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Red Fox Tavern: Jury learn one of the accused committed a prior aggravated robbery
One of the men accused of the infamous fatal 1987 Red Fox Tavern robbery had earlier been convicted of an aggravated robbery in Auckland. Mark Joseph Hoggart, 60, and a man with name suppression are on trial for the aggravated…
The barber with a surname a cut above the rest
He’s known locally as Bob the Barber from Birkenhead but this small business owner happens to have the single most popular last name in the country. According to latest data from the Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages…
'Unusual find' inside Spanish bar
Archeologists have uncovered the remains of a 12th century bathhouse at a popular bar in the city of Seville, southern Spain.
Cerveceria Giralda has been operating in the heart of the city since 1923, but the bar is housed in a building with a far longer history.
While the vaulted ceilings suggested it could have been a bathhouse, and historical records said there had been one in the area, no one had found concrete evidence of its existence, archeologist Fernando Amores of the University of Seville told CNN Thursday.
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Now skylights and red geometric paintings dating from the 12th century have been uncovered during recent renovation work.
In the 12th century, Seville was ruled by the Almohad caliphate, a North African Berber Muslim empire, which controlled much of the Iberian peninsula – modern day Spain and Portugal – at the time.
Mr Amores was part of a team of experts that collaborated on the restoration of what he called a "very unusual" find.
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The skylights are made in the form of eight-pointed stars, and the red ocher paintings make up interlinking geometric patterns.
The star-shaped windows are typical of hammams, and there are four different kinds in different sizes, said Mr Amores. However, the fact that the paintings completely covered the walls and ceiling is unusual, he added.
"It forms a beautiful sky," said Mr Amores, with light streaming through the windows reminiscent of the stars at night.
The complicated craftsmanship shows the importance of the bathhouse, which was located close to the city's main mosque when it was built, he said.
There is more restoration work to be done, said Mr Amores, but additional funding will be needed.
Archeologists are also carrying out carbon dating on the stucco — a fine plaster — to get a more precise date of construction, added Amores.
The project has been a collaboration between the owners of the building, the owners of the bar and the team of archeologists, said Mr Amores, explaining that the whole process has been a triumph of cooperation.
"We are very happy," he said.
The owners decided to carry out some renovation work last summer, a spokesperson for the bar told CNN. Until then, the original features had been covered up by a layer of decoration installed at the beginning of the 20th century.
As the work revealed evidence of the bathhouse, archeologists were brought in to supervise, the spokesperson added. The baths had at least three rooms, they said, which are now used as a kitchen and two dining rooms.
Architect Francisco Diaz told local TV station Canal Sur that archeologists didn't initially find anything of interest, but then one skylight was found in the ceiling. "From there it was like drawing back a veil and all of the skylights started to appear," said Mr Diaz.
Cerveceria Giralda serves tapas and beer, and is well-known in Seville.
"We think it (the bar) could open to the public in a month, combining restaurant operations with possible visits at certain times," said the spokesperson.
Vaccination rollout to make 'significant impact' in virus fight
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he will be receiving his coronavirus vaccine "very, very soon" and flagged the vaccination rollout should make a "significant impact" in combating the pandemic.
Mr Morrison and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian visited the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney this morning, one of the state's vaccine hubs, ahead of next week's rollout.
The prime minister said that he and Chief Health Officer Paul Kelly would receive the Pfizer vaccine soon.
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Mr Morrison said the vaccine rollout should make a "significant impact" in curbing the pandemic in Australia.
"I think it is a reasonable expectation that as time goes on, as the vaccination rolls out across the world and here in Australia, you should rightly expect that things will change and how we manage the virus," he said.
"I'm confident that as we move through the vaccination process, we can significantly change how things are down here in Australia."
But Mr Morrison said a vaccine passport for travellers remained some way off and depends largely on airlines.
"Once we get a greater understanding of everybody's systems that can give the airlines in particular… they can have confidence about what is being loaded up, who has had a vaccine, what vaccine they had."
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Mr Morrison also hinted that the initial vaccination of frontline health and quarantine workers will impact how state governments respond to virus clusters.
"The risk is going to change, it will go down with the vaccination, it will go down because of the improvement of practices," the prime minister said.
"So when the risk goes down, what does that mean for the other responses that states have been using up until this time?
"You only use a tool for as long as you need that tool. If you don't need the tool anymore, you put it back in the box. We are getting to that point on this and we are looking forward to that."
Ms Berejiklian confirmed frontline health workers in NSW will receive the vaccine from Monday.
