Downing Street has defended plans to change the status of civil ceremonies to allow gay and lesbian couples in England and Wales to get married.
It said it was confident safeguards to stop religious organisations being forced to take part in services would not be overturned by European courts.
The Church of England has said the move would "alter the intrinsic nature of marriage as the union of a man and a woman".
Ministers plan to pass the law by 2015.
In its 11 June response to a consultation on the issue, the Church of England said plans to exempt religious organisations from performing gay marriages would be unlikely to survive legal challenges in domestic and European courts.
However, Home Secretary Theresa May has said she believes ministers can create safeguards to protect the concerns expressed by religious groups.
Analysis
If the state sanctions marriage between same-sex couples, and one of those couples is deeply religious and wants their marriage ceremony to take place in a church or other place of worship, could they bring a legal challenge?
The answer is yes, and the basis is article 9 of the Human Rights Act which protects freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
Any such challenge would be likely to end up at the European Court of Human Rights and would be against the UK government's decision to legalise only gay civil marriages, and ban religious ones.
Like the blanket ban on prisoner voting, it is entirely possible that the European Court would declare the restriction unlawful.
However, critically, that would not compel religious institutions to carry out same-sex marriages.
It would be more likely to allow religious institutions to choose whether to marry gay couples, and indeed allow individuals within those institutions to choose whether to conduct religious ceremonies.
That would lead to a patchwork landscape for those seeking a same-sex religious marriage, with couples having to shop around.
It could also lead to ructions within a religion where the governing body remains against same-sex marriage, but individual members of the clergy decide that they are content to perform a religious ceremony.
"The government is not going to ask anybody to do anything that is against their conscience," she said.
"We want to ensure that we can put into place a framework that makes sure that those people who don't want to host same-sex marriages are not required to do so."
Civil partnerships were introduced in 2005 to give same-sex couples the same legal rights as married couples, but the law does not allow such unions to be referred to as marriages.
The government rejected the Church of England's assertion that the consultation exercise, which closes on Thursday, was "flawed, conceptually and legally".
Downing Street said the government welcomed the submission by the Church of England and would carefully consider it.
But the prime minister's spokeswoman confirmed that the government still intended to legislate on gay marriage by the end of this parliament.
"It is the government's view that marriage is one of the most important institutions we have got," she said.
"The consultation paper makes very clear that no religious organisation will be forced to conduct same-sex marriages as a result of our proposals."
She added that the government had taken legal advice on the likelihood of a challenge to the European court before drawing up its proposals and that Tory MPs, some of whom had expressed opposition to the plans, would be given a free vote.
Meanwhile, the National Secular Society said it was "incorrect" for the Church of England to "usurp Parliament's power" by claiming it could not redefine marriage.
"The Church's case rests on the risible proposition that introducing same-sex civil marriage will render the Church vulnerable to a European Court forcing it to conduct same-sex religious marriages too. The freedom of religion provisions, however, would ensure this could never happen," it said.
Gay rights campaign group Stonewall described the latest concerns raised by the Church of England as "scaremongering"
The Catholic Church in England and Wales has urged people to sign an online petition organised by the Coalition for Marriage.
More than 550,000 people have so far signed the petition set up by the "umbrella group of individuals and organisations in the UK that support traditional marriage and oppose any plans to redefine it".
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Trayvon's father tells Florida panel: It's a bad law - msnbc.com
(Reuters) - The parents of Trayvon Martin, the unarmed black teenager who was killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer in February, told a Florida task force on Tuesday that the state's Stand Your Ground statute is "a bad law."
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- Updated 116 minutes ago 6/12/2012 9:14:07 PM +00:00 Florida debates 'Stand Your Ground' law
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Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin asked state lawmakers to make changes in the statute to eliminate the gray areas.
"There is something seriously wrong when there is a minor child who was unarmed and he's dead right now and there is a law that the person is using to try to defend himself against killing a kid," Fulton told the Task Force on Citizen Safety and Protection. "Please, I beg you, review the law again."
The task force was created after the Martin shooting by Florida Governor Rick Scott to review the state's 2005 Stand Your Ground law, which allows people to use deadly force if they feel their life is in danger or fear great bodily harm.
The meeting at a church in Longwood, not far from the town of Sanford, where neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman killed Martin on February 26, is the first of several meetings to take place around the state.
Martin's parents also attended a lunchtime rally outside the meeting where a petition to repeal the law was presented with more than 375,000 signatures collected by Second Chance on Shoot First, a national campaign co-founded by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
The 19-member panel is tasked with recommending changes to Florida self-defense laws and other safety issues in time for the 2013 legislative session, which begins in March.
As it is written, Fulton said, the law led a neighborhood watch volunteer to follow her son, confront him and after an altercation kill him.
"He was committing no crime. He did nothing wrong," she said.
"It's a bad law. These laws are set up basically for the shooter to take an innocent life," said Tracy Martin.
Martin's death has caused a national uproar and debate over racial profiling, guns and similar self-defense laws in place in more than 20 states.
CONTROVERSIAL LAW
Advocates of the Stand Your Ground laws say they provide better security for law-abiding citizens who need to protect themselves when law enforcement cannot be called in to help.
Critics say the Florida law is ridden with ambiguity that can lead to unnecessary deaths, and has also been inconsistently applied by prosecutors.
Zimmerman has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and is in jail awaiting trial. He told Sanford police after he shot Martin in a struggle on the ground that he fired his gun in self-defense because he feared his own life was in danger.
Martin was returning from a convenience store in a gated residential community in Sanford where he was staying with his father when he was spotted by Zimmerman, a white Hispanic.
Establishing who is the aggressor in a close-quarters shooting "can be difficult," Thomas Hixon, a Miami-Dade County homicide detective, told the panel. "There may be a lack of witnesses or lack of evidence to support the claim (of self-defense)," he added.
