Change.org founder says staff have stabilised website after it became completely inaccessible following denial-of-service attacks The social campaigns website Change.org has alleged Chinese hackers have launched a distributed denial-of-service attack on it, after it hosted a petition calling for the release of detained artist Ai Weiwei. The founder of the US-based site said staff appeared to have stabilised the platform after it became totally inaccessible for short periods due to the attacks, which began early on Monday. Around 90,000 people have signed the petition calling for Ai’s release, which was launched two weeks ago by leading members of the international arts community, including Richard Armstrong, director of the Guggenheim Museum and Foundation, Glen Lowry of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and Sir Nicholas Serota of the Tate. “We do not know the reason or exact source of these attacks,” said Ben Rattray, the founder of Change.org. “All we know is that after the unprecedented success of a campaign by leading global art museums using our platform to call on the Chinese government to release Ai Weiwei, we became the victims of highly sophisticated denial of service attacks from locations in China.” Rattray said that the initial attacks had all been traced to IP addresses in China, although hackers often use several computers to disguise their whereabouts. He added that he believed the petition was the cause of the attack because it was the most popular international campaign on the site at the moment and the first that he knew of on Change.org to directly criticise Chinese authorities. The site has apologised to users for inconvenience, but Rattray added: “Rather than take the appeal down, we will continue to stand with Ai Weiwei’s supporters to defend freedom of speech.” A spokesman for the ministry of information and industry technology in Beijing said it was not aware of the issue. Chinese authorities have responded to previous allegations of China-based cyber-attacks by saying they are “resolutely opposed” to hackers and that China is their biggest victim. Ai has been missing since officials stopped him at Beijing airport on 3 April. Authorities say the 53-year-old artist is under investigation for economic crimes, but police have not notified his family of detention. Several friends and colleagues have also disappeared, although his lawyer Liu Xiaoyuan returned home on Tuesday after several days absence. His friend Wen Tao, his driver and cousin Zhang Jinsong, accountant Hu Mingfen and designer Liu Zhenggang remain missing. Ai Weiwei China United States guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
Gold hits new record price as global economic fears push investors into seeking safe havens Gold has smashed through the $1,500-an-ounce barrier for the first time, pushed higher by worries about global inflation, the European debt crisis and the state of the American economy. Spot gold set a new record of $1,501.26 (£917) an ounce in Asian trading, underpinned by a weak dollar. Standard & Poor’s downgrade of America’s debt outlook on Monday sparked a new flight into safe-haven investments. The ratings agency lowered its credit outlook to “negative” from “stable,” pointing to fiscal problems in the US. This sent shares tumbling and came at a time of fresh fears over the eurozone debt crisis, with Portugal edging closer to a bailout and Greece under pressure at home to default on its debt . US treasury secretary Tim Geithner, however, shrugged off S&P’s warnings and sought to reassure Wall Street that the world’s biggest economy would hang on to its gold-star AAA rating. Jonathan Barratt of Commodity Broking Services described the latest move in gold as “sensational”. He told Reuters: “Everything’s feeding into this – sovereign debt, the weaker dollar, inflation and investment demand. It is unusual to do it in Asian time. It goes to show how much appetite there is in Asia for bullion.” Analysts at Barclays Capital believe gold could go up to $1,520 an ounce in the next two to four weeks. Many investors see gold and other precious metals as the best place to park their money in times of uncertainty. Spot silver hit a 31-year high of $44.34 an ounce. Brian Ostroff of Windermere Capital described silver as “gold on steroids” on Tuesday. Gold has gained 32% over the past year, while silver has more than doubled in value. Gold Commodities United States Global economy Economics European debt crisis US economy Julia Kollewe guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