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The premier also said she supported "incentives" for people in taking the vaccine.
She said they are a better policy to encourage people rather than penalties.
"I think that's a positive way to do it rather than penalise people who don't take the vaccine, I'd like incentives for people who do take the vaccine," she said.
Ms Berejiklian also said she understands the reluctance of some people about the jab.
"I know there are a minority in the community who don't feel it's good for the community but the vast majority of residents will welcome the vaccine's arrival and appreciate what it can do in our fight against COVID," she said
Ms Berejiklian said NSW Health officials were looking at giving vaccine priority to the families of hotel quarantine staff.
Morrison denies knowing about alleged rape two years ago
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has denied knowing about the alleged rape of staffer Brittany Higgins in 2019.
Mr Morrison denied misleading the Australian public after a series of text messages emerged that appeared to show his office was told of the rape soon after it allegedly took place.
"I have sought to be as open and honest as I can be about this matter," he said.
"I have told you everything I know about this matter."
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The text messages were between Ms Higgins and another Liberal Party staffer in early April of 2019, soon after the alleged rape took place.
In the texts, the male staffer wrote that he spoke to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
"He was mortified to hear about it and how things have been handled," the man's text message said.
"He's going to discuss with COS (chief-of-staff) – no-one else."
It is not clear who the "he" is in the text messages.
The prime minister said the reports from this morning would be part of an internal review into the handling of the alleged rape.
"I set out in the parliament this week the timetable of when I am advised my office knew about it," he said.
"I knew about it on Monday.
"It shattered me. It absolutely shattered me."
Mr Morrison said he has been listening to the issues raised over the alleged sexual assault, and is seeking to "address them in the best possible way I can".
"We have to deal with issues of culture which I'm sure you would agree are not confined to the offices of parliamentarians," he said.
"This is an issue that every workplace deals with.
"I have no doubt it occurs in the media workplaces, offices in law professions or whatever it might be."
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said Mr Morrison's explanation "doesn't pass the pub test".
"It's not credible that the prime minister continues to say that his office only found out about it this week," Mr Albanese said.
"And the dissembling nature of his answers before the Parliament are not good enough."
Mr Albanese said Ms Higgins deserves better than the way she was treated by the government this week.
"For her to not get the respect of getting straight and clear answers about what the response was at the time, about who was told and what they were told at the time, is disrespectful of Ms Higgins," he said.
"I believe Brittany Higgins."
Ms Higgins alleges that she was taken into the office of then-Defence Industry Minister and current Defence Minister Linda Reynolds by a government staffer when she was drunk and then raped.
Hours after security guards found Ms Higgins in a state of undress, the office was steam-cleaned.
Security guards considered calling an ambulance for her when she was found.
Days later Ms Higgins was called into a meeting with Senator Reynolds to discuss the alleged rape in the same room.
Ms Higgins is considering pressing charges against the alleged rapist.
The alleged rape took place little more than a month before the 2019 federal election.
French, Spanish police bust thieves of rare 'purple' diamond
A suspected gang of diamond thieves who posed as potential buyers to steal a precious purple-hued diamond worth millions in Barcelona has been busted by French and Spanish police, officials say.
Police in Spain's northeast Catalonia region said that eight suspected members of the criminal ring were arrested in Bondy, France, near Paris.
The police investigation started in Barcelona after the January 2020 robbery of the rare diamond, estimated to be worth up to 15 million euros ($23 million), according to Catalan police.
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The investigation later linked the suspects with the theft of another diamond worth 4.5 million euros ($7 million) in Cannes, France, in August 2020.
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Police said the thieves pretended to be interested in the purchase of the gemstones, only to switch the diamond case for a similar one after distracting the seller.
Caribbean Lottery donates 3,000 masks to assist in the COVID-19 fight
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — The Caribbean Lottery has donated 3,000 KN95 masks, 2,000 to the Ministry of Health and 1,000 to the National COVID-19 Task Force.
The presentation was made at the National Emergency Operations Centre Press Briefing on February 17.
On behalf of the Caribbean Lottery, Sabina Harrinarain commended the efforts by the Ministry of Health as well as the COVID-19 Task Force in keeping the Federations safe.
“To show our commitment to the cause, we are donating 2,000 masks to the Ministry of Health, and 1,000 masks to the COVID-19 Task Force,” said Mrs. Harrinarian. “We thank you so much and applaud you for all the hard work and effort you have taken in keeping us safe especially in these uncertain times.”
