The Voice Of The Falklands Recalls Invasion

Thirty years ago this week Argentinian forces attacked the Falkland Islands, starting a war which would last 74 days and claim more than 1,000 lives on both sides.

On the night of the invasion radio broadcaster Patrick Watts was ordered by the islands' governor to stay on air and keep residents informed about what was happening.

"At around two o'clock the Governor Rex Hunt called me and said all attempts to stop the Argentines invading the Falklands had failed and we can expect them by dawn," Patrick said.

"Those words hit me hard and I started to shake pretty hard."

But he continued broadcasting. As the assault started worried islanders called in relaying what they could see - tanks, troops and the Argentinian flag flying.

But Patrick remembers one caller in particular, who said: "I can see the stars."

Patrick told him: "For goodness sake don't stay outside. Get inside."

The man responded: "No, I am looking through the roof. There is a hole in the roof." more

National Association for Legal Gun Defense, Texas lawyers offer $10,000 for George Zimmerman's legal defense

The National Association for Legal Gun Defense wants to contribute $10,000 toward George Zimmerman's legal expenses, a member said today.

The group represents gun owners involved in self-defense shooting cases, said attorney Blue Rannefeld of Fort Worth, Texas.

Rannefeld said he has not been able to contact Zimmerman, 28, and is trying to reach Zimmerman's attorney, Craig Sonner of Altamonte Springs to make the group's offer of assistance.

Zimmerman's shooting death of Trayvon Martin, 17, on Feb. 26 in Sanford remains under investigation. source

US lifts ban on Dutch deadly bird flu publications

US experts have dropped their opposition to plans by the Rotterdam Erasmus Medical Centre to publish a controversial paper on a particularly deadly H5N1 bird flu strain, the scientific journal Science reports.

The Dutch research team, led by Ron Fouchier, caused controversy last year because it had developed a bird flu strain that could be transmitted by air. Though the lab research involved ferrets, the new strain could conceivably also infect people. Mr Fouchier described the virus as “probably one of the most dangerous viruses one can make.” Soon after Japanese-American researchers reached the same conclusion.

Terrorism
But planned publications in two leading scientific journals, Science and Nature, were blocked by the US National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB). The body said it feared terrorists could use the information to develop a biological weapon of mass destruction. The NSABB called for the publication to omit critical information to prevent it from falling in terrorist hands. The World Health Organisation, on the other hand, insisted on full disclosure of the research results, saying they are essential to help preventing a bird flu pandemic.

Free exchange
After a meeting on Thursday and Friday, the NSABB said “new evidence that gives a better understanding of the virus can help safeguard public health and security.” Global cooperation requires free exchange of information and constitutes a fundamental principle in evaluating publications, the NSABB said in a statement. But it also stressed that the risk of “dual use”, by researchers and terrorists, remained.

The US experts refused to reveal what changes had been made in the publications. It’s thought a statement by Mr Fouchier, saying the virus was not as easily transmitted from person to person as previously thought, may have to do with the about-face.

The H5N1 bird flu virus is regarded as one of the deadliest bird flu viruses. More than half the people who contract it die because of it. Until now, the virus is only known to have spread to humans from poultry. Source

Note: Fantastic what they will agree to if you tell them what they want to hear.....But does that make it true?

Whale Rescued In Southern California, Now Dead?

(ANIMAL RESCUE) Last weekend, a young gray whale named Bart finally swam free after rescuers spent seven hours disentangling him from a large fishing net. However, a similar gray whale was found dead in Long Beach Harbor on Tuesday afternoon. Found with black rope attached to the fluke and injuries at the base of the tale, wildlife authorities are investigating whether this gray whale could be Bart.

Wildlife authorities are investigating whether a gray whale found dead off Long Beach is the same animal that was cut free from a fishing net off the Orange County coast over the weekend.

The young, thin whale was found floating belly up near Port J in Long Beach Harbor on Tuesday afternoon, said Monica DeAngelis, a marine mammal biologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s fisheries service. Read More

Japanese fleet catches 267 Antarctic whales....all in the Name of Research of Course

The Japanese fleet caught a total of 267 whales in the latest season of the country's research whaling program in the Antarctic Ocean, the Fisheries Agency said Saturday.

Of the total, up from 172 in the previous season, 266 were minke whales and one was a fin whale, the agency said.

Females accounted for 168 of the total, of which 107 were adults and 92.5 percent were pregnant, the agency noted, indicating the breeding season for Antarctic whales has been favorable.

The fleet, which left Japan on Dec. 6, has already returned home. Source

Hand-foot-mouth disease keeps spreading in China Killing 4 infecting 11000 others

NANNING - Hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) has killed four people and sickened more than 11,000 others in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, and more people are likely to be affected by the disease as it enters its peak, health authorities said Saturday.