After hearing legal experts debate the scope of the law, many speakers said the law as written gives too much leeway.
"A law of this magnitude should be simple enough for the general public to understand," said Joe Tillman of Jacksonville.
"What I heard here today that there is no understanding of the rules of engagement," said Tillman, a U.S. Army veteran. "It boils down to a lot of different opinions from a lot of different offices depending on which county you are in."
(Writing by David Adams; Editing by Doina Chiacu)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Check for restrictions at: http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
Source: www.msnbc.msn.com
Sussex football star killed in crossfire - Progress Index
SURRY - A high school football standout from Sussex County was shot and killed at a graduation party in Surry County Saturday. Tyquan Johnson, 18, had graduated from Sussex Central High School on Friday evening, the school's principal Dr. Arthur Jarrett said.
"Tyquan was an excellent young man, always smiling on the field and in the classroom," Jarrett said. "He had a big heart and he was a good person. He will be missed by both our school and our community," he said. Johnson was quarterback for the school's football team.
Police say that Johnson attended a private graduation party held in the 2100 block of Alliance Road in Surry Saturday night and was caught between two groups of people that were firing at each other after the party.
"There was some type of conflict between several young men that the victim got caught up in," Surry County Sheriff Alvin Clayton said, adding that according to witnesses, between a dozen and 50 shots were fired in the altercation.
Three people were hit, including Johnson, Clayton said. "Mr. Johnson died on the way to the hospital," he said. The other two victims, who were also from Sussex, suffered non-life threatening injuries.
Autopsy results have concluded that Johnson died from a gunshot wound. His death was ruled a homicide. Clayton asked Virginia State Police and the Sussex County Sheriff's Office for assistance in investigating the case.
"We do have suspects in the shooting and we will be charging folks soon," Clayton said.
Johnson had planned to play football at North Carolina Wesleyan, Jarrett said.
Markus Schmidt may be reached at 722-5172 or mschmidt@progress-index.com
Source: progress-index.com
Undoing health law could have messy ripple effects - The Guardian
RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR
Associated Press= WASHINGTON (AP) — It sounds like a silver lining. Even if the Supreme Court overturns President Barack Obama's health care law, employers can keep offering popular coverage for the young adult children of their workers.
But here's the catch: The parents' taxes would go up.
That's only one of the messy potential ripple effects when the Supreme Court delivers its verdict on the Affordable Care Act this month. The law affects most major components of the U.S. health care system in its effort to extend coverage to millions of uninsured people.
Because the legislation is so complicated, an orderly unwinding would prove difficult if it were overturned entirely or in part.
Better Medicare prescription benefits, currently saving hundreds of dollars for older people with high drug costs, would be suspended. Ditto for preventive care with no co-payments, now available to retirees and working families alike.
Partially overturning the law could leave hospitals, insurers and other service providers on the hook for tax increases and spending cuts without the law's promise of more paying customers to offset losses.
If the law is upheld, other kinds of complications could result.
The nation is so divided that states led by Republicans are largely unprepared to carry out critical requirements such as creating insurance markets. Things may not settle down.
"At the end of the day, I don't think any of the major players in the health insurance industry or the provider community really wants to see the whole thing overturned," said Christine Ferguson, a health policy expert who was commissioner of public health in Massachusetts when Mitt Romney was governor.
"Even though this is not the most ideal solution, at least it is moving us forward, and it does infuse some money into the system for coverage," said Ferguson, now at George Washington University. As the GOP presidential candidate, Romney has pledged to wipe Obama's law off the books. But he defends his Massachusetts law that served as a prototype for Obama's.
While it's unclear how the justices will rule, oral arguments did not go well for the Obama administration. The central issue is whether the government can require individuals to have health insurance and fine them if they don't.
That mandate takes effect in 2014, at the same time that the law would prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage to people with existing health problems. Most experts say the coverage guarantee would balloon costs unless virtually all people joined the insurance pool.
Opponents say Congress overstepped its constitutional authority by issuing the insurance mandate. The administration says the requirement is permissible because it serves to regulate interstate commerce. Most people already are insured. The law provides subsidies to help uninsured middle-class households pay premiums and expands Medicaid to pick up more low-income people.
The coverage for young adults up to age 26 on a parent's health insurance is a popular provision that no one's arguing about. A report last week from the Commonwealth Fund estimated that 6.6 million young adults have taken advantage of the benefit, while a new Gallup survey showed the uninsured rate for people age 18-25 continues to decline, down to 23 percent from 28 percent when the law took effect.
Families will be watching to see if their 20-somethings transitioning to the work world will get to keep that newfound security.
Because the benefit is a winner with consumers, experts say many employers and insurers would look for ways to keep offering it even if there's no legal requirement to do so. On Monday, UnitedHealth Group Inc., the nation's largest insurer, is announcing that it will continue to offer coverage to young adults even if the health care law is struck down.
But economist Paul Fronstin of the Employee Benefit Research Institute says many parents would pay higher taxes as a result because they would have to pay for the young adult's coverage with after-tax dollars. Under the health care law, that coverage now comes out of pre-tax dollars.
Fronstin says there's no way to tell exactly how much that tax increase might be, but a couple of hundred dollars a year or more is a reasonable ballpark estimate. Upper-income taxpayers would have a greater liability.
"Adult children aren't necessarily dependents for tax purposes, but an employer can allow anyone to be on a plan, just like they now allow domestic partners," said Fronstin. "If your employer said, 'I'm going to let you keep this,' it would become a taxable benefit for certain people."
Advocates for the elderly are also worried about untoward ripple effects.
If the entire law is overturned, seniors with high prescription costs in Medicare's "donut hole" coverage gap could lose annual discounts averaging about $600. AARP policy director David Certner says he would hope the discounts could remain in place at least through the end of this year.
