Veiled Warning to Britain From EU President

The man who represents the 27 leaders of the European Union warned Thursday of widespread opposition to steps that may be necessary to keep Britain as a member of the bloc.

Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the European Council, said he saw “no impending need to open the E.U. treaties” to address the complaints of countries like Britain that are outside the euro zone and that object to “federal Euroland” rules governing the bloc.

“Nor do I feel much appetite for it around the leaders’ table,” Mr. Van Rompuy said in a speech he delivered Thursday evening
in London at the Policy Network, a center-left research organization.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/01/business/global/eu-leader-suggests-europe-will-not-change-to-satisfy-critics.html?_r=0

France: Two Die in Cattenom Nuclear Power Plant Accident

Two people have died and one is seriously injured after an accident at Cattenom nuclear power station located in Moselle, according to police sources.

The accident occurred on Thursday shortly after 5pm at the central nuclear reactor building.

Unit 4 had been closed to allow for a ten-year safety inspection and maintenance check.

According to early witness accounts part of a platform and ladder broke off and fell four metres onto workers.

The victims are thought to be from two different companies providing inspection and maintenance services.

http://www.plenglish.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1158641&Itemid=1

Carbon monoxide poisoning kills 11 in N China coal mine

Eleven people die due to carbon monoxide poisoning after a forcing fan caught fire under a coal mine in north China's Hebei Province, local authorities said Friday.

The accident occurred at 8 p.m. on Thursday in a coal mine in Huailai County of Zhangjiakou City, the publicity department of Zhangjiakou City said.

The mine belongs to Zhangkuang Group, a subsidiary of Jizhong Energy Group Co., LTD.

Thirteen miners were working under the mine when the accident happened.

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/765173.shtml

David Cameron suffers humiliating defeat as Lib Dems win hard fought Eastleigh by-election

David Cameron suffered a humiliating defeat in the Eastleigh by-election in the early hours of this morning after his party was beaten into third place by the Liberal Democrats and Ukip.

The Lib Dems took the seat with a reduced majority of 1,771 while the Conservative candidate Maria Hutchings won just a quarter of the votes cast.

But the night’s real success story was Ukip which had its best ever Westminster election result. Its candidate Diane James increased her party’s share of the vote from 3.6 per cent in 2010 to 27.8 per cent.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/david-cameron-suffers-humiliating-defeat-as-lib-dems-win-hard-fought-eastleigh-byelection-8515953.html

Senior Al Qaeda Leader 'Killed In Mali'

French forces in Mali have reportedly killed Abdelhamid Abu Zeid, a commander of al Qaeda's north Africa wing.

Abu Zeid was among 40 militants who died in the region of Tigargara in northern Mali three days ago, according to Algerian Ennahar TV.

A French defence ministry official declined to comment on the report.

http://news.sky.com/story/1058313/senior-al-qaeda-leader-killed-in-mali

US Hackers 'Regularly Attack' China Websites

Hackers based mainly in the United States attacked two Chinese military websites an average of 144,000 times a month last year, Beijing claims.

The report steps up a war of words between the two countries, after a US security company said that a Chinese military unit was behind a series of hacking attacks on US firms.

Now China's ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng said the sites for the Defence Ministry and China Military Online, a People's Liberation Army news webpage, have been hacked relentlessly.

http://news.sky.com/story/1058270/us-hackers-regularly-attack-china-websites

4.6 Magnitude Earthquake SOUTH OF PANAMA - 1st March 2013

Magnitude
4.6
Date-Time
Friday, March 01, 2013 at 04:11:18 UTC
Thursday, February 28, 2013 at 10:11:18 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
6.130°N, 82.625°W
Depth
10.2 km (6.3 miles)
Region
SOUTH OF PANAMA
Distances
212 km (131 miles) S of Punta de Burica, Panama

5.5 Magnitude Earthquake MARIANA ISLANDS REGION - 1st March 2013

Magnitude
5.5
Date-Time
Friday, March 01, 2013 at 03:29:48 UTC
Friday, March 01, 2013 at 01:29:48 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
21.765°N, 144.036°E
Depth
161.9 km (100.6 miles)
Region
MARIANA ISLANDS REGION
Distances
162 km (100 miles) NNW of Farallon de Pajaros, Northern Mariana Islands

Major Earth events and changes, February 2013

4.9 Magnitude Earthquake SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION - 1st March 2013

Magnitude
4.9
Date-Time
Friday, March 01, 2013 at 00:34:35 UTC
Thursday, February 28, 2013 at 10:34:35 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
55.624°S, 27.470°W
Depth
39.2 km (24.4 miles)
Region
SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION
Distances
121 km (75 miles) N of Visokoi Island,

3.8 Magnitude Earthquake NEVADA - 28th February 2013

Magnitude
3.8
Date-Time
Thursday, February 28, 2013 at 20:48:23 UTC
Thursday, February 28, 2013 at 12:48:23 PM at epicenter
Location
38.135°N, 118.248°W
Depth
13.2 km (8.2 miles)
Region
NEVADA
Distances
20 km (12 miles) SW (223°) from Tonopah Junction, NV

Daniele Lo Presti Murder: Italian Paparazzo Found Shot Dead In Rome

A top Italian paparazzo who took pictures of Brangelina, Beyonce and dozens of other celebrities has been found shot dead.