During the first quarter this year, a total of 11,757 HFMD cases have been reported in Guangxi, up 38.24 percent from the same period last year, the Guangxi regional health department said in a statement.

The infectious disease has plagued other areas in China.

Central Hunan province has seen a surge in cases of hand-foot-mouth disease since the beginning of this month, with over 1,000 cases reported over the past week, according to local health authorities.

Also 20 children of a kindergarten in Hong Kong have been infected by the disease.
Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection said the patients, 13 boys and seven girls from two to five years old, started to show symptoms of HFMD since March 23.

Children under three years old are especially susceptible to break-outs of HFMD. The disease starts with a slight fever followed by blisters and ulcers in the mouth and rashes on the hands and feet.

The HFMD virus is usually transmitted through digestive and respiratory systems or through intimate contact. Read More

Dozens sickened at Vallejo hazmat incident, California

VALLEJO, CA - A Vallejo grocery store was evacuated after a carbon dioxide leak got 71 people sick Friday afternoon.

There were 74 people inside Ghiringhelli Specialty Foods, which bills itself as a natural foods processor, at 101 Benicia Road when the leak occurred, possibly from the kitchen area, Vallejo Fire Battalion Chief Patrick Dunn said.

When Vallejo firefighters arrived at the scene, they encountered people experiencing vomiting, respiratory problems and difficulty seeing. Dunn said large amounts of exposure could lead to death, but no one was at that high of an injury level.

Hospital officials said one worker is in serious condition while all others have recovered from exposure to the leak.

People who were vomiting were immediately transported to the hospital for treatment.

Sutter Solano Medical Center spokesman Sy Neilson said 45 patients were treated for symptoms such as nausea, dizziness and trouble breathing. Read More

4.5 Magnitude Earthquake OFFSHORE EL SALVADOR - 31st Mar 2012

A magnitude 4.5 earthquake has struck offshore El Salvador at a depth of 61.9 km (38.5 miles), the quake hit at 17:13:59 UTC Saturday 31st March 2012
The epicenter was 122 km (76 miles) SSW from Sonsonate, Sonsonate, El Salvador
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time

5.4 Magnitude Earthquake TONGA - 31st Mar 2012

A magnitude 5.4 earthquake has struck Tonga at a depth of 122.8 km (76.3 miles), the quake hit at 17:06:43 UTC Saturday 31st March 2012
The epicenter was 116 km (72 miles) NNE of NUKU`ALOFA, Tonga
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time

Syrian official says regime won't back down first

BEIRUT (AP) — The Syrian government will not pull troops from cities and towns engulfed by the country's unrest before life returns to normal in these areas, a high-ranking official said, as activists reported fresh violence that claimed the lives of more than two dozen people across the nation Saturday.

The statement by Foreign Ministry spokesman Jihad Makdessi was the first response to an appeal by U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan to Syrian authorities to stop military activities as "the stronger party" in a "gesture of good faith" to the lightly armed opposition.

It suggests that any implementation of Annan's plan to end the conflict — which Syrian President Bashar Assad has accepted — will be a long and complicated process. Damascus appears to be playing for time by indicating broad agreement with the plan but then quibbling over or ignoring the details.

One of the centerpieces of the plan is the withdrawal of Syrian troops from cities, but Makdessi told state TV late Friday that the military is only in populated areas "in a state of self defense and protecting civilians." Read More

A RARE victory for common sense! Britain deports two convicted Islamist extremists who were convicted of possessing ‘chilling’ terror manuals

Britain yesterday managed to boot out two convicted Islamist extremists in a rare victory for common sense.

Christian Emde and Robert Baum, who are both German nationals, were convicted of possessing documents useful to terrorism.

They included a ‘chilling’ article on how to make a bomb.

The pair has been intercepted and arrested by police as they tried to enter the UK at Dover last July.

Ministers have been fighting a losing battle to deport a string of international terror suspects – including Al Qaeda hate preacher Abu Qatada.

But, with Germany considered a safe country by the courts, the Home Office was able to put the two extremists on a plane.

Immigration minister Damian Green said: ‘We refuse to tolerate foreign nationals breaking our laws. Read More

(Note: So you managed to kick two Germans out! Well done here is a gold star......what about the thousands of Criminals you can't kick out? Does this mean your going to do something about this now?)

