Full Story: The Boston Globe
Showing posts with label news. Show all posts
Showing posts with label news. Show all posts
22 February 2011
4 American hostages killed by pirates, US says
Full Story: The Boston Globe
20 September 2010
Frenchman with amputated limbs completes Channel swim
A Frenchman whose arms and legs had to be amputated following an electrical accident has successfully completed his attempt to swim the English Channel.
Philippe Croizon had set off from Folkestone in Kent at 0645 BST.
The 42-year-old, who swims using prosthetic legs, finished the 21 mile (34km) challenge by reaching Cap Gris Nez in more than 14 hours.
Sixteen years ago, Mr Croizon suffered a severe electric shock while removing a television aerial from a roof.
A current surged through him from a nearby powerline and doctors were forced to amputate his limbs.
Mr Croizon reached the French coast at 2013 BST, far ahead of the 24 hours he had set himself.
His team believe this is a record time for a disabled swimmer.
Mr Croizon told the BBC that at no point did he feel he was not going to make it, despite pains and aches all over his body.
Philippe Croizon's father said his son had had favourable wind conditions and had even had three dolphins swimming alongside him for a period- a "sign of good luck".
Mr Croizon had been preparing for the challenge for two years.
*Doctors were forced to amputate Mr Croizon's limbs following an electrical accident.
BBC NEWS
The 42-year-old, who swims using prosthetic legs, finished the 21 mile (34km) challenge by reaching Cap Gris Nez in more than 14 hours.
Sixteen years ago, Mr Croizon suffered a severe electric shock while removing a television aerial from a roof.
A current surged through him from a nearby powerline and doctors were forced to amputate his limbs.
Mr Croizon reached the French coast at 2013 BST, far ahead of the 24 hours he had set himself.
His team believe this is a record time for a disabled swimmer.
Mr Croizon told the BBC that at no point did he feel he was not going to make it, despite pains and aches all over his body.
Philippe Croizon's father said his son had had favourable wind conditions and had even had three dolphins swimming alongside him for a period- a "sign of good luck".
Mr Croizon had been preparing for the challenge for two years.
*Doctors were forced to amputate Mr Croizon's limbs following an electrical accident.
14 April 2010
Stranded ship "time bomb" to Great Barrier Reef
(Reuters) - A stranded Chinese coal ship leaking oil onto Australia's Great Barrier Reef is an environmental time bomb with the potential to devastate large protected areas of the reef, activists said on Monday.
The ship was a "ticking environmental time bomb," Gilly Llewellyn, director of conservation for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in Australia, told Reuters.
She said this was the third major international incident involving its owners in four years.
Australian government officials say the stricken Shen Neng I belongs to the Shenzhen Energy Group, a subsidiary of China's state-owned China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company, better known by its acronym COSCO.
In 2007, COSCO was linked to a major oil spill in San Francisco bay, while last year it was tied to another in Norway, both of which damaged environmentally sensitive areas.
"We are seeing a concerning pattern potentially associated with this company," Llewellyn told Reuters.
COSCO officials in Australia could not be contacted for comment on Monday.
The Great Barrier Reef stretches along Australia's northeastern coast and is the only living structure on Earth visible from space. It is the world's largest coral reef and a major tourist draw.
As salvagers struggled on Monday to stop the ship breaking up and spilling hundreds of tons of oil and thousands of tons of coal, environmentalists told Reuters tighter controls on shipping were needed to protect the reef as Australia's energy industry expands.
SHIP NEEDS HELP
Although only a small amount of the 975 tons of fuel oil on board has so far leaked, Australian officials have warned the ship is unable to move off the shoal unaided, as its engine and rudder were damaged.
International salvage firm Svitzer has been engaged and has attempted to use tugs to stabilize the vessel, but the head of the government agency overseeing the operation said on Monday the ship was still moving on the reef.
The 230-meter (754-ft) ship was carrying 65,000 tons of coal to China when it ran aground on Saturday with 975 tons of heavy fuel oil on board, a type of oil environmentalists say is particularly sticky and damaging to marine organisms.
The ship was off-course and traveling at full speed when it hit, Australian officials have said. If it broke up as feared, environmentalists said the effects could be devastating.
Among the animals affected would be protected species of turtles, dugongs, and marine birds, as well as the sensitive corals, she said.
