Rockets fired into Israeli city following overnight Israeli air strikes on targets in Gaza More than 10 rockets have been fired from Gaza into Israel following a series of overnight Israeli air strikes on targets in the north and south of the strip in which a teenage boy was killed and more than a dozen people injured. The action followed an audacious three-pronged assault near Israel’s border with Egypt on Thursday, in which eight Israelis and at least five militants were killed in the deadliest attack in Israel for several years. The Israeli military said two of the rockets fired by militants in Gaza on Friday caused damage and injuries at a synagogue and school in the southern Israeli city of Ashdod. S Israel deployed its Iron Dome mobile air defence system and intercepted at least one of the Grad and Qassam rockets. Most landed on open ground. The Israeli air force struck seven targets in Gaza in the early hours of Friday, which it said included a weapons storage unit, two tunnels used for smuggling arms and militant training sites. Thirteen-year-old Mahmoud Abu Samra was killed and up to 18 others wounded in an air strike on a home near the former intelligence service headquarters in Gaza City, according to medics quoted by the Palestinian news agency Ma’an. Israeli officials said the Gaza-based Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) was responsible for the attacks near the Red Sea resort of Eilat. A large squad of militants crossed through tunnels from Gaza into Egypt, and then travelled 125 miles (200km) south through the lawless Sinai peninsula before crossing into Egypt north of Eilat, according to officials. Although Israel has begun building a security fence along two sections of its border with Egypt, only about a tenth of it is completed and officials acknowledge the border is porous. According to reports in the Israeli media, the IDF believe the purpose of the attack was to kidnap a civilian or a soldier. An Israeli official told the Guardian: “We knew they were out there,” suggesting intelligence had picked up the possibility of an attack. Within hours of the attack, Israeli warplanes struck a house in Rafah, a town in Gaza close to the Egyptian border and site of hundreds of illegal tunnels. Five members of the PRC were killed, including its military commander, Abu Awad Nayrab, and his two-year-old son Malek. A PRC spokesman, Abu Mujahed, said Israel would be held responsible for “all the consequences of its crimes” in Rafah. Ismail Radwan, a senior Hamas leader, condemned the “massacre in Rafah” and told the Palestinian news agency Ma’an that “this crime won’t stop the resistance and won’t stop all Palestinians”. Hamas denied it had any connection to Thursday’s attacks. An Israeli government official said it held Hamas responsible for “terrorism emanating from their territory”. The PRC, formed in 2000, is an umbrella group of militants, some of whom are disaffected former members of Fatah and Hamas, the dominant factions in Palestinian politics. It was one of three groups claiming to have abducted the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who has been held captive for the past five years. Thursday’s attacks appear to be the result of careful planning and co-ordination. Six Israeli civilians and two soldiers were killed in attacks on two buses, a private car and a military vehicle involving gunfire, mortars and a roadside bomb. Israel Gaza Palestinian territories Middle East Harriet Sherwood guardian.co.uk
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• Eight Afghan police and one foreigner dead • New Zealand special forces and British troops join fighting At least eight Afghan police and one foreigner are believed to have been killed after the Taliban marked the anniversary of Afghanistan’s independence from Britain with an elaborate, multi-phased attack on the British Council building in Kabul. The assault on the compound in the west of the city began when a suicide car bomber detonated a vehicle at the front gate of the compound. Witnesses in nearby shops said several heavily armed insurgents then rushed out of a side street shouting, firing in the air and racing towards to the open gate. Afghan officials believed the number of attackers was between two and four. All British nationals affected by the attack on the British Council in Kabul are now safe, said the Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt. Jumadin, a worker at a nearby petrol station, said the force of the initial blast was enough to throw him across the ground. “I thought I was going to die,” he said. “When the policemen rushed to the area from the police district at least three were shot dead near the building.” At midday the relatively upscale Kabul neighbourhood resembled a war zone. Six hours after the beginning of the attack, fighting continued between the attackers and security forces, including British troops. Loud explosions and long bursts of gunfire could be heard from within the building, circling helicopters released counter-missile flares and a medical evacuation helicopter briefly landed and then departed again just 50m from the site. After an initial period when the fighting appeared to have ended, a volley of machine-gun fire sent British soldiers ducking behind their armoured vehicles. Afghan officials said at least one attacker was still at large in the compound. With the injured rushed to a variety of different hospitals and the building still not cleared, estimates of the number killed and wounded varied wildly. The interior minister said it thought 12 people had been injured and eight killed, all of whom were either police or private security guards. The heavily fortified