• Dec 2011: 4000 Dangerous Foreign Prisoners (who should of been Deported) back on Britain's Streets, Many of whom go onto to re-offend
• Abu Qatada the Radical cleric linked to al Qaeda remains in the UK until this day, being funded by us and we have even recently given him a bigger house to make sure he is happy and comfortable.
• Dangerous Sex offender Sarafa Salami gets £1,000 a month from us in Handouts, we can't deport him he also used race and human rights card to fool our weak system
• 12 Year old Amy Houston was Killed by illegal immigrant Aso Mohammed Ibrahim, who driving with NO insurance whilst disqualified and was sentenced to just 4 Months in Jail and won his right to stay in UK using the famous Humans Rights Act

This was also the day Britain proved that British Citizen Amy Houston did NOT have any Human Rights Act backing her short Life.

We could keep going but there are too many cases to list, you will find hundreds in the Weak justice Section.

Fuel strike: government fails to calm panic buying

The Government's attempt to calm worried motorists appeared to have had little effect on Saturday as the country endured a third day of panic buying at the pumps.

Thousands of drivers across the country continued to rush to forecourts to fill up their petrol tanks, ignoring pleas for restraint from ministers.

The AA reported fresh incidents of motorists using "desperate and dangerous" attempts to store petrol although panic buying was said to be receding.

One woman tried to fill two one-gallon glass flagons with petrol at a station in South Wales. The pump nozzle was bigger than the neck of the flagon and she spilt petrol on the ground.

Queues were particularly bad in Coventry and Liverpool, where motorists at BP stations waited for up to an hour to fill up their tank.

Edmund King, AA president urged calm and advised drivers to revert to their normal fuel buying patterns.

"We hope that the weekend will bring back some sanity in this silly situation. It is almost as if the last five days have been one big April Fool come early. Read More

Lauren Jarrell: Tennessee Mother Faces Possible Jail Time For Baptizing Children

A Shelby County mother is facing contempt-of-court charges and possible jail time for baptizing her two children without the knowledge or consent of her ex-husband.

This week the Tennessee Court of Appeals said Lauren Jarrell must face a criminal contempt hearing for violating a court order that said major decisions regarding the religious upbringing of her two children should be made jointly with her-ex-husband.

The mother and her ex-husband, Blake Jarrell, are both Christian — he’s a Methodist and she’s a Presbyterian.

Court records say the father thought the children should be baptized once they are older. He has asked that his ex-wife be found in criminal contempt for baptizing the children without his knowledge or permission.

If convicted, she could face 20 days in jail and a $100 fine. more

Antarctic ice shelves 'tearing apart'

(CNN) -- A new satellite study of ice shelves in West Antarctica has revealed they are steadily losing their grip with adjacent land and could intensify the acceleration of ice loss in the area.

The ice shelves (floating extensions of land-based ice sheets) in the eastern Amundsen Sea Embayment are fracturing at their margins on rocky bay walls, according to glaciologists from the University of Texas at Austin's Institute for Geophysics (UTIG).

Lead author of the study Joseph MacGregor said in a statement: "Typically, the leading edge of an ice shelf moves forward steadily over time, retreating episodically when an iceberg calves off (breaks off and floats out to sea), but that is not what happened along the shear margins."

"Anyone can examine this region in Google Earth and see a snapshot of the same satellite data we used, but only through examination of the whole satellite record is it possible to distinguish long-term change from cyclical calving," MacGregor added. Read More

Thailand Bomb Attacks at least 10 Killed

(CNN) -- At least 10 people were killed and more than 100 wounded following a pair of explosions Saturday in the southern Thai city of Yala, Thai media reported.

The two blasts were the result of bombs stashed in stolen trucks, Police Lt. Gen. Paitoon Chuchaiya told CNN affiliate MCOT.

Video from the scene showed damage to buildings, cars and motorcycles on the street.

The blasts set fires to nearby vehicles, including a van, which itself exploded, leading to initial reports of a third bomb, Chuchaiya said.

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said she has been informed of the Yala bombings and has instructed national police chief Gen. Prewpan Dhamapong to investigate the crime scene immediately, according to MCOT. Police investigators believe suspected insurgents are behind the attacks, MCOT said. Read More

Hoodie-Wearing Gunmen Kill 1, Wound 5 in Bobby Rush's Chicago District

Former Black Panther Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL) made quite a fuss when he donned a "hoodie" during a speech in the U.S. House of Representatives until he was escorted out. At the time, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) "applauded his courage" for doing so.

Meanwhile, back home in Rush's district, two men wearing hooded sweatshirts, or "hoodies," were the shooters in an incident that left one dead and five injured.

In fact, during a span of six-hours Thursday night, 13 people were shot, leaving two dead in Chicago. It would seem it takes more courage to simply walk down the street in Rush's district than it does to wear a hooded sweatshirt in the House of Representatives by way of a stunt in a bizarre tribute to a young man shot and killed in Florida during a shooting incident still under investigation:

13 shot, 2 dead in Chicago in six hours Thursday night

The worst shooting occurred around 6 p.m. Thursday when two men in hooded sweatshirts opened fire inside a convenience store in the 1400 block of West 79th Street in the Gresham neighborhood, police said.

