Europe burns as heatwave breaks temperature records

LONDON — A fierce heatwave in western Europe has left much of the continent wilting under a scorching sun, feeding ferocious wildfires and threatening to smash more temperature records on Tuesday.

In Britain, forecasters said the current national record of 38.7 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit) could be broken and 40C breached for the first time, with experts blaming climate change and predicting more frequent extreme weather to come.

On Monday the 38.1C recorded in Suffolk, in eastern England, made it the hottest day of the year and the third-hottest day on record.

Across the Channel in France, the national weather office said a host of towns and cities recorded their highest-ever temperatures on Monday.

The mercury hit 39.3C in Brest on the Atlantic coast of Brittany, in the far northwest of the country, smashing a previous record of 35.1C from 2002.

Saint-Brieuc, on the Channel coast, hit 39.5C beating a previous record of 38.1C, and the western city of Nantes recorded 42C, beating a decades-old high of 40.3C, set in 1949.

Firefighters in France's southwest were still struggling in the crushing heat to contain two massive fires that have caused widespread destruction.

For nearly a week now, armies of firefighters and a fleet of waterbombing aircraft have battled blazes that have mobilized much of France's firefighting capacity.

HOLIDAYMAKERS EVACUATED

Ireland saw temperatures of 33C in Dublin -- the highest since 1887 -- while in the Netherlands, temperatures reached 35.4C in the southern city of Westdorpe. Although that was not a record, higher temperatures are expected there on Tuesday.

Neighbouring Belgium also expected temperatures of 40C and over.

The European heatwave is the second to engulf parts of the southwest of the continent in recent weeks.

European Commission researchers, meanwhile, said nearly half (46 percent) of EU territory was exposed to warning-level drought. Eleven percent was at an alert level, and crops were already suffering from a lack of water.

Blazes in France, Greece, Portugal, and Spain have destroyed thousands of hectares of land.

An area nine kilometers (5.5 miles) long and eight kilometers wide was still ablaze near France's Dune de Pilat, Europe's highest sand dune, turning picturesque landscapes, popular campsites, and pristine beaches into a scorching mess.

The blaze was literally "blowing things up", such was its ferocity, said Marc Vermeulen, head of the local fire service. "Pine trunks of 40 years are bursting."

A total of 8,000 people were being evacuated from near the dune Monday as a precaution, as changing winds blew thick smoke into residential areas, officials said.

Hurriedly packing her car, Patricia Monteil said she would go to her daughter's home in another part of the district. "But if that goes up in flames too, I don't know what to do."

Around 32,000 tourists or residents have been forced to decamp in France, many to emergency shelters.

On Monday evening, prosecutors in the southwest city of Bordeaux said a man suspected of having started one of the fires in the region had been taken into custody.

The two fires in the region have destroyed nearly 17,000 hectares (42,000 acres) of land.

At Avigon, in the southeast, a fire that first started last Thursday surged back to life on Monday, local firefighters reported, while a separate fire broke out up in the northwest, in Brittany.

In Spain, a fire burning in the northwestern province of Zamora claimed the life of a 69-year-old shepherd, regional authorities said. On Sunday, a fireman died in the same area.

Later on Monday it was reported an office worker in his fifties had died from heatstroke in Madrid.

Authorities have reported around 20 wildfires still raging from the south to Galicia in the far northwest, where blazes have destroyed around 4,500 hectares of land. 

'ENJOY THE SUNSHINE'

The fires in Portugal claimed two more lives in the northern Vila Real region, after a car carrying two local villagers crashed off the road as they appeared to be trying to flee a fire zone, local officials said.

"We found the car and these two people, aged around 70 years, completely burnt," the mayor of Murca, Mario Artur Lopez, told SIC Noticias television. The victims were from the nearby village of Penabeice, he added.

Almost the entire country has been on high alert for wildfires despite a slight drop in temperatures, which last Thursday hit 47C -- a record for July.

The fires have already killed two other people, injured around 60 and destroyed between 12,000 and 15,000 hectares of land there.

In Britain, the government, already on the ropes after a series of scandals that forced Prime Minister Boris Johnson to quit, has been accused of taking the situation too lightly.

Johnson was criticized for failing to attend an emergency meeting on the crisis on Sunday, instead hosting a farewell party at his state-funded country retreat.

And medics condemned comments by Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab, who appeared to minimize the threat from the extreme heat when he told Britons to "enjoy the sunshine".

The Sun tabloid headlined its coverage of the heat "British Bake Off", observing that the "scorcher" was making the UK hotter than Ibiza, where temperatures were a comparatively low 30C.

The extreme temperatures saw flights suspended at Luton Airport near London and at Royal Air Force base Brize Norton due to "defects" on the runway, with no let-up expected for Tuesday.

Trains were canceled and schools closed in affected areas.

In Brighton, on England's south coast, bank worker Abu Bakr put the heatwave in perspective.

"I come from Sudan," he said. "Forty, forty-five degrees is just the norm. This is as good as it can be."

Agence France-Presse

Omicron coronavirus cases surge in UK, scientists see bigger wave

LONDON - Britain reported a surge in cases of the omicron coronavirus variant on Saturday which government advisors said could be just the tip of the iceberg, and London's mayor declared a "major incident" to help the city's hospitals cope.

The number of omicron cases recorded across the country hit almost 25,000 as of 1800 GMT on Friday, up by more than 10,000 cases from 24 hours earlier, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.

Seven people believed to have had the omicron variant had died as of Thursday, up from one death in the UKHSA's previous data which ran up to Tuesday. Admissions to hospital of people thought to have the variant increased to 85 from 65.

