Spiritual leader says China should be asked to show restraint in five-day standoff between monks and armed police A five-day stand-off between monks and armed police at a Tibetan monastery in western China could become “explosive”, the Dalai Lama has warned. The Tibetan spiritual leader also asked the international community to request that Chinese authorities show restraint in the confrontation at Kirti monastery in Sichuan, where police have reportedly locked down the complex with up to 2,500 monks inside. The International Campaign for Tibet said hundreds of Tibetans gathered at the monastery in Aba county, also known as Ngaba, believing the authorities were preparing to forcibly remove the monks for “patriotic education”. Exiles allege that security forces beat residents and loosed dogs on them as they forced their way through the crowds on Tuesday, injuring two women in their sixties. The re-education campaign was launched after a young monk from Kirti reportedly died after setting fire to himself in protest against Chinese rule on 16 March. English language state media have mentioned the death but have not referred to the clash at the monastery, and the Guardian has not been able to confirm it independently. A spokeswoman at the Aba local government office said she knew nothing about the situation. But the United States has raised concerns about the confrontation with Beijing. “I am very concerned that this situation if allowed to go on may become explosive with catastrophic consequences for the Tibetans in Ngaba,” the Dalai Lama said late yesterday. “I urge both the monks and the lay Tibetans of the area not to do anything that might be used as a pretext by the local authorities to massively crackdown on them. “I also strongly urge the international community, the governments around the world, and the international non-governmental organisations to persuade the Chinese leadership to exercise restraint in handling this situation.” The Tibetan spiritual leader lives in exile in Dharamsala, India. Beijing accuses him of seeking to split Tibet from the rest of China, while he says he seeks only meaningful autonomy. The dead monk, identified by the Chinese state news agency Xinhua as Rigzin Phuntsog, 16, set fire to himself on the anniversary of a clash at Aba in 2008 when troops opened fire against demonstrators protesting against Chinese treatment of Tibetans, reportedly killing 10. Aba is one of many areas outside the Tibet region with a large Tibetan population. Tibetan exiles allege that the police beat Phuntsog instead of putting out the flames. Other monks then intervened, dragging him into the monastery for shelter before taking him to a hospital. A Chinese state media report denied that he had been beaten, saying a post-mortem found no injuries other than burns, and alleged he died because the monks denied him medical treatment. The International Campaign for Tibet says that authorities then installed a barbed wire fence and concrete wall around much of the huge complex and detained several Tibetans, including a 16-year-old boy and Phuntsog’s brother and uncle. The campaign said residents were allowed to deliver food to the monastery for the first time yesterday and that 15 senior monks spoke to the director of the religious affairs bureau after local religious leaders asked for dialogue. Sophie Richardson, Asia advocacy director at Human Rights Watch , said: “The use of violence against peaceful, unarmed demonstrators including those surrounding the Kirti monastery would be both unjustifiable and completely unlawful. “It is vital that Chinese security forces respect the safety of all concerned, use the minimum force needed to keep public order, and fully respect both the monks and bystanders’ right to freely practice religion, assemble, and peacefully carry out protests.” A foreign ministry spokesman did not answer questions about the incident at a regular press briefing on Thursday, but said Beijing’s policies had dramatically raised Tibetans’ living standards. China Tibet Dalai Lama Buddhism Religion Tania Branigan guardian.co.uk