Yet that might not be possible. Lacking legal authority, Medicare would have to take away the discounts. Drugmakers, now bearing the cost, could decide they want to keep offering discounts voluntarily. But then they'd risk running afoul of other federal rules that bar medical providers from offering financial inducements to Medicare recipients.
"I don't think anyone has any idea," said Certner.
A mixed verdict from the high court would be the most confusing outcome. Some parts of the law would be struck down while others lurch ahead.
That kind of result would seem to call for Congress to step in and smooth any necessary adjustments. Yet partisan divisions on Capitol Hill are so intense that hardly anyone sees a chance that would happen this year.
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Romney Outlines Health-Care Plan as Supreme Court Weighs Law - Businessweek
Mitt Romney pledged to replace the U.S. health-care overhaul with a plan relying on private markets to provide “access to good health care” for every American, as he revived attacks on President Barack Obama’s signature achievement that the U.S. Supreme Court is preparing to rule on.
The presumptive Republican presidential nominee told small business owners in Orlando, Florida, that he would implement policies, including tax breaks, aimed at helping the private market care for the uninsured and those with preexisting medical conditions.
“Free enterprise is the way America works,” Romney told the group gathered in the warehouse of Con Air Industries, which makes air filters. “We need to apply that to health care.”
The Supreme Court is expected to issue a decision on the Affordable Care Act by the end of the month, ruling on a law that would expand insurance to at least 30 million people and transform an industry that accounts for 18 percent of the U.S. economy.
Romney, 65, said if the justices fail to overturn the law completely, he would repeal the remaining pieces on his first day as president by granting waivers for every state to opt out of the restrictions.
‘Do Both’
“Regardless of what they do, it’s going to be after the next president to either repeal and replace or replace Obamacare,” Romney said. “And I intend to do both.”
Democrats charged Romney with trying to roll back the benefits of the law for young people, women and the uninsured.
“For too long, American families have faced a choice between going bankrupt to afford the care they need or going without that care at all, and Mitt Romney wants to take us back to that time,” Obama campaign spokeswoman Lis Smith said in a statement.
Standing in front of a banner reading “Repeal & Replace Obamacare,” Romney said caring for the uninsured is his top priority. He would put that responsibility on the states, and not require people to obtain insurance or face financial penalties, as the federal law does. To provide the care, Romney would divert money from Medicaid, the federal health program for the poor, and other funding to local governments.
Preexisting Conditions
He also vowed to maintain coverage for people with preexisting conditions, though only those who risk losing their benefits when they change jobs or get laid off.
Romney’s proposal is a more limited version of a provision included in Obama’s Affordable Care Act, which requires insurance companies to cover all people with preexisting conditions -- even first-time buyers.
Between 36 million and 122 million adults, or from 20 percent to 66 percent of the U.S. adult population, reported having medical conditions that could result in health insurance coverage restrictions, according to a March 27 report by the Government Accountability Office, Congress’s auditing arm.
It’s unclear how insurance companies could cover those with preexisting conditions without the individual mandate for everyone to buy insurance -- part of the law Romney has said he would repeal if it isn’t struck down by the Supreme Court.
Coverage of Children
Romney also didn’t mention the provision in the current law, which Obama signed in March 2010, that lets children stay on their parents’ plan until the age of 26.
UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH) (UNH), Aetna Inc. (AET) (AET) and Humana Inc. (HUM) (HUM) said this week they would save some of the law’s provisions, including letting young adults stay on parents’ plans, regardless of how the court rules.
Without the law, parents would have to pay for their child’s coverage with after-tax dollars, resulting in a higher tax bill.
Though Romney first laid out his health-care plans in a May 2011 speech in Michigan, he largely avoided the issue in the Republican primaries while his rivals sought to use it against him.
During his 2003-2007 term as governor of Massachusetts, Romney helped craft health-care legislation that included the insurance mandate for all state residents. Aspects of the federal law are similar to the Massachusetts measure, including the provision that adults must buy insurance or face a financial penalty.
Santorum Criticism
Romney, while not backing away from his support of the Massachusetts law, has said he doesn’t back imposing its provisions nationwide. His chief rival in the Republican race, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, argued Romney’s record meant he couldn’t provide an effective contrast to Obama on the health-care issue.
Having locked down his party’s nomination, Romney is seeking to depict the Affordable Care Act as another example of how Obama is out of touch with the economic anxieties of many Americans.
Romney seized on a statement the president made about the law in an interview yesterday. When a television reporter in Iowa asked Obama about a small business that blamed its closing on the health-care law, Obama replied, “That’s going to be hard to explain.”
Obama continued: “The only folks that have been impacted in terms of the health-care bill are insurance companies who are required to make sure that they’re providing preventive care, or they’re not dropping your coverage when you get sick. So this particular company probably wouldn’t have been impacted by that.”
Romney today called the response “something else that shows just how out of touch” Obama is.
“It was like: really? Have you not been out talking to small businesses and hearing what they have to say,” he told Florida donors gathered for a fundraiser this afternoon at the Isleworth country club, a gated community that is home to many professional golfers.
To contact the reporter on this story: Lisa Lerer in Washington at llerer@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Jeanne Cummings at jcummings21@bloomberg.net
Source: www.businessweek.com
South East battered by THIRTY-SIX hours of continuous rain... sparking flood alerts at FORTY-FIVE rivers - Daily Mail
- More than 40 flood alerts in place
- Brighton one of worst hit with nearly three times average rainfall for whole month in 11 days
- Torrential rain causes seven-mile M3 traffic jam causing three-hour delays, while 500 Oxford homes suffer power cuts
- Much of Riverside Caravan Park on Shripney Road, Bognor Regis, underwater today
- RSPCA stage dramatic two-hour rescue after herd of cattle left stranded in flooded field in West Sussex
- More than 70mm of rain fell in parts of country yesterday - but forecasters say first fortnight in July will be scorching
By Amy Oliver and Chris Parsons
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Forecasters today predicted that the unrelenting rain which has been battered Britain shows no signs of easing off - with another four inches of wet weather expected in the South East tonight and tomorrow.
