RELEVANT DIARY WORLD NEWS

Texas judge's daughter: Violence was regular occurrence

2011-11-03T11:47:00.001-07:00

A woman who launched a firestorm by posting a 2004 video on the Internet of her father, a Texas judge, beating her said Thursday that violence was a regular occurrence in her family home.

"It did happen regularly, for a period of time, and I could tell, because of the pattern, that things were escalating again," Hillary Adams, now 23, said on NBC's "Today." She said she left her video camera on her dresser recording and covered its light with a scarf in order to capture the video.

Her father, Aransas County, Texas, Court-At-Law Judge William Adams, faces a police investigation and a judicial probe after the graphic video surfaced of him striking his then-16-year-old daughter repeatedly while cursing at her and berating her.

On Wednesday afternoon, William Adams was temporarily relieved of his duties for the next two weeks, and a visiting judge will take over his caseload while the matter is being investigated, according to the office of Aransas County Administrative Judge Burt Mills.

New York police officers accused in alleged ticket-fixing operation

2011-10-30T10:02:00.001-07:00

Sixteen members of the New York Police Department have been indicted on charges they were involved in "highly organized, systematic" misconduct that included a large-scale ticket-fixing operation, among other allegations, city and police officials announced Friday.

The scandal is the second in a week to hit the department. On Tuesday, five active and three retired officers were among 12 people charged with conspiring to transport and distribute firearms and stolen goods across state lines.

The ticket-fixing operation allegedly involved summonses to people closely acquainted with the officers, including family members and friends. The indictments allege that some officers tampered with the tickets to result in them being thrown out, according to a press release from the Bronx District Attorney's Office.

"It's difficult to have to announce for the second time this week that police officers have been arrested for misconduct," New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said in a press conference Friday afternoon. "Their misdeeds tarnish the good name and reputation of the vast majority of police officers who perform their duties honestly and often at great risk to their own personal safety."

Five civilians were also named in the indictments, unsealed Friday by the New York Supreme Court.

The indictments are the culmination of a nearly three-year investigation by the police department's Internal Affairs Bureau. The probe began in December 2008 with an anonymous tip about a police officer in the Bronx allegedly "engaged in various illegal business activities with a reputed drug dealer," the district attorney's office said.

Fraud claim thrown out in 'Happy Days' lawsuit

2011-10-20T05:57:00.001-07:00

Fraud claim thrown out in 'Happy Days' lawsuit

A California judge Wednesday threw out a claim by cast members of the hit television show "Happy Days" that CBS committed fraud by not paying them for merchandising sales.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Allen White ruled in favor of CBS on the fraud claim, meaning the case will proceed only with a breach of contract suit. The cast had sued CBS for $10 million, alleging fraud.

The decision means the actors cannot receive punitive damages at the trial, which is scheduled for June 26, 2012.

The actors claim they never received revenue statements related to merchandising, and that CBS intentionally never intended to pay them anyway.

"The exact details of this alleged promise to provide periodic revenue statements when merchandising revenue had been generated have not been pled with the requisite level of specificity required, such as, who said exactly what to whom and they those representations were known to be false when made," according to the court ruling.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the CBS Consumer Products Division said, "We are thrilled that the court has thrown out all claims for punitive damages and significantly narrowed this to a case of contract interpretation."

Jon Pfeiffer, attorney for the actors, told CNN they were disappointed. "But we intend to press forward with the lawsuit. If we can't punish the defendants, we certainly intend to expose their practices," he said

Wall Street protests swell in New York, Boston

2011-10-11T16:26:00.000-07:00

Wall Street protests swell in New York, Boston.

A group of union-backed organizations joined the loosely defined Occupy Wall Street movement again Tuesday, leaving behind the confines of New York's financial district for the posh neighborhoods that dot Manhattan's Upper East Side, according to multiple group representatives.

Crowds also swelled in Lower Manhattan's Zuccotti Park, where demonstrators waved placards and chanted slogans attacking corporate greed and social inequality.

The union-organized march, meanwhile, took protesters past the homes of well-to-do residents like billionaire David Koch, News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch and JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon.