Daniele Lo Presti, 42, was discovered on a riverside with a single bullet wound to the head, the classic sign of an ordered hit.

Murder squad detectives launched an investigation following the discovery of his body and have not ruled out the possibility he was killed after "crossing" someone in his business.

http://news.sky.com/story/1058351/italian-paparazzo-found-shot-dead-in-rome

Fukushima mothers worried about cancer risk

Bombs kill at least 22 in Iraqi capital

At least 22 people were killed in a series of blasts in Shi'ite neighborhoods of Baghdad on Thursday, police sources said, as Iraq's precarious sectarian balance comes under growing strain.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks, but Sunni Muslim insurgents have been redoubling their efforts to undermine the Shi'ite-led government and spark deeper intercommunal fighting since the start of the year.

Two car bombs, one parked near a crowded restaurant and the other close to a football stadium, exploded around sunset and killed at least 18 people in Baghdad's southern Shula district.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/28/us-iraq-violence-idUSBRE91R0W920130228

Cyprus president says committed to stability, swift bailout

Cyprus's new President Nicos Anastasiades vowed on Thursday to work for a swift conclusion of a bailout for the cash-starved island, ruling out debt or deposit "haircuts" for the Mediterranean nation threatened with a financial meltdown.

Economic turmoil engulfing Cyprus, one of the euro zone's smallest economies, could test the European Union's mettle in a crisis threatening to spill beyond the tiny island's shores and unravel nascent recovery in the bloc.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/28/us-cyprus-idUSBRE91R1CS20130228

Van Rompuy hits at PM on treaty change

The President of the European Council warned David Cameron on Thursday that Europe would not prioritise treaty change despite the British prime minister’s desire for a new settlement to put to a referendum.

Speaking in the City of London, Herman Van Rompuy said the most “drastic” changes for the EU were over and reform would now be in “steps” rather than “leaps into the unknown”.

“In the last three years we’ve had major changes without major treaty revision so I see no impending need to open the EU treaties,” he said in his speech on Thursday evening. “Nor do I feel much appetite for it around the leaders’ table.”

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9b420228-81b5-11e2-904c-00144feabdc0.html

Biden: ‘Just Fire the Shotgun Through the Door’

Vice President Joe Biden’s fondness for his shotguns has been documented by the Washington Free Beacon, and he continued to promote the use of these dangerous weapons in an interview with the outdoor website, Field and Stream.

F&S: What about the other uses, for self-defense and target practice?

BIDEN: Well, the way in which we measure it is—I think most scholars would say—is that as long as you have a weapon sufficient to be able to provide your self-defense. I did one of these town-hall meetings on the Internet and one guy said, “Well, what happens when the end days come? What happens when there’s the earthquake? I live in California, and I have to protect myself.”

I said, “Well, you know, my shotgun will do better for you than your AR-15, because you want to keep someone away from your house, just fire the shotgun through the door.”

http://freebeacon.com/biden-just-fire-the-shotgun-through-the-door/

Woodward's Not Alone - Fmr. Clinton Aide Davis Says He Received White House Threat

Bob Woodward isn't the only person who's received threats for airing the Obama administration's dirty laundry. It seems anyone is a potential target of the White House these days - even former senior members of the Clinton administration.

A day after Woodward's claim that a senior White House official had told him he would "regret" writing a column criticizing President Obama's stance on the sequester, Lanny Davis, a longtime close advisor to President Bill Clinton, told WMAL's Mornings on the Mall Thursday he had received similar threats for newspaper columns he had written about Obama in the Washington Times.

