Schriner previously ran for president in 2000, 2004, and 2008, but failed to gain much traction in the races. He announced his candidacy for the 2012 race immediately following the 2008 election. Schriner refers to himself as the “Average Joe” candidate, and advocates a pro-life and pro-environmentalist platform. He has been the subject of numerous newspaper articles, and has published public policy papers exploring solutions to American issues.
Wikinews reporter William Saturn? talks with Schriner and discusses his campaign.
TacSat-1 spacecraft, which was supposed to be the successor to the Falcon I
SpaceX called off the much-delayed inaugural launch of their new Falcon 1 rocket on Saturday from Kwajalein’s Omelek Island launch site. The intent was to launch the U.S. Air Force Academy’s FalconSat 2 satellite, which will monitor plasma interactions with the Earth’s upper atmosphere and magnetosphere.
The launch was delayed, then finally cancelled after an oxygen boil-off vent had accidentally been left open. The oxygen was unable to cool the helium pressurant, which then proceeded to evaporate faster than it could be replenished. A main computer issue, probably serious enough to cause a scrub on its own, was also discovered.
This long-anticipated flight was originally expected to be launched in January 2005, however a series of setbacks forced a series of delays, with the flight most recently scheduled to be in early 2006. It was intended to be launched from the Kwajalein atoll in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
A 2000 rupee note printed in MysoreImage: Agastya Chandrakant.
On Wednesday, India demonetised ?500 (about US$7.50) and ?1000 notes, announced as a measure to fight corruption, fake notes, and black money. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Indian citizens late Tuesday, and said 500 and 1000 rupee notes would cease to be legal tender at midnight.
To minimise possible difficulties to citizens, transactions using old 500 and 1000 rupee notes were accepted at government hospitals, railway ticket bookings, government buses, and airports. The notes were also accepted at public-sector petrol-pumps, government-authorised consumer co-operative stores, milk booths authorised by State governments, and cremation grounds till Friday midnight. These shops were obliged to have a record of their stocks and sales.
Old Five hundred and 1000 rupee notes could can be exchanged in banks, head and sub post offices from November 10 till December 30Image: Agastya Chandrakant.
In his announcement, Modi said, “For your immediate needs, you can go to any bank, head post office or sub post office, show your identity proof like Aadhar card, voter’s card, ration card, passport, income tax PAN card number or other approved proofs and exchange your old 500 or thousand rupee notes for new notes.” ((hi))Hindi language: ??????? ???????? ?? ??? ???? ?? ?? ?? ???? ?? ?????? ????? ?? ??? ??? ?????? ????? ?? ??? ?? ????? ?? ??? ?????? ?? ?? ???? ?? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ??? ?? ?? ?????? ?? ???? ????? ????, ???? ??, ???? ?????, ?????? ?????, ???? ?????, ????????, ???? ????? ??? ????? ??????? ???? ?? ??? ??? ??? ???? ?? ??? ??? ???? ???
Modi also announced those who failed to change their currency till December 30 can exchange the notes at Reserve Bank of India (RBI)’s office along with a declaration form till March 31. The notes can be exchanged till December 30 at any branch of any bank across India.
By Saturday, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said demonetised money equivalent to almost US$30 billion was deposited in banks across India. According to estimate, the old notes accounted for 85% of the total money in circulation. New 500 rupee and 2000 rupee notes are to be issued. Modi said RBI would exercise caution from past experience and limit the circulation of large-value notes.
International tourists could purchase up to 5000 rupees using the old notes at airport exchanges till Friday.
A limit was imposed on cash withdrawal; a maximum of 10000 rupees each day, and 20000 rupees each week, can be withdrawn. Moreover, from Thursday (November 10) till November 24, 4000 rupees can be exchanged in the banks and post offices. The amount is credited to the bank account.
Government workers were informed about demonetising when the announcement was made. Modi announced all banks would remain closed for public work on Wednesday.
In the United States, Donald Trump won the 2016 presidential election on Tuesday, immediately after which stock markets dropped globally. Following the US election and demonetising the money, the Indian stock market fell by 1700 points on Wednesday. Sensex lost 1,688.69 points and Nifty lost 111.55 points on the same day. Indian technology sector companies experienced loss. TCS suffered 4.93% loss and Infosys lost 2.74%.
