Concern over Syrian activist

Concerns are growing over the safety of Ali Mahmoud Othman, a Syrian activist and head of the media centre in Homs.  There are reports that he has been captured and some reports suggest that he may have been tortured although there is no confirmation of this.

Torture is known to be a tool that is often used by the Assad regime and it isn't just reserved for adults.  There are many reports and documented cases from human rights groups which state that torture has been used against children and babies.

Others are said to have been detained at the same time as Othman and there is no word on their safety or exact whereabouts yet.

April will mark the 13th month of the uprising and still there seems no end in sight.  Syria did recently accept a peace plan put on the table by Kofi Annan but there is no sign yet that the plan has been implemented so the deaths, which now stand at 10,000,  and human rights abuses continue.

In a statement Foreign Secretary William Hague said:

"I am very concerned by reports that Ali Mahmoud Othman, the head of the Media Centre in Homs where Marie Colvin, Paul Conroy and other journalists were based, has been captured by the Syrian regime.  There are also reports that some of Othman's colleagues have also been detained."

"There are reports that Mr Othman has already been tortured and maltreated."

"I call on the Syrian authorities to release Mr Othman and other political prisoners immediately. The Syrian regime will be held responsible for Mr Othman's safety and his treatment and I will raise his case in Istanbul at the Friends of Syria meeting tomorrow."

"The Syrian regime must immediately implement the six-point plan of UN and Arab League Special Envoy Kofi Annan, including a cessation of all hostilities, a genuine Syrian-led political transition, provision of humanitarian assistance and freedom of access for the media, and the release of political prisoners."

Bike for Hope event set for record turnout

Cyclists are gearing up for the eighth annual Bike for Hope event.  Participants in the Annual George Thanhauser Bike for Hope event have increased year on year and organisers hope that record numbers will enter in 2012 to raise money for the Foundation of Hope for Research and Treatment of Mental Illness.

To take part, cyclists need to pay $35 or $45 if paying on the day and includes a t-shirt, breakfast, refreshments and lunches will also be served.

The Bike for Hope will be held on 28 April at Trek Bicycles, Raleigh and begins at 10911 Raven Ridge Road.  Participants have a choice of cycling 15-miles, 32-miles or 50-miles.  Following the ride there will be a prize draw.

The event first began in 2004 as a bike and hike event in honour of former IBM employee George Thanhauser.   George Thanhauser became owner of the Town and Country Bike Shop in Wake Forest after retiring from IBM.

Greg Cox, event coordinator and volunteer, said:

"This has grown to be a very popular event."

"We attract both cycling enthusiasts and supporters of the Foundation of Hope. It's a great way to spend a beautiful Saturday morning in Raleigh."

The Foundation of Hope for Research and Treatment of Mental Illness is a non-profit which has been in existence since 1988.  Since the Foundation was first established it has raised helped raise millions for research and treatment programmes and also holds an annual Walk For Hope.

To find out more about their work visit:

http://www.walkforhope.com/events.aspx

A year on the UN issues report on nuclear safety in Japan

Last March three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan reached meltdown after it became compromised following the 9.0 earthquake and the subsequent tsunami which hit Japan, the nuclear meltdown became the worse since Chernobyl. Following the incident, the area was evacuated and still remains cordoned off; an exclusion zone of 19-kilometers is in place and there were fears over the safety of food and water. 

A year on, the UN Atomic Agency has published a report detailing the new measures taken in Japan to improve nuclear safety.

A team of eight from the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) visited Japan earlier this year to carry out the review and were there at the invitation of the Japanese Government.  During the visit, the team visited Tokyo to meet with officials and visited the Ohi Nuclear Power Station  to see how the compliance with nuclear safety is being monitored.

The team from the IAEA made the good practises clear in its report and also highlighted improvements which could be made; the IAEA stated that Japan's compliance with the IAEA safety standard was “generally consistent”.