Davis told WMAL that his editor, John Solomon, "received a phone call from a senior Obama White House official who didn't like some of my columns, even though I'm a supporter of Obama. I couldn't imagine why this call was made." Davis says the Obama aide told Solomon, "that if he continued to run my columns, he would lose, or his reporters would lose their White House credentials."

http://www.wmal.com/common/page.php?pt=WMAL+EXCLUSIVE%3A+Woodward%27s+Not+Alone+-+Fmr.+Clinton+Aide+Davis+Says+He+Received+White+House+Threat&id=8924&is_corp=0

Media Blackout: Israel, Hamas ban rival journos to report from Gaza

Giant rays on Gaza beach

5.7 Magnitude Earthquake SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS - 28th February 2013

Magnitude
5.7
Date-Time
Thursday, February 28, 2013 at 18:07:46 UTC
Friday, March 01, 2013 at 05:07:46 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
10.926°S, 165.909°E
Depth
23.9 km (14.9 miles)
Region
SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS
Distances
25 km (15 miles) SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands

Did UFO 'hit' Russian meteorite blasting it to smithereens? Conspiracy theorists’ extraordinary claim after new footage emerges

The meteorite that crashed on Russia was hit by an unidentified flying object causing it to explode and shatter over the Urals, it has been claimed.

The bizarre theory is based on analysis of blurry footage of the space rock as it streaked across morning sky above the city of Chelyabinsk.

U.F.O enthusiasts insist a small 'object' can be seen colliding with the meteorite on its trajectory through the atmosphere, despite the fact there were no reports of Russia launching missiles to down the celestial intruder, they claim.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2286035/Did-UFO-shoot-Russian-meteorite-blasting-smithereens-Now-conspiracy-theorists-launch-extraordinary-claims-new-footage-emerges.html

Cases of rare 'untreatable' superbug that killed seven in a year rocket as health officials warn of deadly outbreak

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning doctors to be on the lookout for an untreatable multidrug-resistant 'superbug' emerging in the U.S.

The 'superbug' springs from a bacteria called Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriacea, 15 types of which have been seen in the U.S. in the last year. The unique bacteria can cause pneumonia, intestinal and urinary tract infections, and bloodstream infections.

In one outbreak at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, seven deaths were attributed to the 'superbug' after a New York Woman who came to the hospital for a lung transplant while infected.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2285729/Rare-antibiotic-resistant-superbug-outbreak-U-S-health-officials-high-alert.html

France's first black Muslim cabinet minister faces jail for electoral fraud

The youngest ever black Muslim woman to become a French cabinet minister was today facing jail for electoral fraud.

Rama Yade, who is still only 36, was due to appear at Nanterre Correctional Court charged with a range of forgery offences.

She became a hugely glamorous symbol of ethnic diversity when, barely out of her 20s in 2007, President Nicolas Sarkozy made her Secretary of State for Human Rights.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2285935/Frances-black-Muslim-cabinet-minister-faces-jail-electoral-fraud.html

'The last time a German looked this hot was when they were pushing Jews into ovens': Outrage as Joan Rivers refuses to apologise after 'vulgar and offensive' joke about Heidi Klum's backside

The veteran comedian made a joke about the Holocaust on Monday's Fashion Police show on E! when reviewing the low-cut shimmering gold dress worn by the German beauty. 'The last time a German looked this hot was when they were pushing Jews into the ovens', said he 79-year-old, before doubling over with laughter.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2285794/Joan-Rivers-refuses-apologise-vulgar-offensive-joke-Heidi-Klums-backside.html

Mortgage interest to DOUBLE for thousands of borrowers as banks impose huge tracker rate hikes

Thousands of Bank of Ireland and Bristol & West borrowers customers face a doubling of interest on mortgage interest payments this year after the banks decided to ramp up tracker rates.

Buy-to-let borrowers are being hit by a bigger hike than residential customers: they will see their mortgage rate jump to 4.49 per cent on top of Bank of England base rate - or 4.99 per cent compared to the current rate of 2.25 per cent (base rate plus 1.75 per cent).

Residential customers were also paying 2.25 per cent but face a smaller hike, to 2.99 per cent (base rate plus 2.49) on 1 May 2013. But the tracker rate will then increase again to 4.49 per cent (base rate plus 3.99 per cent) from 1 October 2013.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/mortgageshome/article-2285901/Bank-Ireland-Bristol--West-tracker-mortgage-borrowers-large-rate-hikes.html

Mick Philpott accused of killing six of his children in house fire 'staged a rehearsal of how he would save them and talked of wanting a bigger home'

Mick Philpott and his wife Mairead, pictured above with a friend, and another friend Paul Mosley are alleged to have acted out how they would save the youngsters from the property in Allenton, Derby, once the fire took hold. Mr Mosley's nephew's girlfriend told the court that Philpott had been 'going on about wanting a bigger house'.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2285929/Mick-Philpott-staged-rehearsal-save-talked-wanting-bigger-home.html

This is a prime example why the death penalty should be re-introduced

Death toll from Swiss shooting rises to four

A fourth person has died in hospital from injuries sustained in a shooting at a Swiss wood processing plant near the city of Lucerne, police said on Thursday.

