Security stepped up at tennis championships after activists from 15M group are found trying to smuggle in paint and banners Security has been stepped up at Wimbledon , after a group of Spanish activists tried to smuggle banners and tins of paint inside the tennis championship. Police said they believed the 14 members of 15M London , which is linked to the mass protests in Spain , planned to target the match between world number one Rafael Nadal and Gilles Muller on court one. The tournament went into lockdown after the protesters, all Spanish and wearing yellow T-shirts, were stopped in the queue, with a Metropolitan Police helicopter hovering overhead. Thousands of fans were delayed as the gates were closed for an extra 45 minutes. Ian Ritchie, chief executive of the All England Lawn and Tennis Club, said he did not know whether the championships would be targeted again but security would be increased. He said: “For all we know, we have to be prepared for people coming back in on Monday. We have to be prepared for every eventuality.” Ritchie said personal security for Nadal and other Spanish players had not been altered. A police spokesman said: “At approximately 10.30am today a number of people were stopped in the queue at the tennis for Wimbledon and items were also found near to this group, believed to be for use in a demonstration or publicity stunt. “A number of individuals are not being allowed access to the tennis following the searches. No arrests were made.” The planned protest caused no alteration to the playing schedule. 15M London put a message on its website saying: “Important: don’t go to Wimbledon – mission aborted.” The activists describe themselves as “a movement of outraged citizens” opposed to corrupt politicians and greedy bankers. Thousands have protested in Spain under the 15M umbrella, amid anger about high unemployment and the stagnant economy. Wimbledon Protest Tennis Rafael Nadal Spain David Batty guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Security stepped up at tennis championships after activists from 15M group are found trying to smuggle in paint and banners Security has been stepped up at Wimbledon , after a group of Spanish activists tried to smuggle banners and tins of paint inside the tennis championship. Police said they believed the 14 members of 15M London , which is linked to the mass protests in Spain , planned to target the match between world number one Rafael Nadal and Gilles Muller on court one. The tournament went into lockdown after the protesters, all Spanish and wearing yellow T-shirts, were stopped in the queue, with a Metropolitan Police helicopter hovering overhead. Thousands of fans were delayed as the gates were closed for an extra 45 minutes. Ian Ritchie, chief executive of the All England Lawn and Tennis Club, said he did not know whether the championships would be targeted again but security would be increased. He said: “For all we know, we have to be prepared for people coming back in on Monday. We have to be prepared for every eventuality.” Ritchie said personal security for Nadal and other Spanish players had not been altered. A police spokesman said: “At approximately 10.30am today a number of people were stopped in the queue at the tennis for Wimbledon and items were also found near to this group, believed to be for use in a demonstration or publicity stunt. “A number of individuals are not being allowed access to the tennis following the searches. No arrests were made.” The planned protest caused no alteration to the playing schedule. 15M London put a message on its website saying: “Important: don’t go to Wimbledon – mission aborted.” The activists describe themselves as “a movement of outraged citizens” opposed to corrupt politicians and greedy bankers. Thousands have protested in Spain under the 15M umbrella, amid anger about high unemployment and the stagnant economy. Wimbledon Protest Tennis Rafael Nadal Spain David Batty guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Security stepped up at tennis championships after activists from 15M group are found trying to smuggle in paint and banners Security has been stepped up at Wimbledon , after a group of Spanish activists tried to smuggle banners and tins of paint inside the tennis championship. Police said they believed the 14 members of 15M London , which is linked to the mass protests in Spain , planned to target the match between world number one Rafael Nadal and Gilles Muller on court one. The tournament went into lockdown after the protesters, all Spanish and wearing yellow T-shirts, were stopped in the queue, with a Metropolitan Police helicopter hovering overhead. Thousands of fans were delayed as the gates were closed for an extra 45 minutes. Ian Ritchie, chief executive of the All England Lawn and Tennis Club, said he did not know whether the championships would be targeted again but security would be increased. He said: “For all we know, we have to be prepared for people coming back in on Monday. We have to be prepared for every eventuality.” Ritchie said personal security for Nadal and other Spanish players had not been altered. A police spokesman said: “At approximately 10.30am today a number of people were stopped in the queue at the tennis for Wimbledon and items were also found near to this group, believed to be for use in a demonstration or publicity stunt. “A number of individuals are not being allowed access to the tennis following the searches. No arrests were made.” The planned protest caused no alteration to the playing schedule. 15M London put a message on its website saying: “Important: don’t go to Wimbledon – mission aborted.” The activists describe themselves as “a movement of outraged citizens” opposed to corrupt politicians and greedy bankers. Thousands have protested in Spain under the 15M umbrella, amid anger about high unemployment and the stagnant economy. Wimbledon Protest Tennis Rafael Nadal Spain David Batty guardian.co.uk