Chris Smyth, an ocean campaigner with the Australian Conservation Foundation, said with Australia planning to expand its energy industry, its government needs to consider whether ships should be traveling through the reef at all.
"It is going to actually increase shipping traffic substantially and the likelihood of these kinds of incidents occurring in the future," he told Reuters.
This is Australia's third such recent disaster, he said, following two last year, another oil spill off the Queensland coast and a major oil well blowout in the Timor Sea.
It should be clearer within the next few days what the likely scale of this disaster may be, Smyth said. In a worst case scenario, the spilled oil could reach protected areas on the Australian mainland, he said.
On Monday, Queensland state premier Anna Bligh called for tough legal action against the shipowners, saying they could face fines of up to A$1 million ($920,000), with the captain facing a further fine of up to A$220,000.
Some 23 crew who were on board the vessel when it ran aground so far appeared to be safe, she said.
Rescue officials have said the ship will require a long and careful salvage operation, expected to take weeks.
She said this was the third major international incident involving its owners in four years.
Australian government officials say the stricken Shen Neng I belongs to the Shenzhen Energy Group, a subsidiary of China's state-owned China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company, better known by its acronym COSCO.
In 2007, COSCO was linked to a major oil spill in San Francisco bay, while last year it was tied to another in Norway, both of which damaged environmentally sensitive areas.
"We are seeing a concerning pattern potentially associated with this company," Llewellyn told Reuters.
COSCO officials in Australia could not be contacted for comment on Monday.
The Great Barrier Reef stretches along Australia's northeastern coast and is the only living structure on Earth visible from space. It is the world's largest coral reef and a major tourist draw.
As salvagers struggled on Monday to stop the ship breaking up and spilling hundreds of tons of oil and thousands of tons of coal, environmentalists told Reuters tighter controls on shipping were needed to protect the reef as Australia's energy industry expands.
SHIP NEEDS HELP
Although only a small amount of the 975 tons of fuel oil on board has so far leaked, Australian officials have warned the ship is unable to move off the shoal unaided, as its engine and rudder were damaged.
International salvage firm Svitzer has been engaged and has attempted to use tugs to stabilize the vessel, but the head of the government agency overseeing the operation said on Monday the ship was still moving on the reef.
The 230-meter (754-ft) ship was carrying 65,000 tons of coal to China when it ran aground on Saturday with 975 tons of heavy fuel oil on board, a type of oil environmentalists say is particularly sticky and damaging to marine organisms.
The ship was off-course and traveling at full speed when it hit, Australian officials have said. If it broke up as feared, environmentalists said the effects could be devastating.
"We would potentially be looking at an environmental disaster," Llewellyn said." It would be an extremely large spill."
Among the animals affected would be protected species of turtles, dugongs, and marine birds, as well as the sensitive corals, she said.
Chris Smyth, an ocean campaigner with the Australian Conservation Foundation, said with Australia planning to expand its energy industry, its government needs to consider whether ships should be traveling through the reef at all.
"It is going to actually increase shipping traffic substantially and the likelihood of these kinds of incidents occurring in the future," he told Reuters.
This is Australia's third such recent disaster, he said, following two last year, another oil spill off the Queensland coast and a major oil well blowout in the Timor Sea.
It should be clearer within the next few days what the likely scale of this disaster may be, Smyth said. In a worst case scenario, the spilled oil could reach protected areas on the Australian mainland, he said.
On Monday, Queensland state premier Anna Bligh called for tough legal action against the shipowners, saying they could face fines of up to A$1 million ($920,000), with the captain facing a further fine of up to A$220,000.
Some 23 crew who were on board the vessel when it ran aground so far appeared to be safe, she said.
Rescue officials have said the ship will require a long and careful salvage operation, expected to take weeks.
21 March 2010
THE PLASTIKI
Boat made of plastic bottles sets sail across Pacific
BBC NEWS
The crew will be at sea for around three months
A boat made of 12,000 plastic bottles has set sail on a voyage from San Francisco to Sydney to spread awareness about pollution in the world's oceans.
Environmentalist and banking heir David De Rothschild and a crew set out on the appropriately named Plastiki catamaran.
Their 11,000-nautical mile journey will go past the Great Pacific Garbage Patch - a sea of waste about five times the size of the UK or twice that of Texas.
Four out of five plastic bottles end up in a landfill, according to the UN.
"It is time we beat waste and this is an out-of-sight, out-of-mind issue that needs to be addressed," Mr De Rothschild told the BBC earlier this month.
