Basildon council is preparing to bring back bailiffs after travellers removed from Europe's largest illegal site at Dale Farm in Essex moved to a neighbouring settlement.
Enforcement notices were served on Tuesday on the travellers, some of whom had previously lived on Dale Farm.
Following last year's mass eviction, many travellers moved to a neighbouring lawful site on Oak Lane, with some settling on the road approaching the site.
Last year's clearance, following a decade-long row over unauthorised plots on the six-acre site, cost Basildon council millions of pounds in operational and legal costs.
The council said it had served notices on 19 caravans unlawfully parked on a track leading to the former Dale Farm site and added that the numbers of occupants at Oak Lane had exceeded its lawful capacity.
The Traveller Solidarity Network (TSN) said families had been unable to move from Dale Farm "due to a lack of plots in the area" since last year's forced eviction. "They have lived in cramped conditions without running water, regular electricity as well as sewage problems."
Mary Sheridan, a mother living on Oak Lane, said: "The council and the government still will not listen; we have nowhere else to go. Why would we be living with no running water and sewage if we had somewhere else to go? We want a safe place to live where our kids can go to school. Is that too much ask?"
Travellers have been given until 29 August to appeal against the eviction notices.
Council leader Tony Ball said: "People know that Basildon council is committed to upholding the law and will go through the relevant processes to ensure compliance with the law.
"In February, we served planning contravention notices giving 21 days to respond to the notices and leave the area. Clearly this has not happened and the council has been carefully considering the correct options and action available. We have had to be certain that we are taking the right options in regards to this particular breach.
"I still find it immensely frustrating that having cleared the [unlawful] site last year, what appears to be a small minority of the original residents are persisting with this dangerous and disruptive behaviour. It is also apparent to us that many of those who are there [unlawfully] are new to the area and have nothing to do with the original [unlawful] settlement."
Jo McGuire, a Dale Farm supporter and TSN member, said: "The message this time last year is still the same today: these families have nowhere else to go because the council have failed to authorise any pitches in the area.
"The council is choosing to evict before new planning applications have been considered. These families are trying to do everything they can to keep their kids in the local school, but it seems the council just wants to clear them from the area."
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
London 2012: Sir Chris Hoy to carry flag for Team GB - BBC News
Sir Chris Hoy has been chosen to carry the flag for Great Britain at the opening ceremony of the London Games on Friday.
The four-time Olympic gold medal winner polled the most number of votes among the 542 members of the British team.
The 36-year-old cyclist also carried the Union Flag at the 2008 closing ceremony in Beijing.
"I'm absolutely delighted and honoured to have been voted as the flag bearer for Team GB," said Sir Chris.
"To lead out your team at a home Olympics is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity and one that that I can't wait to experience in just a few days time."
Other Olympians who received support included archer Alison Williamson, who will compete in her sixth Games.
Hoy, who will compete in the team sprint and keirin at London 2012, is the first cyclist to have the honour of carrying the British flag at an opening ceremony.
The Scot will lead out Team GB when they become the last of the 204 competing nations to enter the arena.
Analysis
Sir Chris Hoy was always one of the outstanding candidates for this role. His election was all but sealed when sailor Ben Ainslie, his main rival, was ruled out. Ainslie begins competing on Sunday, so will not attend the opening ceremony.
Sir Chris already has four Olympic gold medals and hopes to have increased that total to six by the end of the Games.
Hoy told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I'm still in shock, it's all sinking in. I'm just looking forward to Friday.
"To have the athletes vote for you it makes it even more special. This will be my first experience of an opening ceremony so for a number of reasons it will be very special."
It has been a remarkable few days for British cycling following the success of Bradley Wiggins in the Tour de France.
Brian Cookson, president of British Cycling, told BBC Sport: "Just when you think it can't get any better it does. It is the cherry on the cake for British Cycling after Bradley Wiggins's success on Sunday.
"Sir Chris is a brilliant athlete and a fantastic ambassador for the sport of cycling. Hoy is reaching his potential just at the right time in the sport and deserves this pivotal role at London 2012."