A 42-year-old factory worker opened fire on co-workers with a Sphinx AT 380 pistol on Wednesday, killing two colleagues and wounding seven others. The gunman was also found dead at the scene but police have given no details on how he died.

Police said they were still investigating how the weapon came into the man's possession and the motive for the attack.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/28/us-swiss-shooting-idUSBRE91R10E20130228

Man dragged by South African police vehicle dies in detention

"Mind melds" move from science fiction to science in rats

The scientists call it a "brain link," and it is the closest anyone has gotten to a real-life "mind meld": the thoughts of a rat romping around a lab in Brazil were captured by electronic sensors and sent via Internet to the brain of a rat in the United States.

The result: the second rat received the thoughts of the first, mimicking its behavior, researchers reported on Thursday in Scientific Reports, a journal of the Nature Publishing Group.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/28/us-science-brain-mindmeld-idUSBRE91R0U620130228

Islamist's death sentence sparks deadly riots

A Bangladeshi Islamist party leader was sentenced to death on Thursday over abuses carried out during the country's independence war, triggering riots that killed at least 30 people.

Delwar Hossain Sayedee, 73, vice-president of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, was found guilty by Bangladesh's war crimes tribunal of mass killing, rape, arson, looting and forcing minority Hindus to convert to Islam during the 1971 war of separation from Pakistan, lawyers and tribunal officials said.

After he was convicted and sentenced, police clashed with activists from Sayedee's party and violence raged in more than a dozen areas around the country, police, witnesses and media reports said.

At least three policemen were among the dead and around 300 were wounded, they added.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/28/us-bangladesh-tribunal-idUSBRE91R0AN20130228

IMF set to cut growth forecasts if U.S. spending is cut

The International Monetary Fund said Thursday it will likely cut its growth forecasts for the United States and the global economy if automatic U.S.

spending cuts take effect on Friday, and warned that the U.S.'s biggest trading partners would be hardest hit.

IMF spokesman William Murray said that if the cuts are fully implemented, the IMF would likely shave at least 0.5 percentage point off its current forecast of 2 percent growth for the U.S. in 2013.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/28/us-usa-imf-idUSBRE91R0XB20130228

4.1 Magnitude Earthquake NEVADA - 28th February 2013

Magnitude
4.1
Date-Time
Thursday, February 28, 2013 at 15:29:25 UTC
Thursday, February 28, 2013 at 07:29:25 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
38.024°N, 118.065°W
Depth
6.2 km (3.9 miles)
Region
NEVADA
Distances
27 km (17 miles) S (174°) from Tonopah Junction, NV

Tumbleweed Invasion Buries House In Texas

The brutal storm system that brought snow and high winds to much of America's midsection this week delivered something very different to one Texas family.

Gusts in excess of 60mph pushed hundreds of tumbleweeds up against a house in Midland.

One side of Josh Pitman’s home is almost entirely obscured by the rambling plants.

http://news.sky.com/story/1058221/tumbleweed-invasion-buries-house-in-texas

6.9 Magnitude Earthquake KURIL ISLANDS - 28th February 2013

Magnitude
6.9
Date-Time
Thursday, February 28, 2013 at 14:05:51 UTC
Friday, March 01, 2013 at 01:05:51 AM at epicenter
Location
50.934°N, 157.339°E
Depth
52.5 km (32.6 miles)
Region
KURIL ISLANDS
Distances
90 km (56 miles) ENE (71°) from Severo-Kuril'sk, Kuril Islands, Russia

Deyan Deyanov Jailed for killing Jennifer Mills-Westley

Bulgarian national Deyan Deyanov has been sentenced for killing British grandmother Jennifer Mills-Westley in a supermarket.

http://news.sky.com/story/1058247/tenerife-beheading-man-gets-20-years

Deyan Deyanov Jailed for killing Jennifer Mills-Westley

Bulgarian national Deyan Deyanov has been sentenced for killing British grandmother Jennifer Mills-Westley in a supermarket.

http://news.sky.com/story/1058247/tenerife-beheading-man-gets-20-years

BOB WOODWARD: A 'Very Senior' White House Person Warned Me I'd 'Regret' What I'm Doing

Bob Woodward said this evening on CNN that a "very senior person" at the White House warned him in an email that he would "regret doing this," the same day he has continued to slam President Barack Obama over the looming forced cuts known as the sequester.

CNN host Wolf Blitzer said that the network invited a White House official to debate Woodward on-air, but the White House declined.

"It makes me very uncomfortable to have the White House telling reporters, 'You're going to regret doing something that you believe in,'" Woodward said.

http://www.businessinsider.com/bob-woodward-obama-sequester-white-house-reporting-price-politics-2013-2

BOB WOODWARD: A 'Very Senior' White House Person Warned Me I'd 'Regret' What I'm Doing

Bob Woodward said this evening on CNN that a "very senior person" at the White House warned him in an email that he would "regret doing this," the same day he has continued to slam President Barack Obama over the looming forced cuts known as the sequester.

