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Spain’s Jorge Lorenzo won the French MotoGP at Le Mans on Sunday to extend his world championship lead.
Lorenzo finished 5.67 seconds ahead of his Yamaha team mate and world champion Valentino Rossi of Italy with Italian Andrea Dovizioso third on a Honda.
(Editing by Ed Osmond; to query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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Washington, May 15 (ANI): The Iranian cleric, who claimed last month that promiscuity and immodest dress cause earthquakes, has defended his argument.
Kazem Sedighi insists God may be holding off on natural disasters in the West in order to let people sin more and relegate themselves to hell.
Sedighi’s preaching created a buzz on the web last month, as blogger Jennifer McCreight of Indiana asked women to show as much cleavage as possible through a Facebook page named Boobquake, reports Fox News.
Seidighi had said: “Many women who do not dress modestly … lead young men astray, corrupt their chastity and spread adultery in society, which (consequently) increases earthquakes.”
Now, the cleric is back defending his concept.
Sedighi notes that some might ask why there aren”t more earthquakes and storms striking Western nations that are “up to their necks” in immorality.
He says the answer is that God allows some of those who “provoke His wrath” to continue sinning “so that they (eventually) go to the bottom of Hell.”
Meanwhile, on the lines of ‘Boobquake,’ a new Facebook group called for ‘Brainquake’, a day for women to “show off their resumes, CVs, honors, prizes, and accomplishments.” (ANI)
Severe thunderstorms and damaging winds are expected to last for several hours in northern areas of South Australia.
The weather bureau says very heavy rain and possible flash flooding are expected.
Falls of up to 30 millimetres are forecast.
Duty forecaster Mark Anolak says a wide area will see rain.
“The thunderstorms out in the far north of the state could affect places such as Marla, Coober Pedy, Oodnadatta, even as far north as Ernabella could be affected by heavy rains and severe wind gusts in excess of 90 kilometres an hour,” he said.
The relatives of a 21-year-old man who was deliberately mowed down in Sydney’s north have angrily stormed out of the sentencing hearing for his murderer.
Sarah May Ward, 38, is being sentenced in the Supreme Court after being found guilty of running down Eli Westlake with her car after he threw cheeseballs at her two years ago at St Leonards.
His mother, Jan Loquet Westlake, today wept as she told the court of the family’s loss.
“Getting a call from our first-born son, Joel, to say he was lying under a car in a pool of blood holding his dead brother’s hand has changed our life forever,” she said.
Ms Loquet Westlake said her family had been gripped by anxiety, insomnia, depression and grief since her son’s death.
She said the family was still regularly seeing a grief counsellor, but her composer husband Nigel Westlake had been unable to earn a living since that night as he felt he could no longer write music.
“To his family and friends, Eli was an inspirational character… who’d emerged into a flourishing adult life…” she told the court.
“Each day we awake to the nightmare that we will never see him again. We yearn for his wonderful companionship and wicked laugh.”
She also told the court of a “deeply harrowing experience” when the family hand dug her son’s grave.
She described how her husband and son, Joel, met with about 20 of Eli Westlake’s friends armed with shovels and picks and took about eight hours to dig the hole they would bury him in.
‘Joel feels somewhat responsible’
A short time later, Joel Westlake became incensed as the defence discussed his involvement in the incident. He stood up in the gallery, swore at Ward’s lawyer and stormed out of the court room, followed by family members.
Justice Roderick Howie said he did not believe Ward’s actions were entirely unprovoked.
“I feel very sorry for Joel because I have no doubt that he feels somewhat responsible for what happened,” he said later.
The court was also told Ward had a violent criminal record.
Justice Howie set down her sentencing for April 22 and said she would spend a “very long time” in jail. He said by the time the 38-year-old would be released, “she is going to be a lot older and we hope a lot wiser.”
Sarah Ward was found guilty of murder nearly two weeks ago after a four-week trial.
She had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty of manslaughter.
The trial heard Mr Westlake had been walking home with his brother and his friends after a night out drinking when they became involved in an argument with the woman at a convenience store.
The court was told Mr Westlake had jumped out of the way the first time Ward drove towards him, but she reversed and accelerated towards him again.
Ward had drunk two bottles of wine and had taken cannabis, ecstasy and valium before getting behind the wheel.
The defence argued she did not intend to kill Mr Westlake.
Sarah Ward had told police her passenger grabbed the steering wheel just before the victim was hit.
She also blamed the shoes she was wearing at the time for the way she was driving.
The jury also rejected the defence’s arguments that Ward did not have control of her actions given her drunken state and her mental disorder.
The Todd River in Alice Springs could flow again within the next few days.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a flood threat advice for the Alice Springs District.
