| France voted “Non!” on Europe? Not exactly…
The fear of job losses to the new nations recently accepted into the European Union from the former Warsaw Pact. I can speak from personal experience in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, prices there are MUCH cheaper, and I presume the labor and other expenses are as well. When there is a cheaper alternative within the EU, why choose France? Not an unreasonable question, nor an unreasonable fear of the answer. All politics is local. Europe did not lose in this election, President Chirac and his policies aimed at making France more competitive at the expense of the French socialism lost the election. Chirac could have taken the decision to the French legislature for a guaranteed passage, as was done in Germany, but he chose the more risky path to reduce the power of the far left.
Push for Falconio review amid DNA doubt
LAWYERS will push to reopen the case of the outback killer Bradley John Murdoch after British police suspended their use of a controversial forensic DNA test that was used to help convict him of murdering the backpacker Peter Falconio. After heavy criticism of the technique by a judge, British police also announced at the weekend a review of scores of cases where the low copy number DNA test was used to help obtain convictions. The test - which allows the use of particles a millionth the size of a grain of salt - was used during Murdoch's Supreme Court trial to link him to hand ties used to restrain Falconio's girlfriend, Joanne Lees, and to particles found on the steering wheel and gearstick of their van. Jonathan Whitaker, an expert from England's Forensic Science Centre, which is at the centre of the test controversy, told the trial, in Darwin in 2005, that DNA found on the hand ties was 100 million times more likely to have come from Murdoch than anyone else.
New crimes after man leaves prison bring man a fresh 10-year sentence
He was arrested in October 2006 after being identified as selling methamphetamine, according to police. In another case, he tried to pawn gold bracelets and other jewelry stolen from a former girlfriend. Last February, he was found with methamphetamine, a pipe and plastic packets after police stopped a vehicle that he was a passenger in. Reginaldo was sentenced to a five-year prison term for firearm and drug charges in November 2001. Noting that Reginaldo was committing crimes three months after being released from prison, Deputy Prosecutor Robert Rivera said the defendant was well on his way to being institutionalized. In court Friday, Reginaldo apologized. It’s the second time. This time I’ll take whatever they teach me, he said. I don’t want to get in trouble one more time.
Stem cell discovery ushers in a new age of medicine
ST. LOUIS — There are breakthroughs, and then there are breakthroughs. This one could be the medical equivalent of fire and the invention of the wheel. Scientists are giddy about the news that researchers have learned how to reprogram skin cells to act like embryonic stem cells. The cells could be some of the greatest tools modern medical science has ever devised. Many people imagine they will provide replacement parts for damaged or injured organs. Someday they might. But not soon. Before paraplegics walk with regenerated spinal cords and diabetics get fresh-from-the-petri-dish pancreases, the stem cells will advance medicine in immediate ways. They can: —show scientists what goes wrong with cancer cells and how to stop them. —replace animal models for diseases with human tissues grown in the lab.
Should Strauss be recalled?
There is no doubt that Andrew Strauss is a class act.
He proved that on his Test debut in 2004 with a century and has been a consistently prolific run-scorer since.
Even the great players have their dips in form, and a reliable technique which saw him score fluently with cuts and pulls was gradually exploited by the Australians in the Ashes whitewash.
But after being dropped for the trip to Sri Lanka he has been recalled to the Test team to tour New Zealand, and is already acclimatising there in domestic cricket, reportedly feeling refreshed and encouraged about his game.
So should Strauss make an immediate return to the team?
One of the few plus points of the tour to Sri Lanka was the opening partnership of Alastair Cook and Michael Vaughan, which averaged 52 in the three Tests.
Arsenal, Man United extend advantage on top
LONDON, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Arsenal and Manchester United opened up a gap at the top of the English Premier League, each with a 1-0 win on Sunday. Arsenal defeated Chelsea for the first time since February 2004 to reclaim top spot in 40 points. Manchester United had moved above them after winning 1-0 at Liverpool earlier in the day but William Gallas' header ensured Gunners' win and one point edge over United. Chelsea stay third on 34 points, followed by Manchester City (33) and Liverpool, who remain fifth with 30 points after the defeat. Gallas took full advantage of an astonishing blunder by Petr Cech to punish his former club, who traded him in acrimonious circumstances as part of the deal that took Ashley Cole to Stamford Bridge.
Bathinda, November 30
The police here embarked on a multi-pronged strategy to curb the menace of drug abuse and prevent it from spreading its tentacles further, particularly amongst the youth. Working in that direction, the district police today organised a seminar on the theme Nasha Chado, Kohr Vado at Government Boys Senior Secondary School here. Traders seek coins of small denominations
Barnala, November 30
Due to scarcity of coins of small denominations ranging from Re 1 to Rs 5, the shopkeepers as well as consumers are facing great difficulty. Expressing concern over this, local Beopar Mandal president Anil Kumar Nanna said that in the absence of coins of Re 1, Rs 2 and Rs 5, the shopkeepers had to give toffees, biscuits or matchboxes to customers. Tree plantation campaign launched
Mansa, November 30
The Asra Lok Sewa Club, Mansa, has launched a tree plantation campaign along with other social service activities.
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