Team leader, the Director of the IAEA’s Nuclear Installation Safety Division, James Lyons, said:

“I hope nuclear regulators around the world use this report as a tool to evaluate their own safety assessment processes."

He added:

“We must learn the lessons of the Fukushima Daiichi accident so we can prevent a repeat of those terrible events a year ago."

Auto-immune walks launched by non-profit

A US-based non-profit is to a hold a series of walks in 2012.  The physical walks begin in May and the virtual walks will allow anyone  to join in.

The campaign is called "Autoimmune walk: Linking together to for a Cure" and the walks are being sponsored by the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA).  The Association hopes to inspire some of the 50 million Americans living with an autoimmune disease such as diabetes, MS, Arthritis to take part and help raise awareness.

The walks have the support of actress Kellie Martin, AARDA'S Autoimmune Walk Ambassador and she is calling on patients, friends and families to take part.

She said:

"Autoimmune disease affected my family in a terrible way when I lost my sister and best friend, Heather, to lupus in 1998.”

“Since Heather’s death, I have worked with AARDA to raise awareness of autoimmune diseases. Now I have the opportunity to invite others who have been affected to join the fight – and walk.”

The first of the walks will be on 19 May, and is scheduled for Metro, Washington D.C.  The second walk will be held on 2 June in Evanston and the third walk is to be held at New York Tristate on 24 June; the virtual walks can be done by anyone at anytime.

Kellie Martin goes on to say:

“Autoimmune diseases run in families and they have a common thread that links them all together.”

“This is an incredible opportunity for families touched by these diseases to ‘link together’ in support of autoimmune disease research and patient services.”

For more information about the walks visit:

http://autoimmunewalk.org/

Decline of Monarch Butterflies continues

Recent years have seen a decline in many species of wildlife and nature.  Now a new report shows that numbers of the Monarch butterfly, which is already in decline, continues to dwindle.
Craig Wilson is a senior research associate in the Center for Mathematics and Science Education at the Texas A&M University and says that in 2012 the Monarch butterflies will decline by another 30 per cent.  Like many other species, the butterflies are vulnerable to the changing climate and environment.

The butterflies were already reducing in numbers because of deforestation and other factors and in the past year a new threat came into play; the Monarchs are common in Mexico and the survival of the species was further compromised by the drought and fires that swept the region. 

Wilson explains:

“Last year’s severe drought and fires in the region no doubt played a part, resulting in less nectar for the Monarchs as they migrated south. But estimates show that each year, millions of acres of land are being lost that would support Monarchs, either by farmers converting dormant land for crop use – mainly to herbicide tolerant corn and soybeans – or the overuse of herbicides and mowing. Milkweed is the key plant because it’s the only plant where the female will lay her eggs.”

Wilson goes on to explain that the loss of land directly affects the survival rates of the Monarch Butterfly:

“Chip Taylor, who is the director of Monarch Watch at the University of Kansas, estimates that 100 million acres of land have already been lost that previously supported Monarchs.”

A recent report by the World Wildlife Foundation shows that the number of Monarch butterflies who winter in Mexico fell by a third in 2011.  The WWF continues its work preserving the species at the Mexico Monarch Butterfly Reserve.

Minimum pricing for alcohol proposed

Concerns over drink-fuelled violence and the growing number of cases of liver disease, the UK Government has proposed a minimum price for alcohol which would mean that drink would be sold at 40p a unit.

A unit is equivalent to1cl of alcohol and it is recommended that women do not exceed 2-3 units a day and men should drink no more than 3-4 units but many people exceed this and relaxing licensing laws seems to have done little to curb excessive drinking.

The plans are part of the alcohol strategy which has been drawn up by the Home Office.  The strategy could also see restrictions being imposed such as banning late-night alcohol sales if they are causing problems locally and late-night licenses could cost more; the fees imposed would help counter the cost of policing venues.

The Government says that it is committed to overhauling the licencing act and this could mean that venues which consistently sell alcohol to children could be closed down and the maximum fines which could be imposed could be increased to £20,000.