King’s Fund report finds NHS finance directors pessimistic about health service reforms as waiting times rise NHS finance directors predict ward closures, job cuts and other reductions as they struggle to make ends meet and prepare for the reorganisation of England’s health system, according to the King’s Fund thinktank. With some hospital waiting times the worst for three years, A&E departments overstretched , and surgeons warning that patients are being denied key treatments, the first in a series of planned quarterly monitoring reports highlights “significant concern” among some of those responsible for contributing to £20bn of “efficiency savings” in the NHS over four years and for ensuring that new bodies taking over services in the next three years do not start with deficits. Most say they are unlikely to meet productivity targets this year. The challenging picture painted by the report, from a respected independent analyst of the health service, comes during the government’s two-month “pause ” in trying to push through its controversial legislation. It has promised to listen and make “substantive” changes to its plans, although NHS staff have been told by the chief executive, David Nicholson, to “maintain momentum on the ground” . The report analyses recent government figures, including those pertaining to the period between referral to hospital and treatment . In February this year, nearly 15% of hospital patients had waited more than 18 weeks to be admitted, the highest figure since April 2008, and part of a steady increase since the government relaxed waiting-time targets in June last year. The views of 26 trust finance directors, collected over the internet last month, provided government critics with more ammunition. The panel, made up of directors from acute hospital, mental health and primary care trusts, was not intended to be statistically representative, but to give “a qualitative account” of what is happening, according to the report. Most warned that they are unlikely to meet this year’s productivity targets. Workforce changes, sometimes involving only cuts to agency staff, were mentioned 16 times as a way of meeting targets, and closures of wards or other services were mentioned 12 times. Four directors specified reducing the length of time people spent in hospital, with one panel member commenting: “A saving is not a saving until the activity has reduced AND the beds or theatres have closed AND the jobs taken out, Only then do commissioners and providers save money.” “Back-office” savings were listed by six directors, although others expressed scepticism, with one saying that although these were “particularly popular with politicians”, they made only a modest contribution. More than half the panel said the government should be more realistic, including over the impact of treatment tariff changes on trust incomes and the need to ration treatments. Several wanted an end to incremental pay progression for staff. John Appleby, chief economist at the King’s Fund and lead author of the report, said: “It highlights significant concern amongs NHS finance directors – who are well placed to report the stresses in the system – about the prospects for the years ahead. With hospital waiting times rising, the NHS faces a considerable challenge in maintaining performance as the financial squeeze begins to bite.” The shadow health secretary, John Healey, said the report would increase concerns that the NHS was “slipping backwards again” under the Tories. “Frontline staff and managers are massively distracted by David Cameron’s top-down reorganisation of the health service, and the signs of strain are now there for all to see. So much for Mr Cameron’s pledge to ‘protect’ the NHS – it is fast becoming his biggest broken promise.” David Flory, deputy chief executive of the NHS, said: “Average waiting times remain low and broadly stable; just nine weeks for admitted patients and 3.5 weeks for outpatients. People with cancer symptoms continue to see a specialist quickly, MRSA and C difficile rates are at their lowest level since records began, and the NHS has achieved a healthy financial surplus in line with its plans. “Despite continued good performance, the NHS is still facing pressure from growing demand and will do so for many years to come. This particular snapshot shows that the NHS must maintain its focus on waiting times and improving patient outcomes, while dealing with the extra demands on the service.” A Department of Health statement added that the King’s Fund had used data that did not take account of patients who declined two reasonable offers of admission, for example, to allow them to go on holiday before an operation. Figures adjusted to take account of “patient initiated pauses” showed nearly nine in 10 patients admitted to hospital started treatment within 18 weeks of referral from their GP. Follow the NHS reforms blog at guardian.co.uk Public sector cuts NHS Public finance Public services policy James Meikle guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