The government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) said it was "almost certain" that hundreds of thousands of people were being infected with the variant every day and were not being picked up in the figures.

SAGE said without a further tightening of COVID-19 rules, "modelling indicates a peak of at least 3,000 hospital admissions per day in England," they said in minutes of a meeting on Dec. 16.

Last January, before Britain's vaccination campaign gathered speed, daily hospital admissions in the United Kingdom as a whole surged above 4,000.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has faced a rebellion in his governing Conservative Party over some of the measures he has taken so far to try to curb COVID-19's latest spread. A newspaper said on Saturday that Johnson's Brexit minister, David Frost, had resigned in part because of the new rules.

The advisors said it was too early to assess the severity of disease caused by omicron but if there was a modest reduction compared to the Delta variant, "very high numbers of infections would still lead to significant pressure on hospitals".

London Mayor Sadiq Khan declared a "major incident" - which allows for closer coordination between public agencies and possibly more central government support - as COVID-19 hospital admissions in the city rose by nearly 30% this week.

He said health worker absences had also increased.

"This is a statement of how serious things are," he said.

Khan, from the opposition Labour Party, also declared a major incident in January, when rising COVID-19 cases threatened to overwhelm hospitals.

The omicron variant is estimated to account for more than 80% of new COVID-19 cases in London, officials said on Friday.

Emergency meeting

Johnson was due to chair an emergency committee meeting over the weekend with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which have their own powers over public health.

A report in The Times newspaper said officials were preparing draft rules which, if introduced, would ban indoor mixing in England -- except for work -- for two weeks after Christmas when pubs and restaurants would be limited to outdoor table service.

People would be able to meet in groups of up to six outdoors, the newspaper said, adding that ministers were yet to formally consider the plans.

Johnson said on Friday "we are not closing things down".

A government spokesperson said the government would continue to "look closely at all the emerging data and we'll keep our measures under review as we learn more about this variant".

The number of all new COVID-19 cases reported in official data fell to 90,418 from a record high of more than 93,000 on Friday, but that was still the country's second-highest daily toll. Figures typically dip at the weekend.

Cases were up 44.4% over the seven days to Dec. 18 compared with the previous week.

Police clashed with a group of protesters opposed to the latest COVID-19 restrictions near Johnson's Downing Street office and residence on Saturday. A number of officers were injured but so far no arrests had been made, police said. (Editing by Helen Popper, Timothy Heritage and Catherine Evans)

-reuters

UK confirms first 2 cases of new Omicron coronavirus strain

Britain on Saturday confirmed its first two cases of the new Omicron strain of coronavirus, both linked to travel from southern Africa, and expanded travel restrictions on the region.

"After overnight genome sequencing, the UK Health Security Agency has confirmed that two cases of COVID-19 with mutations consistent with B.1.1.529 (Omicron) have been identified in the UK," a government statement said.

"The two cases are linked and there is a link to travel to southern Africa," it said.

One case was detected in the central English city of Nottingham, and the other in Chelmsford east of London, officials said.

"We have moved rapidly and the individuals are self-isolating while contact tracing is ongoing," Health Secretary Sajid Javid said.

He added that the government was placing another four African countries on its travel "red list" -- Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola -- effective from 4 a.m. (0400 GMT) on Sunday.

Britain has already said it is banning travel from six southern African nations because of the emergence of Omicron: South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Botswana.

The government was widely criticized for its travel and quarantine policy earlier in the pandemic, when it kept borders open to foreign travelers even as infection rates spiraled.

"This is a stark reminder that we are not yet out of this pandemic," Javid said, urging the public to get follow-up booster jabs of vaccines. "We will not hesitate to take further action if required."

Agence France-Presse

UK says 5 million get second shot as COVID daily deaths fall to 10

LONDON - Britain reported 10 deaths from COVID-19 within 28 days of a positive test on Saturday, the lowest daily figure since early September, as its vaccine rollout reached another milestone.

Official data also showed 31,301,267 people had received their first shot of a COVID-19 vaccine, with five million now having had both doses in what is the fastest rollout in Europe.

"Our spectacular vaccination program has now delivered over five million second doses, giving those most vulnerable to COVID - including half of all those aged over 80 - the best possible protection," health minister Matt Hancock said in a statement.

Britain remains on track to hit the government's target of offering a vaccine shot to all over-50s by mid-April and all adults by the end of July, the government said.

The latest data also showed there were 3,423 new cases, a slight rise from 3,402 reported the day before, though unlike countries such as France and Germany which are battling a third wave of the coronavirus, infections in Britain have been steadily falling.

Strict lockdown measures in England began to be eased on March 29 and Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to update the country with further details about lifting restrictions on Monday, including whether outdoor hospitality can reopen on April 12 as planned. 

-reuters

COVID conspiracies fuel anti-Semitic incidents in UK - report

LONDON - The number of anti-Semitic incidents recorded in Britain has fallen from record levels but still remains high, with conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 pandemic playing a role, a Jewish advisory body said on Thursday.

The Community Security Trust (CST), which advises Britain’s estimated 280,000 Jews on security matters, said there had been 1,668 incidents in 2020, a fall of 8% from the previous year which had been the highest on record.

Despite the decrease, the CST said it was still the third-highest number they had reported since the data was first collected in 1984.

"The COVID-19 outbreak has not merely given rise to a new medium through which offenders express anti-Semitic sentiment; it has provided them with new strands of anti-Semitic discourse as well," the report said.