CNN host Wolf Blitzer said that the network invited a White House official to debate Woodward on-air, but the White House declined.

"It makes me very uncomfortable to have the White House telling reporters, 'You're going to regret doing something that you believe in,'" Woodward said.

http://www.businessinsider.com/bob-woodward-obama-sequester-white-house-reporting-price-politics-2013-2

Bradley Manning To Explain WikiLeaks Motive

An Army private charged over the biggest leak of classified material in US history is set to tell a military judge how he did it and why.

Private Bradley Manning will answer questions later on Thursday from the judge who is considering whether to accept his offer to plead guilty to some lesser charges.

His only public explanation until now for giving the secret documents to Julian Assange's anti-secrecy WikiLeaks website can be found in logs of an online chat with a confidant-turned-government informant.

http://news.sky.com/story/1058097/bradley-manning-to-explain-wikileaks-motive

Slow Strangulation: 'Iran sanctions a war on ordinary citizens'

Dolce Vita Finita: 'Hard life looms for Italy with austerity in air'

Class Divide: UK masses slide into poverty as austerity ramps up

'US in era of whistleblower hunt, ignores mercenaries & banksters'

Cops vs Students: Violence erupts as Canadian students throw snow at police

Pedophilia & Corruption: Will next Pope stop Catholic hell?

Eyewitness: Yes, The Nazis Did Confiscate Our Guns

Syria: Nusra Front Occupy Yabrud on Lebanese Border

Hairstylists Battle in Court Over Lotto Jackpot

Singapore, HK arrests in huge Australian drug bust

4.6 Magnitude Earthquake TURKMENISTAN - 28th February 2013

Magnitude ML 4.6
Region TURKMENISTAN
Date time 2013-02-28 11:06:01.0 UTC
Location 38.16 N ; 57.63 E
Depth 2 km
Distances 34 km W Gökedepe

4.2 Magnitude Earthquake VALPARAISO, CHILE - 28th February 2013

Magnitude ML 4.2
Region VALPARAISO, CHILE
Date time 2013-02-28 10:16:13.0 UTC
Location 32.98 S ; 70.25 W
Depth 90 km
Distances 37 km SE Los andes

Karen Simpson who disappeared on trip to buy nappies from Tesco is found dead in field near home

Police searching for a missing mother-of-three who vanished while suffering post-natal depression have found a body.

Karen Simpson, 31, disappeared from her home in the village of Burscough, near Ormskirk, Lancashire, on Sunday morning when she went to a local Tesco store leaving her three-month-old girl with relatives and never returned.

She had told family members that she needed to 'clear her head.'

The force said the death was not being treated as suspicious at this stage.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2285355/Karen-Simpson-Police-launch-search-young-mother-post-natal-depression-went-missing-going-buy-box-nappies-Tesco.html

Official: The economy DID grow in 2012 - but only just (so Cameron says we must cut the deficit 'further and faster') ......Does he think the small Olympics Growth counts?

The economy eked out modest growth last year rather than flatlining as previously thought, official figures showed yesterday.

The Office for National Statistics said output rose by 0.2 per cent in 2012 – a paltry amount but better than the zero growth initially reported last month.

But the economy still shrank by 0.3 per cent in the final three months of the year – leaving the country on the brink of a third recession in five years.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2285617/Official-The-economy-DID-grow-2012--just-Cameron-says-cut-deficit-faster.html

How China is enslaving the world: Beijing's ruthless leaders subjugate armies of foreign workers with opium, plunder resources across the globe - and now they've got Britain in their sights

With its gold leaf and marble décor, duplex suites, heliport and fleet of Rolls-Royces, the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai is hailed as the most luxurious in the world, a seven-star monument to wealth and extravagance.

To stay there will cost you £2,000 a night. Just to have dinner means parting with a huge deposit per person before you even get to the table. Nor can you simply wander in off the street into the lobby to gaze at the Turkish carpets and watch the fountain play — the Burj rests on its own artificial island.

So who can afford to stay there? Increasingly, the answer is the world’s fast-growing army of multi-millionaires from China.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2285676/How-China-enslaving-world-Beijings-ruthless-leaders-subjugate-armies-foreign-workers-opium-plunder-resources-globe--theyve-got-Britain-sights.html

Beyonce Stingray Skin Shoes Causes outrage

Beyonce has come under fire for wearing trainers made from the skins of exotic animals.

Animal welfare group Peta has described the US star as "cruel" and "spoilt" for choosing shoes made from stingray, anaconda, ostrich, crocodile and calf.

