News agency reports that the most senior officers in army, navy and air force step down over rift with ruling administration Turkey’s state-run Anatolia news agency says the military’s chiefs of staff have resigned because of tensions with the Islamic-rooted government. NTV television, citing unnamed military sources, says the country’s military chief and the commanders of the navy, air force and the army have resigned. The resignation of so many top commanders for the first time ever signals a deep rift with the government and comes after a court charged 22 suspects, including several generals and officers, with carrying out an internet campaign to undermine the government. The government and military leaders were also seeking a compromise deal over several key appointments during next week’s high military council meeting. Turkey Middle East Europe guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Larry Flynt is offering his services as ringmaster of the Casey Anthony circus. The Hustler publisher says he is willing to offer her $500,000—plus 10% of profits to pose nude, CNN reports. Flynt says the offer—which the Anthony camp dismisses as “nonsense”—will make a lot more…
Continue reading …Modern humans may have ended the Neanderthals’ 300,000-year dominance of Europe through sheer numbers instead of brain power, a new study claims. The researchers say the “human invasion” 40,000 years ago left the Neanderthals outnumbered 10 to 1 by the newcomers and forced them into fierce competition for…
Continue reading …Penguin that strayed 2,000 miles from Antarctic to New Zealand beach can be returned to the wild in a few weeks New Zealand’s favourite penguin visitor has been given health clearance to be returned to the wild. The news comes five weeks after it was found on a beach more than 2,000 miles from its Antarctic home. The emperor penguin, nicknamed Happy Feet, has been recuperating at Wellington zoo since soon after it was discovered on the North Island. It is the first emperor penguin to be found in the wild in New Zealand in 44 years. It became ill after eating sand, which it may have mistaken for snow. Kate Baker, a spokeswoman for the zoo, said the penguin had gained about 4kg (9lb) and this week passed an x-ray and blood test. Baker said the penguin would probably be released offshore from the south end of the country sometime in the next few weeks. New Zealand Animals Animal behaviour Antarctica guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Penguin that strayed 2,000 miles from Antarctic to New Zealand beach can be returned to the wild in a few weeks New Zealand’s favourite penguin visitor has been given health clearance to be returned to the wild. The news comes five weeks after it was found on a beach more than 2,000 miles from its Antarctic home. The emperor penguin, nicknamed Happy Feet, has been recuperating at Wellington zoo since soon after it was discovered on the North Island. It is the first emperor penguin to be found in the wild in New Zealand in 44 years. It became ill after eating sand, which it may have mistaken for snow. Kate Baker, a spokeswoman for the zoo, said the penguin had gained about 4kg (9lb) and this week passed an x-ray and blood test. Baker said the penguin would probably be released offshore from the south end of the country sometime in the next few weeks. New Zealand Animals Animal behaviour Antarctica guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …The Daily Mirror has been fined £50,000 and the Sun £18,000 for articles published over killing of Joanna Yeates The Daily Mirror has been fined £50,000 and the Sun £18,000 for contempt of court for articles published about a suspect arrested on suspicion of murdering Joanna Yeates. Three senior judges ruled that the tabloid newspapers breached contempt laws with their reporting of the arrest of Christopher Jefferies, Yeates’s landlord, who was later released without charge and was entirely innocent of any involvement. Dominic Grieve, the attorney general, launched the contempt action against the newspapers in May, arguing that reports about Jefferies were “so exceptional, so memorable” that it presented a “risk of serious prejudice” to any potential future trial of Yeates’s killer. Vincent Tabak in May pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not the murder of the 25-year-old landscape architect, who was found dead on Christmas Day near Bristol. Tabak is due to face trial at Bristol crown court in October. The attorney general said after Friday’s ruling: “I welcome today’s judgment. While there was a great amount of speculation and copy relating to Mr Jefferies across much of the media, these three pieces of newspaper coverage were a different matter. “They breached the Contempt of Court Act and the court has found that there was a risk of serious prejudice to any future trial. This prosecution is a reminder to the