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Eight people taken to hospital in Bordeaux, with French officials examining three types of seeds from Suffolk supplier Food safety officials are investigating a possible link between seeds sold by a British firm and an E coli outbreak in France. The action by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) comes after France banned the sale of three types of seeds linked to Thompson & Morgan, based in Ipswich, Suffolk. Eight people affected by E coli have been admitted to hospital in Bordeaux. French officials said the results of tests on two of them showed an infection of the same strain of E coli that killed 44 people and affected 3,700 others, including Britons, in an outbreak centred on Germany. An investigation by France’s competition, consumption and fraud prevention agency found those hospitalised had consumed rocket and mustard vegetable sprouts believed to have been grown from seeds sold by Thompson & Morgan at a school fair in the south-western town of Begles. Commerce minister Frederic Lefebvre said the ban involved fenugreek, mustard and rocket seeds. But he added: “The link between the symptoms and eating of the sprouts so far has not been definitively established.” The FSA said it was asking Thompson & Morgan for more information about the seeds. It added that no E coli cases had been reported in the UK. Thompson & Morgan’s website describes it as an expert in the garden since 1855. There is no suggestion of a link to the German E coli outbreak. Thompson & Morgan told the BBC it sold “thousands of packets and had no reported problems”. “It is highly unlikely to be the seeds themselves but the way that they were used and handled,” the company said in a statement. Managing director Paul Hansord said the firm bought its seeds in bulk from suppliers around the world and those under investigation may have come from Italy. E coli Food safety France Germany David Batty guardian.co.uk
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Teenager accused of hacking offences during probe into LulzSec group has been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome The British teenager accused of bringing down the website of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) has been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, a court has heard. Ryan Cleary, 19, of South Beech Avenue, Wickford, Essex, was arrested as part of a Scotland Yard and FBI probe into hacking group LulzSec. His lawyer told City of Westminster magistrates court on Saturday that Cleary has the form of autism, along with agoraphobia. District judge Nicholas Evans heard that Cleary’s condition had been diagnosed by a psychologist. Cleary did not enter any plea to the five offences under the Criminal Law and Computer Misuse Act with which he is charged. He was granted bail but remains in custody after prosecutors objected. An appeal will be heard at Southwark crown court on Monday. The teenager spoke only to confirm his name and to say that he understood the proceedings. He was arrested at his family home on Monday as part of a Scotland Yard and FBI probe into LulzSec, a group that claims responsibility for hacking attempts on Soca, the US Senate and the CIA. He is charged with conspiring with other people on or before 20 June to create a remotely controlled network of zombie computers, known as a “botnet”, to carry out distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, where websites are flooded with traffic to make them crash. He is alleged to have carried out similar attacks against the British Phonographic Industry’s website on 29 October last year and the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry’s website on or before 20 June. Cleary’s case has parallels with that of Gary McKinnon, who has Asperger’s and is fighting extradition to America over allegations of hacking into US military computers. LulzSec Hacking Gary McKinnon David Batty guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Gov. Cuomo Praises New York as Beacon for Social Justice After Passage of Gay Marriage Bill
June 25, 2011 No Comment
Click here to view this media New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo praised New York as a beacon for social justice after the passage of their same sex marriage bill and expressed his hopes that his state’s actions tonight would help to promote the message of equal rights for the LGBT community across the country. CUOMO: [A]nd what we accomplished with marriage equality, really in some ways brings it all home, because this state, when it is at its finest, is a beacon for social justice. The legacy of this state was that we were the progressive capitol of the nation. And when you look back at so many of the great progressive movements that were birthed here in New York, the women’s rights movement was birthed here in New York. The environmental rights movement was birthed here in New York, Storm King on the Hudson. The workers’ rights movement was birthed here in New York after the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire. All these great progressive movements, the gay rights movement was birthed at Stonewall. And what this state said today brings this discussion of marriage equality to a new plane. That’s the power and the beauty of New York. The other states look to New York for the progressive direction. And what we said today is you look to New York once again, because New York made a powerful statement, not just to the people of New York, but to people all across this nation. We reached a new level of social justice this evening, marriage equality. I said to the legislators, you look at the first word, marriage, it’s really about the second word, equality. It’s really about New Yorkers, our brothers and sisters, looking at us and saying, we want equality. We want equality in society, equality in our relationships, equality in our love, equality in our families. We want full recognition, marriage equality, and we did it today. Cuomo went on to praise the legislature for being willing to work together and for showing the courage to “respond to their better angels” and their hopes and not their fears. I guess time will tell whether Gov. Cuomo is right and we see more of the rest of the country follow New York and the five other states along with Washington D.C. in recognizing the equal rights of our fellow citizens in the LGBT community. As Think Progress noted , “Cuomo just announced that he will sign the bill this evening.”