In a statement, Peta said: "These custom-made kicks come with a high price - and it's paid by the various animals who were beaten and skinned alive or cruelly farmed and killed.

http://news.sky.com/story/1058104/beyonce-in-hot-water-over-stingray-skin-shoes

Banker Bonus Cap Is 'Deluded', Says Boris...Sums the EU up really!

The Mayor of London has launched a stinging attack on European Union officials after they agreed a provisional deal to cap bankers' bonuses.

The plan would see the maximum payout set at a year's salary but that could be increased to two year's salary with shareholder approval.

http://news.sky.com/story/1058025/bankers-bonuses-eu-agrees-cap-on-payments

Wendy Dolton's Diamond Ring Stolen As She Lay Dying in Hospital

A dying woman had a treasured diamond ring stolen from her finger in the final moments of her life at a hospice.

The gold band was taken from Wendy Dolton's hand as she lay powerless in her bed.

Hours later, the 65-year-old lost her battle with cancer.

http://news.sky.com/story/1058111/womans-diamond-ring-stolen-as-she-lay-dying

South Africa: 'Man Dragged Behind Police Van'

A taxi driver in South Africa died after being handcuffed to a police vehicle and dragged hundreds of yards, it has been alleged.

Independent police investigators are looking into the claims after video footage emerged showing a man being dragged along a road behind a police van.

The man, a 27-year-old from Mozambique, was later found dead in a police cell in Daveyton, Johannesburg, on Tuesday.

http://news.sky.com/story/1058102/south-africa-man-dragged-behind-police-van

US officials admit 'incorrectly entered' data on Taliban attack downturn in 2012

The US military and its coalition in Afghanistan have acknowledged a miscount of Taliban attacks in the country last year, citing a clerical error as the likely reason for the false data - which Washington has already used.

In January, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan boasted a roughly seven per cent drop in attacks by Taliban forces in Afghanistan in 2012, but as the Associated Press has learned, the level of “enemy-initiated attacks” actually remained the same.

“During a quality control check, ISAF recently became aware that some data was incorrectly entered into the database that is used for tracking security-related incidents across Afghanistan,” ISAF spokesman Jamie Graybeal said Tuesday. Graybeal attributed the flaw to a clerical error, adding that it does not change the overall assessment of the situation in Afghanistan.

The seven per cent figure was used in a monthly trends report posted on the ISAF website on January 22 as part of its monthly update on security and violence. It has now been removed.

http://rt.com/news/taliban-attack-data-flaw-510/

Unreleased EU report slams Israeli settlements

A copy of a report written by EU heads of mission in Jerusalem and Ramallah condemns recent Israeli settlement building and recommends that EU member states place economic sanctions on settlements, AFP reported on Wednesday.

The report referred to Israel's settlement construction in east Jerusalem as "systematic, deliberate and provocative" and stated that Jewish settlement construction was "the biggest single threat to the two state solution."

http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=304741

Thailand signs peace talks deal with Muslim rebels

Thailand's government has signed its first-ever peace talks deal with Muslim rebels aimed at ending a decades-long conflict in the south.

The deal was signed in Malaysia by the National Revolution Front (BRN), one of several groups operating in Thailand.

More than 5,000 people have been killed since the conflict reignited in the Muslim-majority region in 2004

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21611764

Crown Prosecution Service staff facing £1m fraud claims

Two members of staff from the Crown Prosecution Service are facing charges of conspiracy to commit fraud over false taxi claims totalling at least £1 million.

One of the workers is Lisa Joanne Burrows, who works for the CPS in the West Midlands.

The allegations concern false claims for witness care taxi services when no such services had been supplied according to the CPS.

http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2013/02/28/cps%E2%80%88staff-facing-1m-fraud-claims/

Mark Phillips 'plunges to death' during RAF rescue

A police investigation is underway tonight into the death of an injured climber during an RAF rescue operation on Ben Nevis.

The Ministry of Defence described as “speculation” reports that Mark Phillips plunged hundreds of feet to his death after a safety line was severed before he was securely on board a helicopter that had been sent to take him to hospital.

The 51-year-old environmental health officer and father of one had earlier fallen while on a climbing expedition with friends in the Raeburn Buttress area of the UK’s highest mountain. He is the 11th climber to die in the Scottish Highlands this winter.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/injured-ben-nevis-climber-plunges-to-death-during-raf-rescue-8513716.html

Syria conflict: John Kerry set to up US aid to rebels

New US Secretary of State John Kerry is meeting Syrian opposition leaders in Rome, as the US prepares to increase its support for rebels fighting to topple President Bashar al-Assad.

He is attending a gathering of the Friends of Syria group of nations that support the Syrian opposition.

