Boston real estate developer Frank McCourt once tried to buy his hometown Red Sox, and Boston fans should rejoice today that the deal fell through. McCourt instead bought the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he’s made such a mess of things that Major League Baseball today took over the finances of…
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Under the order, which goes into effect at midnight local time, it will be illegal to enter a 20km (12-mile) evacuation zone around the Fukushima nuclear reactor Tens of thousands of people who were evacuated from near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant risk arrest if they return home, after the government declared the area a no-entry zone due to high radiation levels. Under the order, which goes into effect at midnight local time, people living within a 20-kilometre radius of the atomic plant will be given up to two hours to enter the area to collect belongings. The move came amid concern over the long-term health risks posed by high levels of accumulated radiation, despite signs of progress in bringing the stricken facility under control. The government has also extended the evacuation zone to several locations outside the 20-kilometre zone, including areas in which as many as 130,000 people had initially been asked to leave voluntarily or stay indoors. Residents in those areas will be given a month to evacuate. The government’s chief spokesman, Yukio Edano, urged people living inside the new no-entry zone to abide by the order for the sake of their health. “The plant is not stable,” he told reporters. “We have been asking residents not to enter the area as there is a huge risk to their safety.” Under the order, people who enter the zone without permission face fines of up to 100,000 yen and possible arrest. “We beg the understanding of residents,” Edano said. “We really don’t want them to enter the area, but unfortunately some people are still living there.” Almost all of the 8,000 people living in the 20-kilometre zone have been evacuated, but some have refused to abandon their livestock or move from their homes into evacuation centres. Police said about 60 families had defied the evacuation order imposed after the crisis began, adding that some had been persuaded to leave. The contaminated bodies of as many as a 1,000 people who died in the 11 March earthquake and tsunami have yet to be recovered from the area. The stricter measure was introduced to stop people from returning to collect belongings and to prevent theft. Until now, police have not had the legal authority to block returnees. Edano said that over the next one to two months, one resident per household would be permitted to return home on chartered buses to collect belongings. They will all be required to undergo radiation screening on their way out. Those living within three kilometres of the plant and other areas where very high levels of radiation have been detected will not be allowed to return, even for a short period, Kyodo said. “We realise this is extremely inconvenient for residents, but we urge you to be patient,” Edano said. The prime minister, Naoto Kan, flew to Fukushima prefecture on Thursday to explain the order to officials and evacuees. Kan, whose approval rating has fallen over his handling of the nuclear crisis, said the government would enforce the no-go zone order. He asked the prefecture’s governor, Yuhei Sato, to help win the understanding of local communities, according to Kyodo news agency. Tens of thousands of people affected by the nuclear crisis, many of whom fled with nothing but the clothes they were wearing, face many more months living in evacuation centres. The plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power [Tepco], said last week it would take between six and nine months to bring down radiation levels and make the facility safe, a time line some experts have described as optimistic. Edano conceded that Tepco had not been adequately prepared to cope with the disaster. “Leaving aside the question of whether the accident could have been predicted, it is clear that there was insufficient preparation. “We urge all nuclear plant operators to immediately take every possible precaution in light of the Fukushima disaster.” A Tepco official on Wednesday admitted that ful inside the plant’s No 1 reactor could be melting. ”I can’s say with absolute certainty that [the fuel] jas not melted,” Junichi Matsumoto said, adding that the firm had been unable to confirm the condition of the reactor’s core. Japan disaster Japan Nuclear power Natural disasters and extreme weather Justin McCurry guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Under the order, which goes into effect at midnight local time, it will be illegal to enter a 20km (12-mile) evacuation zone around the Fukushima nuclear reactor Tens of thousands of people who were evacuated from near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant risk arrest if they return home, after the government declared the area a no-entry zone due to high radiation levels. Under the