Continue reading …Gov. Cuomo Praises New York as Beacon for Social Justice After Passage of Gay Marriage Bill
June 25, 2011 No Comment
Click here to view this media New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo praised New York as a beacon for social justice after the passage of their same sex marriage bill and expressed his hopes that his state’s actions tonight would help to promote the message of equal rights for the LGBT community across the country. CUOMO: [A]nd what we accomplished with marriage equality, really in some ways brings it all home, because this state, when it is at its finest, is a beacon for social justice. The legacy of this state was that we were the progressive capitol of the nation. And when you look back at so many of the great progressive movements that were birthed here in New York, the women’s rights movement was birthed here in New York. The environmental rights movement was birthed here in New York, Storm King on the Hudson. The workers’ rights movement was birthed here in New York after the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire. All these great progressive movements, the gay rights movement was birthed at Stonewall. And what this state said today brings this discussion of marriage equality to a new plane. That’s the power and the beauty of New York. The other states look to New York for the progressive direction. And what we said today is you look to New York once again, because New York made a powerful statement, not just to the people of New York, but to people all across this nation. We reached a new level of social justice this evening, marriage equality. I said to the legislators, you look at the first word, marriage, it’s really about the second word, equality. It’s really about New Yorkers, our brothers and sisters, looking at us and saying, we want equality. We want equality in society, equality in our relationships, equality in our love, equality in our families. We want full recognition, marriage equality, and we did it today. Cuomo went on to praise the legislature for being willing to work together and for showing the courage to “respond to their better angels” and their hopes and not their fears. I guess time will tell whether Gov. Cuomo is right and we see more of the rest of the country follow New York and the five other states along with Washington D.C. in recognizing the equal rights of our fellow citizens in the LGBT community. As Think Progress noted , “Cuomo just announced that he will sign the bill this evening.”
Continue reading …Federal Judge Stays Indiana Law Cutting Off Planned Parenthood Funding Until She Hears Lawsuit
June 25, 2011 No CommentJudge Pratt has stayed the law that defunded Planned Parenthood while she hears the lawsuit brought by the group and the ACLU: A federal judge has halted enforcement of a law cutting off funding to Planned Parenthood of Indiana and other entities that provide abortions. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt on Friday night means Planned Parenthood, which stopped serving its 9,300 Medicaid patients last week after running out of donated funds, can again see those patients. The judge also enjoined a part of the law that would have taken effect July 1, requiring doctors to tell patients seeking abortions that a fetus can feel pain at 20 weeks or less. Both were part of an anti-abortion bill that passed the Republican dominated legislature with significant support and was signed into law by Mitch Daniels. Those are the parts of these that always get me: “You’ve been a very bad girl and only someone inhuman would inflict pain on a poor defenseless baby.” How dare they? They don’t give a crap about unborn babies; they only want to control women. Some stuff, different wrapper.