The CST said there had been 41 incidents connected to the pandemic, from conspiracy theories of Jewish involvement in spreading the disease for malevolent and financial purposes, to expressions of hope that Jews would catch the virus and die.

Although there were fewer incidents at schools or synagogues because of strict pandemic lockdowns, there was a rise in cases at people’s homes, the report said.

Of the total incidents, 100 were rated as violent, a 39% fall from the year before, although three were classified as "Extreme Violence", meaning they involved potential grievous bodily harm or a threat to life.

"It is shameful that in the 21st century, the Jewish community still faces racist abuse and the desecration of their synagogues and other religious and community sites," Home Secretary (interior minister) Priti Patel said.

The record incidents of 2019 were fueled in part by accusations of anti-Semitism in the opposition Labour Party.

In October, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said Labour was responsible for unlawful harassment and discrimination in its handling of allegations of anti-Semitism, leading to the party suspending its former leader Jeremy Corbyn.

The CST said there had been 175 incidents in 2020 connected to Labour, a decline from previous years, although there was a spike at the time of the EHRC report and after the decision to keep Corbyn out of the parliamentary party. 

-reuters

Britain to help other countries track down coronavirus variants

LONDON - Britain will share its genomic sequencing capabilities with other countries to help quicker identify new variants of the coronavirus in places with less ability to do so, its health ministry said on Tuesday.

New variants of the coronavirus have alarmed scientists, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned the prospect of a "vaccine-busting" variant could mean that lockdown measures are needed for longer and new travel restrictions are introduced.

Britain said it had carried out more than half the SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences submitted to a global database, and would launch a New Variant Assessment Platform which could be used for coronavirus variants and also future pandemics.

"Our New Variant Assessment Platform will help us better understand this virus and how it spreads, and will also boost global capacity to understand coronavirus, so we're all better prepared for whatever lies ahead," Health Minister Matt Hancock will say in a speech at Chatham House, according to advance extracts released by the health ministry.

The three major variants of concern identified so far were discovered in Britain, South Africa and Brazil. All three variants are thought to be more transmissible.

The variant discovered in Britain could also be associated with higher mortality, although the evidence around that is uncertain.

Scientist have also highlighted particular concern that vaccines might not work as well against the variants found in South Africa and Brazil.

Moderna said on Monday it believe its COVID-19 vaccine protects against the British and South African variants, although it will test a new booster shot aimed at the South Africa variant after concluding the antibody response could be diminished.

Britain's health minister and health officials have said they believe the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines being rolled out in the country work against the UK variant. 

-reuters

UK warns people with serious allergies to avoid Pfizer vaccine after two adverse reactions

LONDON - Britain's medicine regulator has advised that people with a history of significant allergic reactions do not get Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine after two people reported adverse effects on the first day of rollout.

Britain began mass vaccinating its population on Tuesday in a global drive that poses one of the biggest logistical challenges in peacetime history, starting with the elderly and frontline workers

National Health Service medical director Stephen Powis said the advice had been changed after two NHS workers reported anaphylactoid reactions associated with receiving the vaccine.

"As is common with new vaccines the MHRA (regulator) have advised on a precautionary basis that people with a significant history of allergic reactions do not receive this vaccination, after two people with a history of significant allergic reactions responded adversely yesterday," Powis said.

"Both are recovering well.”

The MHRA said it would seek further information, and Pfizer and BioNTech said they were supporting the MHRA's investigation.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) was the first in the world to approve the vaccine, developed by Germany's BioNTech and Pfizer, last week, while the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) continue to assess the data.

"Last evening, we were looking at two case reports of allergic reactions. We know from the very extensive clinical trials that this wasn't a feature," MHRA Chief Executive June Raine told lawmakers.

Pfizer has said people with a history of severe adverse allergic reactions were excluded from their late stage trials.

The FDA released documents on Tuesday in preparation for an advisory committee meeting on Thursday, saying the Pfizer vaccine's efficacy and safety data met its expectations for authorization.

That briefing document said 0.63% of people in the vaccine group and 0.51% in the placebo group reported possible allergic reactions in trials, which Peter Openshaw, Professor of Experimental Medicine at Imperial College London, said was a very small number.

"The fact that we know so soon about these two allergic reactions and that the regulator has acted on this to issue precautionary advice shows that this monitoring system is working well," he said. 

-Reuters

Man parades down London’s Oxford Street wearing nothing but mask

LONDON – A man strolled down central London’s most popular shopping street on Friday with only a mask to cover his nudity, leaving passerbys astounded, amused and shocked.

As the man walked nonchalantly along Oxford Street, naked except for the light blue face mask over his groin, some took pictures on their phones while others simply stared.

It was unclear what prompted the stunt but masks became compulsory on Friday in English shops.


A Reuters photographer caught a picture of the man from an office above the street.

reuters

Woman poses as 16-year-old boy to lure girls, may have victimized up to 50 teens

A woman who posed as a 16-year-old boy in social media to deceive girls has been sentenced to imprisonment of eight years, in the United Kingdom. The woman was found guilty of sexual assault and the police are trying to get in touch with at least 50 other supposed victims.

The 21-year-old Gemma Watts used social networking sites such as Snapchat and Instagram to pose as Jake Waton, as per The Telegraph on Jan. 10. Some of Watts’ victims, ranging from as young as 13 to 16 years old, have reportedly attempted self-harm and are experiencing instability in their mental health due to the whole ordeal.


The woman who lived with her mother in North London apparently traveled all around the country via train to meet up with her victims. Watts disguised her female appearance by tying her hair into a bun and hiding it under a baseball cap. She also wore baggy bottoms and a hoodie when meeting up with her victims in their family homes.