The Indian rupee is also used in the neighbouring countries of Bhutan and Nepal. The border area uses Indian currency for day-to-day transactions. The Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan (RMA) has announced the exchange of old notes will be facilitated till December 15. RMA governor Dasho Penjore informed Indian news site The Wire, “We do not know exactly how much Indian currency of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 is in circulation in Bhutan. We will get a better idea after the deadline to deposit their amount”. RMA has 30% of its international exchange reserve in Indian rupees. Nepal Rastra Bank directed all Nepali banks to stop conducting transactions using the Indian rupee.
On Thursday, there were long queues in front of ATMs and banks to exchange the old notes and withdraw money. BBC reported some banks ran out of cash. Police were called to some banks to maintain discipline. Banks were open on Saturday and Sunday for money exchange.
A notice about demonetisation of 500 and 1000 rupee notes which were not accepted in the storeImage: Agastya Chandrakant.A shop accepting 500 and 1000 rupee notes after they were no longer valid currency even in government hospitals, on SaturdayImage: Agastya Chandrakant.
Shops did not accept the old 500 and 1000 rupee notes. Some emphasised cash-less transaction as well. BBC reported some traders and small business owners in Delhi threatened to call a strike as this move affected their business.
eRetail websites like Amazon and Flipkart announced they would not accept the old 500 and 1000 rupee notes on Cash on Delivery orders. Amazon also announced 15% discount on gift cards worth 500 or 1000 rupees.
The government ceased all transactions using the old 500 and 1000 rupee notes before Saturday. But a Wikinews correspondent noticed a jeweler shop accepting the demonetised notes on Saturday. When questioned, the jeweler said they were accepting the old notes only on purchase. When the correspondent, who did not identify as a reporter to the shop owners, said the old 500 and 1000 rupee notes were not legal money, they said they will exchange the notes in a bank since there were 50 days to exchange with a new and legal tender. They refused to exchange old 500 rupee notes with change, asserting the customer needs to buy merchandise from their shop.
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Crowded scene in front of State Bank of IndiaImage: Agastya Chandrakant.
State Bank of India remained open at night, and a long queue of people waited outside the ATM to withdraw moneyImage: Agastya Chandrakant.
CAnara Bank’s ATM remained closed on WednesdayImage: Agastya Chandrakant.
Karnataka Bank’s ATM remained closed on WednesdayImage: Agastya Chandrakant.
Corporation Bank’s ATM remained closed on WednesdayImage: Agastya Chandrakant.
Axis Bank’s ATM remained closed on WednesdayImage: Agastya Chandrakant.
Syndicate Bank’s ATM remained closed on WednesdayImage: Agastya Chandrakant.
Karnataka Bank’s ATM remained closed on WednesdayImage: Agastya Chandrakant.
A National Academy of Sciences report (.pdf) last year said that while the milk and meat from cloned animals would not likely make anyone sick, more research should be performed. Now, a new US-Japan study published in the April 11 online issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences says that milk and meat from cloned cattle does indeed appear to meet industry standards and appears to be safe for human consumption.
As BBC News reports, the scientists, led by Professor Jerry Yang from the University of Connecticut, compared the produce from two beef and four dairy clones, all derived from a single Holstein dairy cow and a single Japanese black bull, with the produce from normal animals of similar age and breed.
The meat was analysed against more than 100 physiological, tissue and cellular components, while the milk was analysed for protein, fat and other variables. No significant differences between the produce of cloned and normal cattle were found. Higher levels of fat and fatty acids were found in the cloned cow meat, but they still fell within beef industry standards.
While the study showed the cloned produce to be within the range approved for human consumption, the scientists stressed that the research was still in its early stages. Their findings, they said, provide “guidelines” for further research with larger numbers of clones from different genetic backgrounds.
Cloning livestock may one day increase yields by copying those animals that are especially productive and especially resistant to disease.
“The milking production levels in the US are three to four times higher than levels in China; maybe even five times or more compared to cows in India and some other countries,” Professor Jerry Yang told BBC News. “Therefore cloning could offer technology for duplicating superior farm animals. However, all the products from these cloned animals must be safe for human consumption. …and it is a major issue for scientists to provide a scientific basis for the data and information to address this question.”
