<div class=Bollywood stars Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan engaged
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Bollywood stars Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan engaged

Monday, January 15, 2007

This article features in a News Brief from Audio Wikinews:

Legendary Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan has confirmed that his son Abhishek and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai were engaged last evening at a private ceremony at the Bachchans’ residence in Mumbai.

It is believed that the younger Bachchan proposed to his bride-to-be in New York, soon after the Toronto premiere of his new movie Guru. The media had been following the romance between the two closely for some time past, but this is the first time they have come out in the open about their relationship. Rumours that the couple were planning to spread the know began to spread in November last year, when they visited the Sankat Mochan Temple together, with some even saying that they had already been married even earlier at the Meenakshi temple in Madurai

According to one daily, the wedding will take place either on February 19 or March 7 at the Hyatt Mumbai. “The children have decided. We are very happy and thought we should go ahead with the ‘roka’ ceremony. It was held in the evening.”, Amitabh Bachchan said of the ceremony, which was attended by the family’s close friends, including Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh, Aishwarya’s parents, and industrialist Anil Ambani and the latter’s wife Tina Ambani. The couple have now flown to Ujjain to take a holy dip in the Ganga.

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<div class=Houston mayor urges evacuations as Hurricane Rita moves closer to shore
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Houston mayor urges evacuations as Hurricane Rita moves closer to shore

Thursday, September 22, 2005

Traffic is bumper to bumper on Houston interstate highways as citizens try to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Rita. Houston Mayor Bill White urged citizens in low areas of the city to “begin making their evacuation plans” in preparation for what is currently the 3rd strongest hurricane to ever form in the Atlantic Ocean and the worst to enter the Gulf of Mexico.

Acting U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) director David Paulison was quoted saying “I strongly, strongly urge Gulf Coast residents to pay close attention to this storm. It’s already a Category 4, a huge storm, it’s in warm waters and there’s a potential for it to increase more,” at a briefing in Washington DC. The storm was upgraded to a category 5 hurricane on Thursday, the strongest category of storm. Recently, Rita has lost intensity since entering cooler waters and facing wind shear from an opposing weather front, and is now a Category 4 storm.

Houston, Texas lies 50 feet above sea-level on average, but the area is still prone to flooding as the region is very flat and supported by multiple bayous. In 2001, following Tropical Storm Allison, large areas of Houston remained flooded after receiving 10 inches (250 mm) of rain, causing over $US 5 billion in damage. Meteorologists fear that Rita could cause similar, if not worse damage.

Located 50 miles away from the inland city of Houston, and situated on the Gulf’s coastline, lies Galveston, Texas at a mere 8 feet above sea level. The island city, with a population of nearly 60,000, built a 10-mile-long, 17-foot-high solid granite barrier next to the sea as a defense against hurricanes.

The National Hurricane Center currently predicts a storm surge from Rita in the 15 to 20 feet range, along with strong battering waves. The city manager of Galveston, Steve LeBlanc said, “Galveston is going to suffer. And we are going to need to get it back in order as quickly as possible. I would say that we probably have 90 percent of our residents have left the island. It feels like a ghost town to me, and that’s a good thing.”

Rita is expected to slow down and linger after making landfall in the region. That could possibly mean even more damage from heavy rainfall accumulations. The governor of Louisiana, Kathleen Blanco, said the rain is a threat to New Orleans. Anywhere from 2 to 4 inches of rainfall are expected there, when earlier predictions estimated that 3 inches of rainfall would be enough to cause more flooding in the city.

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<div class=News briefs:April 29, 2005
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News briefs:April 29, 2005