Mr Kerry is expected to announce increased "non-lethal" aid for the rebels but not weapons.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-21612130

David Cameron refuses to back Clegg over Rennard scandal

Speaking in Latvia, where he was appearing at the Northern Future Forum conference, the Prime Minister described the claims about the Lib Dem peer as “serious” and said that the Liberal Democrats need to “get to the bottom” of the allegations.

Speaking to journalists in Riga, Mr Cameron was asked whether he has “confidence in the way the deputy Prime Minister has handled” the Lord Rennard claims.

Mr Cameron said: “Obviously these are serious issues and serious matters and they need to be taken seriously.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9899296/David-Cameron-refuses-to-back-Clegg-over-Rennard-scandal.html

Plaquemines oyster beds closed after oil spill southwest of Port Sulphur

Some oyster beds in Plaquemines Parish have been closed by the state Department of Health and Hospitals and Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries after a crew boat sheared an inactive wellhead, causing an oil spill. A 42-foot crewboat struck a sealed wellhead Tuesday night, releasing oily water into the shallow water of Lake Grande Ecaille Bay, nine miles southwest of Port Sulphur, the Coast Guard said.

Oyster beds in Area 11 will remain closed indefinitely until it is determined the oysters are safe to eat, according to DHH Secretary Bruce Greenstein.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, a crew boat on Tuesday night sheared an inactive wellhead in Area 11, causing the oil spill. It was also reported that the well is spewing less than 20 barrels a day. The well has been out of service for five years.

http://www.nola.com/traffic/index.ssf/2013/02/plaquemines_oyster_beds_closed.html

Canada: Chilliwack starts emergency chlorination after E. coli found in water supply

Chilliwack officials have been told that small amounts of E. coli bacteria have been found in the city’s water distribution system and the Greendale area is affected.

The officials said on Wednesday that emergency chlorination has started in Greendale and crews will flush all water mains in order to refresh the system.

The areas affected are South Sumas Road — West of Unsworth Road; Sumas Prairie Road — South Sumas Road to Yale Road; Yale Road West — Barrow Road to Highway 1 exit at Yale Road West; and Peters Road/Janzen Road/Downing Road/Underhill Drive.

http://www.globaltvbc.com/chilliwack+starts+emergency+chlorination+after+e+coli+found+in+water+supply/6442817966/story.html

Torrential rain: Another round of destruction claims 12 lives in Pakistan

Heavy rain, snow and hail brought another round of destruction in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and the Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (Fata), leaving at least 12 dead and over 25 injured in various incidents across the region.

Many roads were rendered unusable, much to the consternation of both pedestrians and motorists. Heavy rainfall and snowfall was recorded in Malam Jabba, Kalam, and Dir. Upper Dir was particularly affected with five feet of snowfall accompanied by heavy downpour disrupting routine life.

In Pir Sadai, Mardan, the roof of Saeed’s house collapsed, killing his son Zahid and injuring his other son Abid. They were rushed to the Mardan District Headquarters Hospital.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/513480/torrential-rain-another-round-of-destruction-claims-12-lives-in-k-p-fata/

Lassa Fever Claims 8 In Jega, Nigeria

Lassa fever has claimed the lives of eight people in Jega local government area of Kebbi State, while three others are still undergoing medical treatment at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Birnin Kebbi.

A nurse at the FMC, Birnin Kebbi, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they received the case on Wednesday Feb. 28, 2013, and that three people were confirmed dead on the spot while two others died the following day.

He further explained that, on Friday, five people were brought from the same local government and one died in the night, another one passed away the following day while the remaining three people are still undergoing medical treatment.

http://leadership.ng/nga/articles/48808/2013/02/28/lassa_fever_claims_8_jega.html

Mystery of the massacred mobula rays: Just why DID dozens of these bloodied sea creatures wash up on the beach in Gaza?

Dozens of Mobula Ray fish were mysteriously washed up on the beach in Gaza City yesterday and carted off to market by Palestinian fishermen.

It was the first time the fish had been seen on the beach for six years, according to a local video report purporting to show fisherman examining the Rays.

The fish are of a similar appearance to the more well-known Manta Rays, which are in the same family, and can reach a width of up to 17ft.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2285463/Dozens-mobula-rays-washed-Gaza-beach-collected-fishermen-carted-market.html

Australia: Ten hurt as family meal ends in balcony collapse

Johns Hopkins facility closed following hazmat situation, Baltimore

A hot water heater in the south building of the Johns Hopkins Hospital facility on Kewsick Road was the source of an illness that sent 17 people to the emergency room, according to city and state health officials.

Officials said the water heater was the source of nitrates that made their way into hot water service in the building’s north half.