Forecaster Ashley Patterson says isolated showers and gusty storms could cause the Todd River to flow.
“We should get moderate falls over the Todd River which is 10 to 30 millimetres so there’s a good chance we may see isolated, heavier falls which could lead to localised flooding, and stream rises that affect the Todd River,” Mr Patterson said.
He says a large trough is expected to move across the Alice Springs district in the next few days and conditions are already unstable.
“That trough is going to cause a cloud band to develop in the far south-west of the Alice Springs District late Thursday and then it will gradually extend across during Friday and Saturday and on the weekend,” Mr Patterson said.
“So there is a good chance that there may be some moderate and isolated heavy falls which could lead to localised flooding or significant stream rises.”
Afternoon and evening storms have dumped good rain in western Victoria and southern New South Wales.
Most areas have had between 10 and 20 millimetres, but falls of about 30mm are being reported at Wentworth near Mildura, Longerenong near Horsham, Stawell and the Grampians.
A camper at the junction of the Murrumbidgee and Murray rivers between Robinvale and Swan Hill says the storm was a welcome sight.
“We were inundated with a deluge of the best thunderstorm I’ve seen in this area for years and years,” he said.
“It started raining and we all rejoiced a little bit and then next thing the water started flooding the annexe.
“We had a creek running through the floor of the annexe [and] we decided we will probably be here for two or three days.”
The Bureau of meteorology says Tropical Cyclone Paul could reintensify if it moves back over water tonight.
The system has been over Arnhem Land for several hours and has been downgraded to category one.
The Bureau’s regional director, Andrew Tupper said the system was expected to weaken to below cyclone strength tonight.
But he said that could change if it turns east towards the Gulf of Carpenteria.
“We are thinking that as it goes back over the Gulf there’s a good chance that it will turn back into a tropical cyclone,” Mr Tupper said.
“Cyclones in this part of the world are very unpredictable but that’s the odds at this stage.”
The bureau says Arnhem Land communities need to remain vigilant, and the cyclone has caused wild weather around Borroloola and the Gulf country.
Senior forecaster Sally Cutter says Groote Eylandt has had about 157 millimetres of rain since yesterday morning and winds came close to gale force on Elcho Island last night.
“Since about midnight they’ve been getting pretty close to gales and some pretty good gusts and down on the southern end of the gulf, we’ve got some pretty gusty, squally showers and storms,” she said.
“Borroloola at the moment is underneath a band feeding into Paul so they’re getting a bit of wild weather down there as well.”
Northern Territory Police say the cyclone has caused power outages across several East Arnhem Land communities.
Superintendent Brent Warren is responsible for the East Arnhem district and says blackouts have hit several areas.
“A couple of communities and I think some smaller outstations already yesterday reported outages,” Supt Brent Warren said.
“Bigger communities including Numbulwar and Bickerton Island have now had power outages due to damage from the heavy winds.”
Maritime archaeologists are appealing for public help to track down part of an historic shipwreck which washed ashore in Geraldton during last week’s storms.
The WA Museum was alerted to the discovery of the 3.5 metre timber frame by a local resident who stumbled across it on Glenfield Beach.
The relic, believed to be from a mid-19th century shipwreck was removed before it could be retrieved and positively identified by the museum.
The museum’s regional manager, Catherine Belcher, says anyone with information on the whereabouts of the item is urged to call the museum.
“The more that the ocean reveals to us … the more the maritime archaeologists and conservators and historians are able to piece together that really rich and diverse history that we’re fortunate to have hear on our mid-west coast and of course the Abrolhos Islands as well,” she said.
There will be a recovery night this week for Wagga Wagga district farmers and residents hit by recent storms and flash flooding.
Record rainfall early this month ripped out kilometres of fencing, ruined bridges and damaged homes and businesses, prompting a natural disaster declaration.
The recovery night, featuring a range of state and Federal Government agencies, will be held at the Wagga Seniors Centre from 7:00pm (AEDT) on Thursday.
The owner of the Ladysmith store, Dave Rutland, says neighbours are rallying together to clean up.
“There’s about three or four houses got water in them,” he said.
“One lady had about a foot of water through her house and she said she seen the water rising and in five minutes she had a foot of water coming through her house. It just come up that quick further up the valley.”
The Victorian Government has provided about $500,000 in disaster relief after storms in the Mallee in December last year.
The Yarriambiack Shire Council has received the money for recovery and repair in the Woomelang district, in north-west Victoria, that was hit by a severe 10 minute storm.
Emergency services responded to more than 20 callouts after the storm damaged houses, roads and fences.