There were 1 million alcohol-related crimes in the past year, the Government says, and a further 1.2 million were admitted to hospital as a result of their excessive drinking.

David Cameron has accepted that the plans would not be "universally popular" and they have already come under much criticism and the plans could be challenged.  However, in a statement issued on Friday, the Prime Minister defended the proposals saying that the 40p per unit price - if imposed- could prevent 50,000 alcohol related crimes a year and 900 fewer alcohol related deaths annually.  David Cameron also stated it would not affect the price of a pint in the pub.

However in a statement yesterday, the British Retail Consortium have already spoken out against the proposals.  British Retail Consortium Food Director Andrew Opie said, said:

"David Cameron is seriously misguided. It's simplistic to imagine a minimum price is some sort of silver bullet solution to irresponsible drinking.

"Irresponsible drinking has cultural causes and retailers have been hugely engaged in information and education to change attitudes to drinking because that is what is working.

"It's a myth to suggest that supermarkets are the problem or that a pub is somehow a safer drinking environment. It's retailers not pubs that have led the way on preventing underage sales, providing unit labelling and funding the Drinkaware campaign. And retailers are active, founding participants in the Government's own Health Responsibly Deal. 

"Government figures show overall alcohol consumption falling and that three quarters of men and over four fifths of women drink within official guidelines. 

"People who buy alcohol in supermarkets buy it with a range of other items as part of their regular shop and take it home to drink over a period or share. Effectively, a minimum price is a tax on responsible drinkers."

The Budget 2012: Good news for some, bad news for others

Chancellor George Osbourne announced the 2012 Budget this week and as always it contained good news for some and bad news for others.

George Osbourne hoped that the Budget would be seen as one which would promote growth and there was some good news for businesses.  However, the Budget didn't contain anything that would help with getting young people into work and with the amount of young people out of work at more than a million, some measures to help the young employed would have been welcomed.

There was some much-needed compromise when it comes to child benefit.  The benefit will now not be removed for these earning less than £60,000 and the withdrawal of benefit for people earning more than £50,000 is to be staggered.

The price of cigarettes raised by 37p as of 6.00pm on Wednesday and an increase in alcohol duty had already been announced.  There was an announcement that Vehicle Excise Duty would only rise by the rate of inflation but no concessions over Fuel Duty which is still set to rise in August despite the already crippling prices of petrol.

The personal tax allowance was increase to £9,205 and it it likely to rise to £10,000 in 2014/2015.  Then came the news that the age-related tax allowance was to be scrapped and those already receiving the allowance would have ti frozen.  The Chancellor stated that this was part of a "simplification" of the tax system but it's being argue that this will leave many pensioners worse off.

Saga have called it an 'outrageous assault on pensioners" and in a press release Dr Ros Altmann Director-General Saga said:

“This Budget contains an enormous stealth tax for older people. Over the next five years, pensioners with an income of between £10,500 and £24,000 will be paying an extra £3 billion in tax while richer pensioners are left unaffected.

“There is nothing in this Budget for savers, there is nothing to improve the annuity market, nothing to appease the damage of quantitative easing and nothing to support ISA changes and shelter older people’s money in cash. This Budget is terrible news for pensioners.”

“It is good to hear that we will be able to harness the power of pension funds to improve UK Infrastructure but in short, this Budget is another shocking example of the Government’s attack on poorer and older people. It is dramatically unfair.”

Ricky Gervais backs cruelty free campaign

The former office star Ricky Gervais is giving his backing to a new campaign which hopes to put a halt to the use of cruel cosmetics testing on animals.
Ricky Gervais is known for his love of animals and has often backed campaigns by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV) before.  Gervais has now become the Ambassador for a new non-profit organisation established by the BUAV called Cruelty Free International.

In a video recorded in support of the campaign, Ricky Gervais says:

"I am delighted to support the launch of Cruelty Free International, the exciting global campaign to end the use of animals in product testing. Animal testing for cosmetics is still allowed in most of the world. That means thousands of animals can continue to die for the sake of a new shampoo. We urgently need a worldwide ban on this cruel and unnecessary suffering.”