Elevated nitrates, according to a news release, can cause dizziness, nausea, breathing difficulty and vomiting. Officials said those who were sick had been discharged from the hospital.

http://www.wbaltv.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/Officials-identify-source-of-illness-at-Hopkins-facility-on-Kewsick/-/10131532/19089692/-/awatu2/-/index.html

Tanya Byrd murder: Son Arrested After Mum's Body Found In Bin Bags

Two men, including the victim's son, have been arrested after a woman's dismembered remains were found in rubbish bags in New York City.

Bahsid McLean, 23, and 26-year-old William Harris were arrested on suspicion of unlawfully dissecting a human body and hindering prosecution.

Police have not filed murder or manslaughter charges and said they were still investigating.

The remains of Tanya Byrd, 45, were found stuffed in several bags scattered along four blocks in the Bronx.

http://news.sky.com/story/1057935/son-arrested-after-mums-body-found-in-bin-bags

Bankers 'May Leave UK' As EU Agrees Bonus Cap

European Union officials have agreed a provisional deal to cap bankers' bonuses, despite the UK Government's efforts to protect the country's dominant financial services sector.

The plan would see the maximum payout set at a year's salary but that could be increased to two year's salary with shareholder approval.

The Treasury opposed the idea because it feared that limits could cost jobs in the City and prompt firms to leave for more favourable shores.

http://news.sky.com/story/1058025/bankers-bonuses-eu-agrees-cap-on-payments

4.9 Magnitude Earthquake PAPUA, INDONESIA - 28th February 2013

Magnitude
4.9
Date-Time
Thursday, February 28, 2013 at 03:11:54 UTC
Thursday, February 28, 2013 at 12:11:54 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
4.745°S, 138.476°E
Depth
35.9 km (22.3 miles)
Region
PAPUA, INDONESIA
Distances
249 km (154 miles) NW of Tanahmerah, Indonesia

MUM-TO-BE LEFT TO STARVE IN HOSPITAL

Nepean Hospital has been forced to apologise again; this time for starving a Sydney mother for more than a day while she waited for surgery.

Talissa McCulloch was fasting for a cesarean, but a paperwork error left her out of the queue.

"[I spent] 26 hours without eating... waiting in the hospital with my parents and my partner," Talissa said.

Talissa was told she needed a cesarean as her baby was in breach.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/nsw/latest/a/-/newshome/16266498/mum-to-be-left-to-starve-in-hospital/

6.1 Magnitude Earthquake VANUATU - 28th February 2013

Magnitude
6.1
Date-Time
Thursday, February 28, 2013 at 03:09:44 UTC
Thursday, February 28, 2013 at 02:09:44 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
17.771°S, 167.341°E
Depth
15.1 km (9.4 miles)
Region
VANUATU
Distances
104 km (64 miles) W of Port-Vila, Vanuatu

4.7 Magnitude Earthquake NORTHEASTERN SAKHA, RUSSIA - 27th February 2013

Magnitude
4.7
Date-Time
Thursday, February 28, 2013 at 00:33:15 UTC
Thursday, February 28, 2013 at 11:33:15 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
67.580°N, 142.402°E
Depth
16.3 km (10.1 miles)
Region
NORTHEASTERN SAKHA, RUSSIA
Distances
141 km (87 miles) WSW of Druzhina, Serbia

High Street Crisis: Chain Closures Accelerating

The bloodbath on Britain's high streets has accelerated dramatically with the rate of major chain store closures increasing ten-fold, hitting 20 per day in 2012.

Analysis by PwC and the Local Data Company found that year-on-year, the net reduction in the number of stores climbed from 174 closures in 2011 to 1,779 closures in 2012 with the pace intensifying even further since.

A combination of factors - from the consumer spending squeeze to poor business models - is being blamed.

http://news.sky.com/story/1058041/high-street-crisis-chain-closures-accelerating

4.2 Magnitude Earthquake KYRGYZSTAN - 27th February 2013

Magnitude mb 4.2
Region KYRGYZSTAN
Date time 2013-02-27 23:52:52.4 UTC
Location 41.28 N ; 72.49 E
Depth 1 km
Distances 4 km NE Maylisuu, KYRGYZSTAN

4.7 Magnitude Earthquake RYUKYU ISLANDS, JAPAN - 27th February 2013

Magnitude
4.7
Date-Time
Wednesday, February 27, 2013 at 23:37:52 UTC
Thursday, February 28, 2013 at 08:37:52 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
28.672°N, 128.332°E
Depth
11.1 km (6.9 miles)
Region
RYUKYU ISLANDS, JAPAN
Distances
117 km (72 miles) WNW of Naze, Japan

"Shocking" New Sandy Hook Shooting Information