The most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Haiti devastated parts of the impoverished island nation Tuesday, leveling a hospital in the capital, severely damaging the U.N. headquarters and other buildings, and sending panicked residents into the streets.
The magnitude 7.0 quake -- the most powerful to hit Haiti in a century -- struck shortly before 5 p.m. and was centered about 10 miles (15 kilometers) southwest of Port-au-Prince, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. It could be felt strongly in eastern Cuba, more than 200 miles away, witnesses said.
Several eyewitnesses repor. . .
Britain is facing an “obesity time-bomb” with the number of middle-aged people dying as a result of being overweight more than doubling in less than a decade, official figures have disclosed.
More than 190 people aged under 65 died as a direct result of their obesity last year – compared to just 88 in 2000. Deaths among those aged between 46 and 55 almost tripled.
Obesity was a contributing factor in a further 757 deaths last year – compared to just 358 in 2000.
The official figures were released by ministers amid growing concern that obesity will soon present a bigger threat . . .
More than 190 people aged under 65 died as a direct result of their obesity last year – compared to just 88 in 2000. Deaths among those aged between 46 and 55 almost tripled.
Obesity was a contributing factor in a further 757 deaths last year – compared to just 358 in 2000.
The official figures were released by ministers amid growing concern that obesity will soon present a bigger threat . . .
A woman jumped the barriers in St. Peter's Basilica and knocked down Pope Benedict XVI as he walked down the main aisle to begin Christmas Eve Mass on Thursday.
The 82-year-old pope quickly got up and was unhurt, said a Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Ciro Benedettini. Footage aired on Italy's RAI state TV showed a woman dressed in a red jumper vaulting over the wooden barriers and rushing the pope before being swarmed by bodyguards.
The commotion occurred as the pope's procession was making its way toward the main altar and shocked gasps rang out through the public that packed the b. . .
The 82-year-old pope quickly got up and was unhurt, said a Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Ciro Benedettini. Footage aired on Italy's RAI state TV showed a woman dressed in a red jumper vaulting over the wooden barriers and rushing the pope before being swarmed by bodyguards.
The commotion occurred as the pope's procession was making its way toward the main altar and shocked gasps rang out through the public that packed the b. . .
A second man has died from an outbreak of pneumonic plague in a remote part of north-western China where a town of 10,000 has been sealed off to contain an outbreak of the disease.
The victim, identified as 37-year-old Danzin by the official Chinese state news agency Xinhua, was a neighbour of the first person to die from the plague in Ziketan, a town in Qinghai Province.
Pneumonic plague is the most virulent but least common form of plague and is passed from human to human through the air. A close relative of bubonic plague - which killed 25 million people in Europe in the middl. . .
The victim, identified as 37-year-old Danzin by the official Chinese state news agency Xinhua, was a neighbour of the first person to die from the plague in Ziketan, a town in Qinghai Province.
Pneumonic plague is the most virulent but least common form of plague and is passed from human to human through the air. A close relative of bubonic plague - which killed 25 million people in Europe in the middl. . .
A new strain of the virus that causes AIDS has been discovered in a woman from the African nation of Cameroon.
It differs from the three known strains of human immunodeficiency virus and appears to be closely related to a form of simian virus recently discovered in wild gorillas, researchers report in Monday's edition of the journal Nature Medicine.
The finding "highlights the continuing need to watch closely for the emergence for new HIV variants, particularly in western central Africa," said the researchers, led by Jean-Christophe Plantier of the University of Rouen, France.
. . .
It differs from the three known strains of human immunodeficiency virus and appears to be closely related to a form of simian virus recently discovered in wild gorillas, researchers report in Monday's edition of the journal Nature Medicine.
The finding "highlights the continuing need to watch closely for the emergence for new HIV variants, particularly in western central Africa," said the researchers, led by Jean-Christophe Plantier of the University of Rouen, France.
. . .
The electrical smell that caused a Southwest Airlines Co flight to make an unexpected landing Sunday was caused by a coffee maker in the back of the aircraft, a company spokesman said on Monday.
The coffee maker was in the back galley of the Boeing 737 plane. The aircraft was examined and put back into service by 12:30 p.m. EDT (1630 GMT) Sunday, said Southwest spokesman Chris Mainz.
"Anything that might have touched the burner might have caused the electrical smell," Mainz said. He added that the problem was "fairly unusual," although it was not the first time it has happened.
. . .
The coffee maker was in the back galley of the Boeing 737 plane. The aircraft was examined and put back into service by 12:30 p.m. EDT (1630 GMT) Sunday, said Southwest spokesman Chris Mainz.
"Anything that might have touched the burner might have caused the electrical smell," Mainz said. He added that the problem was "fairly unusual," although it was not the first time it has happened.
. . .