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Motorway shutdown in wake of scrapyard fire will cause major delays to thousands of football fans and runners Thousands of people travelling to London for two FA Cup semi-finals and the London Marathon face major delays due to the partial closure of the M1. The motorway has been shut both ways between junctions one and four, between Brent Cross and Elstree, Hertfordshire, since Friday after a scrapyard fire. The Highways Agency said the M1 will remain fully closed for several more hours today. The agency added that it hoped to have at least one lane open on the M1, northbound only, by the time the FA Cup semi-final between Manchester City and Manchester United finishes at Wembley. Motorists are advised to avoid the M1 and continue to use alternative routes. Scores of firefighters were called to the blaze at Mill Hill, near to Scratchwood Services, at about 4am on Friday. London Fire Brigade said about 50 people living in properties near the scrapyard were evacuated as a precaution while gas cylinders were cooled and made safe. Engineers are checking whether there has been any damage to the seven-mile stretch of the motorway affected by the blaze. Aston Villa supporters are also due to travel to London, to watch their team’s Premier League match at West Ham United later, while Chelsea fans will be travelling from the capital to their team’s game at West Bromwich Albion. Tomorrow thousands of football fans are expected at Wembley for another FA Cup semi-final between Bolton Wanderers and Stoke City. Runners in tomorrow’s London Marathon also have to collect their accreditations at Excel in east London by 5pm today. Road transport FA Cup London Marathon Manchester City Manchester United Athletics David Batty guardian.co.uk
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Indifference(Bill Cook)-Bobblehead Indifference(Bill Cook)-Out the window What is Humanism? by Bill Cooke Hoosier billionaire Bill Cook dies Bill Cook , the founder of Bloomington-based medical device maker Cook Group died Friday afternoon at his home., Bill Cook leaves large legacy: TMNews.com When he hears the name Bill Cook , Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan said Friday night, two words spring immediately to his mind. “Renaissance and opportunity,” he said after hearing of Cook’s death. “When you look at Bloomington throughout … Bloomington entrepreneur Bill Cook passes away | Inside the Hall … Friday afternoon brought sad news for the entire Bloomington community as Bill Cook , the founder of The Cook Group, passed away at his home. He was 80. Cook, Philanthropist Bill Cook Dies at Age 80 | News – Indiana Public Media Medical equipment group founder and philanthropist Bill Cook has died. Indiana Billionaire and Philanthropist Bill Cook Dies … Bill Cook was a businessman who knew better how to do things, so his company invented them. He started with $1500 in 1963, according to his biography written by Bob Hammel, and became the 101st wealthiest man in America with a net … billmutermusic says: DCI.org News: Star of Indiana founder Bill Cook passes away http://t.co/11AqJaP
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(Sarawak Election 2011) Elizabeth Wong: Barisan Nasional, Your Time Is Up (Sarawak Election 2011) Chua Yee Ling: Undi Anda Boleh Mengubah Kerajaan Yang Sudah Korup Sarawak Election 2011 : 陈家兴Tan Kar Hing, Batu Lintang 07/04/2011 Polling for Sarawak election begins | Free Malaysia Today KUCHING: Polling for the 10th Sarawak state election began at 8am with 961433 people eligible to vote in the 71 state constituencies. Postal voting for 18… Polling For 10th Sarawak Election Begins | MyNewsHub Polling For 10th Sarawak Election Begins. April 16, 2011. No Comments. KUCHING — Polling for the 10th Sarawak state election began at 8am with 961433 people eligible to vote in the 71 state constituencies. Postal voting for 18363 voters … My 10 Commandments for the 10th Sarawak election | MoCS My 10 Commandments for the 10th Sarawak election . Posted on April 16, 2011 by mocsarawak. I WAS not in Sarawak during the ninth state election in 2006. Work kept me away from my home state and I did not really pay much attention to it. … SARAWAK ELECTION UPDATE: 9.45AM SARAWAK ELECTION : LIVE AND LATEST UPDATE REPORTS MALAYSIAKINI – After 10 days of gruelling campaigning, Sarawakians will hit the ballot boxes today in the 10th state legislative assembly elections. There are a total of 213 candidates … MALAYSIAKINI: SARAWAK ELECTION UPDATE: 10.38AM SARAWAK ELECTION : LIVE AND LATEST UPDATE REPORTS. The constituency with the largest number of voters is Pending (29498 voters) while the least number of voters are in Ba’Kelalan (6958). Polling opens at 8am to close at 5.30pm. … tan_yong_meng says: Hope dat Sarawak election “ll b another 318. Pray 4 u!