Organizations such as UnitedNY, the Strong Economy for All Coalition, the Working Families Party, and New York Communities for Change were accompanied by protesters typically based in Zuccotti Park, a privately owned park in New York's financial district.

The Upper East Side march was "in support" of the Occupy Wall Street movement, but was not organized by it, said T.J. Helmstetter, a spokesman for Working Families Party, a coalition of New York community and labor groups.

Protesters hopped on the subway, emerging at Fifth Avenue and 59th Street near Central Park, where organizers held a press conference that addressed both New York-centric themes, such as state taxes, and the movement's broader concerns of social inequity.

"We are the 99%," the group chanted, a reference to their insistence that most Americans lack the influence in their country's political and financial affairs enjoyed by the elite 1%.

"I think it's time that these people realize that people are hurting in this country and it's time to reform what's going on in Washington," said New York resident Lenore Silverstein, who attended Tuesday's march.

Spain Business Brief - Thursday October 6 2011

2011-10-06T12:52:00.000-07:00

Spain Business Brief - Thursday October 6 2011

The European Central Bank has ignored the markets and kept interest rates today at 1.5%. The concern about increasing inflation in the Eurozone has led to the decision adopted on Thursday.
The International Monetary Fund was among those who had asked for a reduction in interest rates to favour growth, and other experts think that the rate should have been cut to zero to stimulate investment.
Other experts have described the decision as bad news and going against the tide as the United States is doing the opposite.
The European Central Bank is however going to lend to banks all the liquidity which they need.

Brussels has ruled out the creation of a European public ratings agency. The President of the European Commission, José Manuel Durao Barroso, ruled out the idea, but has said that they continue to work on legislation ‘which will reduce the dependency to three or four agencies’. Barroso has said that he wants to see a joint EU action to recapitalise European banks. It comes after the EU has already invested at least 500 billion directly to save the banks. Barroso says that Europe will emerge stronger from the economic crisis.

Steve Jobs praised as Apple's visionary, creative genius

2011-10-06T12:50:00.001-07:00

Steve Jobs praised as Apple's visionary, creative genius

Steve Jobs, the visionary who led a mobile computer revolution with the creation of wildly popular devices such as the iPhone, was mourned Thursday by admirers and competitors as much of the world awoke to news of his death.

Jobs' death was announced Wednesday by Apple, the Silicon Valley company he co-founded with Steve Wozniak. He was 56.

"Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being," Apple said in a statement on its website.

"Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor."

Suspended

2011-10-05T09:01:00.001-07:00

José Mourinho suspended two games for Supercup finger poke

Real Madrid manager, José Mourinho, has been suspended for two games for poking Barcelona’s deputy trainer, Tito Vilanova, in the eye when the two sides met in the Supercup on August 17. Meanwhile Tito has been finally fined one game for responding with a slap.

The incident had more the following day when in a press conference the following day Mourinho mocked that he did not know who ‘Pito’ Vilanova is.

The judge in the Spanish Competition Federation, after examining the images, decided to take extraordinary disciplinary procedures against both men for breaking article 123 of the disciplinary code which makes reference to violence in the game.

The baby born by Caesarean section after his mother was shot dead in a Madrid church has died

2011-10-03T11:40:00.001-07:00

The baby born by Caesarean section after his mother was shot dead in a Madrid church has died

The baby who was born by Caesarean section in a Madrid church after his 36 year old mother, Rocio Piñeiro, was killed in a shooting has died. The child had undergone a heart attack just after the procedure.

Last Thursday a gunmen, since found to be a vagrant, entered in the Santa María del Pinar church and started to fire at random, hitting the pregnant women.

Although the mother died at the scene, health professionals from Samur managed to carry out a caesarean to save the child, but despite being rushed to hospital and an incubator the baby lost his fight for life on Monday.

The shooting ended when the man, 34 year old Iván Berrel, shot himself in the mouth. Another 52 year old woman who was injured was allowed home from hospital on Monday.

Tiger Woods not one of golf's top 50 players for first time in 15 years

2011-10-03T11:37:00.001-07:00

Tiger Woods not one of golf's top 50 players for first time in 15 years

Tiger Woods is no longer officially considered one of golf's top 50 players, ending a streak that extended back 15 years.