press that the Contempt of Court Act applies from the time of arrest.” Earlier on Friday, Jefferies accepted substantial libel damages from eight newspapers – including the Daily Mirror and the Sun – over stories relating to his arrest. In the contemptruling handed down at the high court on Friday, Lord Justice Thomas and Mr Justice Owen described the Daily Mirror articles as “extreme” and “substantial risks to the course of justice”. The judges said the Sun’s coverage of Jefferies created a “very serious risk” that any future court defence would be damaged. “These articles [in the Sun] would have certainly justified an abuse of process argument, and although their effect is not as grave as that of two series of articles contained in the Mirror, the vilification of Mr Jefferies created a very serious risk that the preparation of his defence would be damaged,” the judges said. “At the time when this edition of the Sun was published it created substantial risks to the course of justice. It therefore constituted a contempt under the strict liability rule.” • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly “for publication”. • To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook The Sun Newspapers & magazines National newspapers Newspapers Daily Mail Media law Contempt of court Joanna Yeates Josh Halliday guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …The Daily Mirror has been fined £50,000 and the Sun £18,000 for articles published over killing of Joanna Yeates The Daily Mirror has been fined £50,000 and the Sun £18,000 for contempt of court for articles published about a suspect arrested on suspicion of murdering Joanna Yeates. Three senior judges ruled that the tabloid newspapers breached contempt laws with their reporting of the arrest of Christopher Jefferies, Yeates’s landlord, who was later released without charge and was entirely innocent of any involvement. Dominic Grieve, the attorney general, launched the contempt action against the newspapers in May, arguing that reports about Jefferies were “so exceptional, so memorable” that it presented a “risk of serious prejudice” to any potential future trial of Yeates’s killer. Vincent Tabak in May pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not the murder of the 25-year-old landscape architect, who was found dead on Christmas Day near Bristol. Tabak is due to face trial at Bristol crown court in October. The attorney general said after Friday’s ruling: “I welcome today’s judgment. While there was a great amount of speculation and copy relating to Mr Jefferies across much of the media, these three pieces of newspaper coverage were a different matter. “They breached the Contempt of Court Act and the court has found that there was a risk of serious prejudice to any future trial. This prosecution is a reminder to the press that the Contempt of Court Act applies from the time of arrest.” Earlier on Friday, Jefferies accepted substantial libel damages from eight newspapers – including the Daily Mirror and the Sun – over stories relating to his arrest. In the contemptruling handed down at the high court on Friday, Lord Justice Thomas and Mr Justice Owen described the Daily Mirror articles as “extreme” and “substantial risks to the course of justice”. The judges said the Sun’s coverage of Jefferies created a “very serious risk” that any future court defence would be damaged. “These articles [in the Sun] would have certainly justified an abuse of process argument, and although their effect is not as grave as that of two series of articles contained in the Mirror, the vilification of Mr Jefferies created a very serious risk that the preparation of his defence would be damaged,” the judges said. “At the time when this edition of the Sun was published it created substantial risks to the course of justice. It therefore constituted a contempt under the strict liability rule.” • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly “for publication”. • To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook The Sun Newspapers & magazines National newspapers Newspapers Daily Mail Media law Contempt of court Joanna Yeates Josh Halliday guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …The drop in breast cancer deaths over the last few decades is thanks to better treatment, not widespread screening, according to a new study. European countries that introduced routine screening early saw breast cancer deaths decline at roughly the same rate as countries that introduced screening 10 to 15 years…
Continue reading …Oh, well, isn’t McDonald’s just getting très chic ? We knew about the fast-food resturant’s precious demi-tasse cups of coffee, and now it’s about to serve … baguettes to the French. Still sticking sort of true to its roots, though, Mickey D’s is calling the haute culinary offering the McBaguette, which…
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