“It's time to close the door on testing products on animals. Get involved. Please join me in supporting Cruelty Free International in its global mission to consign animal testing for cosmetics to the history books."

The BUAV are among other groups who have spent years campaigning to see an end to the practise of testing products on animals - something that is not a legal requirement - and the BUAV says that there are other more reliable ways of testing the safety of products before they are used.  Despite this, 80% of countries still test cosmetics on rabbits, guinea pigs and other animals.

Michelle Thew , Chief Executive of Cruelty Free International, said:

"We are delighted to receive the backing of Ricky Gervais for this exciting and dynamic organisation. The time has come for a concerted effort to finally end animal testing for cosmetics worldwide. Cruelty Free International will lead this global effort.”

Remains of 80 animal mummies discovered by researchers in Egypt

A team led by researchers from the University of Canada has discovered the remains of 80 animal mummies while on an excavation in Abydos, Egypt; the remains were those of cats, goats, sheep and puppies.

This was just one of the discoveries made by researchers; a private chapel, a monumental building and a wooden statue of a king were also found.  The researchers say this gives important information about ritual activity in ancient Egypt where such ceremonies were commonplace.

The finds were uncovered last year and Professor Mary-Ann Pouls Wagner from the University recently presented the findings to the Society for the Study of Egyptian Antiquities.

In a press release, Professor Pouls Wagner said:

“The offering chapel proves that people – probably elites – were able to build monuments right next to the processional route in the Middle Kingdom, and that at least one such chapel was allowed to stand in this increasingly densely built-up area and continued to receive offerings even 800 years after its initial construction,”

It is thought likely that the chapel dates back to 1990-1650 BC and that the statue of the king is meant to represent King Hatsheput, a female Pharaoh.  A larger building discovered during the dig is thought to have been either a royal temple or chapel and dates back to the Ramesside Period.

David Cameron in US for official visit

UK Prime Minister David Cameron was in the United States this week to meet President Barack Obamas as part of an official visit.
The first day was relaxed enough as the two world leaders went to a ball game and ate hot dogs while the President pointed out the finer points of the game to David Cameron.

A press conference and State dinner were all part of the official trip but there were no major announcements regarding policy as a result of the official visit.  Following the press conference, David Cameron and Barack Obama met for talks with Afghanistan highly likely to have been on the agenda and on Thursday David Cameron - along with wife his Samantha - visited a memorial to the victims of 9/11.

Many see this as a reaffirmation of the United States-United Kingdom special relationship although others do not like this term and prefer to call it an essential relationship.

Pictures on the White House website show the PM and the President and their wives stood on a balcony waving to the crowds that were there to greet the British Prime Minister while a notice declares it a 'rock-solid relationship'.

Speaking at the State dinner last night President Obama said:

"As I said this morning, this visit also gives us an opportunity to return the gracious hospitality that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, as well as David and Samantha and all the British people showed us during our visit to London last year.  And I know Michelle looks forward to returning.  Because, as she announced yesterday, she will be leading the U.S. delegation to the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics in London."

...But in moments like that, and in all of our interactions -- including today -- I’ve learned something about David.  In good times and in bad, he’s just the kind of partner that you want at your side.  I trust him.  He says what he does, and he does what he says.  And I’ve seen his character.  And I’ve seen his commitment to human dignity, during Libya.  I’ve seen his resolve, his determination to get the job done, whether it’s righting our economies or succeeding in Afghanistan."

Prince Harry wins against Usain Bolt

It appeared to be a no contest when Prince Harry challenged the world's fastest man, Usain Bolt, to a 30 metre race while on a visit to the University of the West Indies.

However, the young prince did not disappoint and left Usain Bolt at the starting line while Prince Harry, dressed in a Jamaican athletics team kit, took off down the track while the record-winning athlete was distracted

While appearing at the University of the West Indies Law Facility later that evening, the sprightly prince borough a smile to many people's faces as he boasted of his earlier win.