According to the official World Golf Ranking, the 35-year-old Woods entered the weekend as the sport's 50th best player. But he lost that standing when Louis Oosthuizen finished tied for fifth at this weekend's Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland, earning him a place in the standings and ousting Woods.

The rankings are endorsed by Professional Golf Association tours in the United States, Europe, Australia, Asia and elsewhere, according to the World Golf Ranking website. An updated ranking comes out every Monday.

The last time Woods was not among the top 50 was on October 13, 1996. Since then, he won 14 major championships -- a distinction used for the Masters, U.S. Open, British Open and PGA championship -- and, for much of the next 778 weeks, ranked as the game's best player.

SPA- Such a small World we live in.

2011-10-02T08:15:00.000-07:00

Photo - http://poetas-amigos.blogspot.com/2009/08/postal.html

Belgian couple spot the men who stole their car in Belgium on a Spanish beach

Sometimes it a very small world. A Belgian couple who had their car stolen at gunpoint in Belgium some months ago could not believe it when they recognised their attackers when on holiday in Alicante. They saw them on the beach in Guardamar, Alicante last Monday, and made no hesitation in calling the Spanish police.

While they were waiting for the police to arrive, the couple found their own car parked nearby, and the owner decided to puncture the tyres to ensure that the thieves could not take it again.
After the police arrived a search of the car revealed a simulated pistol.

The two men, 47 year old L.J. and 20 year old G.C.D., were taken into custody and it’s now known that there was an international search and capture order in force against them. One of them has served time for serious sexual crimes against children. They have now both been passed to the National Court ahead of being extradited to Belgium.

SPA- Arthur Mas said nothing but good

2011-10-02T08:01:00.001-07:00

Andalucia politicians take offence at Catalan president's comments

President Artur Mas has offended politicians from across the country by saying ‘They speak Castellano in Sevilla, Málaga or Coruña, but sometimes they can’t be understood’.

The matter quickly became the trending hashtag #arturmasnoentiende as Javier Arenas the PP leader in Andalucía accused him of ‘offending the Andalucian people’. Government spokesman, José Blanco, demanded an apology and said he himself felt offended because of his Galician roots.

Following the protests Mas has apologised and lamented that his words were misunderstood. In a statement he said,
‘It’s a shame that the legitimate demands of Cataluña and the calls for a basic understanding in the judiciary get far less response than a ‘casual statement’ made with no intention to offend anybody’
.

Murder suspect gunned down in California woods

2011-10-02T07:58:00.001-07:00

Murder suspect gunned down in California woods

Three law enforcement officers patrolling a remote stretch of northern California woods shot dead a double-murder suspect whom authorities had been hunting for 36 days, a sheriff said.

Aaron Bassler was wearing black clothing and carrying a large backpack, a fanny-pack and assault rifle when three Sacramento sheriffs spotted him early Saturday, Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman said.

From about 40 yards away and at an elevation 25 feet higher, they

fired about seven rounds into his upper torso.

Allman said Bassler didn't fire a shot, and there was no verbal exchange between the parties. The suspect raised his weapon -- which was loaded and not on safety -- from the ground toward law enforcement officers.

It is believed to be the same weapon used to kill one of his victims, officials said.

The suspect was considered "armed and dangerous," and was believed to have engaged in a gunfight with three other law enforcement officers from Alameda County two days earlier.

7 arrested in alleged SAT cheating scam

2011-09-28T11:51:00.001-07:00

Authorities have arrested seven people in an alleged SAT cheating scam at a Long Island, New York, high school and are investigating whether the cheating extends to other schools.

Samuel Eshaghoff, 19, of Great Neck, New York, was arrested Tuesday on felony fraud charges that could result in four years in prison if he's convicted, the Nassau County District Attorney's Office said. Six students face misdemeanor charges. Their names are not being released because they are minors.

Samuel Eshaghoff

Prosecutors allege Eshaghoff impersonated six Great Neck North High students between 2010 and 2011, charging between $1,500 and $2,500 to take the SAT test for them. Eshaghoff would take the test at schools other than Great Neck, where proctors would not be familiar with the students' identity, and present fake, unofficial identification, prosecutors say.