Friday, April 29, 2005

  • Sgt. Hasan Akbar of the United States army has been sentenced to death for his grenade attack on officers in the days preceding invasion of Iraq. His defense team plans to appeal the case, arguing for life imprisonment. article
  • The new Wynn Las Vegas hotel-casino has opened as the most expensive casino resort development ever. At US$2.7 billion, the development cost more than $1 million per room. article
  • Swedish packaging company Korsnas Packaging opens production lines in Romania. Further international investment is expected as Romania makes its tax system corporate-friendly and accedes to the European Union in 2007. article
  • In the lead-up to May 5th elections, United Kingdom leaders from the three largest political parties were interrogated on the BBC’s ‘Question Time’, with continuing concerns regarding the legality of the Iraq invasion dominating the discussions. article
  • In two separate attacks, four Afghan police and one U.S. soldier were killed in Afghanistan. The police officers were killed in a convoy ambush, while the soldier was killed when a patrol was fired on.
  • A UCLA team has fused deuterium using a pyroelectric crystal to create a strong electric field accelerator. The system does not produce more energy than it uses, but it could make feasible a safer form of fission reactor than current designs. article
  • The United States Central Intelligence Agency ends interrogations and search for Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq, according to an addenda to a report from the Iraq Survey Group. In the addenda, Charles Duelfer reports they have finished interrogating 105 Iraqi scientists. article
  • Italy’s Prime Minister has warned the United States Italy will not accept a draft report from the U.S. Military exonerating soldiers involved in the shooting of Italian agent Calipari and journalist Sgrena. article
  • Scientists are unsure as to the cause, but near Hamburg a pond’s toad population are bloating up and exploding. article
  • Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s government received a vote of confidence from the Italian Senate Thursday, after it earning the confidence of the House yesterday. article
  • Harvard University planners met with the Agassiz Neighborhood Council to update the community about Harvard’s construction and expansion plans, including the Northwest Science Building and expansion of the Harvard Law School. article
  • Ezer Weizman, former President of the State of Israel died at the age of 81. Weizman helped established the Israeli Air Force and went on to a political career first as a hawk and then made a public conversion to a dove. article
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Party Favors For Teenagers That Won’t Cost An Arm And A Leg

Party Favors For Teenagers That Won’t Cost An Arm And A Leg

By Elizabeth Chastain

Party favors for teenagers that say thank you for attending my party, along with providing a tangible remembrance of all the good times without breaking the bank can be quite the challenge. After all, does the word inexpensive and teenager belong in the same sentence? Yes, it is a little more challenging then buying favors for little tikes who were satisfied with the simpler things in life, but it is not impossible.

To come up with some party favors for teenagers, put on your creative cap and let’s start brainstorming. Start by thinking of the things that correspond with the theme of the party you will be hosting. Remember, favors don’t necessarily have to be fun they can also be useful.

One idea for you to consider is to make a mixed CD of music that can either go along with the party’s theme or just be various songs that the teens enjoy listening to. Of course, your teenager will be able to assist in this endeavor to ensure success. I know I have yet to meet a teen who doesn’t enjoy listening to music. The tunes may vary from country-western to Christian to rock, but they all seem to have something that they enjoy.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJvRk9LZI2Y[/youtube]

All teen girls love having make-up in their lives. Therefore, one good idea for a party favor for girls would be to provide them with a decorative cosmetic bag. You could even add a few items to the bags, as long as you keep the items neutral. Things like a clear lip-gloss, nail polish and some hand cream would all be great choices.

If you’re hosting a beach or pool party for the teens, then perhaps you might want to consider buying pool or beach-related items to serve as the party favors for teenagers. You may want to purchase some beach bags and then fill them with things like sunscreen, sunglasses, flip-flops, or perhaps a beach towel.

One thing that so many teenagers love doing is spending time at the malls. It would be a good idea to give away several gift certificates from local shops like Barnes and Noble, Starbucks, Best Buy, or Jamba Juice, just to name a few. You do not need to spend too much money, just give them enough so they are able to get a discount on their next pair of shoes or you can even give them tickets to a movie theater. Along these same lines, you might consider opting for gift cards for teen online favorites like iTunes or Amazon.

Another thing that teens enjoy is their electronics. You might consider giving them a flash drive, and these days you can find them for about $6.00. This way, they will be able to keep their precious electronic data close at hand and take it wherever they might go.

I hope you liked some of the above ideas, or perhaps they have assisted you in coming up with some of your own ideas for party favors for teenagers. However, if you are still in want and your idea machine is a little clogged, then you might want to consider clicking on over to the website listed below for some additional options.