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CalTrain in Gilroy, CA by Tyus Kline Caltrain stopped! Caltrain @California. Caltrain Strikes Car In Palo Alto, 1 Person Killed « Caltrain … One woman was killed when a northbound Caltrain struck a car at Charleston Road near Alma Street in Palo Alto around 5 p.m.. Caltrain accident in Palo Alto kills woman visiting from Indiana … A woman in her 60s from Indiana visiting family in Palo Alto was killed when a car she and her husband were driving in was struck by a train, according to Caltrain . Caltrain service was halted in both directions Friday during the … Caltrain Fence Project to Curtail Shortcuts » Business and Finance … Caltrain is poised to pay nearly million for fencing to keep people from crossing its tracks illegally. A total of. Accident: Woman dies, husband survives in Caltrain car crash in … A woman from Indiana was killed after the rental car she was driving was struck by a commute-time Caltrain in Palo Alto on Friday afternoon, although her husband in the passenger seat escaped just in time, authorities said. … Woman dies, husband survives in Caltrain car crash in Palo Alto … A woman from Indiana was killed after the rental car she was driving was struck by a commute-time Caltrain in Palo Alto on Friday afternoon, although her husband in the passenger seat escaped just in time, authorities said. mark_eastman says: 'Not sure which is worse: my tweeting a pic I made of a # caltrain #accident scene, or a f***hole retweeting it to promote his company site.
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Discrimination warning as coalition cuts prompt local authorities to set bar higher for eldery and disabled to receive care Thousands of older people and those with disabilities have had their care cut in the past year as cash-strapped councils reduce the level of support they provide, a survey has found. The number of councils in England cutting back on free adult social care has increased by 13% this year, according to the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (Adass). It found that 19 local authorities had raised the eligibility bar for free adult social care. Six councils, including the largest, Birmingham, are limiting free care to people in “critical” need, which includes those with life-threatening conditions. Another 116 of 148 councils surveyed only fund people with substantial needs. Only 22 local authorities now fund people with moderate needs, such as those too frail or ill to eat a meal or take a bath without assistance. Previously, 36 councils gave this assistance. Richard Jones, chairman of Adass, told BBC Radio 4′s Today programme: “This is a group who five years ago half of councils were providing support to, now we’re down to fewer than 20%. And we fear with more cuts to come in future years it could get even worse.” The move follow a sharp reduction in central funding for local authorities by the coalition government. Andrew Harrop, of the charity Age UK, warned that people could die as a result of the cuts, some of which could prove to be illegal. “They may be failing in their duties under disability discrimination laws or under the Human Rights Act because all public authorities are responsible for looking after the very most disabled and vulnerable,” he told the BBC. “If a level of support fails at the very minimum test it could be deemed illegal.” The government has allocated an extra £2bn a year by 2014-15 for social care services but this was not ringfenced and follows deep cuts in local authority funding. A Department of Health spokesman said: “This funding, together with an ambitious programme of efficiency, should enable local authorities to protect people’s access to services and deliver new approaches to improve their care.” An independent commission on social care set up by the government is due to report in July and will put forward plans in a white paper before the end of the year. Andrew Dilnot, head of the Commission on the Funding of Care and Support, said adult social care had “always been a cinderella service” that has never worked. “The system that we have at the moment is not one we can be proud of and it is under enormous pressure,” he told the BBC. “It’s widely seen as unfair. Even before the reductions in local authority funding that are going on at the moment this was a system that needed reform. “There’s no doubt that there’s a growing amount of unmet need.” Dilnot suggested that he backed a national system of assessing care, which would allow for local variation in the way it is delivered. Social care Local politics Local government Liberal-Conservative coalition David Batty guardian.co.uk