Watts pleaded guilty to seven out of the eleven counts of sexual assault charges, according to the report. Some of the victims identified by the authorities are a 13-year-old girl, two girls aged 14, and a 16-year-old.

After her arrest, Watts told the authorities that she only saw posing as Jake as a game, The Guardian reported on the same day.

“I was only trying to cheer them up,” Watts was quoted as saying.

Judge Susan Evans stated that elements of Watt’s behavior were predatory in nature and that the girls Watts targeted were vulnerable, as some had previously been bullied or had low self-esteem. She was also convinced that Watts has a low intelligence quotient and had issues about her own sexuality, as per report.

The authorities are urging Watts’ other victims to come forward. Many of her victims only realized they have been tricked by Watts after her case was made known to the public. Cha Lino/JB

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Traditional soup broths appear to have antimalarial properties

New United Kingdom research has found that traditional clear soup broths, which are often touted as being good for our health, appear to have antimalarial properties.

Carried out by researchers at Imperial College London, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust and Eden Primary School London, the new study analyzed soups brought in by children at the school to see whether vegetable or meat soup broths could have antimalarial properties.


The recipes for the soups had been passed down through the generations for the treatment of fever, and the children came from diverse ethnic backgrounds, from across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.

In total, the researchers tested 56 clear broths by incubating filtered extracts of each for 72 hours with different cultures of Plasmodium falciparum (P falciparum).

P falciparum is the deadliest of the malarial parasites, and is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. The researchers wanted to see if any of the broths could stop the growth of sexually immature parasites which cause malaria, as well as block sexual maturation, which is the stage at which the parasite can infect the mosquito.

The idea to look at broths as a natural remedy came from the development of artemisinin-based combination therapies for malaria. Antimalarial artemisinin comes from qinghao, prescribed in traditional Chinese medical practice for over 2000 years to treat fever, in particular fever associated with malaria, leading the researchers to wonder if other “natural” remedies might also have antimalarial properties.

The findings, published today in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, showed that five of the broths were able to slow the growth of the sexually immature parasite by more than 50%, and in two of these broths, the effect was comparable to a leading antimalarial drug dihydroartemisinin.

In addition, four other broths were more than 50% effective at blocking sexual maturation, which could also potentially stop the transmission of the disease.

The researchers also found that although the recipes for each of the broths varied, there was no particular ingredient which was common to the soups with the strongest antimalarial activity.

However, they also warned that none of the active ingredients in the broths studied have yet been identified and tested in clinical trials.

The study is thought to be the first of its kind, and suggests that natural resources such as broth could help fight malaria, a disease which poses a risk to half the world’s population. In addition, the disease is also becoming resistant to the drugs used to treat it.

“The utility of any broth found to have antimalarial activity will, of course, depend significantly on standardization of soup preparation and ultimately identification of the active source ingredient, its fractionation and, towards its progression, detailed toxicology with first human cells and later preclinical trial,” said the researchers. However, they added that, “This journey, mirroring that of artemisinin from the Qinghao herb, may as yet reveal another source of potent anti-infective treatment.” RGA

source: technology.inquirer.net

‘Anti-manspreading’ chair wins award in design expo

A design student in the United Kingdom won an award for her unique chairs that address “manspreading,” a term referring to the practice of men sitting with their legs wide apart to take more space, usually in public transportation.

Laila Laurel, a graduating 3D Design and Craft student from the University of Brighton, was among thousands of students who showcased their work at the exhibition New Designers in London. This year, the exhibition held in July put a spotlight on designs for social issues.

Laurel won the Belmond Award from the hotel and leisure company for her chairs entitled “A Solution for Manspreading,” the University of Brighton announced on July 5. The prize entails a commission to create a product for Belmond.

Her award-winning creation is a set of chairs: one for men and another for women. One chair is designed with wide sides and goes narrow in the front such that the person seated will have to close his legs. The chair for women encourages them to open their legs wide through a piece of wood in the middle.

She said in the school statement: “It came both from my own experiences of men infringing on my space in public, and also from The Everyday Sexism Project, a website founded by Laura Bates in which women self-testify about sexism they experience.”

“With my chair set I hoped to draw awareness to the act of sitting for men and women and inspire discussion around this.”

Belmond praised her work in a statement on Wednesday, July 17. “Laila’s bold, purpose-driven design stood out to our judging panel as it explores the important role of design in informing space, a person’s behavior and societal issues of today.”  /ra

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

British PM Theresa May loses majority, faces pressure to resign

LONDON—British Prime Minister Theresa May faced pressure to resign on Friday after losing her parliamentary majority, plunging the country into uncertainty as Brexit talks loom.

The pound fell sharply amid fears the Conservative leader will be unable to form a government and could even be forced out of office after a troubled campaign overshadowed by two terror attacks.

After being re-elected with an increased majority in the London commuter seat of Maidenhead, May said Britain “needs a period of stability” as it prepares for the complicated process of withdrawing from the European Union.

She said that while the full results had yet to emerge, her party seemed to have won the most seats and “it would be incumbent on us to ensure we have that period of stability”.

But Leftist opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn, whose Labour party surged from 20 points behind, urged May to quit, saying she had “lost votes, lost support and lost confidence”.

Former Conservative minister Anna Soubry, who just held onto her seat, said May was “in a very difficult place” following a “dreadful campaign”.