Hoy, who is Scotland's most successful Olympian, was named BBC Sports Personality of the year in 2008.
He won a silver medal at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, a gold at Athens in 2004 and another three golds in Beijing four years ago.
Team GB's Chef de Mission Andy Hunt said: "Team GB could not have placed the flag in better hands.
"It is a great honour for Sir Chris and the team will be proud to march behind him. He is a fantastic ambassador for his sport and his country."
Hoy is not due to compete until the second week of the Games, when he will try to surpass rower Sir Steve Redgrave's British record of five gold medals.
The British Olympic Association asked each sport represented in Team GB to nominate one candidate. The team leaders of each sport then voted on the shortlist.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
London 2012 opening ceremony: why I'm happy to #savethesurprise - The Guardian
This morning my mother-in-law called from France eager to find out what the rehearsal for the Olympic Games opening ceremony had been like. "What were the sheep doing?" she said. "And did you get the bubbles and everything? And what about Paul McCartney?" Then the hairdresser turned up. "Were there real cows there? And was there a scene of people having a picnic in the countryside?"
Now, I could tell you whether any of that did transpire because I was indeed there on that beautiful summer's evening yesterday, along with 60,000 others lucky enough to get a ticket. And it was luck in my case. My wife entered a lottery in the Hackney Today free newspaper.
But I'm not going to spill a single bean because Danny Boyle has asked me and all the other spectators not to. I'm a Danny disciple. I have a unique bond of trust with him that I shall not break. It's like an 11th commandment.
In fact the only theme of the evening I will discuss is the Twitter mantra #savethesurprise, that was drummed into us from the moment we arrived, projected out from the big screens that circle the top of the stadium.
Just in case we hadn't got the message while sitting (and getting a bit hot and bored) for about an hour for the show to start, Danny himself appeared and spoke unto us in his matey, charismatic Lancashire brogue. He said we could film, tweet, text and post if we wanted to, and he couldn't stop us, but he asked that we didn't because it would spoil it for everyone else. It was both an incredibly naive request and a deeply moving one. He said we were, in effect, part of the show. He recruited us into his big secret, his gang and I swear everyone in there was thrilled to be asked. I for one will do what he wants because I like him, he directs brilliant films and theatre, he's cool. I want to be in Danny's gang. And I suspect many others will too.
But perhaps I'd be less loyal if the show itself hadn't been so spellbinding. I can't tell you why, of course, but we were all transfixed by the various comings and goings and music and lights. It's an epic production of which Cecil B deMille would have been proud, with an appeal to all ages.
Well done Danny and all those thousands of performers, you put on one hell of a spectacle; it should be even more sensational for the real thing on Friday night with all the athletes parading round the stadium.
So in this era of leaks, and institutions you can't trust it's incredibly heartening that a crowd of people came together to witness a special event and have shown they can be trusted to keep a secret. Well I hope they can because, as a Twitter wit posted earlier, spoilers are just for boy-racer cars.
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
London Metal Exchange shareholders vote on takeover - Reuters UK
LONDON |
LONDON (Reuters) - London Metal Exchange (LME) shareholders decide on Wednesday whether to accept a $2.2 billion (1.4 billion pounds) offer by the Hong Kong stock exchange for the 135-year-old institution, the world's largest marketplace for materials such as copper, aluminium and zinc.
A survey published by Reuters on Monday with responses from 38 of the banks, funds and industrial users entitled to vote -- more than half of the total -- showed that most of those who had reached a decision would vote yes to a sale of the exchange at an extraordinary general meeting.
That would get the vote past the first hurdle of a positive outcome from 75 percent of total shares in favour of the offer from Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEx) that the LME board endorsed last month over a bid from InterContinental Exchange.
However, the LME's system of voting, designed to give a big voice to smaller shareholders, means that in a second part of the process, when votes of those attending the meeting are counted, the overall outcome could still go either way if industrial users turn out in force.
"We will vote against, and our proxy papers have been filed," said an executive at an industrial company. "The people I have talked to feel very uneasy about the consequences of a sale."