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Can scientists be religious? Sam Harris argues science and faith are completely incompatible, while Robert Winston would like to be more inclusive. Emine Saner adjudicates Last week, the astrophysicist Martin Rees was awarded the Templeton prize, which aims to promote religion. Emine Saner brings together atheist writer and neuroscientist Sam Harris and Professor Robert Winston to discuss the conflict between science and faith. So, should Rees have accepted that award? Sam Harris: No. There is a price paid whenever an eminent scientist pretends that there’s no conflict between the claims of science and religion. I mean no special criticism of Rees – I think he’s someone who believes, perhaps as you do, that it is pragmatic to try to teach science wherever people are willing to listen, and not criticise faith and try to allay the points of conflict as much as possible. That’s a political position which I think is in the end unsustainable. Robert Winston: I see nothing wrong with a scientist accepting the Templeton prize, with somebody trying to promote what they loosely call “spirituality”. Whether it does any good is another matter. I don’t think it takes away at all from his distinction in science. SH: Religious language is, without question, unscientific in its claims for what is true. We have Christians believing in the holy ghost, the resurrection of Jesus and his possible return – these are claims about biology and physics which, from a scientific point of view in the 21st century, should be unsustainable. RW: You talk as if science is an absolute, and I don’t think it is at all. It isn’t the truth either, because I don’t believe there is such a thing as “the truth”. You rail against the ultimate truth of what some people believe – ie religion, God, Jesus, whatever. I don’t, because I don’t think it makes any more sense than railing against scientific truths. I say “truths” in inverted commas, because truths have a habit of being altered as we develop our knowledge. SH: I wouldn’t dispute that the horizon of what we know and consider true changes, but we do this in the context of a background reality which we are dimly coming to understand. I suspect that while you are reluctant to think we can ever grasp absolute truth, we can still recognise falsehood, or how implausible certain [religious] claims are. RW: I suppose I really wonder why you’re so angry. SH: [laughs] Do I sound angry? RW: Yes. You write angrily, too. SH: I’m more worried than angry, and perhaps impatient. I don’t see any reason to believe that we can survive our religious differences indefinitely. I am worried that religion is one of the forces that has balkanised our world – we have Christians against Muslims against Jews. RW: But the irony is that books like yours and [Richard Dawkins's] God Delusion balkanise the world a good deal more, because they polarise views. The God Delusion has caused very aggressive reactions from [people who] previously weren’t aggressive. In my book, I try to
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Actor who made West End debut in 1960 and had lengthy television career suffers heart attack at Surrey allotment Trevor Bannister, who played the role of ladies’ man Mr Lucas in the department store comedy Are You Being Served? has died at the age of 76. He suffered a heart attack on Thursday at his allotment in Thames Ditton, Surrey, his brother John told the BBC. “He was a good lad, we were all very fond of him,” he said, adding that the actor had been doing some repair work on his shed when he became ill. Bannister had a lengthy career including appearances in the long-running police drama Z Cars, and more recently a stint in Last of the Summer Wine. He also made regular appearances in the theatre and in pantomime. In 2009, he gave a reading at the funeral of his co-star Wendy Richard, who played Miss Brahms in Are You Being Served? and later Pauline Fowler in EastEnders. Born on 14 August 1936 in the village of Durrington, Wiltshire, Bannister enrolled at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts after two years’ national service. His first break in theatre had come when he was hired for a repertory company in Folkestone at 15, and his West End stage debut was in 1960 when he appeared in Billy Liar, with Albert Finney. Are You Being Served? ran from 1972 until 1985, but Bannister left the show in 1980 when it was at the height of its popularity, going on to play Peter Pitt in the 1988 BBC sitcom Wyatt’s Watchdogs. He also had minor roles in Keeping Up Appearances, The Saint and The Avengers and played three different characters in Coronation Street. Five years ago he played Sir John Tremayne in the 70th anniversary production of the Noel Gay musical, Me And My Girl, which toured the UK. Frank Thornton, who appeared as Captain Peacock in Are You Being Served?, said he had “many, many happy memories” of Bannister. “He was a very good friend over a long time,” he said. “We often met with him and his wife – he was recently at my 90th birthday celebrations in January and that was the last time we saw him. We shall miss him sorely.” His agent, David Daly, said: “I have known and worked with Trevor Bannister as his agent for 24 years. He has been a wonderful friend as well as a very talented client and I shall miss him greatly.” Television Theatre guardian.co.uk