Here's a shocker: According to a tipster, American Apparel's pervy madman CEO, Dov Charney, is demanding the firing of employees he deems unattractive and thus detrimental to the "AA aesthetic," as he feels they may be hurting his bottom line.
Here's the text of an email we received tonight from a pissed-off American Apparel store manager:
Our company holds weekly conference calls that every store manager world/nation wide are required to tune into. We discuss sales, which stores need displays, which items are doing well, etc.
Summer is supposed to be a great sales season for . . .
Here's the text of an email we received tonight from a pissed-off American Apparel store manager:
Our company holds weekly conference calls that every store manager world/nation wide are required to tune into. We discuss sales, which stores need displays, which items are doing well, etc.
Summer is supposed to be a great sales season for . . .
The Indian government admitted this week that nobody has seen a Royal Bengal tiger in Panna National Park since January. Only a year ago there were calculated to be 24 tigers in the park, one of India’s 27 tiger reserves. A century ago, India had about 40,000 tigers. By 1988, as a result of extensive hunting and poaching, there were just 4,500 left. Now the true figure is probably 1,000.
Panna, located near Khajuraho, is the second reserve in which there are now no tigers. Sariska National Park in Rajasthan lost all its tigers in 2005. The decline is said to be largely down to poachers ser. . .
Panna, located near Khajuraho, is the second reserve in which there are now no tigers. Sariska National Park in Rajasthan lost all its tigers in 2005. The decline is said to be largely down to poachers ser. . .
A court in southwestern China has sentenced a man to death for a drunken-driving accident that killed four people in what's being called a first for the country.
The 30-year-old man was found guilty of endangering public safety and sentenced to death yesterday.
He was reportedly drunk and speeding in the capital of Sichuan province last year when he struck four other cars. Four people were killed and another person was seriously injured. He was also driving without a license.
One newspaper reports that the man begged the judge for a chance to start a new life. He said he would. . .
The 30-year-old man was found guilty of endangering public safety and sentenced to death yesterday.
He was reportedly drunk and speeding in the capital of Sichuan province last year when he struck four other cars. Four people were killed and another person was seriously injured. He was also driving without a license.
One newspaper reports that the man begged the judge for a chance to start a new life. He said he would. . .
Bank denies man $80,000 loan. He withdraws his $190,000 in savings, all in $20 bills.
(http://www.stuff.co.nz)
Defiant Mapua artist Roger Griffiths today made a stand against Westpac by withdrawing his $190,000 savings in $20 notes.
The bank provided a red-and-black carry bag to take away the cash after meticulously counting it in front of Mr Griffiths at its Nelson branch.
Mr Griffiths, a loyal Westpac customer for 25 years, decided to withdraw his money after the bank rejected his application for an $80,000 mortgage. "It's about time normal people took a stand."
He said the bank turned down his application because he did not have a regular income as an artist. However, he was a succe. . .
The bank provided a red-and-black carry bag to take away the cash after meticulously counting it in front of Mr Griffiths at its Nelson branch.
Mr Griffiths, a loyal Westpac customer for 25 years, decided to withdraw his money after the bank rejected his application for an $80,000 mortgage. "It's about time normal people took a stand."
He said the bank turned down his application because he did not have a regular income as an artist. However, he was a succe. . .
U.S. officials believe Saad bin Laden — a son of Osama bin Laden — has been killed by an American missile in Pakistan.
Saad bin Laden reportedly spent years under house arrest in Iran before traveling last year to Pakistan, according to former National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell.
It's believed he was killed by Hellfire missiles fired from a U.S. Predator drone sometime this year.
A senior U.S. counterterrorism official tells NPR that without a body to conduct DNA tests on, it's hard to be completely sure. But he characterized U.S. spy agencies as being "80 to 85 perc. . .
Saad bin Laden reportedly spent years under house arrest in Iran before traveling last year to Pakistan, according to former National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell.
It's believed he was killed by Hellfire missiles fired from a U.S. Predator drone sometime this year.
A senior U.S. counterterrorism official tells NPR that without a body to conduct DNA tests on, it's hard to be completely sure. But he characterized U.S. spy agencies as being "80 to 85 perc. . .
A 40-year-old woman has been found dead in a machine at a Southern California food processing plant that is a major supplier for McDonald's restaurants.
Los Angeles County sheriff's detectives say the woman's body was found early Tuesday at Golden State Foods in the City of Industry, an east Los Angeles suburb. Investigators believe her death was accidental.
No other details were given about her death or about the woman except that she was an employee.
The Irvine-based company has distribution centers across the nation. Its Web site says the company supplies McDonald's and de. . .
Los Angeles County sheriff's detectives say the woman's body was found early Tuesday at Golden State Foods in the City of Industry, an east Los Angeles suburb. Investigators believe her death was accidental.
No other details were given about her death or about the woman except that she was an employee.
The Irvine-based company has distribution centers across the nation. Its Web site says the company supplies McDonald's and de. . .
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