Industrial shareholders -- metals producers and traders -- have voiced objections to the takeover since the start of the process, fearing any sale might alter its unique, complex structure of futures trading and low fees.
However, HKEx Chief Executive Charles Li has promised that until at least January 1, 2015, HKEx will preserve the LME brand, the open-outcry trading and the structure.
While Li has failed to convince some about the deal, others are more optimistic about a favourable vote.
"There is very little opposition to the whole thing," one top executive at a shareholding company said on Tuesday.
Aluminium producer Norsk Hydro ASA, a small shareholder, has also said it will vote in favour of the deal.
The LME board, which includes shareholder Goldman Sachs and major commodities trader Sucden Financial, voted unanimously in favour of HKEx's offering, not least because it is seen providing a vital gateway to China, which consumes 40 percent of the world's copper.
The LME's top shareholder is JPMorgan, with 1.4 million shares, followed by Goldman with 1.23 million.
(Reporting by Susan Thomas; Editing by Veronica Brown and Anthony Barker)
Source: uk.reuters.com
NOW LIDL HELPS OUT STRUGGLING DAIRY FARMERS - express.co.uk
It was responding to farmers complaints that they are receiving less for milk than it costs to produce.
Last night a spokeswoman said: Lidl will support British dairy farmers with an extra 2p per litre of milk to offset the price reductions proposed by processors from August 1. It is our business model to offer our customers top-quality products for the best value, which means operating on lower margins than the larger food retailers. But, while we strive to operate competitively, we do believe in a market that is fair to all businesses involved.
We have had no influence on these proposed cuts as they have been applied by processors themselves. However, we have been monitoring the difficult situation facing dairy farmers. We wholeheartedly support our British dairy farmers, who play an integral part in providing all our consumers with the topquality British milk they require and, for that reason, we have taken [this] decision.
We will monitor the situation and we welcome any initiative that will enable British dairy farmers to operate in a fair position with processors and large food retailers alike.
Source: www.express.co.uk
Splash of the titans: American rivals Phelps and Lochte train at London Aquatic Centre - Daily Mail
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It’s going to be one of the great rivalries at London 2012 – and to add extra edge it is purely a domestic one.
After winning a record eight gold medals in the Beijing swimming pool, Michael Phelps will be aiming for another gold rush in London 2012 in a bid to take his tally to 21 following the six he picked up at Athens in 2004.
Gloves are on: Michael Phelps trains at London's Aquatics Centre
I'm No. 1 so why try harder? Phelps chats to Ryan Lochte (above) before gesturing in the pool
But out to stop him is his American compatriot Ryan Lochte who is set to push the 27-year-old all the way in London.
It’s a rivalry backed up by Phelps’ coach Bob Bowman who has claimed: ‘They rarely train together, mainly because we don’t want them killing each other or killing themselves — and they would.’
But there was no separating them in London on Tuesday, as both trained in the London pool ahead of the opening events on Saturday.
Splash landing: Michael Phelps takes a dive in the Olympic pool
Checking out the competition: The US team were joined by swimmers from Mexico
The pair are good friends outside the pool but inside it they are bitter rivals, with both admitting they hate it when the other swims his way to victory.
With Lochte gradually narrowing the gap between him and Phelps in their eight-year rivalry, their battles are set to be closer than ever at the Olympics.
Putting your foot in it: Phelps trained in close quarters to Lochte
The two were side-by-side training on Tuesday with Phelps perhaps helping his younger rival by two months know who is still No. 1.
Phelps looks more motivated than ever which is bad news for Lochte who hopes to add to his three gold medals in London.
All smiles: Phelps will compete in seven events in London in an attempt to add to his 14 Olympic gold medals
Taking it in: Phelps soaked up the London atmosphere before training
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
London ready to fight off Olympic hack attacks - Reuters UK
LONDON |
LONDON (Reuters) - Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake, the fastest men in the world, storm over the line together in the 100-metres final of the London Olympics - a photo finish.
As they eagerly look up for the result, a political message from a rogue hacking group fills the screen as the world looks on in disbelief.