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Princess-to-be will spend last night as a commoner with mother and sister at hotel with a rich heritage of royal visitors One of London’s finest – and usually most discreet – hotels, where Kate Middleton will spend the night before her wedding has taken advantage of its royal connection to release promotional film footage to broadcasters. The Goring Hotel ‘s initiative is the latest commercial venture linked to the royal wedding on 29 April – hot on the heels of a petfood company’s plans, announced on Friday , to create a 68kg cake for dogs, to be made in the shape of a corgi. A spokeswoman for the hotel said the film had been made available in anticipation of a deluge of media requests. Asked whether the Goring was expecting a dramatic increase in customers interested in booking the suite where Middleton, her mother Carole and sister Pippa, will stay, she replied: “Who knows?” The five-room suite has been newly redecorated, apparently as part of a general refurbishment of the hotel following its centenary last year. It contains Queen Victoria’s silk bridal gown and tiara, framed in a wardrobe, a grand piano, an original 19th-century toilet and, bizarrely, hanging above the bath, what appears to be a cartoon picture of the television character Edmund Blackadder kissing the hand of Elizabeth I. Unauthorised photographs of the suite, some showing boxes of furnishings still to be unpacked, have been published in the Sun . “I could not tell you how much the room will cost after the wedding,” the spokeswoman said. “That is to be decided, but it will be in line with comparable hotels.” The Middleton family will be staying at a hotel with a rich royal heritage: previous visitors have included Queen Mary, the wife of George V, who would take afternoon tea there, and the Queen Mother, whose last outing before her death was to the Goring. The hotel is still in the ownership of the family that opened it in 1910: the current chief executive Jeremy Goring, a surfer and former rock drummer, is the great-grandson of the founder.The hotel is in a quiet sidestreet a short walk from Buckingham Palace. Furnished in the style of a London club or a wood-panelled English country house, it is usually a haunt of diplomats, politicians and American bishops. The 71 rooms at the Goring cost upwards of £400 a night, while a suite can set guests back up to £1,525 a night, according to previously published tariffs. The Middletons’ suite is at the top of the hotel, overlooking a quiet internal garden square. Clarence House insisted that staying there was the family’s personal choice, in preference to Buckingham Palace. Perhaps they had heard the story of a Norwegian crown prince who stayed at the Goring instead of the palace when he was attending a coronation, saying that at least there he would not have to share a bathroom. On a normal day the half-mile trip to Westminster Abbey could take 15 minutes along Victoria Street by car, but, even allowing for a detour up the Mall, across Horseguards Parade, down Whitehall and round Parliament Square, timings for the royal wedding released on Friday allow only nine minutes for the journey on the day itself. Middleton and her father Michael will leave at 10.51am – to be driven to the abbey for the ceremony at 11am. The schedule issued by St James’s Palace is astonishingly precise – life is so much easier with no other trafficto worry about. The abbey will be open to the congregation from 8.15am. Prince William and his brother – and best man – Prince Harry will leave Clarence House at 10.10am and arrive at the church five minutes later, followed by his father and stepmother who leave home at 10.38am and arrive at 10.42am. The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will depart from Buckingham Palace at 10.40am and arrive at the abbey’s west door five minutes later. The service finishes at 12.15pm, after which the newlyweds will ride to Buckingham Palace in a carriage. The kiss on the palace balcony is scheduled for 1.25pm and five minutes later there will then be an RAF flypast and Battle of Britain memorial flight. Ooh factor The Goring hotel was opened by Otto Goring in 1910, just a few yards from Buckingham Palace and boasted that it was the first hotel in London not only to have central heating in the bedrooms but en suite bathrooms with every room – all for seven shillings and six pence a night in its early days. Nowadays the amenities are slightly more exotic: a Daily Telegraph journalist staying at the hotel this year noted the lights in her room registered four levels: bright, calm, cosy and ooh – the latter, she noted, was a sex light. Beside its frequent royal visitors, Winston Churchill was a guest and his mother, Jennie, actually moved in in 1919. During the second world war it was a command centre for General Dwight Eisenhower, the chief of allied forces. Jeremy Goring, the chief executive, said last year: “Some of our guests still come here on a Friday night and get a little hammered.” Royal wedding Monarchy Weddings Kate Middleton Hotels Stephen Bates guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Princess-to-be will spend last