As USA Today reports, there is currently no law governing the sale of meat or milk from the estimated 1,000 to 2,000 cloned farm animals in the USA. But since 2003, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has asked producers to voluntarily keep the meat and milk of these animals, and that of their offspring, out of the food supply.
Wired News reports that companies like ViaGen and Cyagra, which offer livestock-cloning services, have also been waiting for several years for a final say from the FDA.
“For the United States agricultural industry, (cloning) can reduce the number of cows necessary for milking,” said Jerry Yang “They can have a pleasant environment and produce even more milk.” He also said that cloning cattle from the United States, where genetic breeding is more advanced, could save developing countries 50 years of breeding.
The idea of cloning animals for human consumption is not without its critics. First, there are the welfare concerns, as most cloned animals do not make it to term before being born, and many of those that do are born deformed or prone to illness. The Humane Society of the United States has asked for a ban on milk and meat from clones for just this reason. Second, there is still the concern that healthy clones may have subtle defects that could make their food products unsafe to eat.
As the Washington Post reports, some critics are asking why it is necessary to clone cows that produce huge amounts of milk when surpluses, rather than shortages, are the main problem facing the U.S. dairy industry today.
Computer generated image of the Phoenix Mars probe during landingCredit: Corby Waste (JPL/NASA)
Canada has contributed a significant component to NASA’sPhoenix mission to Mars, announced Maxime Bernier, Canada’s Minister of Industry. In a news release on Thursday, Bernier, who is also responsible for the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), indicated that Canada had provided a meteorological station, named MET.
The Phoenix Lander, with several on-board instruments, is to launch in August 2007 and touch down on Mars in May 2008. It will gather information on the Martian climate and weather, and will search for habitable zones.
The MET is to play a significant role in NASA’s mission by providing information on the Mars atmosphere. The MET is comprised of a pressure sensor, three temperature sensors located on a mast, and a lidar. A lidar is similar to radar but employs laser light rather than microwaves.
The MET instruments were designed by Canadian scientists and private industry, which had received CA$37 million in funding from the CSA. “Our contribution to the Phoenix mission will inspire young Canadians to take their place as part of the next space generation,” said Bernier.
With the experience gained from the Phoenix mission, NASA hopes to provide a foundation for future robotic missions and, one day, human exploration of Mars.
David Parker resigned today from Cabinet, a day after he resigned his position as Attorney-General and after publicity around his filing of an incorrect declaration with the Companies Office on behalf of Queens Park Mews Limited.
The declaration said that the three shareholders had unanimously agreed not to appoint an auditor for the company; but according to Investigate Magazine, another shareholder, Russell Hyslop, had never been consulted about the matter.
Parker confesses to making a “mistake” over the returns. He says when Hyslop was declared bankrupt in 1997, he cleared it with the Official Assignee for the first two years. He then forgot to clear on other years.
Parker was saying early this morning that he would persist in holding his other portfolios.
Prime Minister Helen Clark released the news shortly before 11 a.m. (NZST) as she walked into a caucus meeting. She said, “I have this morning accepted Mr Parker’s resignation from all his portfolios.”
Knowingly authorising a false statement is an offence under the Companies Act. The maximum penalty under section 373(4) for filing a false return is a fine of $200,000 or five years of imprisonment.
Rescuers are continuing their efforts to reach the trapped miners in the Beaconsfield mine in northern Tasmania.
A five tonne borer drilling machine has been secured in place to drill a one metre hole through the remaining 12-16 metres of rock that fell into the main shaft.
Since drilling began at 7pm last night, the machine has made a 2 cm wide pilot hole half way to the miners.
The trapped miners have been given egg sandwiches and yogurt, and have received apple ipod MP3 players filled with the miners favourite songs to pass the time and drown out the sounds of the drilling.
Meanwhile on the surface, the ever-growing media frenzy in Beaconsfield has forced the mine operators to enforce bag checks of rescuers entering the mine to ensure that no recording devices are taken into the mine.
Wikinews interviewed author Amy Scobee about her book Scientology – Abuse at the Top, and asked her about her experiences working as an executive within the organization. Scobee joined the organization at age 14, and worked at Scientology’s international management headquarters for several years before leaving in 2005. She served as a Scientology executive in multiple high-ranking positions, working out of the international headquarters of Scientology known as “Gold Base”, located in Gilman Hot Springs near Hemet, California.