While unlikely, the task of ensuring the unthinkable does not happen falls to the Games' IT services provider Atos.
Analysts say infiltrating the scoring and timing systems at one of the 35 competition venues around Britain, especially the Olympic stadium in east London, is a target for hackers looking to spread political messages, known as 'hacktivists', and criminal gangs looking to cash in on the Games.
"The digital systems recording scores and timings are susceptible to attack and will be targeted by hacktivists wanting to make a statement and by organised crime groups looking to profit from betting on events," said a former government cyber security boss who wished to remain nameless.
"Can you imagine the furore if the 100-metres final is a photo finish and they can't access the photo and no one knows when the clock stopped."
At the 2008 Beijing Games, around 12 million potential cyber attacks - varying in type and potency - were successfully defended each day but over the last four years the scams and cyber campaigns perpetrated by hackers have grown in scale and complexity.
Paris-based Atos, the lead technology company for the Olympics since 2002, expects up to 14 million possible attacks every day during the London games.
Marc Maiffret, chief technology officer of eEye Digital Security and a former hacker who was raided by the FBI when he was 17, said the Olympics was a prime target.
"I think this year even more so, given what's been happening recently in the hacktivist and related community," he said.
Hacktivists mount attacks to highlight political or social causes, and analysts say they are seen as more likely to target the Games than state-backed hackers.
"Hacktivist groups like LulzSec and Anonymous will want to go after the Olympics to make a point because it would give them an immediate worldwide audience for their social and political messages," said a cyber security consultant for the Games who did not want to be named.
"States involved in such attacks would not want to get caught targeting the Olympics as they could be banned and disgraced."
'ETHICAL HACKERS'
Atos, which expects to handle about two million pieces of key data throughout the event - a third more than at Beijing - has carried out more than 200,000 hours of testing, including simulating cyber attacks from so-called 'ethical hackers' invited to join the tests.
The company, which is responsible for some 11,500 computers and servers across Britain, will monitor possible cyber threats second by second from its Olympic Technology Operations Centre in east London's Canary Wharf business district.
It is protecting the systems that will deliver results to scoreboards at Olympic venues, event timetables to athletes, and Olympic accreditation information to UK border officials.
"It would be quite complicated to get into this network without being detected," said Atos' executive vice president Patrick Adiba. "I can never be 100 percent, but it is close to 100 percent."
If the main Olympic systems prove to be impregnable hackers could instead target transport infrastructure, financial operations or its top corporate sponsors.
Visa, for example, is the Olympics' only approved credit supplier and has a monopoly on all of the cash dispensing machines around the Olympic sites.
"Take down the Visa network and no one is buying or selling anything. The potential for damage and loss of revenue is vast," the cyber consultant said.
Maiffret said companies needed to plan for any cyber attacks that get through the defences.
"When you try to respond to a hack after the fact, and you are trying to create your plan as it's happening, that can be disastrous," he said.
Organisers are also wary of the threat from powerful computer viruses, such as 'Flame' and 'Shady RAT'.
Flame, which is capable of espionage and sabotaging computer systems, was likely used to attack Iran in April, while Shady RAT - a virus that persistently attacks computers and individual users - targeted the International Olympic Committee and four Olympic bodies in recent years.
Earlier this year MI5 chief Jonathan Evans said cyber attacks against the British government and businesses had reached "astonishing levels" and that the London Games would be an "attractive target" for cyber criminals.
Britain's minister responsible for cyber terrorism, Francis Maude, warned in May that the Olympics would "not be immune to cyber-attacks", given the hundreds of hotels, training centres and related facilities being used by athletes, coaches, Games officials and dignitaries during the Games.
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games'(LOCOG) will hope the $750 million (482 million pounds) it has spent on technology is enough to protect the Games.
(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)
(This story has been refiled to correct mis-spelled word in the second paragraph)
Source: uk.reuters.com
Love Michael Phelps! What a phenomenal athlete and a nice bloke! Wish him well.
- Elaine- Summer, you're free to make a comeback. . ., Birmingham UK, 24/7/2012 16:35
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