Tuesday, December 27, 2005The Nine Network has announced the death of one of Australia’s richest men, Kerry Packer, aged 68. Announcer Richard Wilkins said on the Today Show that he had just been handed official confirmation of Mr Packer’s death at 68. He said a statement from Tony Ritchie, Nine head of news, said: “Mrs Kerry Packer and her children James and Gretel sadly report the passing last evening of her husband and their father Kerry. He died peacefully at home with his family at his bedside”. Packer was the major shareholder in Publishing and Broadcasting Limited (PBL) which owns the Nine television network and Australian Consolidated Press, the producer…

Monday, January 31, 2005 New South Wales – 452 serious incidents that occurred during 2003 and 2004 have been brought to light, by a report released today about the safety of patients in the hospital system in New South Wales, Australia. Many of the incidents highlighted by the report resulted in injury, or even death. The report detailed 13 patients who had operations that they were not meant to have or who had the wrong part of the body operated upon. It also noted that another 22 were seriously injured in falls in wards and bathrooms. Other statistics included four suicides in hospital, with another 128 occurring in community care.…

Monday, May 14, 2007 Buffalo, New York — A massive warehouse complex of at least 5 buildings caught on fire in Buffalo, New York on 111 Tonawanda Street, sending a plume of thick, jet black colored smoke into the air that could be seen as far away as 40 miles. As of 6:40 a.m., the fire was under control, and firefighters were attempting to stop it from spreading, but could not get to the center of the fire because of severe amounts of debris. Later in the morning, the fire was extinguished. “The fire is mostly under debris at this point. It’s under control, but it’s under some debris. We…

Thursday, November 8, 2007 India is the latest of the countries where the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) experiment has started. Children from the village of Khairat were given the opportunity to learn how to use the XO laptop. During the last year XO was distributed to children from Arahuay in Peru, Ban Samkha in Thailand, Cardal in Uruguay and Galadima in Nigeria. The OLPC team are, in their reports on the startup of the trials, delighted with how the laptop has improved access to information and ability to carry out educational activities. Thailand’s The Nation has praised the project, describing the children as “enthusiastic” and keen to attend school…