Wall Street protests enter 11th day

2011-09-27T12:59:00.001-07:00

Wall Street protests enter 11th day

Protests to draw attention to the power of Wall Street firms in the United States and world economies will continue for an 11th straight day in lower Manhattan Tuesday.

"Our main concern is the way that democracy is hijacked through wealth inequality," said Patrick Bruner, a spokesman for the protest group Occupy Wall Street. Bruner said protestors plan to present a list of demands, though they don't know when or to whom they will present them to.

The group, taking its inspiration from the Arab Spring protests that swept through Africa and the Middle East, has taken up residence in a park in New York's Financial District, calling for 20,000 people to flood the area for a "few months" to press home their point. Social media fueled those uprisings in places like Egypt and Libya and organizers are hoping it will work in the United States too.

"The rich are getting away with a huge crime," documentary filmmaker Michael Moore said Monday on CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight." "Nobody's been arrested on Wall Street for the crash of 2008. They're not paying their fair share of the taxes."

"I do well," Moore acknowledged, but "we reward people for making money off money, and moving money around and dividing up mortgages a thousand times over, selling it to China ... and it becomes this shell game."

Moore spoke to the protesters before appearing on CNN, telling them that he'll be happy when "the real people in this country are in charge" and he doesn't have to make another movie or write another book on what he sees as the social and political ills of America.

Málaga court hears that Roca controlled money down to a mop Read more

2011-09-26T11:46:00.000-07:00

Malaga Court hears that Roca controlled money down to a mop.

The court heard that he paid for his art collection with four properties

As the Malaya corruption case has reached its first year in Málaga, the court has heard that Juan Antonio Roca paid for parts of his art collection with real estate via one of his companies.

Inspection of commercial deals done on February 3 and April 15 2002, show that Roca valued a list of paintings at 1,153,943 €, and that he paid for them in exchange for four properties.

Mississippi storm causes damage

2011-09-26T08:53:00.001-07:00

Mississippi storm causes damage

possible tornado ripped through Cleveland, Mississippi, on Sunday night, damaging two department stores and a nearby subdivision, officials said Monday.

No injuries were reported.

The storm did knock out the county's communication network and the local hospital stopped taking patients, said Kimberly Broadwater of the Bolivar County Volunteer Fire Department said The storm also caused a gas leak that has since been capped, she said.

"We've got a mess on our hands," Broadwater said.

It was unclear Monday if the storm was a tornado. The National Weather Service sent out an alert that a tornado had touched down, but authorities were still trying to determine if the damage was done by a tornado or straight-line winds.

Lee Tedder of the Bolivar County Sheriff's Office said the Sears and Walmart stores in the northwestern Mississippi town of 12,000 people had lost their roofs in the storm, but Broadwater said the Sears store had been demolished.

U.S- Obama urges black community to 'march with me'

2011-09-25T05:45:00.000-07:00

Obama urges black community to 'march with me'

While acknowledging the hard-hit black community and budding criticisms in its ranks, President Barack Obama said in a speech Saturday night to the Congressional Black Caucus that he wouldn't give up -- and urged members of the black community to join him to jump-start the still-sluggish economy.

"I expect all of you to march with me, and press on," Obama said. "... Stop complaining, stop grumbling, stop crying. We are going to press on. We've got work to do."

The unemployment rate among African-Americans is 16.7%, nearly double the national average, while 40% of black children live in poverty. Such facts have made fiscal reforms a priority for caucus members, some of whom -- most of them Democrats -- have criticized Obama for not doing enough on the issue.

They include Rep. Maxine Waters, D-California, who at a caucus "jobs' tour town hall" in Detroit this month described the unemployment rate among blacks "unconscionable." She said the strategy to fix it was unclear, adding that the caucus was "getting tired" of waiting for one.

U.S - Suspected serial killer arrested on the Costa del Sol.

2011-09-25T05:44:00.000-07:00

Suspected serial killer arrested on the Costa del Sol
Suspected serial killer arrested in Costa del Sol

An alleged serial killer, who has been operating on the Costa del Sol and who is believed to be responsible for the deaths of two women, has been arrested.