Prince Harry, who is in the Caribbean as part of the Diamond Jubilee Tour, was said to have gotten on famously with the Jamaican athlete but has declined the offer of a rematch.

The young royal has proven popular while on the Jubilee Tour and seems to have charmed just about everyone he has met; Diana would be proud.

War crimes committed on both sides in Libya says UN

A new report recently issued by the United Nations says that both pro and anti-Qaddafi forces committed war crimes and human rights abuses during last years conflict.  The report was due to be presented to the Human Rights Council on 8 March.

The violations said to have been committed include torture, unlawful killings, arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances, the commission says.  Individual cases of rape, attacks against civilians and ill-treatment have also been uncovered by the investigation which was mandated by the UN.

Amnesty International has previously published a report detailing some of the abuses carried out by anti-Qaddafi forces.  Amnesty's report gives graphic details of the torture inflicted on some of those thought loyal to Qaddafi and details their ill-treatment.

The UN states that the legal framework in Libya deteriorated during the reign of the Qaddafi regime but moves are underway for its restoration.  The UN is calling for those responsible to be held accountable for their actions.

Another horse carriage accident in New York

Reports came in last weekend of another incident involving one of the New York carriage horses.  The horse got frightened while in the heavy Upper Manhattan traffic and took off dragging its carriage along with it as it ran.
The incident happened during the early evening traffic while traffic flow is at its heaviest and the news has led to yet more calls for the ban on the use of carriage horses.  The incident only came to an end when the horse eventually collapsed outside of the studios where the John Stewart Daily Show is recorded.

Details released by the Coalition to Ban Horse Drawn Carriages shows that there have been six such incidents in recent years, most notably that of Charlie, a Percheron horse estimated to be 15-years-old, who collapsed in the streets of New York last year.  It was later found that the horse was in poor health and would have likely been in immense pain.  The death of Charlie highlights the need to ensure the proper welfare of the horses and has added further weight to the campaign to ban the use of carriage horses, a campaign which has received the backing of some in congress.

Commenting in a press release, Elizabeth Forel, president of the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages, said:

“Horses do not belong on the congested streets of NYC being barraged with such a variety of stimuli. As prey animals who weigh between 1,500 and 2,000 pounds and who will bolt and spook at the slightest provocation, these sensitive, nervous animals become unwitting weapons and could kill or injure themselves or passers-by. “

Internet footage shows war graves damaged in Libya

Last weekend video footage released on the Internet showed the destruction and damage done to 200 grave stones at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery in Benghazi, Libya.

The damage is thought to have been done in the last week of February, according to a statement released by the Foreign Office and says that a number of headstones at the Benghazi British Military Cemetery were damaged too.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission, whose cemeteries, burial plots and memorials pay tribute to the 1,700,000 men and women from the Commonwealth forces across the world states that the headstones will be restores.  The Commission also states that none of the maintenance staff were injured during the attacks on the gravestones.

There are more than 1,200 Commonwealth servicemen from the Second World War buried at the Benghazi War Cemetery and 284 are buried at the Benghazi British Military Cemetery, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission says.

The attacks have been condemned by Libyan officials and they have pledged to bring those responsible to justice.

Wrestling stars back anti-bullying campaign

*Orginally published on JFnews.co.uk

They are known for their brute force and for inflicting pain on their opponents in the ring, but when it comes to life outside the ring a group of wrestlers are making a stand against bullying by backing the Rocky Marciano/BULLYING...We're Kickin' It National Campaign.

The New York based wrestling organisation Family Wrestling Entertainment (FWE) held an event called No Limits at St Paul Hall, New York City at the weekend in support of the anti-bullying campaign. Among the wrestling stars supporting the event were ex ECW star Tommy Dreamer and Malta the Damager.