Police said to be linking timing of incidents to media coverage of Old Firm controversies involving Celtic and Glasgow rivals Rangers Parcel bombs intended to kill or maim have been sent to the Celtic manager, Neil Lennon, and two other prominent fans of the club – the manager’s lawyer and a senior Labour politician. The three devices, discovered at several locations in the west of Scotland over the past month, are considered dangerous, a senior police source has confirmed. One, addressed to Lennon at Celtic’s training ground, was intercepted by Royal Mail staff, but a second was forwarded to the constituency office of the Labour MSP Trish Godman, a former deputy presiding officer of the Scottish parliament and a Celtic fan. Her office staff became suspicious and alerted Strathclyde police. Detectives initially believed the parcels were elaborate hoaxes intended to distress their targets, but later decided that they were viable explosive devices. The third device was addressed to Paul McBride QC who, speaking at the Faculty of Advocates lawyers’ offices in Edinburgh, made outspoken attacks on the Scottish Football Association for its treatment of Lennon over alleged disciplinary offences. It is understood all the devices were all sent from within Scotland. Anti-terrorism branch officers were initially involved but have ruled out loyalist terrorist involvement. The device sent to McBride was apparently posted in Ayrshire. It was discovered in a letterbox by a postal worker and taken to a sorting office. Ministers in the Scottish government secretly convened a cabinet sub-committee meeting on Saturday to discuss the discoveries. News media were asked not to report the incidents to avoid prejudicing a police investigation. A source close to McBride said he was “appalled and disgusted at being targeted for voicing honest opinions and has nothing but praise for the way police conducted themselves in this inquiry”. Police sources told the BBC that the devices were liquid-based and not nail bombs, but were rudimentary and did not seem to have been made by someone with paramilitary training. There are reports that police are linking the timing of the incidents to media coverage of the Old Firm controversies involving Celtic and their Glasgow rivals Rangers, or Celtic’s complaints of discriminatory treatment. Police have warned one other high profile figure linked to the incident, the Glasgow-born BBC broadcaster Aasmah Mir, 39, who is an avid Celtic fan and married to Piara Powar, a director of the campaign group Football Against Racism in Europe (Fare), the Daily Record reported . Fare recently complained to Uefa about sectarian chanting by Rangers fans at European matches. Officers are expected to appeal for calm ahead of this weekend’s Old Firm clash. Previous games between the two sides this season have seen dozens of arrests for disorder and public order offences. The incidents mark a significant escalation in a campaign against Lennon, a Northern Irish Catholic, that has involved death threats, hate mail, bullets sent in the post and a previous letter bomb. Lennon, his wife and children have left their home and have been living under 24-hour guard at a secret location for some weeks. The former Northern Ireland player has been involved in repeated disputes with the Scottish football authorities and Rangers over refereeing decisions, the conduct of each team’s players and his own behaviour. Although he has not been directly been in disputes about sectarianism, senior figures at Celtic, including the chairman and former Labour home secretary, John Reid, and the Catholic church were involved in public rows over alleged bias against the club. In March, the first minister, Alex Salmond, convened a meeting involving both clubs, the football authorities and Strathclyde police to clamp down on the violent on-field disputes involving both clubs and sectarianism in the stands, largely involving Rangers fans. Both clubs agreed to allow senior police officers onto training grounds to remind players they face arrest for on-field misconduct. Asked about the latest discoveries, Salmond told BBC Scotland: “We will not tolerate this sort of criminality in Scotland, and as an indication of the seriousness with which we view these developments the cabinet sub-committee met last Saturday to ensure that the police investigation has every possible support to come to a successful conclusion.” Michael Kelly, a former Celtic director and the Lord Provost of Glasgow, told the BBC: “This now is terrorism, purely and simply. “It’s got nothing to do with football and the background of the summit and the Old Firm game. It’s up to the police to refocus their targets on these people and to catch them.” Neil Lennon Celtic Rangers John Reid Alex Salmond Scottish politics Scotland Crime Severin Carrell guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Police said to be linking timing of incidents to media coverage of Old Firm controversies involving Celtic and Glasgow rivals Rangers Parcel bombs intended to kill or maim have been sent to the Celtic manager, Neil Lennon, and two other prominent fans of the club – the manager’s lawyer and a senior Labour politician. The three devices, discovered at several locations in the west of Scotland over the past month, are considered dangerous, a senior police source has confirmed. One, addressed to Lennon at Celtic’s training ground, was intercepted by Royal Mail staff, but a second was forwarded to the constituency office of the Labour MSP Trish Godman, a former deputy presiding officer of the Scottish parliament and a Celtic fan. Her office staff became suspicious and alerted Strathclyde police. Detectives initially believed the parcels were elaborate hoaxes intended to distress their targets, but later decided that