compound is usually protected by a mixed force of Afghan and Nepali guards. “It is a sad fact that once again an attack aimed at the international community has killed Afghans,” Burt said. “This attack, against people working to help build a better future for Afghanistan, will not lessen the UK’s resolve to support the Afghan people.” British soldiers rushed to the UK government’s cultural and educational mission in the country, joining Afghan police, soldiers and the New Zealand SAS. The area hosts not only the British Council, but also two of the country’s top politicians – the leader of the opposition and one of Hamid Karzai’s vice-presidents. Despite the assistance of the Afghan and international forces an insurgent was still at large in the compound more than six hours after the attack. Zabiullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman reached by phone, said the target was both the British Council and a guesthouse that he claimed, it would appear incorrectly, was located in the same compound. “We attacked the buildings because we want to remind the British that we won our independence from them before and we will do it again,” he said. Although Afghanistan was not a formal colony of Britain at the time, the country celebrates the end of the Third Anglo-Afghan war in 1919, a small-scale affair compared with the preceding conflicts, when the country won the right to pursue a foreign policy independent of the British Raj. The Afghan government, which has in the past tried to restrict the live coverage of terrorist attacks, appeared to put restraints on at least one television channel called Afghan News, which abruptly dropped its reporting to switch to patriotic songs. Journalists were also ordered to stop taking photos when what appeared to be a seriously wounded New Zealand special forces soldier was stretchered out of the building and loaded on to the medevac helicopter. New Zealand’s SAS, which runs a quick reaction force for Kabul, also suffered casualties during June’s siege of the Intercontinental Hotel. One soldier suffered a chest would while the other broke his jaw in the fighting. New Zealand special forces also insisted photographers stop taking photos. They said it was to protect the identities of the wounded being removed from the building, although special forces also try to avoid being photographed. Even as fighting continued President Karzai, senior officials and some diplomats marked the anniversary with a small ceremony inside the walls of his massively fortified palace compound on the other side of Kabul. Taliban Afghanistan Jon Boone guardian.co.uk
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Two suicide bombers attacked a British compound in the Afghan capital Friday, killing at least three people and wounding two. The attack was followed by sporadic gunfire exchanges several hours after the blasts. (Aug. 19)
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Stage Collapses Crowds Flee *Pukkelpop 2011 Storm* The STORM @ Pukkelpop 2011 Pukkelpop 2011 – After the disaster nabz_is_a_lamb says: RT @ jaredleto : PUKKELPOP UPDATE: Two confirmed dead. 40 at the hospital. Sending our thoughts and prayers
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Logitech isn’t exactly new to the gaming peripheral scene , but the company knows its strength lies not in pleasing hardcore FPS fans, it’s in delivering solid consumer products. The G300 isn’t a gaming mouse for the twitchy virtual gun slingers out there, it’s for folks that fire up the occasional shooter, but want better performance than they get out of the pointer packed with their PC. The nine programmable buttons and 2,500dpi laser aren’t jaw-dropping, but they’re certainly respectable for only $40. It does pack one interesting feature — gaming profiles that are stored on the mouse’s internal memory. This way you can set up different configurations for particular games and even move the mouse across PCs without any hassle. And, the lighting on the side will glow different colors to identify which profile you’re using. While you wait for the G300 to land in September, check out the PR after the break. Continue reading Logitech G300 mouse delivers gaming friendly features on the cheap Logitech G300 mouse delivers gaming friendly features on the cheap originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Aug 2011 14:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Lump 14 News Skool wit kaylee in current events Walking With Wayne – Agnosticism and what is a God? 2subtle says: The Secret 365 Group Church calendar: Current events – Online Athens: Church calendar: Current eventsOn… http://t.co/5peelcT Facebook
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Type: Kitchen Title: Cuisinart ICE-21 Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker See all customer reviews Product Description: Now you can enjoy the finest homemade frozen treats at home! The fully automatic Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker lets you make your favorites in 20 minutes or less, with no fuss and no mess. Just add ingredients to the bowl, press ON and the machine does the rest! Features: New mixing paddle makes frozen desserts and drinks in 20 minutes Large capacity makes up to 1 1/2 quarts Double insulated freezer bowl eliminates the need for ice Easy lock transparent lid with large spout makes adding ingredients simple and mess free Fully automatic with large ingredient spout for adding ingredients See the details
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The proportion of children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has risen from 6.9% to 9% in the past decade, a CDC study shows.