Forty two areas have been put on flood alert today after nearly a month and a half's worth of rain fell on parts of the South East in 36 hours.
The South West and mid Wales have been worst hit by the rain which has battered Britain and in Wimbledon, London, it has been raining continuously since 4pm on Sunday.
Elsewhere Brighton has had nearly three times the average rainfall for the whole month in 11 days, and the Environment Agency still has flood warnings for the region.
Up to 30mm of rain is expected to fall in the next three hours while tomorrow up to 60mm could fall in parts of Cornwall.
Scroll down for live flood warning widget
Lapping waters: Felpham Way, in Felpham, Bognor Regis, was underwater today as were any unfortunate cars left parked on it
A river runs through it: The A259 Felpham Way in Felpham, Bognor Regis, resembles a river complete with floating cars today after the heavy rain
Messing about on the river: Locals wade through the flood water in a boat along the road in Felpham near Bognor Regis, West Sussex, today
In Felpham, Bognor Regis, the A259 Felpham Way resembled a river between the houses today after flood water rose almost waist-deep in places. Cars lay submerged and abandoned, while residents were spotted making use of boats if they had them.
The Environment Agency has issued more than 40 flood alerts across England and Wales, and five more severe flood warnings in the region. The South East is set to bear the brunt of the weather with 33 flood alerts followed by the Anglian region with five alerts in place.
The wet weather is set to continue for the coming days, and could take a turn for the worse on Friday.
Julian Mayes a forecaster for Meteogroup, said: 'The reason it has been so wet in the South is because the jet stream has switched from its normal position just to the north of Scotland to down over southern England this month, and depressions follow that feature.'
Water cycling: A man makes his way along the flooded road in Felpham, Bognor Regis today after the South East and mid Wales were worst hit by the rain which has battered Britain
No signs of receding: Resident John Sanson looks at the flooded road in Felpham Bognor Regis, from a safe vantage point today
On the other hand, Scotland is enjoying unusually dry weather for this time of year.
Glasgow has had 28mm (1.1in), and Oban, normally one of the wettest parts of the western Highlands, has had 9mm (0.4in) this month.
'It's a reversal of the average weather pattern,' Mr Mayes said. 'Normally it gets wetter as you go to the North West. This month it gets wetter as you go south.'
The South East has the most flood warnings in place today and was one of the worst affected areas yesterday. Flood waters coursed through homes, down roads and even closed a hospital yesterday. More than three inches, or 80mm, fell in parts of the country after the rains began on Sunday night.
Water world: Much of the Riverside Caravan Park on Shripney Road, Bognor Regis lies underwater today after the region was hit with nearly a month and a half's worth of rain in 36 hours
Floating city: The Riverside Caravan Park in Bognor Regis is subject to a flood alert from the Environment Agency today
Closed: Bracklesham Caravan Park on the edge of Bracklesham Bay, West Sussex, has been forced to close after being badly flooded
Not so Smart... A couple braved this flood in Hadham, Hertfordshire in their Smart car and miraculously made it through without conking out today
...Unlike these two: Two cars sit in the flood water in Hadham after not quite making it through the water today
DON'T WORRY, JULY'S GOING TO BE A SCORCHER
Those reaching for the how to immigrate handbook should be aware that scorching weather is predicted for the first two weeks of July AND for a two-week spell in August.
Long-range weather forecaster David King said London was set to 'swelter' during the second week of the Olympics, with temperatures hitting more than 30C.
Wimbledon will also bask in sunshine during the second week of the tournament - but only after rain has washed out the first week of tennis. Mr King, whose meteorological skills were used by the royal family when planning Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding, said: 'Unfortunately this wet weather and cold easterly wind is going to stay with us now until the end of June.
'But the heat will arrive in the first week of July and last right through to the 15th. Temperatures might even get to 30 by the middle of the month.'
And despite the recent deluge of rain, Mr King said the hot, dry weather predicted for July and August would mean the drought in the South East was likely to continue into next year.
The 72-year-old amateur forecaster, who uses phases of the moon and his observations of nature to predict the weather, said by the end of the summer the drought would be worse than that of 1976 - when some households were even left without tap water.
Mr King, whose forecasts focus on London and the South East, also said there won’t be a repeat of last year’s glorious autumn.
He said: 'The first two weeks of September will be pretty good, but then rain storms will come in.'
In Wiggonholt, West Sussex nearly a month-and-a-half's worth of rain has fallen in just 36 hours. 72mm fell in the 36-hour period since Sunday evening. The average rainfall for the area is 52.9mm
The avevage rainfall for the whole of June in the South-East is just two inches, or 50mm.
The Environment Agency warned of further rain across the South East today and unsettled weather for the rest of the week. Although there was a lower than forecast amount of rain overnight, more heavy rain is expected into the weekend, it added.
Heavy rain is expected to continue today across the southeast and parts of East Anglia likely resulting in flooding, especially in Sussex and Hampshire. Around 15 to 25mm of rain has been forecast in the worst affected areas in the South today.
Met Office forecaster, Dan Williams, said: '15 to 25mm isn't particularly significant but when it comes on top of the rain we've already had it is significant and increases the potential for flooding.'
He added the continuous rain was 'reasonably unusual but not unprecedented' for this time of year.
Julia Simpson, the Environment Agency's regional duty manager, added: 'Some rivers have stabilised but others are yet to peak as the water moves through, so we could potentially see further flood alerts and flood warnings being issued.'