they were viable explosive devices. The third device was addressed to Paul McBride QC who, speaking at the Faculty of Advocates lawyers’ offices in Edinburgh, made outspoken attacks on the Scottish Football Association for its treatment of Lennon over alleged disciplinary offences. It is understood all the devices were all sent from within Scotland. Anti-terrorism branch officers were initially involved but have ruled out loyalist terrorist involvement. The device sent to McBride was apparently posted in Ayrshire. It was discovered in a letterbox by a postal worker and taken to a sorting office. Ministers in the Scottish government secretly convened a cabinet sub-committee meeting on Saturday to discuss the discoveries. News media were asked not to report the incidents to avoid prejudicing a police investigation. A source close to McBride said he was “appalled and disgusted at being targeted for voicing honest opinions and has nothing but praise for the way police conducted themselves in this inquiry”. Police sources told the BBC that the devices were liquid-based and not nail bombs, but were rudimentary and did not seem to have been made by someone with paramilitary training. There are reports that police are linking the timing of the incidents to media coverage of the Old Firm controversies involving Celtic and their Glasgow rivals Rangers, or Celtic’s complaints of discriminatory treatment. Police have warned one other high profile figure linked to the incident, the Glasgow-born BBC broadcaster Aasmah Mir, 39, who is an avid Celtic fan and married to Piara Powar, a director of the campaign group Football Against Racism in Europe (Fare), the Daily Record reported . Fare recently complained to Uefa about sectarian chanting by Rangers fans at European matches. Officers are expected to appeal for calm ahead of this weekend’s Old Firm clash. Previous games between the two sides this season have seen dozens of arrests for disorder and public order offences. The incidents mark a significant escalation in a campaign against Lennon, a Northern Irish Catholic, that has involved death threats, hate mail, bullets sent in the post and a previous letter bomb. Lennon, his wife and children have left their home and have been living under 24-hour guard at a secret location for some weeks. The former Northern Ireland player has been involved in repeated disputes with the Scottish football authorities and Rangers over refereeing decisions, the conduct of each team’s players and his own behaviour. Although he has not been directly been in disputes about sectarianism, senior figures at Celtic, including the chairman and former Labour home secretary, John Reid, and the Catholic church were involved in public rows over alleged bias against the club. In March, the first minister, Alex Salmond, convened a meeting involving both clubs, the football authorities and Strathclyde police to clamp down on the violent on-field disputes involving both clubs and sectarianism in the stands, largely involving Rangers fans. Both clubs agreed to allow senior police officers onto training grounds to remind players they face arrest for on-field misconduct. Asked about the latest discoveries, Salmond told BBC Scotland: “We will not tolerate this sort of criminality in Scotland, and as an indication of the seriousness with which we view these developments the cabinet sub-committee met last Saturday to ensure that the police investigation has every possible support to come to a successful conclusion.” Michael Kelly, a former Celtic director and the Lord Provost of Glasgow, told the BBC: “This now is terrorism, purely and simply. “It’s got nothing to do with football and the background of the summit and the Old Firm game. It’s up to the police to refocus their targets on these people and to catch them.” Neil Lennon Celtic Rangers John Reid Alex Salmond Scottish politics Scotland Crime Severin Carrell guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
Abdul Ati al-Obeidi says regime prepared to consider interim government before elections six months after conflict ends Libya could hold free elections, supervised by the United Nations, within six months of the end of the conflict engulfing the country, its foreign minister has told the Guardian. Abdul Ati al-Obeidi, who took over from Moussa Koussa after his defection from Libya last month , said the regime was prepared to consider an interim national government before elections could be held. A six-month period had been discussed, he said. Obeidi said discussions about reform included “whether the Leader [Muammar Gaddafi] should stay and in what role, and whether he should retire”. Gaddafi’s future has become a pivotal issue between the regime and the opposition, which has demanded his departure. Obeidi said: “Everything will be on the table.” The minister struck a notably conciliatory tone when speaking in his Tripoli office to the Guardian, the BBC, ITN and the Washington Post. Asked about how diplomatic efforts could bridge the gulf between the Libyan government and the opposition, he said: “It is not a case of it going our way or their way, it’s a case