About the Author: Explore these

Party Favors For Teenagers

, along with many other party-related items, by visiting

birthday-party-ideas-101.com

, a party planning website written and edited by Professional Organizer, Elizabeth Chastain. You’ll also find lots of ideas for party themes, invitations, decorations, party food, and much more! Copyright: You may freely republish this article, provided the text, author credit, the active links, and this copyright notice remain intact.

Source:

isnare.com

Permanent Link:

isnare.com/?aid=709603&ca=Entertainment

How To Get Cheap Car Insurance Online In West Virginia}

How To Get Cheap Car Insurance Online In West Virginia}

Submitted by: Alexis Jensen

If you simply go online and find one of those price comparison websites for car insurance in West Virginia and you play around with it for a while you will probably save some money each month on your car insurance.

However, you might be able to save even more money by first learning some of the steps you can take to reduce the cost of your car insurance even before you get online.

For example, did you know that parking your car in a garage at night can save you money?

Did you know that paying your premiums automatically each month out of your checking account also saves you money?

Did you know that some insurance companies will give you a break on the cost of your insurance if you buy and use a simple steering wheel locking device?

Did you know that your car insurance agent may know of other simple and inexpensive anti-theft devices that you can install on your car that will save you money every single month?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5MmF9DkhFc[/youtube]

Did you know that if you were to use public transportation as much as possible and leave your car parked at home that you might be able to save a considerable amount on your car insurance? It’s true. If you can reduce your monthly driving to below 500 miles your insurance company may give you a substantial Low Mileage Discount.

Did you know that if you join (or set up) a carpool at work that you can save money every month on your car insurance? Part of your monthly premium is based on the number of times you drive back and forth to work in rush hour traffic every month. If you can cut that number in half then you can save a nice chunk of change on your insurance every month – plus you’ll be doing something good for the environment and saving wear and tear on your car.

Did you know that paying for collision or comprehensive insurance on an older car that no longer has any Kelly Blue Book value is a total waste of your money?

Did you know that young drivers can save at least 5% a month on their car insurance simply by staying in school and maintaining at least a “B” grade average?

Did you know that you can save on car rental coverage if you have a credit card that provides automatic coverage on rental cars?

Did you know that if you have a health insurance plan you may be able to reduce or even cancel the Personal Injury Protection portion of your car insurance, saving you quite a bit of cash each year?

Did you know that if you are married you can save money each month by listing the wife as the primary driver and the husband as the secondary driver on your car insurance policy?

Did you know that if you don’t make small claims against your insurance company that you can save money on your premium every month? Most companies offer some sort of discount after six or twelve claim-free months.

Did you know that some places of work and many clubs, organizations and associations offer their members low-cost group car insurance? If you don’t belong to any group or club that offers its members group car insurance ask friends and family if any of them belong to such a group. Then join.

Did you know that increasing your deductible will drop your cost of insurance overnight? Obviously you’ll need to review your financial situation before deciding on a deductible since you don’t want to agree to pay more if you file a claim that you can actually afford.

And did you know that if you buy your car insurance online you can save over buying your car insurance from most brick and mortar locations? Don’t get lazy, however, and only check out one of the websites that permit you to compare the prices of car insurance policies from a variety of different insurance companies here in West Virginia.

If you really want to see prices from every insurance company you are going to have to spend a little extra time and do your comparisons on a minimum of 3 different comparison websites. Also – and this is important – you need to use the information you have gleaned from this article and fill out the form on all 3 websites EXACTLY the same.

This is the only way for you to compare the same policy across all three websites and it is the best way to insure that you will end up with the best possible price.

Once you have completed all of your comparisons then the rest is a snap. Just choose the lowest-priced policy – and you’re done! This is how you become an expert and make certain that you get cheap car insurance online in West Virginia and save money for years to come.

About the Author: My recommended sites here:

Cheap Car Insurance Online

The Most Affordable Auto/Car Insurance Company and Quote Estimates

Source:

isnare.com

Permanent Link:

isnare.com/?aid=210589&ca=Automotive }

<div class=New York governor Spitzer tied to prostitution ring
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New York governor Spitzer tied to prostitution ring

Monday, March 10, 2008

According to a report by The New York Times (The Times), New York Governor Eliot Spitzer informed his senior administration officials on Monday that he was being investigated for using a “high-class” prostitution ring. The Times report cites anonymous officials who work for Spitzer. A law enforcement official who spoke to Associated Press on condition of anonymity stated that a federal wiretap related to a recent investigation revealed that Spitzer paid for prostitutes from an online service under investigation.