The torrential rain caused a seven-mile long traffic jam on the busy M3 motorway this morning leaving commuters three hours late for work.
Two lanes were closed on the Southbound carriageway between Fleet and Hook, Hants, as flood drains blocked.
Motorist Dan Newson, 24, said: 'I was travelling to work at around 5am, it usually takes no time at all to get there but I was almost three hours later for work.'
A Tesco supermarket’s bakery in Cosham, Hants, was evacuated after isles flooded due to a drain inside the store spouting out water.
As river levels continued to rise to dangerous levels today, nearly 500 homes in Oxford were hit by power blackouts.
It meant a cold breakfast and no hot water for families in the north of the city around the Summertown area. Southern Electric spokesman Hannah Gleave said about 470 homes in the area had been affected, with power going off at 6am.
And yesterday a seven-strong team of RSPCA officers staged a dramatic two-hour rescue after a herd of cattle became trapped in a flooded field in Broadbridge Heath, West Sussex after the River Arun burst its banks.
Inspector Rosie Russon, who led the specialist water rescue team, said: 'The farmer was really worried that they were going to drown because the water had reached 5ft and was still rising.
'The cattle were stuck on a small patch of the field and we had to persuade them to walk through 5ft of fast flowing water to get to the gate and out on the lane so they could be moved to another field.
In Hook, Hampshire, a woman had to be rescued from her car by firefighters after her vehicle became stuck in floodwater as she followed directions on her satnav.
The driver, from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, accidentally drove into a ditch at 11.55am today - she could not see the edge of the road because of the water levels, according to Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service.
The dreadful conditions are set to continue into tomorrow as well. Showers, some heavy are expected to hit northern and western parts of the UK and there’s also a risk of thunder for Wales and in the south west.
Wet play day: A seagull swoops in to a flooded public park in Worthing, Sussex, after rain continued to pound the region today
Wading in June: A couple wade through flood water at Barnham near Chichester yesterday after heavy rain led to widespread flooding across the country
Not 99 weather: A trio trudge along Brighton seafront as the rain lashes down today. Parts of Sussex have been the worst affected in the deluge
cow-tastrophe: A herd of cattle had to be rescued from a flooded field in West Sussex, yesterday by the RSPCA after the River Arun burst its banks
Spraying the roadside: A car drives through a large puddle on a road amid persistent rain in the village of Winchfield, Hampshire, today
Dangerous: The standing water was a hazard on the road in Winchfield as cars and lorries were forced to slow down to cross it today
Hazardous: A lorry prepares to negotiate standing water on the A33, which is closed due to flooding in Chineham near Basingstoke, Hampshire yesterday. The Environment Agency has put out more than 40 flood warnings across the country
Be aware: The map on the left shows the rain concentrated in the South East while the map on the right shows the majority of red flood warnings are located in the South East and East Anglia today
The sun may show itself briefly on Thursday but it will be replaced by persistent rain for those in the south west and south Wales through the day.
And on Friday an area of heavy rain is expected to move northwards across the UK. The south can look forward to frequent heavy downpours with a risk of thunder.
Yesterday, Butlins holiday camp told holidaymakers not to come after many of the roads in and out of Bognor Regis were closed by police due to the adverse weather and heavy flooding.
It managed to reopen to guests today after the worst of the water receded.
Meanwhile, scientists are to investigate whether severe flooding has polluted land with toxic metals.Parts of Ceredigion in mid Wales were flooded by 5ft of water, with record high river levels in parts on Saturday.
A major clean-up operation continues in Aberystwyth and the nearby villages of Talybont, Dol-y-Bont and Llandre and other areas affected by the flooding. There are fears that some areas could have been contaminated with harmful metals from abandoned mines.
A team from Aberystwyth University is to survey the catchment areas of the rivers Leri, Rheidol and Ystwyth.
Mark Macklin, a professor of physical geography at Aberystwyth University, said the force of the flood waters could have eroded river banks which stored harmful metals, including lead and zinc.
He told BBC Wales: 'Much of Ceredigion was affected by metal mining, but most of it finished before the start of World War One. As a result of the mining, rivers and river banks in the area have been contaminated from the mines themselves right the way down to the sea.
'There are concerns that farmland has been contaminated and this could pose a risk to animals and crops. We’ll take fresh flood deposits, such as silt, and they will be chemically analysed. We will, hopefully, have some answers in a month or so.'
West Sussex was hit hard yesterday, with at least 26 apartments flooded in Littlehampton and firefighters receiving 200 flood-related calls.
The basement of Worthing Hospital was also under water, forcing emergency patients to be diverted to neighbouring Brighton and Chichester for several hours.
But the disruption from the deluge was not contained to the south coast. In Leeds, heavy rain caused drains to back up and roads and homes to flood, with water up to four feet deep.
Overflowing drains also caused 20 beaches on the Kent coast to be closed when raw sewage ran into the sea.
The occupants of two cars had to be rescued from floodwater just half a mile from each other in Southwick, Hampshire, in separate incidents.
A man was rescued from his 40ft barge after rising river levels pinned it against a pontoon in Worcestershire.
Rain-cation: Bedraggled tourists cross a Union flag-lined Mall in the downpour as heavy rain hit the capital causing miserable conditions for many yesterday
Dark and stormy: The UK is shrouded in rain clouds on a weather map this morning
SEND US YOUR PICTURES
Have you taken any good weather pictures? From flooding in your area to people splashing in puddles we want to see them. Send them for publication - with plenty of caption detail - to the Mail Online on the email address: mailonlinepictures@dailymail.co.uk
And in Bracknell, Berkshire, Fox Hill Primary School was closed on the first day back after half-term as its drains could not cope with the rainfall.
Sports fans also suffered disappointment with all the first-day matches at the Queen’s Club tennis tournament in London postponed and cricket abandoned at the Test match between England and the West Indies at Edgbaston.