One man was killed and five others were wounded. The victims ranged in age from 16 to 24. The gunmen fled in an SUV and police continued searching for them this morning. more

Saudi meeting, Iran sanctions coincidence, U.S. official says

Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama's Friday announcement that the U.S. will implement sanctions that could significantly cut sales of Iranian oil was not tied to a meeting the same day between Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Saudi King Abdullah, a senior administration official told CNN.

Numerous U.S. officials have traveled recently to Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, to discuss the country's ability to increase exports enough to make up for the loss of Iranian oil under the sanctions, the official said. Analysts say nearly a million barrels a day could ultimately be lost from Iran.

But that the meeting and announcement came on the same day was "coincidental," the official said. Read More

Civil rights leaders condemn Sharpton's call for escalated civil disobedience: What's Sharpton really up to?

The Rev. Al Sharpton said Friday his National Action Network will "move to the next level" if George Zimmerman is not arrested in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin.

Sharpton called for an escalation in peaceful civil disobedience and economic sanctions, although he did not say what those sanctions might be.

Turner Clayton, the Seminole County chapter president of the NAACP, reacted immediately to Sharpton's warning, saying, "We hope that the citizens of Sanford will govern themselves accordingly. We are not calling for any sanctions, against any business or anyone else. And, of course, what Rev. Sharpton does, that's strictly the [National] Action Network. We can't condone that part of the conversation, if that's what he said." more

Peter Kurmann Killed by Great White whilst diving about 1600m off Stratham Beach in Geographe Bay, Australia

A FATHER-OF-TWO became Western Australia's latest fatal shark attack victim yesterday after a morning dive with his brother ended in tragedy.

Peter Kurmann, 32, from Vasse in the south-west, was diving about 1600m off Stratham Beach in Geographe Bay, when he was attacked by a 4m shark -- believed to be a great white pointer.

His heartbroken brother Gian said: "Our family has suffered a terrible loss. We have lost a son, a brother, a husband and a wonderful father. Words cannot express how we feel at this time, we are in mourning and wish you to respect our privacy."

He leaves behind his wife Debra, a respected Busselton councillor, and two young sons, Felix, 4, and Nicholas, 2.

A dark cloud has fallen over the tight-knit community, left reeling from the state's fourth fatal attack since September. Read More

Militant who targeted Australian nuke plant held in France

(Reuters) - A French Muslim convert convicted in 2007 for planning an attack on an Australian nuclear plant is one of the suspected militants being held for questioning after a series of raids throughout France, a police source said on Saturday.

Willy Brigitte was arrested on Friday at his home in Asnieres, a northwestern suburb of Paris. Authorities found no weapons but seized his computer and a mobile phone, the source told Reuters.

The crackdown followed a pledge by President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is three weeks away from the first round of presidential elections, to rid France of radical Islamists.

His public approval rating has edged up slightly due to what most French believe to be his able handling of this month's killing spree by an al Qaeda-inspired gunman in Toulouse. Read More

Afghan killings inquiries 'hampered'

March 31 - The lawyer for a U.S. soldier charged with killing 17 Afghan civilians says U.S. authorities are blocking his investigation into the incident. Paul Chapman reports.

Mali coup leader in help appeal

March 31 - The leader of Mali's military coup calls for outside help to crush a Tuareg separatist rebellion. Paul Chapman reports

Disabled cruise ship limps to Malaysia

Mar. 31 - Cruise ship temporarily stranded off south Philippines coast after engine room fire is heading for port in eastern Malaysian state of Sabah.

U.S. drones attack militants in Pakistan, Yemen

(Reuters) - U.S.-operated drones carried out deadly missile strikes against suspected al Qaeda targets in Pakistan and Yemen on Friday, U.S. government sources said.

There was no connection between the targets in the two locations, other than the fact that both sets of militants who were attacked were believed to have had some connection with al Qaeda affiliates, according to the sources.

Reports from Aden said that at least five suspected al Qaeda militants traveling in a car in southern Yemen's Shabwa province were killed when a drone strike set their vehicle on fire. Witnesses said a second drone hit an empty building.

In Miranshah, the main town in Pakistan's North Waziristan region, a drone strike killed four suspected militants and wounded three others, local intelligence officials and militants said. An intelligence official claimed the dead men were local Taliban militants.

Both drone strikes are understood to have been conducted as part of a long-running campaign intended to kill and disrupt al-Qaeda using missile-firing drones operated by the Central Intelligence Agency, which declines comment on such operations. Read More