The 31-year-old adventurer, who has completed expeditions to both poles and various jungles, was already tweeting on Saturday, hours after the boat set sail on its three-month voyage.
"Travelling 2.0 Knots ummm! That's a lot of ocean ahead!" he said on his Twitter page. "Just saw our first bit marine debris - a plastic cup!"
The Plastiki takes recycling to a whole other level.
The 12,000 used water bottles are filled with carbon dioxide to make the vessel durable and buoyant.
The catamaran is powered by solar, wind and sea turbines.
An exercise bike will power the boat's laptops and there is also a composting bathroom and gardens to grow food.
Critics say the expedition only perpetuates the belief that it is acceptable to use plastic as long as people recycle it, rather than encouraging people to cut down on its use entirely.
They also point out that if the Plastiki were to break apart mid-journey, it would dump thousands of bottles directly into the ocean.
More images from cnet:
Read More:
http://www.theplastiki.com/ The Plastiki Site
At long last, the Plastiki sets sail (photos) - CNET
Plastiki, the plastic bottle boat, to set sail - San Francisco Chronicle
Boat made of plastic bottles sets sail across Pacific - BBC News
http://www.theplastiki.com/ The Plastiki Site
At long last, the Plastiki sets sail (photos) - CNET
Plastiki, the plastic bottle boat, to set sail - San Francisco Chronicle
Boat made of plastic bottles sets sail across Pacific - BBC News
20 March 2010
Youngest person to row across the Atlantic
American woman, 22, becomes youngest person to row across the Atlantic
By Paul Thomson
Katie Spotz has become the youngest person to row across the Atlantic at the age of 22
A 22-year-old woman has become the youngest person to row across the Atlantic.
Katie Spotz completed the 2,817 mile journey in 70 days.
She was greeted by her father and brother after reaching Georgetown,Guyana, South America having weathered storms, shark infested seas and even an on board fire.
Her effort eclipsed the previous record for the youngest solo ocean rower which was set by 23-year-old Briton Oliver Hicks.
He rowed from New Jersey on America's east coat to England in 2005.
Spotz had set off in her 19ft British built yellow rowing boat from Dakar, Senegal, on January 3rd.
She was strapped into the boat to stop her from being tossed out during stormy weather that she encountered on the route.
A US Coast Guard vessel shadowed her as she approached south America to prevent her from being attacked by pirates.
Amazingly, Spotz, from Cleveland, had little boating experience before setting off.
Her only practice was a 40-mile row on Lake Erie in which she ended up running aground.
Spotz,who took two years to raise the money for the £60,000 cost of the adventure, survived on freeze dried food and energy bars.
A day before reaching Guyana on Sunday her global tracking system caught fire and she had to use a fire extinguisher to put out the blaze.
After setting foot on land for the first time in two months Spotz said her biggest worry was the boat capsizing as she was battered by 20ft waves.
Spotz was shadowed by a US Coast Guard vessel as she approached south America to prevent her from being attacked by pirates
'The hardest part was just the solo part,' Spotz said, saying she struggled with boredom and had trouble sleeping inside the cramped, 19-foot (6-meter) row boat.
She rowed to raise money and awareness for the Blue Planet Run Foundation, a non-profit organisation whose goal is to bring clean drinking water to the estimated 1 billion people worldwide who lack it.
'The records are just a bonus for Katie. Rowing the Atlantic and raising funds for clean water are the things she really cares about,' said her coach Sam Williams.
Spotz rowed for as many as 10 hours a day with breaks for naps, navigation and boat maintenance.
At night, she would drift aboard the specially designed ocean row boat, which had equipment including solar panels for power, a satellite phone and a laptop computer.
She had little fresh food aside from sprouts grown aboard the boat.
'I would cook three dehydrated meals a day on a little stove,' she said as she devoured a melon at the dock in Georgetown.
'At night I would update my Facebook and e-mails. There is not much else to do on a row boat.'
30 December 2009
Stop whales and dolphins massacre in Faeroe Islands
Hundreds of the famous intelligent Calderon dolphins are killed every year in Faeroe Island in Denmark. In this mass slaughter event the main participants are youngsters, simply to show that they are capable of killing. The images below clearly show how vicious these people are and how much the helpless friendly creatures suffer.
Click here to help stop the Calderon Dolphin Slaughter in Denmark.
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