Council’s James Magee says roads were cleared for through traffic but still need a lot of work.
“The roads are probably not dangerous but it’s a matter of ensuring roadsides are put back into a reasonable condition as they were before the storm,” he said.
New York, March 22 (ANI): Rumours are abuzz that Elin Nordegren stormed out of their Florida home after ””sexts”” between Tiger Woods and his ex mistress porn star Joslyn James were released.
According to reports, the former porn star has more damaging ammunition up her sleeve, which insiders say doesn””t bode well for the already delicate state of relations between Tiger and Elin.
“Last week things grew extremely tense between the couple and Elin took the kids, left her Orlando-area home and went to Palm Beach,” the New York Daily News quoted a source as telling RadarOnline.com.
“Elin wanted and needed to get away. The few days before the trip she was in an awful mood and not friendly to Tiger,” the source added. (ANI)
American rookie Derek Lamely fired a 6-under-par 66 in the final round to win his first US PGA title, capturing the storm-interrupted Puerto Rico Open on Tuesday (AEDT).
Australian James Nitties, who fired a final-round 69, shared a tie for third on 272 with Zimbabwe’s Brendon de Jonge and Americans Kevin Streelman and Steve Wheatcroft.
Australian veteran Steve Elkington fired a final-round 69 to share seventh on 273 with Americans Woody Austin and Bryce Molder.
Lamely missed the cut in four of seven prior starts this year and had never cracked the top 10 in a tour start before capturing the $US630,000 ($689,900) top prize in the $US3.5 million ($3.83 million) event thanks to a bogey-free final round.
Storms wiped out almost all play Thursday and Friday (local time), forcing a Monday finish on a field of lesser lights, most of golf’s big names playing at the World Golf Championships CA Championship that was won Sunday by Ernie Els.
After completing a tournament-low round of 63 on Monday morning to finish 54 holes, Lamely began off the 10th tee and birdied 13, 16 and 17.
He added birdies at the par-5 second and fifth holes as well as the par-4 fourth.
Top rivals had most of the back nine to catch Lamely’s 72-hole total of 19-under par 269 but none was up to the task, with American Kris Blanks firing a 69 to claim second at 271.
- AFP
Heavy rain has given horticulturalists in Harcourt, in central Victoria, a much need boost in confidence.
The region has struggled over the past few years with drought and low water allocations.
Grower Malcolm Burrows says the weekend’s downpour should improve the size of the fruit.
He says the drought has forced him to downsize his operation this season.
“We had reduced our crop this year probably to a point where it was manageable but it still did need a bit of a hand to try to get to optimum sizes and this rain will certainly help with that area,” he said.
Meanwhile, Coliban Water says the heaviest falls around central Victoria did not fall near its catchments.
However, it expects several hundred megalitres of water will flow into its storages by the end of the week.
The storms caused some several sewers to back up with stormwater.
But managing director Gavin Hanlon says the issues have now been fixed.
“Caused a few overflow problems, particularly in White Hills, also in a number of our channel systems they act as contour banks in some areas and actually capture stormwater and a couple of those flooded and caused minor damage to a couple of sheds and those sorts of things,” he said.
The State Emergency Service (SES) is urging people with storm-damaged properties to be patient, as it continues to deal with an enormous backlog of calls.
An extra 70 crew members from Western Australia and Tasmania, joined SES units in Melbourne this morning, to assist in the clean-up from the weekend’s storms.
They are still working their way through an estimated 850 calls.
All up the SES received more than 7,500 calls for help.
The SES state duty officer, Tim Wiebusch says it could take several more days to reach those still in need.
“It’s certainly one of the biggest storm events that SES has ever had to deal with in Victoria,” he said.
Shepparton damage
Up to five houses in Shepparton, in central Victoria have been damaged beyond repair in the storms and will be demolished.
The homes are among about 20 houses that have been rendered uninhabitable by the wild weather.
Sue Sheldrick, from the SES says about 80 residents attended last night’s recovery meeting.
She says it was an emotional meeting.
“We had people with tears in their eyes as they told their story and it was very graphic and moving,” she said.
“The community told us that in lots of cases, those hard hit communities, particularly the neighbours, pulled together and they had neighbours that they’d never really spoken to before are out helping clean up around their property.”
“We’re hopeful that, at this stage, with the additional crews that we’ve received from interstate along with local crews, that we will have this cleaned up across the weekend.”
WASHINGTON — President Obama says the new jobs report “is actually better than expected.”
A jobs report released Friday said the unemployment rate held at 9.7 percent last month as employers shed 36,000 jobs, more than the 26,000 cut in January. Obama blamed snowstorms that buried the East Coast.