Continue reading …Federal Judge Stays Indiana Law Cutting Off Planned Parenthood Funding Until She Hears Lawsuit
June 25, 2011 No CommentJudge Pratt has stayed the law that defunded Planned Parenthood while she hears the lawsuit brought by the group and the ACLU: A federal judge has halted enforcement of a law cutting off funding to Planned Parenthood of Indiana and other entities that provide abortions. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt on Friday night means Planned Parenthood, which stopped serving its 9,300 Medicaid patients last week after running out of donated funds, can again see those patients. The judge also enjoined a part of the law that would have taken effect July 1, requiring doctors to tell patients seeking abortions that a fetus can feel pain at 20 weeks or less. Both were part of an anti-abortion bill that passed the Republican dominated legislature with significant support and was signed into law by Mitch Daniels. Those are the parts of these that always get me: “You’ve been a very bad girl and only someone inhuman would inflict pain on a poor defenseless baby.” How dare they? They don’t give a crap about unborn babies; they only want to control women. Some stuff, different wrapper.
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New York state senate passes marriage equality bill in a move celebrated as a turning point by gay activists across the US New York has become the latest and largest US state to legalise same-sex marriage in a move which gay rights campaigners hope will be a turning point for recognition of such unions across the country. The state senate’s backing of the marriage equality bill means New York, the third most populous US state, joins Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and the Washington capital district in allowing gay couples to wed. Gay weddings are expected to commence within 30 days after governor Andrew Cuomo signed the bill into law on Friday night. The Republican-controlled state senate voted 33-29 for the bill which had earlier been approved by the lower house, which has a Democratic majority. Gay rights activists believe the vote will strengthen the campaign for marriage equality across the country, as the impact of the legislation will be felt well beyond New York. Unlike in Massachusetts, the first state to allow gay marriage in 2004, people do not need to be residents of New York to obtain a marriage licence, so the state could attract couples from across the country. Activists believe the state’s size and New York City’s international stature add to the significance of the vote. Ross Levi, executive director of the Empire State Pride Agenda, said the law would have “a ripple effect across the nation”. “It’s truly a historic night for love, our families, and democracy won,” he added. The vote was particularly emotional for many in the gay community as the gay rights movement is considered to have started in New York City with the Stonewall riots in Greenwich Village in 1969. There was a huge street party at the Stonewall Inn overnight. Alex Kelston, 26, who works in finance in Manhattan, said: “This is the place where the movement started, and it’s a way to close the loop and celebrate the full equality of gay people in New York.” Scott Redstone popped the question to his partner of 29 years, Steven Knittweis: “I said, ‘Will you marry me?’ And he said, ‘Of course!’” Revellers posted photos of the celebrations on Twitter, which included waving rainbow flags and dancing. The vote is likely to be celebrated at annual gay pride events this weekend, culminating with parades in New York City, San Francisco and other cities on Sunday. Sarah Ellis, who has been in a six-year relationship with her partner, Kristen Henderson, said the new law would enable the couple, who have twin toddlers, to get married in the autumn. “We’ve been waiting. We considered it for a long time, crossing the borders and going to other states,” said Ellis, 39, from Long Island. “But until the state that we live in, that we pay taxes in, and we’re part of that community, has equal rights and marriage equality, we were not going to do it.” In the week leading up to the vote in New York, some Republicans who opposed a similar bill in 2009 announced they were supporting it for reasons of conscience and a duty to ensure civil rights. Pressure to back the legisation came from celebrities, athletes and New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has long used his own fortune to help bankroll Republican campaigns and personally lobbied some undecided representatives. Senator Stephen Saland, voted against the 2009 bill, said before last night’s vote. “I am doing the right thing in voting to support marriage equality.” Singer Lady Gaga has been urging her 11 million Twitter followers to call New York senators in support of the bill. Following the vote, she tweeted: ” I can’t stop crying. We did it kids. The revolution is ours to fight for love, justice+equality. Rejoice NY, and propose. We did it!!! ” Pink tweeted: ” Congratulations!!!!!!!!! About time! ” The legislation does include Republican demands for legal protections for religious groups that fear they will be hit with discrimination lawsuits if they refuse to allow their facilities to be used for gay weddings. United States Gay rights Michael Bloomberg Lady Gaga David Batty guardian.co.uk
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