With a handful of seats still to be declared, the Conservatives were predicted to win 319 seats, down from 331 in 2015 — yet another upset in a turbulent year since the EU referendum in June 2016.

They were mathematically unable to reach the 326 mark that would give them a majority, meaning they will have to form an informal or formal alliance to forward their agenda.

Labour are expected to increase their share from 229 to 260 seats, resulting in a hung parliament.

May, a 60-year-old vicar’s daughter, is now facing questions over her judgement in calling the election three years early and risking her party’s slim but stable majority of 17.

“It is exactly the opposite of why she held the election and she then has to go and negotiate Brexit in that weakened position,” said Professor Tony Travers of the London School of Economics.

Sterling fell nearly two percent against the dollar on the back of the exit poll, as investors questioned who was now going to control the Brexit process.

Early newspaper editions reflected the drama, with headlines such as “Britain on a knife edge”, “Mayhem” and “Hanging by a thread”.

In a night that threatened to redraw the political landscape once again, the UK Independence Party (UKIP), which won 12.5 percent of the vote two years ago and was a driving force behind the Brexit vote, was all but wiped out, hovering around two percent.

The pro-European Liberal Democrats, who have campaigned for a second EU referendum, increased their number of seats from nine, but their former leader Nick Clegg lost his seat.

Meanwhile the Scottish National Party of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, which has dominated politics north of the border for a decade and called for a new independence vote after Brexit, was tipped to lose around 21 of its 54 seats.

Deputy leader Angus Robertson, one of the strongest SNP performers in the House of Commons, was an early casualty.

‘Pressure to resign’

May, who took over after last year’s Brexit referendum, began the formal two-year process of leaving the EU on March 29, promising to take Britain out of the single market and cut immigration.

Seeking to capitalize on sky-high popularity ratings, she called the election a few weeks later, urging voters to give her a stronger mandate to go into Brexit talks that are expected to begin as early as June 19.

Officials in Brussels were hopeful the election would allow her to make compromises, but this has been thrown into question by the prospect of a hung parliament.

“It creates another layer of uncertainty ahead of the Brexit negotiations,” said Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at OANDA currency traders.

Despite campaigning against Brexit, Labour has accepted the result but promised to avoid a “hard Brexit”, focusing on maintaining economic ties with the bloc.

Barely a month ago, the center-left party seemed doomed to lose the election, plagued by internal divisions over its direction under veteran socialist Corbyn.

But May’s botched announcement of a reform in funding for elderly care, a strong grassroots campaign by Corbyn and the terror attacks, which increased scrutiny of her time as interior minister, changed the game.

“Even if she manages to get just enough seats it will be seen as a failure and she may indeed be under pressure to resign as leader quite quickly,” said Paula Surridge, senior lecturer at the University of Bristol.

Terror in the campaign

Britain has been hit with three terror attacks since March, and campaigning was twice suspended.

A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a pop concert in Manchester on May 22, killing 22 people.

Last Saturday, three assailants wearing fake suicide vests mowed down pedestrians and launched a stabbing rampage around London Bridge, killing eight people before being shot dead by police.

The attacks led to scrutiny over May’s time as interior minister from 2010 to 2016, particularly since it emerged that some of the attackers had been known to police and security services.

Labour seized on steep cuts in police numbers implemented as part of a Conservative austerity program, although May insisted she had protected funding for counter-terrorism.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

London commuters get boost with inspirational quotes

LONDON, United Kingdom — The daily grind of London commuting is being brightened by a collection of black marker pens and white boards — giving city dwellers a welcome boost as they travel through the metropolis.

The hall of Oval underground station looks more like a living room than a Tube stop — complete with plants and a small library, while Beethoven’s “Piano Concerto No. 5″ plays.

It is at this stop on the Underground’s Northern Line that Glen Sutherland, an employee of tube operator Transport for London (TfL), whips out a black marker and writes up the “Thought for the Day”.

Today the quote appearing on the large whiteboard — strategically positioned in front of the escalators used by thousands of people daily — is from Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho.

“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure,” it reads, written in fine writing which harks back to the books of centuries past.

The Oval station tradition began in 2004, as a way to brighten up the station and distract passengers — particularly during peak times when the crowded trains are akin to sardine cans.

“As you come up from the escalator you hear the music, you got the thought of the day, the books, the bench, you can sit down, have a read, take it easy.

“We should start serving coffee in there!” Sutherland tells AFP.

From Steve Jobs to Socrates

The TfL employee hunts down quotes on the internet, he says, wary of what should be avoided: “It’s a case of choosing them carefully, you can’t put anything political, sexist, religion.”

Sutherland often chooses positive messages for the “Thought for the Day”, encouraging those who may have got out of bed on the wrong side.

“When you arise in the morning, think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love”, is one example from Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius.

Oval’s whiteboard also provides advice and comments on society, such as this line from Oscar Wilde: “Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.”

The quotes can also come from more unusual quarters, such as Yoda from the “Star Wars” films: “Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.”

Other famous names which have appeared include Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, Bob Marley, Bruce Lee, Steve Jobs, Confucius, Shakespeare, Socrates and Picasso.

Occasionally “Thought for the Day” takes inspiration from news and current affairs, paying tribute to celebrities who have recently passed away such as David Bowie, Prince and Mohammed Ali.

There has also been encouragement for Team GB at the Olympics and a birthday message for Queen Elizabeth II.

Driven by social media

The initiative at Oval has now spread to several other stations, with photos of the “Thought for the Day” being shared on social networks, and numerous bars and shops have also started sharing quotes and witticisms.