Even so, the president said the number of unemployed Americans is “more than we should tolerate” and pushed Congress to pass a jobs bill for immediate relief.
Obama was touring a Washington-area energy company and said too many families are still struggling. He urged lawmakers to expand unemployment benefits and temporary health insurance through the end of the year.
The severe snowstorms that hammered the East Coast last month may have affected job losses, the department said, but it wouldn’t quantify the impact. Other data in the report signaled the storms didn’t have as much impact as feared.
Economists estimated before the report that the storms could inflate job losses by 100,000 or more. That would mean the economy generated a net gain in jobs last month, excluding the impact of the snow, for only the second time since the recession began in December 2007.
The department revised its estimate of job losses for January from 20,000 to 26,000, but said job cuts were fewer in December than originally estimated — 109,000 rather than 150,000.
Hiring for the 2010 Census accounted for 15,000 jobs, the department said. The government anticipates hiring 1 million temporary census workers this year.
Many economists anticipated that the snowstorms would artificially inflate job losses because the snowstorms occurred in the same week that the government surveys businesses about their payrolls. Employees who couldn’t make it to work and weren’t paid aren’t included on those payrolls.
But many industries that economists thought might be hardest hit — construction, retail, and hotels and restaurants — didn’t seem to be heavily affected. The construction industry lost 64,000 jobs, compared to an average of about 40,000 in the previous three months. Retail employment was flat and the leisure and hospitality industry posted a net gain of 7,000 jobs, the first increase since September.
The unemployment rate, which hasn’t risen since October, could be bottoming out. Still, 14.9 million Americans are unemployed, nearly double the total when the recession began, and the economy has shed 8.4 million jobs during that time.
The economy grew at a 5.9 percent rate in the October-December quarter last year, the fastest pace in six years. But most economists expect the pace of growth to slow to about 3 percent in the current quarter, which won’t be fast enough to quickly bring down the jobless rate.
Kevin Jonas Wedding | Kevin Jonas | Danielle Deleasa | Kevin Jonas Wedding Date | Kevin Jonas Wedding Invitation | Kevin Jonas Married
On 19th December 2009,Kevin Jonas and Danielle Deleasa were married, French-style chateau in suburban New York at Oheka Castle in a Disney-esque magical winter wonderland setting on Long Island.
The bride, who was escorted down the aisle by her father, wore a strapless tulle and Chantilly lace Vera Wang gown, reports People. The couple then said their vows and gave one another wedding bands which they designed for each other.The event was reportedly like something out of a fairy tale, held beneath white tents with 14-foot trees that sparkled with hydrangeas and faux-icicles.Kevin proposed this past June, giving DeLeasa a cushion-cut diamond ring. The couple dated for two years after meeting in the Bahamas.
Storms notwithstanding, 400 guests made it on time to the ceremony and reception.
London, May 26 (ANI): Heather Mills’ ex fianc has revealed that the former glamour model’s anger was no less than a thunderstorm.
Documentary maker Chris Terrill admits that the 12 months he recently spent reporting on some of the world’s deadliest storms is not dissimilar to living with Heather.
“I have indeed just spent a year in the grip of the planet’s most savage storms – giant hail, multiple lightning strikes, deafening thunder, 160mph winds, mountainous seas and ferocious firestorms,” the Daily Express quoted him as telling the Radio Times.
“It was thrilling and terrifying all at the same time. Heather, bless her, was also an amazing experience, for much the same reason.
“She was a force of nature in her own right who can do a very passable impersonation of a tornado in all its fury,” he added. (ANI)
London, April 21 (ANI): UK-based charity Oxfam has suggested that the umber of people hit by climate-related disasters is expected to rise by about 50 percent, to reach 375 million a year by 2015.
According to a report by BBC News, the Oxfam study says that current humanitarian systems would be unable to cope with the natural disasters.
It warns that agencies are in danger of being overwhelmed by events such as flooding, storms and drought.
The group called for a radical shift so that humanitarian aid is sent impartially, instead of on the basis of political or other preferences.
Oxfam’s Rob Bailey told the BBC that a big increase was needed in aid spending, but that the problem was not just about the amount of money.
“We need to see that money spent in better ways,” he said. “At the moment, poor people in the developing world who are facing up to these disasters, they are almost facing a kind of lottery on a global scale,” he added.
He said that in 2004, the equivalent of more than 1,200 dollars (823 pounds) was spent on each victim of the Asian tsunami, compared with just 23 dollars per person for the recent crisis in Chad.
“There’s a huge mismatch in where the money goes,” said Bailey.
Oxfam is also calling for a greater focus on helping countries and communities to prevent, and prepare for the suffering that climate change will cause. (ANI)