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Rents in England and Wales – averaging £705 a month – make saving a deposit for a new home almost impossible Rents in England and Wales rose for the sixth month in a row in July to a record high of £705 a month, plunging struggling first-time buyers into a “vicious circle” with spiralling rents making it impossible for them to save the deposit to buy a home. Despite annual rent inflation reaching 4.2%, the latest LSL Property Services buy-to-let index shows the rate of increase is slowing, with July’s figure just 0.6% higher than June’s average rent of £701 and only £29 a month more than the July 2010 average. In the year to July rental prices rose the fastest in London, increasing by 7.1% to a record high of £1,009 a month, followed by the north-east (an annual increase of 5.5%), and the east and West Midlands (both rising by 4.8%). The only region not to experience a rise in the past year was Wales, where monthly prices were static at £547. Month-on-month, the sharpest rental increases were found in the south-east (1.7% in July), Wales (1.4%), the east Midlands (1.4%), and the south-west (1.2%). Prices fell in the West Midlands (-0.6% to £551), Yorkshire & the Humber (-0.2% to £525), and the north-west (-0.1% to £569). But landlords are seeing a squeeze on profits as returns from property investing fell in July. The total annual return on a rental property fell to 1.2% during the month, as annual declines in rental property prices took their toll. LSL said if property values continue on their current trend, a property investor could expect to make a total annual return of 2.5% over the next 12 months. LSL, which surveys 18,000 properties in England and Wales for its index, said demand from thousands of frustrated buyers was underpinning buoyant competition for rental homes, enabling landlords to increase prices. Spokesman David Newnes said it was “unlikely tenants will gain any respite soon”. “This is the peak summer season, and with more renters on the move the market will continue to heat up. Such strong demand and high rental incomes has forced lenders to take notice, and more are returning to the sector,” he said. “As a result of the competition in the buy-to-let market, the range of affordable products is expanding – and lending to investors rose by 21% in the last quarter. Nevertheless, even with the squeeze on landlord finance abating, the new supply will not be enough to meet demand from tenants.” But Newnes said the increasing cost of rental accommodation – alongside the soaring cost of living – was eroding first-time buyers’ ability to save deposits. He added: “First-time renters are also keenly feeling the pinch. As rents climb, so does the size of the average deposit a new renter must find. Thousands of new buyers each year rely on the bank of mum and dad to help fund a deposit. “However, now it is becoming increasingly commonplace for renters to get parental help to fund their first deposit on a rental home, with the typical one-month deposit on a property in London more than £1,000.” Renters turn to flatshare Jonathan Moore, director of Easyroommate.co.uk , said the present situation is difficult for those looking to get on the property ladder: “First-time buyers can’t get mortgages, so demand for rented homes soars. Rents shoot up, tenants find it even harder to save a deposit to buy, and rental demand strengthens further. It’s a vicious circle. “But many renters are cutting costs by turning to flatshare, and this sector of the market is growing. Demand is now so strong that four tenants compete for each room available, and room rents have risen by 1.4% in the last month alone – more than twice the rate of the wider rental market.” LSL’s monthly figure is broadly in line with the Office for National Statistics’s latest consumer prices index , which shows rents in July increasing by 0.7%. However the ONS, which includes rent from social housing in its inflation report, said rents increased by only 3% over the year to July – lower than LSL’s annual estimate. Meanwhile, Halifax has teamed up with credit reference agency Experian to make sure applicants who do not get approved for a mortgage because of their credit score will have access to a CreditExpert membership, offering unlimited access to credit experts. The Halifax CreditExpert service, part of the bank’s first-time buyer pledge, offers customers support and advice on what is affecting their credit score, as well as personalised advice on steps to improve their credit profile. However, they will only get the service free for 30 days – after which they will pay a discounted rate of £9.99 a month compared to Experian’s usual charge of £14.99. Renting property Buying to let First-time buyers Property Housing market Mark King guardian.co.uk