Rita Haskett, 69, who came from Taunton, Somerset, to watch the tennis, said: ‘This is the third time we have come to Queen’s and this is the worst weather we have had. It just hasn’t stopped raining.’
Elsewhere, the RSPCA said it was working closely with fire services to rescue stranded animals, including 20 cows at Cuckfield Road near Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex, left marooned on a river bank.
Gemma Plumb, of forecasters Meteogroup, said there would be more rain and overcast skies for the rest of the week.
Incredibly, despite the torrential conditions, the Met Office said the UK was still below its average rainfall for the year. Between January and May, 392.5 millimetres of rain fell across the country, compared with an average of 439 millimetres.
In southern England – including drought-hit areas in East Anglia, the South East and the Thames Valley – 281.8 millimetres of rain fell from January to May. The average is 303.2 millimetres.
Meanwhile, a special disaster fund is to be set up after more than 1,500 people were moved from their homes and 150 rescued in Mid Wales over the weekend.
No, not Spain but Cornwall: A woman makes the most of the sunshine before the next shower on Gylly Beach Falmouth today
Brooding sky: But revellers may not be out in Falmouth for long as dark clouds start to gather today
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
Q&A: Who are internet trolls - and how is the law changing? - BBC News
Website operators in the UK may soon have to identify people who have posted defamatory messages online, allowing the victim to undertake legal action against the "troll" rather than against the website.
But who are these people and how will this proposed new law be different from the current regulations?
Who are the internet trolls?The term has come to mean those behind intentionally provocative online actions intended to cause grief or incite an angry response.
This can happen in online forums, message boards, chat rooms, and on social networks and microblogging sites, as well as personal emails.
Trolls may exist in any online community that allows comments from users - for example, video-streaming sites, such as YouTube and online video-games sites.
They can act individually or in groups - known as "colluding" trolls. One member of such a group often behaves as the obvious troll, while the others disguise themselves as normal members of the online community.
These trolls in disguise then defend the comments of the overt one.
Trolls may also target the recently bereaved, posting offensive material about the dead person.
After 17-year-old Charlotte Porter died in 2010, her parents said that her memory had been "destroyed" by abusive online messages on her Facebook memorial site.
One of the latest examples of an internet troll is Frank Zimmerman, who was given a 26-week suspended prison sentence after sending an offensive email to Corby MP Louise Mensch.
He was also banned from contacting a host of celebrities, including Lord Sugar.
“Start Quote
End Quote Emma Draper Head of communications at Privacy InternationalThere is a concern that gun-shy website operators will start automatically divulging user details the moment someone alleges defamation”
Currently, a website operator is liable for everything that appears on its site.
So if somebody believes that something defamatory has been written about them online, he or she may have to take the website to court for redress, incurring huge costs.
Justice Secretary Ken Clarke explained: "As the law stands, individuals can be the subject of scurrilous rumour and allegation on the web with little meaningful remedy against the person responsible.
"Website operators are in principle liable as publishers for everything that appears on their sites, even though the content is often determined by users.
"But most operators are not in a position to know whether the material posted is defamatory or not and very often - faced with a complaint - they will immediately remove material."
How might the new law be different?The UK Ministry of Justice is proposing a defamation bill, which is being debated in the Commons, to make it easier for people to challenge what has been written about them.
If people think that there is defamatory content being posted about them online, instead of taking action against the website where the information appears, they can ask the website operator to give them the name of the person who posted the remarks.
This way, they can take legal action against trolls directly, requiring them to remove the defamatory posts.
"Our proposed approach will give greater protection to operators of websites who comply with a procedure to identify the authors of allegedly defamatory material," said Justice Secretary Ken Clarke.
"The government wants a libel regime for the internet that makes it possible for people to protect their reputations effectively but also ensures that information online can't be easily censored by casual threats of litigation against website operators.
"It will be very important to ensure that these measures do not inadvertently expose genuine whistleblowers, and we are committed to getting the detail right to minimise this risk."
The BBC understands that the term "troll" will not figure in the bill, and the new law will only refer to "defamatory" content.
Which sites would be covered by the rule change?The proposals would apply to all websites, regardless of which country their servers or headquarters were based.
However, the claimant would need to be able to show that the UK was the appropriate place to bring the action.
What about privacy?Privacy International, an organisation that campaigns at an international level on privacy issues, says that "there is a concern that gun-shy website operators will start automatically divulging user details the moment someone alleges defamation in order to shield themselves from libel actions".
"A great deal of the content posted by internet trolls is not actually defamatory, instead constituting harassment, invasion of privacy or simply unpleasant but lawfully expressed opinion," Emma Draper, head of communications at Privacy International, told BBC News.
"However, if the choice is between protecting users' anonymity and avoiding a potentially costly lawsuit, many small operators are not going to be overly concerned about whether or not a user has genuinely defamed the complainant."