Commenting on the campaign, Tommy Dreamer said:

"Wrestling is about being assertive and confident not necessarily aggressive, win or lose its about having a strong sense of self worth and respecting yourself and your opponent."

"Kickin It promotes respect, compassion and unity. We all need to work together to strengthen and reinforce the message that bullying is not acceptable."

Ahead of the event, people were invited to leave messages on the BULLYING...We're Kickin' It Facebook page. The first 100 people to leave a positive message against bullying were given a free ticket for the event and the five quotes considered the most exceptional were also given a poster signed by some of the stars of FWE.

If news reports are anything to go by bullying in all walks of life seems to be on the increase. Social media and the Internet have also made it easier for some people to target their victims. Anyone being bullied should remember that they are not alone and many people in the public eye state that were once bullied, it's what gives some celebrities the strength and the determination to do what they do.

At nearly 7 foot tall, Malta the Damager doesn't seem like the most likely victim of bullying but as he explains, he was once too targeted by bullies:

"Bullies targeted me because I appeared different, not only was I big and lanky, my ethnicity in the Astoria neighborhood made me different. After getting knocked down so much I realized I had nowhere to go but up. I believed in myself, I turned to wrestling and now I perform for thousands of fans."

The BULLYING...We're Kickin' It National Campaign offers what it describes as a "unique, powerful course of action" aimed at helping to reduce bullying behaviour, improving the school climate and keeping the anti-bullying campaign present during the school year. More information about their work is available by visiting the group's website.

President Obama sings the blues

Come November, President Obama may be singing them for real but in a recent event held at the White House, the President was in a happy mood and his upcoming battle for a second term seemed to be the last thing on his mind as he joined a celebrity-filled audience for an evening of classic Blues music.

The White House: Red, White and Blues evening was held as part of Black History Month; Blues legend B.B. King and Rolling Stones lead singer Mick Jagger were among those attending the start-studded event.

And it would be Mick Jagger that would pass Obama the mic so that he could the President could try the audience to a few lines of "Sweet Home Chicago".  Pictures of the event show Obama and his wife looking happy and relaxed; it appears that a good times was had by all.

However the evening wasn't all about entertainment and Obama made a stirring speech about the origins of Blues music and its humble beginnings.  During the speech, Obama said:

"---as we celebrate Black History Month, the blues reminds us that we’ve been through tougher times before -- that’s why I’m proud to have these artists here -- and not just as a fan, but also as the President. Because their music teaches us that when we find ourselves at a crossroads, we don’t shy away from our problems. We own them. We face up to them. We deal with them. We sing about them. We turn them into art. And even as we confront the challenges of today, we imagine a brighter tomorrow, saying, I can do it, just like Muddy Waters did all those years ago."

As for the verdict on the President's singing, one reporter declared it "not bad" but perhaps Mr Obama should not give up the day job just yet.

Three new dolphin sanctuaries declared in Bangladesh

The Government of Bangladesh recently declared three new wildlife sanctuaries.  The sanctuaries will protect the Ganges River dolphins and the Irrawaddy dolphins, these are the two only two species of dolphins left in Asia.

The Wildlife Conservation Society worked with the Bangladesh Forest Department to pinpoint where the sanctuaries should be situated.

Dr. Tapan Kumar Dey, Conservator of Forests, Wildlife, Forest Department, Bangladesh, said:

“A critical component will be to engage local human communities. The wildlife sanctuaries will be used as a natural laboratory for developing management practises that balance wildlife conservation with the resource demands of a large and growing human population.”

Although the two species of dolphins have been given better protection, the marine mammals remain at risk and face many threats.  The prey that they rely upon for a food source is being depleted and the dolphins can sometimes caught up in fishing nets.  They also face challenges due to their changing habitats with sea levels rising and fresh water flow changing.

International trade in the Ganges River dolphin is banned and they are listed on the Red List of Threatened Species; the WWF says there are only 1,200 - 1,800 of the species left.  The status of the Irrawaddy dolphin is at vulnerable with 5,000 of the species left, according to the WWF.