ABC News reported that, according to federal officials, the federal investigation into the prostitution ring was initially motivated by money transfers which led agents to believe Governor Spitzer was hiding bribes. Sources familiar with the case spoke to The Washington Post and CNN, and said that Spitzer is identified as “Client 9” in court documents and on a federal wiretap.

In a brief press conference held Monday afternoon, Spitzer apologized to his family and to the public, but did not directly admit or deny involvement in the prostitution ring. “I apologize first and most importantly to my family. I apologize to the public, to whom I promised better. I must now dedicate some time to rededicate my trust to my family,” he said, adding that he “acted in a way that violates his obligation to his family.”

Spitzer did not answer questions from reporters, indicating he would have more to say “in short order.” He did not admit or deny any allegations.

The Times’ report alleges that Gov. Spitzer was a client of the Emperors Club VIP, a high-priced international prostitution ring. Last week, federal investigators arrested four people involved with the operation in and around New York. The investigation utilized undercover work and wiretap recordings at various club locations, including New York and Washington, with the latter allegedly containing Spitzer’s voice.

Reports indicate the governor learned on Friday, March 7, of federal investigators’ discovery of his alleged involvement in the prostitution ring. He informed his top aides on Sunday night before meeting with the rest of his staff Monday, according to The Times. Sources for the Fox News Channel and WCBS-TV in New York report Spitzer could resign and be indicted, in which case the Lieutenant Governor of New York, David Paterson, would become governor.

James Tedisco, the New York State Assembly Republican Minority Leader, says Spitzer should resign and state Republican leadership will initiate impeachment proceedings if the governor fails to step down. “Today’s news that Eliot Spitzer was likely involved with a prostitution ring and his refusal to deny it leads to one inescapable conclusion: he has disgraced his office and the entire state of New York. He should resign his office immediately,” stated Tedisco.

Posted in Uncategorized
<div class=Ontario Votes 2007: Interview with NDP candidate Rick Morelli, Vaughan
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Ontario Votes 2007: Interview with NDP candidate Rick Morelli, Vaughan

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Rick Morelli is running for the NDP in the Ontario provincial election, in the Vaughan riding. Wikinews’ Nick Moreau interviewed him regarding his values, his experience, and his campaign.

Stay tuned for further interviews; every candidate from every party is eligible, and will be contacted. Expect interviews from Liberals, Progressive Conservatives, New Democratic Party members, Ontario Greens, as well as members from the Family Coalition, Freedom, Communist, Libertarian, and Confederation of Regions parties, as well as independents.

Posted in Uncategorized
<div class=Car driven into Glasgow International Airport
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Car driven into Glasgow International Airport

Saturday, June 30, 2007

Glasgow International Airport in Renfrewshire, Scotland was evacuated after a green Jeep Cherokee struck the airport’s terminal building and burst into flames at 1511 BST.

An eyewitness told the BBC that “[A] man was on fire.” All flights are grounded, and two men have been arrested and the United Kingdom has raised the national threat level to “critical” which means another terror attack is imminent.

Eyewitnesses described a Jeep speeding toward the building with flames coming out from underneath. They also reported seeing two Asian men in the car, one of whom was on fire.

We saw a green Cherokee drive straight into the front door of the airport but it got jammed. They were obviously trying to get it further inside the airport as the wheels were spinning and smoke was coming from them. One of the men, I think it was the driver, brought out a plastic petrol canister and poured it under the car. He then set light to it.

The BBC quoted an eyewitness as saying that two attempts were made to ram the Jeep through the wall, and that the passenger was holding a lit Molotov Cocktail and made several attempts to throw the bottle.

The Strathclyde Police Chief announced that the event is being linked to the earlier attempted car bombings in London, and as such is being treated as a terrorist investigation.

Eyewitnesses are now saying that one of the two men was pouring bottles of petrol into the car’s interior and onto himself, before running from the car, on fire, into the main terminal building. Witnesses have also reported that gas cylinders were removed by bystanders from the burning vehicle.