Medical Chief of Staff at the JNF General Hospital, Dr. Cameron Wilkinson, accepted the masks on behalf of the ministry and expressed gratitude to the Caribbean Lottery for its generous donation.
“I want to say how grateful we are for this timely and very important donation,” he said. “We have said all along that it’s the non-pharmaceutical measures that will keep us safe, that is, wearing masks, social distancing and hand sanitizing, and we cannot have enough masks.”
Dr. Wilkinson said he is happy that the organization has decided to make the donation of 3000 KN95 masks.
“I assure you these will go a long way in continuing to protect us and preventing the spread of COVID-19,” he said. “We have done a great job so far not having any community spread, not having major hospitalizations or deaths and this gesture today would go a long way in keeping us in a continued safe manner.”
The post Caribbean Lottery donates 3,000 masks to assist in the COVID-19 fight appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.
Thirty-seven entrants to compete in National Backyard Gardening Competition
BASSERERRE, St. Kitts — Thirty-seven entrants have registered to participate in the 2021 National Backyard Garden Competition with 26 entrants in vegetable and 11 in the ornamental categories. The goal of the initiative by the Ministries of Tourism and Agriculture, are aimed at encouraging more locally grown food.
“The event is designed to promote healthy eating, as well as to encourage persons to beautify their communities and homes,” explained Shaline Welcome-Lewis, Community Tourism Officer. The competition was launched in October 2020.
“The project is to encourage the development of backyard gardening while increasing the awareness of healthier eating for persons with fresh daily consumption,” said Mrs. Welcome-Lewis. “We want to encourage locals to grow what they want to consume and with the economic impact that we have all endured recently we want to ensure that people can reduce their supermarket bills, while they eat healthier and spend less.”
The competition will be judged on plant cultivation and health (40 points), layout (15 points), and environment (25 points). A bonus segment using drone footage will allow persons to score an extra five points.
Under plant cultivation and health, participants are required to implement and adopt creative measures, demonstrate proper use of the garden space, have healthy plants, as well as label plants properly so they can be easily identified, just to name a few.
Kyle Flanders, Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, said that the physical layout of the garden is an important component of the competition.
“We are going to look and see exactly how you decided to lay out your garden, where the footpaths are, and the organization of plants in the garden,” said Flanders. “We want to know if you are going to pair the plants properly and we want to know that you have clear, comfortable access to your overall garden.”
Mrs. Therez Ambrose-Versailles, Tourism Research Officer, stressed the use of recyclable materials as recycling can help to protect the environment.
“We want people to use recyclable materials in their garden,” said Mrs. Ambrose-Versailles. “We will be able to see the impact of the recycled materials used. I want to see uniqueness when I enter your garden and what materials were used that I have never seen before.
“We want to have this wow factor when I enter your garden,” she said. “The sustainable aspect of the competition is important because it is not about just gardening for a competition but to be able to feed yourself and your family.”
There are participants from all around the island, including St. Peter’s, Sandy Point, Half Way Tree, Old Road, and Newton Ground.
In the vegetable section, the top three competitors will be rewarded while the top two will be rewarded for ornamental. Some of the prizes include an irrigation system, wheelbarrow, gardening tool kit, plaque, basket, and gardening hose with control head.
Advantages of backyard gardening
There are several advantages to be derived from backyard gardening,” explained Flanders.
“Subsistence farming is defined as farming or a system of farming that provides all or almost all the goods required by the farm family usually without any significant surplus for sale.
“Saving money is one advantage,” he said. “Everyone is concerned about their pockets. Therefore if you’re doing backyard farming you are going to reduce your supermarket bill.
“The second advantage he mentioned was that persons can eat healthier,” said Flanders. “People complain about the chemicals being put into the plants that are being imported. But, if you plant them yourself, you know what is in the ground, you know what you are doing. It’s as organic as organic can be. So therefore, there might not be a problem as it relates to that.
“The third advantage mentioned was food security. It would have just been a talking point back in the day, but COVID taught us that not anymore, we need to get this thing happening,” he said. “Therefore, we can use backyard gardening to make sure people have nutritious foods at their fingertips.”
Flanders said that the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #2 deals with zero hunger by 2030, and that subsistence farming can help with this.
The post Thirty-seven entrants to compete in National Backyard Gardening Competition appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.
Glitches, grumbles and gratitude: Retail pharmacy vaccine rollout gets mixed reaction
“People don’t have that kind of time to sit and wait,” said one woman who spent a full day trying to book vaccine appointments.