order, which goes into effect at midnight local time, people living within a 20-kilometre radius of the atomic plant will be given up to two hours to enter the area to collect belongings. The move came amid concern over the long-term health risks posed by high levels of accumulated radiation, despite signs of progress in bringing the stricken facility under control. The government has also extended the evacuation zone to several locations outside the 20-kilometre zone, including areas in which as many as 130,000 people had initially been asked to leave voluntarily or stay indoors. Residents in those areas will be given a month to evacuate. The government’s chief spokesman, Yukio Edano, urged people living inside the new no-entry zone to abide by the order for the sake of their health. “The plant is not stable,” he told reporters. “We have been asking residents not to enter the area as there is a huge risk to their safety.” Under the order, people who enter the zone without permission face fines of up to 100,000 yen and possible arrest. “We beg the understanding of residents,” Edano said. “We really don’t want them to enter the area, but unfortunately some people are still living there.” Almost all of the 8,000 people living in the 20-kilometre zone have been evacuated, but some have refused to abandon their livestock or move from their homes into evacuation centres. Police said about 60 families had defied the evacuation order imposed after the crisis began, adding that some had been persuaded to leave. The contaminated bodies of as many as a 1,000 people who died in the 11 March earthquake and tsunami have yet to be recovered from the area. The stricter measure was introduced to stop people from returning to collect belongings and to prevent theft. Until now, police have not had the legal authority to block returnees. Edano said that over the next one to two months, one resident per household would be permitted to return home on chartered buses to collect belongings. They will all be required to undergo radiation screening on their way out. Those living within three kilometres of the plant and other areas where very high levels of radiation have been detected will not be allowed to return, even for a short period, Kyodo said. “We realise this is extremely inconvenient for residents, but we urge you to be patient,” Edano said. The prime minister, Naoto Kan, flew to Fukushima prefecture on Thursday to explain the order to officials and evacuees. Kan, whose approval rating has fallen over his handling of the nuclear crisis, said the government would enforce the no-go zone order. He asked the prefecture’s governor, Yuhei Sato, to help win the understanding of local communities, according to Kyodo news agency. Tens of thousands of people affected by the nuclear crisis, many of whom fled with nothing but the clothes they were wearing, face many more months living in evacuation centres. The plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power [Tepco], said last week it would take between six and nine months to bring down radiation levels and make the facility safe, a time line some experts have described as optimistic. Edano conceded that Tepco had not been adequately prepared to cope with the disaster. “Leaving aside the question of whether the accident could have been predicted, it is clear that there was insufficient preparation. “We urge all nuclear plant operators to immediately take every possible precaution in light of the Fukushima disaster.” A Tepco official on Wednesday admitted that ful inside the plant’s No 1 reactor could be melting. ”I can’s say with absolute certainty that [the fuel] jas not melted,” Junichi Matsumoto said, adding that the firm had been unable to confirm the condition of the reactor’s core. Japan disaster Japan Nuclear power Natural disasters and extreme weather Justin McCurry guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Under the order, which goes into effect at midnight local time, it will be illegal to enter a 20km (12-mile) evacuation zone around the Fukushima nuclear reactor Tens of thousands of people who were evacuated from near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant risk arrest if they return home, after the government declared the area a no-entry zone due to high radiation levels. Under the order, which goes into effect at midnight local time, people living within a 20-kilometre radius of the atomic plant will be given up to two hours to enter the area to collect belongings. The move came amid concern over the long-term health risks posed by high levels of accumulated radiation, despite signs of progress in bringing the stricken facility under control. The government has also extended the evacuation zone to several locations outside the 20-kilometre zone, including areas in which as many as 130,000 people had initially been asked to leave voluntarily or stay indoors. Residents in those areas will be given a month to evacuate. The government’s chief spokesman, Yukio Edano, urged people living inside the new no-entry zone to abide by the order for the