According to the BBC, the driver of the vehicle put up a violent struggle before being overpowered by the police and public. One person who tackled him was Stephen Clarkson, a member of the public.

Richard Gray, an eyewitness to the event, stated “There was an Asian guy who was pulled out of the car by two police officers.”

Seven people have been taken to local hospitals with injuries.

Police said that this incident was a deliberate attempt and not a road accident. Officials have also said that the incident is connected to earlier attempted car bombings in London the day before.

Two people have been arrested, one of whom was badly burned. Seven known casualties, including the Asian male have been taken to the Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley.

While the suspect was being treated in the hospital, a suspect device was discovered in the hospital, resulting in the partial evacuation of the building while the device was moved to a safe area. This object later turned out to be mundane, although initial reports believed it to be a suicide belt.

The first duty of the Government is the security and safety of all the British people, So it is right to raise the levels of security at airports and in crowded places in the light of the heightened threat. I know that the British people will stand together: united, resolute and strong.

The BBC announced that the Prime Minister is being kept fully informed. He chaired a meeting of Civil Contingencies Committee (COBRA) at 1900 (BST), after which the Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, announced that the national threat level been elevated from “Severe” to “Critical”, meaning another attack is expected “imminently.”

Officials at Edinburgh Airport have said that all cars are being turned away from the airport, and at Heathrow in London, passengers are being advised not to bring private cars near to the terminal buildings. Some passengers were kept waiting in planes while the area was secured.

The first bomber, who was taken to Govan high security prison, has now been interviewed, though no further statements from Strathclyde police have been forthcoming. The second bomber, who was taken to the Royal Alexandria hospital in Paisley, is listed in critical condition tonight, and is being kept under 24-hour guard.

2,300 passengers who were due to set off from Glasgow Airport today have been driven by coach to a conference centre, where a reception area has been set up for them.

Two people were arrested by The Metropolitan Police Anti-Terrorist Branch on the M6 motorway in Cheshire in connection with the Glasgow International Airport attack and attempted London car bombings.

The Prime Minister Gordon Brown is expected to hold another COBRA meeting with other members of the Cabinet today. This will be the fifth COBRA meeting in 48 hours.

Police Incident Room

The public inquiry number for the Strathclyde Police is: 0800 056 0944
Anti-Terrorist Hotline Number

For providing information to authorities about terrorist activities, contact the anti-terrorism hotline at: 0800 789 321
Posted in Uncategorized
<div class=News briefs:May 27, 2010
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News briefs:May 27, 2010

Wikinews Audio Briefs Credits
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Turtlestack
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<div class=Doha round of trade talks suspended after negotiations fail
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Doha round of trade talks suspended after negotiations fail

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

The director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Pascal Lamy, suspended negotiations in the Doha round of trade talks on Monday, after a meeting of six “core” negotiators India, Brazil, the United States, European Union, Japan, and Australia in Geneva failed to make any headway in reconciling differences over agricultural trade liberalisation. The US wanted cuts in import tariffs for farm products, which were rejected by EU, Japan and India, who asked for cuts in agricultural subsidies.

Peter Mandelson, the EU trade commissioner, told the Financial Times: “If the US continues to demand dollar-for-dollar compensation in market access [cutting tariffs] for reducing domestic support, no one in the developing world will ever buy that and the EU will not either.” Brazil also identified the US stand on subsidies as the reason the talks failed.

Susan Schwab, the US trade representative, said that the other countries sought exemptions from tariff cuts for a wide range of goods and that such exemptions would defeat the object of the talks – to expand trade. “As we went through the layers of loopholes . . . we discovered that a couple of our trading partners were more interested in loopholes than market access,” she said.

The Indian Commerce and Industries Minister, Kamal Nath said that developing countries could not allow their subsistence farmers to lose their livelihood and food security to provide market access to agricultural products from developed countries.

Contents

  • 1 Many reasons attributed
  • 2 Reactions
  • 3 What is the Doha round?
    • 3.1 Parallels to the Uruguay round
  • 4 Future of the Doha round
  • 5 Repercussions of the failure
  • 6 Sources
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