The crimes were on August 11 and September 10 in Calahonda and San Pedro de Alcántara, and in both cases the women had Spanish nationality but were of Latin American origin, and both were stabbed. Preliminary reports from the autopsies show certain similarities between the crimes.

Gr- Pope in Germany 'to speak about God,' not politics

2011-09-22T13:04:00.000-07:00

Pope in Germany 'to speak about God,' not politics

On his first state visit to his homeland, Pope Benedict XVI met Thursday with Germany's prime minister and president and spoke to legislators, but insisted that his purpose was not economic or political, but spiritual.

"Even though this journey is an official visit which will reinforce the good relations existing between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Holy See, I have not come here primarily to pursue particular political or economic goals," he said during remarks at Bellevue Castle, the president's official residence, "but rather to meet people and to speak about God."

"The Federal Republic of Germany has become what it is today thanks to the power of freedom shaped by responsibility before God and before one another."

The pope arrived Thursday morning at Berlin's Tegel airport for a visit marked by heavy police presence and, in some places, protests. Many see the papal itinerary as an encroachment on church-state separation; others in the increasingly secular nation are critical of the church's more conservative teachings.

World - 10 commandments of dressing for work

2011-09-22T12:56:00.001-07:00

10 commandments of dressing for work

1. Modesty is a virtue.

Get noticed for your great work, not your tight pants, overdone makeup, short skirt or cleavage-revealing shirt.

"Nothing undermines how you are perceived in business as leaving nothing to the imagination," says Chris Hauri, founder of Mirror Image, a Chicago-based image and identity consultancy.

2. Keep holy the casual Friday.

Yes, the workweek is almost done -- the key word being almost. "Casual Fridays are a recipe for fashion disasters," says Lizandra Vega, author of "The Image of Success: Make a Great Impression and Land the Job You Want." Don't jump the gun by wearing your weekend plans, whether that be catching some rays in a halter top and short shorts or cleaning out the garage in your college sweatshirt and cut-offs.

3. Thou shalt wear the right shoes.

Your feet should look prepared for work. Vega suggests skipping flip-flops and other open-toe shoes, while Hauri notes, "High high heels may be fashionable, but not for actually working. Image conveyed: I can't pitch in and do any work because I really can't walk in these things. Want to be a team player? Wear flats."

4. Honor thy leaders.

Not sure what is appropriate for casual Friday or a client meeting? Look around. "The wisest employees often observe and take cues from the most respected individuals within their organization on what is appropriate workplace attire," Randall says.

5. Thou shalt not steal thy boss's tie.

Keep in mind that taking cues from those above does not mean replicating their wardrobe piece for piece. Instead of coming off as a lemming, find comparable styles, colors and accessories that work for you.

6. Control thy festiveness.

Wearing seasonal colors is one thing, looking like Santa's elf is another. Randall recalls a story about a co-worker who exuberantly over-accessorized her outfits to fit the holidays. "Her overzealousness caused her co-workers to snicker, and she became unofficially known as 'the walking calendar.' Moral of the story: Your workplace wardrobe should enhance your professional skills and qualities, not detract from them."

7. Remember the good book.

Whether you are questioning what constitutes an acceptable variation of a uniform or wondering about the company's stance on jeans, chances are the employee handbook has the answer. Still trying to decide if you should cover up a tattoo? Seek the advice of a trusted mentor, human resources representative or immediate supervisor.

8. Thou shalt notice what year it is.

Congratulations on taking such good care of your clothing that items from 1983 are still "fine" today. Now put these relics in the Goodwill box where they should have landed years ago. While one need not be a fashionista, looking outdated can give the impression that you lack fresh ideas.

9. Err on the side of caution.

Worried that your casual Friday outfit might be too relaxed or that a bright orange shirt might not be received well by a new client? Avoid the guesswork -- and the corresponding nervousness -- by making safer choices when in doubt.

10. Dress for the job thou want.

A final tidbit: "My advice for everyone, no matter what age or gender, is to dress for the job you want, not the one you're in," Hauri says. "Unless you're happy with where you are, which is just fine."