night as a commoner with mother and sister at hotel with a rich heritage of royal visitors One of London’s finest – and usually most discreet – hotels, where Kate Middleton will spend the night before her wedding has taken advantage of its royal connection to release promotional film footage to broadcasters. The Goring Hotel ‘s initiative is the latest commercial venture linked to the royal wedding on 29 April – hot on the heels of a petfood company’s plans, announced on Friday , to create a 68kg cake for dogs, to be made in the shape of a corgi. A spokeswoman for the hotel said the film had been made available in anticipation of a deluge of media requests. Asked whether the Goring was expecting a dramatic increase in customers interested in booking the suite where Middleton, her mother Carole and sister Pippa, will stay, she replied: “Who knows?” The five-room suite has been newly redecorated, apparently as part of a general refurbishment of the hotel following its centenary last year. It contains Queen Victoria’s silk bridal gown and tiara, framed in a wardrobe, a grand piano, an original 19th-century toilet and, bizarrely, hanging above the bath, what appears to be a cartoon picture of the television character Edmund Blackadder kissing the hand of Elizabeth I. Unauthorised photographs of the suite, some showing boxes of furnishings still to be unpacked, have been published in the Sun . “I could not tell you how much the room will cost after the wedding,” the spokeswoman said. “That is to be decided, but it will be in line with comparable hotels.” The Middleton family will be staying at a hotel with a rich royal heritage: previous visitors have included Queen Mary, the wife of George V, who would take afternoon tea there, and the Queen Mother, whose last outing before her death was to the Goring. The hotel is still in the ownership of the family that opened it in 1910: the current chief executive Jeremy Goring, a surfer and former rock drummer, is the great-grandson of the founder.The hotel is in a quiet sidestreet a short walk from Buckingham Palace. Furnished in the style of a London club or a wood-panelled English country house, it is usually a haunt of diplomats, politicians and American bishops. The 71 rooms at the Goring cost upwards of £400 a night, while a suite can set guests back up to £1,525 a night, according to previously published tariffs. The Middletons’ suite is at the top of the hotel, overlooking a quiet internal garden square. Clarence House insisted that staying there was the family’s personal choice, in preference to Buckingham Palace. Perhaps they had heard the story of a Norwegian crown prince who stayed at the Goring instead of the palace when he was attending a coronation, saying that at least there he would not have to share a bathroom. On a normal day the half-mile trip to Westminster Abbey could take 15 minutes along Victoria Street by car, but, even allowing for a detour up the Mall, across Horseguards Parade, down Whitehall and round Parliament Square, timings for the royal wedding released on Friday allow only nine minutes for the journey on the day itself. Middleton and her father Michael will leave at 10.51am – to be driven to the abbey for the ceremony at 11am. The schedule issued by St James’s Palace is astonishingly precise – life is so much easier with no other trafficto worry about. The abbey will be open to the congregation from 8.15am. Prince William and his brother – and best man – Prince Harry will leave Clarence House at 10.10am and arrive at the church five minutes later, followed by his father and stepmother who leave home at 10.38am and arrive at 10.42am. The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will depart from Buckingham Palace at 10.40am and arrive at the abbey’s west door five minutes later. The service finishes at 12.15pm, after which the newlyweds will ride to Buckingham Palace in a carriage. The kiss on the palace balcony is scheduled for 1.25pm and five minutes later there will then be an RAF flypast and Battle of Britain memorial flight. Ooh factor The Goring hotel was opened by Otto Goring in 1910, just a few yards from Buckingham Palace and boasted that it was the first hotel in London not only to have central heating in the bedrooms but en suite bathrooms with every room – all for seven shillings and six pence a night in its early days. Nowadays the amenities are slightly more exotic: a Daily Telegraph journalist staying at the hotel this year noted the lights in her room registered four levels: bright, calm, cosy and ooh – the latter, she noted, was a sex light. Beside its frequent royal visitors, Winston Churchill was a guest and his mother, Jennie, actually moved in in 1919. During the second world war it was a command centre for General Dwight Eisenhower, the chief of allied forces. Jeremy Goring, the chief executive, said last year: “Some of our guests still come here on a Friday night and get a little hammered.” Royal wedding Monarchy Weddings Kate Middleton Hotels Stephen Bates guardian.co.uk
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