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Kent is Bombers’ silent assassin - Winnipeg Sun
Clint Kent
Sept. 24/2010-Montreal Alouettes wide receiver Kerry Watkins (l) grabs the ball under pressure from Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive back Clint Kent during CFL action in Winnipeg September 24.brd/Brian/Donogh/Winnipeg Sun/QMI Agency
Blue Bomber #41 Clint Kent and Hamilton Tiger-Cats #80 Chris Williams during CFL playoff action in Winnipeg at Canad Inns Stadium, . Sunday, November 20, 2011.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers' Clint Kent (L) tries to stop Calgary Stampeders' Jon Cornish on his touchdown run during the first half of their CFL football game in Calgary, Alberta November 5, 2011. REUTERS/Todd Korol (CANADA - Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)
Winnipeg Blue Bombers Clint Kent (L) retrieves the ball after a fumble by Montreal Alouettes wide receiver Eric Deslauriers (R) during the second half of CFL football action in Montreal, September 18, 2011. REUTERS/Christinne Muschi (CANADA - Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)
LB Clint Kent takes part in Winnipeg Blue Bombers football practice at Canad Inns Stadium on Mon., June 11, 2012. JASON HALSTEAD/Winnipeg Sun
Hamilton Tiger-Cats' running back Avon Cobourne is tackled by Winnipeg Blue Bombers' linebacker Clint Kent (R) during the first half of their CFL Eastern final football game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, November 20, 2011. REUTERS/Todd Korol (CANADA - Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)
LB Clint Kent takes part in Winnipeg Blue Bombers football practice at Canad Inns Stadium on Mon., June 11, 2012. JASON HALSTEAD/Winnipeg Sun
LB Clint Kent takes part in Winnipeg Blue Bombers football practice at Canad Inns Stadium on Mon., June 11, 2012. JASON HALSTEAD/Winnipeg Sun
LB Clint Kent takes part in Winnipeg Blue Bombers football practice at Canad Inns Stadium on Mon., June 11, 2012. JASON HALSTEAD/Winnipeg Sun
Hamilton Tiger-Cats running back Marcus Thigpen is tackled by Winnipeg Blue Bombers linebacker Clint Kent (R) during the first half of their CFL Eastern final football game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, November 20, 2011. REUTERS/Fred Greenslade (CANADA - Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)
Maybe a bigger mouth or a flashy nickname would help get him on the all-star team.
Some trash talk would certainly get him more ink.
But I guess that’s just not Clint Kent’s style.
A perfect example of the Blue Bomber linebacker’s nature is how he handled his last real job, as a substitute teacher in Macon, Ga., his hometown.
Instead of telling his elementary school class about his status as a football player, thereby gaining instant credibility, Kent kept mum on the subject.
“They really didn’t know that,” he said.
You wouldn’t necessarily know Kent is one of the more notable residents of Swaggerville, either, not when people like Jovon Johnson, Jonathan Hefney and, previously, Odell Willis were grabbing the headlines.
On one of the more deadly units in the CFL, Kent is the quiet assassin, content to do his job for the greater good.
But his play begs a little more attention, his back story worth a deeper look.
This is a 29-year-old who was virtually out of the game, buried deep in pro football’s scrap heap from 2007-09.
After a decent rookie season with Montreal in 2006, Kent received his pink slip in training camp in ’07.
A shot at AFL2, the second tier of the Arena League, was cut short when he tore his ACL in 2008.
That’s when Kent took a flyer on football in Finland, of all places.
“Coming off my ACL surgery, I just wanted to go test my knee out,” he explained. “I went and played in Finland for a month and it was a great experience. I was returning, playing receiver and corner.”
The 2010 season came along, as did the Bombers, and Kent’s transformation from castoff to key contributor has been remarkable.
His stats last year: third on the team with 56 defensive tackles, a dozen more on special teams, four sacks, three pass knockdowns and a fumble recovery — in 16 games.
Other qualities don’t show up on the stats sheet.
“Leadership. Enthusiasm. He’s very intelligent, so he helps get everybody lined up,” defensive co-ordinator Tim Burke said. “And then he just plays all-out all the time.”
Yet, hardly anybody talks about him.
“He’s not a guy who’s going to be out there and say controversial things or anything like that,” Burke said. “But he’s vocal amongst his teammates.
“Very underrated. He’s a very good football player in this league.”
Make that suggestion to Kent, that he’s underrated, and he simply shrugs.
“I don’t get into all that,” he said. “I just show up and do my job.”
Suggest he’s due to grab some headlines of his own, perhaps even make a run for an all-star nod, and he doesn’t blink.
“At the end of the day it’s all about the Grey Cup ring. I couldn’t care less about individual stats. This is a team sport.”
You’ll get a spark from Kent, though, when you ask him about his second chance at football.
As much as he loved teaching, he appreciates his current job like few others.
“Of course I appreciate it more,” Kent said. “I kind of went from being on top to having nothing for three years. Even when I played Arena and tore my ACL, we were making $160 a week, so it makes you appreciate it. That’s what I try to preach to the younger guys. You can’t take this for granted. You never know when it might be taken.”
Kent says he never doubted his ability to make it back.
He had his No. 1 role model, his dad, pushing him.
“I just believed,” he said.
And while he may be one of the older players on a team that preaches youth, you get the impression he’s not going anywhere for a while.
“I’m nowhere near peaking,” Kent said. “I had three years off. My body feels great. I just come here and go 100 miles an hour every day.
“I was just trying to get back to this point. Now I’m back. So I’m just blessed to be in the position I am today.”
Source: www.winnipegsun.com
U.S. Worried about Opposition Searches, Rally Law in Russia - RIA Novosti
The United States is concerned about searches in the homes of Russian opposition leaders on the eve of their March of Millions, due Tuesday and a new law on rallies, the U.S. State Department said.
“The United States is deeply concerned by the apparent harassment of Russian political opposition figures on the eve of the planned demonstrations on June 12th,” U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said on Monday.
“This follows searches of opposition leaders’ homes and several arrests in connection with the May 6th demonstration in Moscow, and also follows the passage of the new law in Russia that imposes disproportionate penalties for violations of rules concerning public demonstrations,” Nuland told reporters.
The homes of Russian opposition figures anti-corruption blogger Alexei Navalny, Left Front leader Sergei Udaltsov, Solidarity movement head Ilya Yashin and TV star and socialite-turned-opposition activist Ksenia Sobchak were searched by police on Monday.
Investigators said the searches were legal and took place as part of a probe into the May 6 riots. Critics accused authorities of cracking down on Russian protest movement leaders.
“Opposition leaders organizing the June 12th demonstration are being called in for police questioning, which is scheduled to begin one hour prior to the demonstration, clearly designed to take them off the streets during the demonstration,” Nuland also said.