sake of their health. “The plant is not stable,” he told reporters. “We have been asking residents not to enter the area as there is a huge risk to their safety.” Under the order, people who enter the zone without permission face fines of up to 100,000 yen and possible arrest. “We beg the understanding of residents,” Edano said. “We really don’t want them to enter the area, but unfortunately some people are still living there.” Almost all of the 8,000 people living in the 20-kilometre zone have been evacuated, but some have refused to abandon their livestock or move from their homes into evacuation centres. Police said about 60 families had defied the evacuation order imposed after the crisis began, adding that some had been persuaded to leave. The contaminated bodies of as many as a 1,000 people who died in the 11 March earthquake and tsunami have yet to be recovered from the area. The stricter measure was introduced to stop people from returning to collect belongings and to prevent theft. Until now, police have not had the legal authority to block returnees. Edano said that over the next one to two months, one resident per household would be permitted to return home on chartered buses to collect belongings. They will all be required to undergo radiation screening on their way out. Those living within three kilometres of the plant and other areas where very high levels of radiation have been detected will not be allowed to return, even for a short period, Kyodo said. “We realise this is extremely inconvenient for residents, but we urge you to be patient,” Edano said. The prime minister, Naoto Kan, flew to Fukushima prefecture on Thursday to explain the order to officials and evacuees. Kan, whose approval rating has fallen over his handling of the nuclear crisis, said the government would enforce the no-go zone order. He asked the prefecture’s governor, Yuhei Sato, to help win the understanding of local communities, according to Kyodo news agency. Tens of thousands of people affected by the nuclear crisis, many of whom fled with nothing but the clothes they were wearing, face many more months living in evacuation centres. The plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power [Tepco], said last week it would take between six and nine months to bring down radiation levels and make the facility safe, a time line some experts have described as optimistic. Edano conceded that Tepco had not been adequately prepared to cope with the disaster. “Leaving aside the question of whether the accident could have been predicted, it is clear that there was insufficient preparation. “We urge all nuclear plant operators to immediately take every possible precaution in light of the Fukushima disaster.” A Tepco official on Wednesday admitted that ful inside the plant’s No 1 reactor could be melting. ”I can’s say with absolute certainty that [the fuel] jas not melted,” Junichi Matsumoto said, adding that the firm had been unable to confirm the condition of the reactor’s core. Japan disaster Japan Nuclear power Natural disasters and extreme weather Justin McCurry guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …A tough-to-watch hidden camera video at a Texas dairy farm shows workers bludgeoning calves with pick axes and sledgehammers, reports KDAF-TV . The Castro County Sheriff’s Department has opened an animal cruelty investigation after watching the video made at the E6 Cattle Company, notes the Dallas Morning News . The local district…
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Local residents say that Peugeot 807 was clipped by car, sending it into reservoir, where only female driver escaped A man has been arrested after four people died when a car plunged into a reservoir in Wales. The female driver survived the accident, which happened at the Bwlch y Gle Dam, Clywedog, Llanidloes, in mid Wales, on Thursday police said. A spokesman for Dyfed Powys police said: “A local man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and is in custody at present.” The body of one man had been recovered but three bodies remain in the submerged Peugeot 807. “We can confirm that the woman holidaymaker driving the Peugeot managed to escape from the car and is now receiving medical attention – but tragically four other occupants of that car have been killed,” the police spokesman said. There have been unconfirmed reports that the five occupants of the car were all members of the same family and that those left inside it were children. Police declined to comment. It was understood the family had travelled to the area from Pontypridd for a holiday. “The body of a man has been recovered from the car, but the other bodies remain submerged and arrangements are being made to recover them,” said the spokesman. He said the road had been closed and would remain so for some time. “We are in the process of informing next of kin, and no further information in relation to the victims will be released until this process has been completed,” he said. The section of road where the accident happened goes down to the edge of the reservoir and