“Shoes: less money than a shrink,” quips a sign at one shop about the therapeutic benefits of shopping, while a pub warns “all hipsters must be accompanied by an adult”.

“Beer is the answer, but I can’t remember the question,” reads another pub sign, traditionally written in white on a blackboard.

The messages sometimes use humour rather than straightforward positive PR, such as one board outside a cafe in Stockport: “Come in and try the worst porridge that one woman on TripAdvisor had in her life”.

Mandy Miller, a specialist in calligraphy for blackboards, says the fashion for puns and funny comments has come with the growth of social media companies such as Twitter and Instagram.

“They rarely say anything about the pub they stand outside or what is on offer, but that’s almost irrelevant.

It’s the photo opportunity that they provide, people like to ‘collect’ and share them, therefore, the pub gets a mention in the post. The more clever and outlandish the better,” says Miller, who goes by the alias “Chalkboard Lady”.

Roberta Mussato, an Italian passing through Clapham North station which also boasts a whiteboard, is just one enthusiast of the “Thought for the Day.”

“Either they make you smile or they make you think. In any case it’s nice when you’re all in the rush and you just take five seconds to read,” she says, before getting lost in the fast pace of London life./rga

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

Eurozone inflation back to positive; Brexit worries weigh

BRUSSELS, Belgium—Eurozone inflation left negative territory in June, statistics showed Thursday, but economic uncertainty from Brexit sparked concerns that damaging deflation could return to Europe.

The rise in consumer prices is welcome news after months of an unprecedented stimulus program by the European Central Bank to jumpstart sluggish growth and low prices in the eurozone.

Consumer prices in June rose a slight 0.1 percent after slipping 0.1 percent in May, the EU’s Eurostat statistics agency said. This was higher than the zero percent forecast by analysts surveyed by data provider Factset.

“Amid the heightened uncertainties triggered by the Brexit vote, some cheery news for the ECB as the eurozone exited deflation in June,” said Howard Archer, chief economist at IHS Global Insight.

Energy prices again drove consumer prices lower, dropping by 6.5 percent, but this was far less than the negative 8.5 percent a month earlier.

Faced with low prices, the European Central Bank has embarked on a series of unprecedented stimulus programs in a desperate battle to kick-start sluggish growth and inflation in the eurozone.

Slow eurozone growth has seen inflation slide in and out of negative territory, threatening a dangerous downward spiral of falling prices and wages. The ECB aims to get inflation back to two percent or just below, a level it deems healthy for growth.

But analysts warned that knock-on effects from the shock decision by voters in Britain to leave the EU could reverse any progress made towards boosting inflation and growth.

At an EU summit on Tuesday, ECB head Mario Draghi warned leaders that the fallout from Brexit could cost the eurozone up to 0.5 percent in GDP growth over the next three years.

“Uncertainty over the effects of Brexit could add to downward pressure on wage growth and increase firms’ reluctance to raise their prices in the coming months,” said Jennifer McKeown, senior European economist at Capital Economics.

The Frankfurt-based central bank this month took the controversial step of buying corporate bonds, its latest weapon in the fight against deflation that also includes negative interest rates for banks.

Critics in powerful Germany however charge that the ECB is overstepping its mandate by lavishing billions on corporate giants and say it could be distorting markets and creating bubbles.

The ECB has already made unprecedented amounts of ultra-cheap loans available to banks on condition they pass it on as credit for businesses and households.

The ECB has also embarked on a major asset purchase program known as quantitative easing, or QE.

source: business.inquirer.net

Brexit, a sign of anti-elite revolt—analysts

PARIS—It was Britain’s poorer and less-educated citizens — angry at not having shared in the economic benefits of a new world order — who pushed it out of the European Union, in a vote that threatens elites, analysts say.

They are those who suffered the worst hangover from the economic crisis, and whose precarious economic position makes them most fearful of rising immigration — to the benefit of far right groups in the EU and Donald Trump in the United States.

“I see the same pattern everywhere I look,” said William Galston, a senior fellow at the US-based Brookings Institution.

“The demographic splits within the UK are exactly the same category for category as the demographic splits within the American electorate in this presidential election.”

Rural areas with high numbers of migrant workers, former industrial hubs and poor areas around cities, those without a university education and older voters were all among the 53.4 percent who voted Brexit.

Galston said this was the same demographic backing controversial Republican candidate Trump in the US, as well as eurosceptic and far-right parties enjoying a rise in support across Europe.

“They mistrust political elites because up until now they haven’t seen any political parties who appear to recognise their discontent and respond to it.”

Galston said while he did not expect these forces to prevail in the United States as they did in the Brexit vote, they were a “major warning signal to established parties throughout Europe”.

‘It’s about what people feel’

Fears are high of a domino effect, with eurosceptic, leftist and far right parties from France to the Netherlands crying victory after the shock Brexit result was announced and calling for similar votes in their own countries.

Political scientist Melanie Sully of the Vienna-based Go-Governance Institute warned Europe was facing a “crisis of democracy” that could be exploited by xenophobic, far right parties.

“If you don’t have any trust in politics, it’s exactly the sort of black hole populists can march into and capture the mood and build on it, to perpetuate their own falsehoods,” she told Agence France-Presse.

At the root of this surge in anti-establishment sentiment is a feeling of fear, loss of control, and traditions and identity lost among those who are struggling economically, analysts say.

“Before we talk about populism, the anti-establishment, we have to talk about the social position of these people. What do they earn? How do they see their everyday lives?” said Tetiana Havlin, a sociologist at the University of Siegen in Germany.