World - Apple secures patents on China stores

2011-09-22T12:54:00.000-07:00

Apple secures patents on China stores

Apple has been granted patents on some of the distinctive elements of its store designs in China as the US company moves to better protect itself against rampant copying of not only its products but also its sales channels on the Chinese mainland.

The three recently granted design patents cover the architecture of Apple's stores in Shanghai and were awarded in May, according to state media reports, suggesting the company registered them after it began its expansion in China last year. One was announced on Wednesday by the state intellectual property office, covering a glass dome such as the one that is a distinctive feature of one of the company's Shanghai stores.

Apple has a patchy record in securing patents and trademarks in this fast-growing but challenging market. The gaps in the company's intellectual property rights protection were highlighted by the revelation in July of a fake Apple store in Kunming, the capital of the south-western Chinese province of Yunnan.

The technology company is preparing to open another Apple store in Shanghai on Friday, joining two others in the city and one in Beijing, and is also poised to open its first store in Hong Kong before the end of the month. On Wednesday, Apple started selling the 3G version of the iPad 2 in China.

World - Lawyer: Accused UBS bank trader 'sorry beyond words'

2011-09-22T12:52:00.000-07:00

Lawyer: Accused UBS bank trader 'sorry beyond words'

A bank trader has been recently accused of fraud in connection with a $2.3 billion loss in unauthorized trading, reported by Swiss giant UBS is "sorry beyond words," his lawyer said Thursday.

Kwaku Adoboli was remanded in custody until 20 of October, by the Mgistrate Court of Londong

I a statement in the court that , lawyer Patrick Gibbs maid, he stated that his client was " sorry behond words for what had happened here"

His client "went to UBS himself," the lawyer said.

Adoboli faces a charge of fraud by abuse of position between January and September 2011, causing losses in excess of $1.5 billion, and two counts of false accounting.

Two men drown on western Costa del Sol.

2011-09-22T12:37:00.000-07:00

Two men drown on western Costa del Sol

Two men have drowned simoultaneously on the beaches of Costa del Sol on Wednesday.Two men drowned on the beaches of the western Costa del Sol on Wednesday.

The first drowned at 2pm on Playa de La Carihuela in Torremolinos, where a 65 years old man was rescued by the people swimming on the beachh after he began to experience difficulty in getting out of the water. He unfortunately died, and emergency services who arrived on the scene could do nothing more than certify his death.

The second man was a 45 year old who drowned just a few hours later on Playa de Las Gaviotas in Fuengirola. He and another swimmer were also having trouble reaching the beach and he died after they were both rescued and taken to the shore

U.S - California cop pleads not guilty in homeless man's death

2011-09-22T12:27:00.001-07:00

California cop pleads not guilty in homeless man's death

A Fullerton police officer pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges of involuntary manslaughter and felony use of excessive force in the beating death of a mentally ill homeless man who died after a police arrest.

Cpl. Jay Patrick Cicinelli was released Wednesday on $25,000 bail, according to his attorney and a spokeswoman for the prosecutor.

Meanwhile, the arraignment of the officer facing more serious charges, Manuel Anthony Ramos, was continued to September 26 at the request of his attorneys. Ramos was being held Wednesday after Orange County Superior Court Judge Erick L. Larsh set his bail at $1 million.

Ramos, who is 37 and a 10-year veteran of the Fullerton police, is charged with second degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in the July beating death of Kelly Thomas, who was unarmed.

Thomas' father, Ron, urged the judge not to reduce Ramos' bail from $1 million because of "the horrible manner in which my son was murdered."

Owner of marijuana plantation caused Ibiza fire by negligence

2011-09-21T11:03:00.000-07:00

Owner of Marijuana plantation caused Ibiza fire for negligence.

A Spanish man who was arrested for starting the fire which broke out on Ibiza on Sunday night is believed to have started it through negligence while he was caring for his marijuana plantation nearby.

Civil Guard sources have told the EFE news agency that the cause is thought to be either a cigarette he was smoking or a fire he had lit to cook food.

The suspect had spent the past few days caring for his crop in the area where the blaze broke out. He spent his nights in a home-made shelter and used a nearby cave to dry out his plants. The Civil Guard seized marijuana plants and dried leaves at the site, amounting to almost 6 kilos of the drug.