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Boys aged 14 and 15 held in connection with fatal knife attack on 14-year-old Leroy James Police have arrested two teenagers after a 14-year-old boy was stabbed to death in a north London park. The boys aged 14 and 15 were held in connection with the death of Leroy James, Scotland Yard said. Police and an air ambulance were called to Ponders End recreation ground in Enfield at about 5.30pm on Wednesday. They arrived to find Leroy fatally injured in the centre of the park. Attempts to resuscitate him failed and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Officers said there was no evidence that his death was gang-related. They believed he had been in an altercation with at least one other youth. The teenager’s father, also called Leroy, visited the scene on Thursday to pay tribute to “a pretty quiet boy” and football enthusiast who would be remembered. The 41-year-old scrap metal dealer, from nearby Edmonton Green, said he found out about the attack when one of his son’s friends called him. “I was at home,” he said. “[Leroy's friend] just said to me if I heard what happened. He said Leroy has been stabbed and had been taken to the Royal Free hospital. But actually he was still in the park until 2am.” Detective Chief Inspector Caroline Goode of the Metropolitan police appealed for more witnesses to come forward. “We know from what witnesses have told us so far that Leroy was in an altercation with at least one other boy,” she said. “I’m completely open-minded as to the motive at this stage. “There’s certainly no evidence or any intelligence at this time that this is a gang-related murder.” Goode described Leroy as “a 14-year-old young man who didn’t deserve to lose his life”, adding: “People who were there will know who has done this. We want to hear from anyone who was in the park at 5.30pm and can help us … there will be a lot of people who were in the park and a lot of talk in the community. We plead with people to come forward.” Darren Griffiths, who lives in a flat backing on to the scene, said he had seen police taping off the area at 5.30pm. “I knew it was something fatal,” the 39-year-old said. “It’s normally peaceful around here. They’ve just built an outside gym here which is where the kids hang out and where it’s taken place. “Last week we had the kids walking through the park from the riots but apart from that it’s quiet.” The 10th fatal stabbing of a teenager in London this year sparked both sadness and anger. One resident said he was not surprised: “Things happen in that park at night.” Many in the area complained that the local police station had recently closed. It is 50 metres from the entrance to the park where Leroy was killed. Hazel Nelson-Williams, the founder of anti-youth crime group the Nelson Williams Foundation, said it had been a mistake to close the station. “If that young man had had the opportunity to run away, where would he have run to?” she asked. “In light of what’s happened, cutting police numbers is not the right thing to do.” Enfield has significant areas of deprivation alongside streets of comfortable suburban homes. It experienced a night of riots and looting on 7 August. The disturbances spread from the town centre east towards Ponders End. According to Scotland Yard figures knife crime involving young people in London has risen by almost 10% over the past year, with a bigger increase in the number of youths injured in knife attacks in the past few years. Knife crime Crime London Sam Jones Peter Walker guardian.co.uk
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