“In everyday life nobody thinks about anti-globalization, anti-establishment. They just see their challenges”, she said.

“This of course gives fertile ground for populism… but in the end this is about what people feel.”

‘The dark side’

Observers point to two main drivers of the surge in scorn for the elite: the hangover from the 2008/2009 economic crisis and the refugee crisis.

“You have a lot of people who took a big hit. These are people who feel economically vulnerable, and when you put demographic fears on top of economic vulnerability this is what you get,” said Halston.

“I don’t think it’s mysterious anymore, we may have been scratching our head a year ago but we should be in no doubt now.”

Many young people who voted Remain are furious at the number of older British voters who backed Leave — lumbering them, as they see it, with the consequences of their decision for decades to come.

Havlin said that many of these voters saw the EU as a source of security and stability when Britain joined in 1973, a time she refers to as “the prosperity years”.

Now older, these voters reeling from austerity and a sense of growing threats at Europe’s borders, feel “threatened and insecure”.

Dominique Moisi, of the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI) said the Brexit earthquake was a dark moment in Europe’s history, comparing it unfavorably to the fall of communism.

“Remember Star Wars: there is the light side and the dark side of the force. The light side was the fall of the Berlin Wall. The dark side is Brexit.”

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Rita Ora sues to leave Jay Z label

LOS ANGELES, United States—British singer Rita Ora, a onetime protegee of rap mogul Jay Z, filed a lawsuit Thursday seeking to leave his company, charging that his interests have wandered elsewhere.

The Albanian-born artist remains popular in Britain, where she was a judge on the latest season of “The X Factor” music competition, but has not released an album since her 2012 debut.

In a lawsuit filed in a Los Angeles court, Ora said she had multiple records that she hoped to release but was hamstrung by her contract with Jay Z’s Roc Nation.

Ora, now 25, was an early signing when Jay Z in 2008 set up Roc Nation, a label and entertainment promotion company.

But Ora noted that Roc Nation was not a full-service label, instead needing distribution tie-ups with major players. Without naming him directly, she said that Jay Z has since turned to other pursuits such as the Tidal streaming service.

“Roc Nation’s initial support for Rita waned as it diverted its focus from a record label business into other ventures, launching various endeavors including a sports management firm and agency and the Tidal Music streaming service,” the lawsuit said.

“When Rita signed, Roc Nation and its senior executives were very involved with her as an artist,” it said, adding that the company had transformed to the point where “she no longer had a relationship with anyone at the company.”

Ora said that her contract forbade her from taking her music elsewhere but that Roc Nation considered her under contract until at least 2019.

The lawsuit said that Ora should have the right to leave Roc Nation as of Friday under a longtime California labor code that sets seven years as the maximum amount of time for a contract in which a person cannot change employers.

Ora also sought an unspecified amount of damages from Roc Nation, saying the company would take 20 percent of her income for performances that she said were not procured by the firm.

Roc Nation did not immediately comment on the lawsuit.

Despite the complaints Ora earlier this year released several tracks through Roc Nation including “Poison,” a dark dance track with references to heavy drinking that became a hit in Britain.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Beatles contract sold for £365,000 at London auction

LONDON, United Kingdom—The contract that launched the career of the Beatles was sold Tuesday in London for £365,000 (492,000 euros, $553,000), auction house Sotheby’s said.

The document was signed by John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, along with their manager Brian Epstein on October 1, 1962—four days before the release of their first single “Love Me Do.”

It was the only deal signed by the four final Beatles members with Epstein, who died from an accidental overdose in 1967 and was dubbed the “fifth Beatle” by McCartney.

The band had first signed a contract with Epstein when Pete Best was still the drummer. After his replacement by Starr less than nine months later, the two parties had to put pen to paper again.

“Without this contract, and the relationship it represents, it seems inconceivable that the Beatles could have achieved all that they did: it took more than inspired musicianship and song-writing to remake popular music,” said Gabriel Heaton, Sotheby’s specialist in books and manuscripts.

“The presentation, direction, and internal harmony of the Beatles all owed a huge amount to Brian Epstein.”

The new contract features the signatures of the musicians, with the fathers of McCartney and Harrison acting as co-signatories because their sons were younger than 21 at the time.

Under the contract, band members were required to give one month’s notice before leaving the group, while another clause stated that any member could be expelled “should two or more of them desire.”

The document also outlined the different commission rates that Epstein would receive for earnings of up to £400, up to £800 and more than £800 a week.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Church of England consecrates first female bishop

LONDON, United Kingdom — The male monopoly in the leadership of the Church of England ended Monday, as the 500-year-old institution consecrated its first female bishop.

The Rev. Libby Lane became the eighth Bishop of Stockport in a service at York Minster. Her consecration comes after the church ended a long and divisive dispute by voting last year to allow women to serve as bishops.

“My consecration service is not really about me,” she said. “With echoes of practice which has been in place for hundreds of years in the church, it is a reminder that what I am about to embark on is shared by the bishops around me, by those who have gone before me and those who will come after.”

The traditional service was interrupted by a lone protester, the Rev. Paul Williamson. He stepped forward and objected when the congregation was asked if it was their will that Lane be ordained. Williamson said “No!” and asked to speak, arguing there was no precedent in the Bible for women bishops.

Lane remained stoic. The archbishop of York, John Sentamu, seemed prepared and answered with a prepared statement, a nod to the controversy that led to this moment.

Sentamu then simply moved on, asking the packed church once again if they approved. This time, the response was a thunderous “Yes!”