is flanked by rolling hills. The immediate area is regarded as a local beauty spot and is sparsely populated, largely by farming families. Police were called to the scene at around 2.30pm on Thursday. A rescue crew on board a Sea King helicopter from RAF Valley, based in Anglesey, also arrived quickly at the scene. The RAF said: “We were called to reports that a car had gone into the water with five people inside. We sent a crew and the incident is ongoing.” Mid and West Wales fire and rescue service said two fire crews and two boats were involved in the operation. A woman working in a nearby car showroom said she had heard one car had clipped another, sending one of the vehicles crashing into the water. “We saw lots of police cars going past, ambulances and two recovery boats,” said the woman, who did not want to be named. “The story is one car clipped another and one went into the dam. “They have closed the road, it’s a B-road, it’s not somewhere where spectators can go. “There was an ambulance coming up with its sirens going – it was going out of the valley on its way to either Shrewsbury or Aberystwyth.” Wales Crime Transport David Batty guardian.co.uk
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Around 400 people are held at Villawood, many of them are asylum seekers, but the facility also houses people who have overstayed their visas Rioters at an Australian immigration detention centre have set fire to several buildings, climbed onto rooftops and hurled tiles at officials who were scrambling on Thursday to bring the chaotic protest to an end. Up to 100 people being held at Sydney’s Villawood Detention Centre were involved in the riots, which began Wednesday night when two detainees climbed onto a roof, immigration officials said. Protesters set an oxygen cylinder alight, which led to an explosion, and nine buildings including a medical centre and dining hall were gutted by fire. Firefighters brought the blaze under control early Thursday and no one was injured. Around 400 people are held at Villawood. Many of them are asylum seekers, but the facility also houses people who have overstayed their visas. On Thursday, seven detainees remained on the roof of one of the complex’s buildings, next to a large sign that read: “We need help.” Immigration department spokesman Sandi Logan said he could not confirm reports the men were protesting because their visa applications had been rejected. “But any suggestion that they’re not being informed of the progress of their claim is nonsense. … I don’t know the motivation,” Logan said. “But it’s clearly not going to help, in terms of endearing their settlement in Australia.” Logan said officials would not negotiate with the protesters until they came down off the roof. Criminal charges could be filed against the rioters, some of whom threw roof tiles and pieces of furniture at officials trying to get the blaze under control, Logan said. “This is obviously unacceptable behaviour that will have to be investigated,” Acting Prime Minister Wayne Swan said. Mohamed Alameddine, who lives across the street from the facility, said he heard a massive bang as the oxygen cylinder exploded, and the screaming and shouting of protesters and the riot squad. “It was just like black fumes going up the sky. Buildings one after one they just went down,” Alameddine, 17, said. “You could see the riot squad in there everyone was just going crazy.” Australia has seen a surge of asylum seekers fleeing Sri Lanka, Iraq and Afghanistan, and protests at detention centres have become relatively common. The influx has led to a heated political debate as opposition politicians blame the flow on a relaxation of immigration policies by the ruling Labor Party. The government says detention is necessary for national security, but critics of the current policy say indefinite detention is cruel and leads to mental illness, noting people can spend years locked up before their status is determined. Australia guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Another scary story under the category of tech entreprenuer stalkers : Zynga CEO Mark Pincus, head of the company that unleashed FarmVille and its offshoots on the world, had to get a restraining order last month against a female stalker, reports Business Insider . A judge agreed that Vera Svenchina, described as…
Continue reading …Apple today reported another exceptional quarter, nearly doubling its net income and far exceeding analyst estimates on the strength of the seemingly unstoppable iPhone. However, sales of Apple’s big new product, the iPad tablet computer, came in below expectations. The second version of the tablet launched three weeks before the…
Continue reading …Michele Bachmann today distanced herself from the birther camp, reports CNN , which sees it as a clear trend among GOP politicians and strategists. When ABC’s George Stephanopoulos showed Bachmann the president’s Certification of Live Birth from Hawaii, she responded: “Well, then that should settle it,” and added, “I take the…
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