming involved with environmental issues.” A spokesperson for The Wildlife Trusts said: “This is fantastic news. We will continue our work to improve habitats for these magnificent animals and to promote the otter as a flagship species of healthy wetland ecosystems. However, we must not be complacent. There is still a great deal of work to do before otters are widespread once more.” The resurgence of the otter has not delighted everyone, however, and anglers have reported otters decimating stocks in fishing lakes. The angler John Wilson recently called the otter “a wanton killer” and some fishing groups have called for a cull. Many angling clubs have been forced to erect expensive fences around lakes to keep otters out. Some conservationists warn that sightings of otters in new habitats may reflect otters roaming more widely in search of food rather than a big increase in numbers. Grace Yoxon of the International Otter Survival Fund said evidence of a surge in otter numbers should be treated with caution. “We just don’t have the data [on population increases],” she said. Otters are slow to reproduce and most mothers only bear two sets of cubs in their lifetime. “It’s not physically possible for them to spread very quickly,” said Yoxon. “The biggest problem is human encroachment and the destruction of habitat, and increasingly many otters are hit on the roads.” Otters are also sometimes caught in crayfish traps. The Environment Agency, working with partners including wildlife and angling organisations, has this year been granted an additional £18m of funding by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to help more English rivers meet new EU targets on the health of rivers. Otters have also benefited from reductions in the volume of water extracted from rivers by water companies, farmers and industry. According to the Environment Agency, around 35m fewer litres a day are now being taken from the River Darent in Kent than 20 years ago, support larger populations of wildlife including brown trout and pike. Wildlife Rivers Patrick Barkham Camila Ruz guardian.co.uk
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Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has told Ban Ki-moon that military operations against protesters have stopped, according to the UN Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that military and police operations against pro-democracy protesters had stopped, the United Nations said on Wednesday. In a phone call with Assad on Wednesday, Ban “expressed alarm at the latest reports of continued widespread violations of human rights and excessive use of force by Syrian security forces against civilians across Syria, including in the Al Ramel district of Latakia, home to several thousands of Palestinian refugees,” the United Nations said in a statement. “The Secretary-General emphasised that all military operations and mass arrests must cease immediately. President Assad said that the military and police operations had stopped,” the statement added. Residents of the besieged port city of Latakia said on Wednesday that Syrian forces raided houses in a Sunni district, arresting hundreds of people and taking them to a stadium after a four-day tank assault to crush protests against al-Assad. Assad’s forces attacked al-Raml, a seafront area named after a Palestinian refugee camp built in the 1950s, on the weekend as part of a fierce campaign to crush a five-month-old uprising. Latakia is of particular significance to Assad, from Syria’s minority Alawite community. The 45-year-old president, a self-declared champion of the Palestinian cause, comes from a village to the southeast, where his father is buried. The Assad family, along with friends, control the city’s port and its finances. Syria has expelled most independent media since the unrest began, making it difficult to verify reports from the country. The UN statement said Ban repeated his calls for an independent investigation into all reported killings and acts of violence, and for free access by the media. It added the U.N. chief called on Damascus to cooperate fully with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. “The Secretary-General also urged president Assad to engage in a credible and peaceful process of reform towards comprehensive change,” the statement said. Assad enumerated the reforms he will undertake in the next few months, including revision of the Constitution and the holding of parliamentary elections, the statement said. “The Secretary-General emphasized the need for reforms to be implemented swiftly without further military intervention,” it said Ban said a UN humanitarian assessment team, which the Syrian Government had agreed to receive, should be given independent and unhindered access to all areas affected by violence. Assad said the team would have access to different sites in Syria, according to the statement. The UN human rights chief is expected to suggest that the Security Council refer Syria’s crackdown on protesters to the International Criminal Court, envoys said on Wednesday. UN human rights chief Navi Pillay will address the 15-nation council in a closed-door session on Syria on Thursday, along with UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos. Syria Middle East Bashar Al-Assad United Nations Arab and Middle East unrest Protest guardian.co.uk
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Click here to view this media There’s not much to say for this except Christine O’Donnell doesn’t want to share her views on gay marriage. Apparently she wants to be taken seriously as a deep thinker on fiscal and constitutional matters. The more Morgan pressed the more indignant she seemed to get. Finally she had enough. PIERS MORGAN: “Why are you being so weird about this?” CHRISTINE O’DONNELL: “I’m not being weird about this Piers. I’m not running for office, I’m not promoting a legislative agenda. I’m promoting the policies that I lay out in the book that are mostly fiscal that are mostly constitutional. That’s why I agreed to come on your show. That’s what I want to talk about. I’m not being weird you’re being a little rude.” PIERS MORGAN: “I think I’m rather being charming and respectful.” And with that she walked off. O’Donnell was promoting her new book “Troublemaker” , allegedly a political memoir which details her absurd senate run last year, among other things. The e-version though describes it as a work of fiction , which seems appropriate for her entire career.
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