Dozens of bishops then huddled around Lane. They placed their hands on her head — or on the shoulders of the bishop in front of them — creating an enormous circle tinged with the red of their vestments.

Williamson said later he regretted that his intervention was not heard.

“It would have been gracious and courteous to allow me to say my piece,” he said. “But no.”

A saxophone player and soccer fan, Lane was one of the first women to become a Church of England priest.

Her husband, also a priest, sat beside her.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Selecting a Personal Injury Lawyer

Whether you are living in United States or United Kingdom, personal injuries are meant to happen after a small fight results into a big outburst. Cases related to personal injuries cant’ be ignored and possible actions against any kind of personal attack should be taken if you need justice. People do face consequence which is hard to overcome. There are various harmful consequences which anyone has to face after a personal injury like loss of products, automobile accidents, hand injury or body injuries which could lead to permanent disability. Though, it is impossible to overcome the consequences of any kind of personal but one has the right to fight against the injustice.

Victims are allowed to ask for compensations against any kind of damage made to them, be it any kind of medical damage or financial loss due to personal injuries caused by another individual. All you need to do is hire a personal injury lawyer and prove that anguish of other person resulted in your loss. If actions of other person have left you with disability or any kind of physical loss, then you can ask for compensation from him or her that covers all medical expenses till you are completely fit and healthy. Personal Injury lawyer is the person who could make your life comfortable by proving your allegations correct. Here are tips which should be kept in mind while selecting a personal lawyer:

• Keep your eyes on internet and look for a personal injury lawyer. Check different websites and look for kind of services which they offer. Highlight lawyers who hold an experience when it comes to personal injury cases.
• Anytime, you can visit states bar association office or you could visit the website to look down whether lawyers highlighted in your list are reliable and experienced or not.
• Selecting an attorney is not a task which should be accomplished in haste but it would be better on your part if you could consult your friends and relative and jot down some references. Personal advice is one which should be considered first.
• Do check whether the personal injury lawyer you are going to hire has any kind of professional or personal relationship with the accused.
• Do keep updated sources and references along with you which could be used for your personal use when in doubt.

Personal Injury lawyers are always there to help and support you when hired. Do keep faith in them and patience while fighting for justice.

Ginny Walia is a experienced San Francisco Injury Attorney, Beverly Hills, East Bay, San Jose and San Mateo. Its specialized in personal injury cases and advice you of your legal rights and options if you or your family member has been injured. This article by him will help many to understand traits of personal injury attorney in san francisco.

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http://www.articlebiz.com/article/1051525778-1-selecting-a-personal-injury-lawyer/

Worst storm in decade lashes Britain, France

LONDON — Britain faced travel chaos on Monday and some 75,000 homes were without electricity in northern France as one of the worst storms in years battered the region, sweeping at least one person out to sea.

Britain’s national weather center the Met Office warned of falling trees, damage to buildings and disruption to power supplies and transport as the storm hit England’s southwest coast late Sunday.

Between 20 and 40 millimeters of rain were predicted to fall within six to nine hours as the storm tracked eastwards across Britain, with a chance of localized flooding.

Wind gusts of up to 99 miles per hour whipped across southern England and south Wales on Monday, forecasters said.

The Met Office issued an “amber” wind warning for the region, the third highest in a four-level scale, and urged people to delay their Monday morning journeys to work to avoid the worst of the bad weather.

In northern France the storm left some 75,000 homes without power early Monday, according to the ERDF distribution network, after wind gusts reached 139 kilometers in some areas knocking down power lines.

The rough conditions led to rescuers suspending the search for a 14-year-old boy who was washed out to sea from a beach in East Sussex on England’s south coast.

London looked set for a chaotic rush-hour after train companies First Capital Connect, C2C, Greater Anglia, Southern and Gatwick Express services all said they would not run services on Monday until it was safe to do so. That is unlikely to be before 9:00 am (0900 GMT), according to forecasts.

Robin Gisby from line operator Network Rail warned commuters to expect severe disruption.

“If we get through this in the morning, restore the service during the afternoon and are able to start up a good service on Tuesday morning, in the circumstances I’ll be pretty pleased,” he added.

Major airports also warned of disruption to flights with London hub Heathrow expecting approximately 30 cancellations.

Cross-channel train service Eurostar said it would not be running trains on Monday until 7:00 am, meaning delays to early services.

Several ferry operators said they had cancelled some cross-Channel services and Irish Sea crossings.

Forecaster Helen Chivers told AFP the expected damage was likely to be comparable with a storm seen in October 2002.

Prime Minister David Cameron received an update from officials on contingency planning in a conference call on Sunday, amid fears of similar damage wrought by the “Great Storm” of October 1987.

That left 18 people dead in Britain and four in France, felled 15 million trees and caused damages worth more than £1 billion ($1.6 billion or 1.2 billion euros at current exchange rates) as winds blew up to 115 miles an hour.

Martin Young, chief forecaster at the Met Office, said: “While this is a major storm for the UK, we don’t currently expect winds to be as strong as those seen in the ‘Great Storm’ of 1987 or the ‘Burns Day storm’ of 1990.

“We could see some uprooted trees or other damage from the winds and there’s a chance of some surface water flooding from the rainfall — all of which could lead to some disruption.”

Veteran weather forecaster Michael Fish also said Sunday’s storm was unlikely to be as severe as 26 years ago, although his comments will be taken with a pinch of salt in Britain.

Fish was the BBC’s main television weatherman in 1987 but famously denied that a major storm was on its way just hours before it hit.

This year’s storm has been named St. Jude after the patron saint of lost causes, whose feast day is on Monday.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net