of how we can sit together with our brothers.” The international community must accept that Libya’s future should be for Libyans alone to decide. “The US, Britain and France – sometimes those countries contradict themselves. They talk about democracy but when it comes to Libya, they say he [Gaddafi] should leave. It should be up to the Libyan people. This should not be dictated from any other head of state. It is against the principle of democracy.” The US and most European countries have made it clear that Gaddafi must relinquish power as part of any negotiated settlement to the civil war that has divided Libya and dominated the international diplomatic agenda for two months. The rebel opposition in the east of the country insists on Gaddafi’s departure as a pre-condition for peace talks. A roadmap to a negotiated settlement, proposed by the African Union and accepted by the Libyan government, was rejected by the opposition because it allowed for a continued role for Gaddafi . Obeidi accused western countries of standing in the way of a peace deal along the lines of the AU’s proposal. “What’s stopping it? Britain, France and to a certain extent the US are stopping it by continuing bombardment, arming the other side and making them more defiant.” The AU plan includes an immediate ceasefire, the delivery of humanitarian aid, the protection of foreign nationals in Libya, and dialogue between Libyan parties on the establishment of a transition period towards political reform. Obeidi insisted that the Libyan government was ready to negotiate a ceasefire, involving all parties including Nato and monitored by international observers. “If there is a real ceasefire and these bombs stop, we could have a real dialogue among Libyans. It cannot be done with what is going on now.” The Libya government had been accused of not being serious about a ceasefire, he said. “This is not true.” But, he added, a ceasefire needed a “mutual understanding and a mediator”. If Nato stopped its air strikes, Libyans would be able to resolve their differences. “We are all Libyans, their [the rebels'] blood is Libyan.” His conciliatory tone towards the opposition was in marked contrast to the belligerence shown by other government officials who routinely speak of the rebels as “armed gangs” and “terrorists”. But, he said, the UK and France were impeding progress towards a ceasefire by offering military assistance to the rebels . The Anglo-French agreement to send a team of military advisers to Benghazi would “prolong the confrontation, there is no doubt about that”. “The more the west gives arms, the more they will plant hatred. We do not want to be another Iraq or Somalia. The west could advise the other side to listen to common sense and study the peace initiatives.” A ceasefire, Obeidi said, was “the only way to give peace a chance. The situation for sure is not so bright now. But I think we can have a light at the end of the tunnel.” Despite the foreign minister’s talk of ceasefires and peace agreements, Libyan government forces continued their assault on the besieged city of Misrata. Aid organisations are intensifying efforts to bring essential supplies to the city and evacuate those trapped by the fighting. Witnesses describe intense pounding from government troops with Grad rockets, Katyushas and cluster bombs, and firing on civilians from government snipers. Obeidi, whose family comes from Benghazi, now the heart of the rebel opposition in the east, said that since being appointed foreign minister he had spent most of his time outside Libya, discussing potential resolutions to the crisis. Libya Arab and Middle East unrest Muammar Gaddafi Middle East Nato France Europe United States Harriet Sherwood guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …With anti-Ghadafi rebels still bickering over who’s actually their leader, Britain plans to dispatch a team of miitary advisers to Benghazi to help them get their act together. London insists the advisers won’t arm or train rebels or go beyond the UN mandate, reports al-Jazeera . Their biggest order of business…
Continue reading …WikiLeaks suspect Bradley Manning will be transferred from maximum-security Quantico to medium-security Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, reports AP . The move comes after human rights groups complained of unduly rough treatment for the Army private, though the Pentagon said the decision should not be seen as a concession, notes Politico . Manning’s…
Continue reading …The NCAA plans to penalize the University of the North Dakota for sticking with its Fighting Sioux nickname. Starting in August, the university can’t host postseason sports tournaments and its players can’t wear the logo in postseason games, reports the Grand Forks Herald . State lawmakers tried to shield the school…
Continue reading …A kindergartner who brought a gun to his Houston elementary school today was among three students injured by fragments when it fired after falling from his pocket as he sat down for lunch. One bullet was fired about 10:35am in the Ross Elementary School cafeteria, spraying fragments at the…
Continue reading …