“Taken together, these measures raise serious questions about the arbitrary use of law enforcement to stifle free speech and free assembly,” she said.
The March of Millions in downtown Moscow may bring together some 50,000 people to protest against the rule of President Vladimir Putin.
Over 400 people were arrested and scores injured as the May 6 rally against Putin’s rule turned violent when protesters briefly broke through police lines in a bid to take their protest to the Kremlin walls. Putin’s opponents accuse him of corruption and curtailing political freedoms.
Navalny, a key figure in Russia's protest movement against Putin, made his name as an anti-corruption blogger before becoming the figurehead of this winter's unprecedented mass anti-government rallies.
Putin signed off on Friday on a controversial new law that increases the maximum fines for protest-related offenses, allows judges to sentence protesters to community service and bars them from wearing masks. He said society should “protect itself from radicalism,” adding he did not think the law to be too harsh.
The law was proposed by deputies from the ruling United Russia party in the wake of clashes between police and demonstrators at the downtown Moscow rally on the eve of Putin’s May 7 inauguration as president for a third term. It was then fast-tracked through parliament ahead of another planned anti-Putin rally in Moscow, due June 12.
The Kremlin’s human rights council said earlier it would ask Putin to veto the law, which has also been criticized by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said the law is “in line” with European norms. The opposition said the law is repressive.
Source: www.en.rian.ru
Volunteers pit their wits against the controversial Kent 11-plus - thisiskent.co.uk
AS DEMAND for places continues to soar for already over-stretched grammar schools across West Kent, pressure is increasing for pupils taking the controversial 11-plus.
Amid mounting criticism from parents and education groups over the strain the exam is piling on pupils at such a young age, the Courier invited a group of volunteers to try it out for themselves.
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BACK TO SCHOOL: Our volunteers sweat it out at Courier House
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EXAM PRESSURE: Volunteers sit the 11-plus at Courier House. Pictured are Amanda Manuel, Teresa Stevens, Jo Paine, Amy, and Graham Naismith TWGF20120525C-006_C
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EXAM PRESSURE: Volunteers sit the eleven plus exam at Courier House, Tunbridge Wells.
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EXAM PRESSURE: Volunteers sit the eleven plus exam at Courier House, Tunbridge Wells.
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EXAM PRESSURE: Volunteers sit the eleven plus exam at Courier House, Tunbridge Wells.
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EXAM PRESSURE: Volunteers sit the eleven plus exam at Courier House, Tunbridge Wells.
They ranged from parents striving to get their child into their school of choice to teachers keen to experience the ordeal their pupils are put through.
The group took three practice papers – mathematics, plus verbal and non-verbal reasoning – under exam conditions.
Father-of-three Graham Naismith was one of those inviting ridicule from his children by taking part.
He said: "I think it is wrong for a ten-year-old to be spending the summer revising. I accept the system, I just think it's too early."
He is going through the appeal process with his daughter, who passed the 11-plus but failed to get a grammar place.
Former maths teacher Teresa Stevens was a borderline 11-plus case and failed to get a place at a grammar school when she took the test 50 years ago.
She had strong views, saying: "I'm against the 11-plus and against dividing children at 11. I have taught children that come into their own much later and some who stop developing at 11.
"I just think it's madness to push children into exams when they should be enjoying their youth."
The Kent pass rate is about 25 per cent and this year 61 children who did pass still missed out on a grammar school place. Of these, 40 were from West Kent.
Margaret Tulloch, secretary of Comprehensive Future which campaigns for a fair admissions policy, slammed the system which makes many children feel like "failures", adding: "It puts needless stress on children and the majority get the message that they are failures. It's ridiculous.
"We should be opening doors for children, not closing them."
Critics say the 11-plus and division of children does not lead to better results or a more successful schooling system.
Michael Pyke, from pressure group the Campaign for State Education, said the top international schooling systems were all based on a comprehensive system.
He added: "Selection does not produce better all-round results. The most efficient education system is that which educates the most people. Systems that are elitist are inefficient."
Nevertheless, many parents turn to private tutoring to secure a place at a super-selective school, which allocates places due to scores, such as Judd School, Tonbridge Grammar School and The Skinners' School.
Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School and Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys allocate places to children who pass the test and live within a catchment area.
Chair of governors at the boys' school, Michael Reidy, defended the testing process, saying: "The pass rate doesn't really justify the criticism of the exam.
"We have got children in West Kent clamouring for places. It's not unreasonably challenging for them but it's a filtering process."
But mother of two and chairman of Sevenoaks Action for Community Education campaign group Amanda Manuel said the admissions process was "flawed" and welcomed a county council review.
Pass marks...
The Kent 11-plus pass mark was 360 last year
This year, Judd School in Tonbridge wanted 418, The Skinners' School in Tunbridge Wells wanted 414 and Tonbridge Grammar School wanted 412 for children out of area and 409 for children within the area
The Kent pass rate is about 25 per cent
There are 164 selective schools in the UK
36 out of 152 LEAs have a selective system or some selective schools
The results...
Name: Graham Naismith, of Hazelbank, Langton Green
Age: 44
Occupation: IT
Reason for volunteering: Father of three, his daughter recently passed the 11-plus but missed out on a grammar school place so he is currently appealing
Score: 99 per cent
Reaction: "I thought it would be a mental challenge, timing and technique play a massive role in the 11-plus. "I'm frustrated I got a couple of questions wrong."
Name: Teresa Stevens, of Lower Green Road, Pembury
Age: 61
Occupation: Former maths teacher
Reason for volunteering: Took the 11-plus 50 years ago, was a borderline case and didn't get a spot at grammar school
Score: 82 per cent
Reaction: "It's what I expected.
"I was very slow on the non-verbal reasoning paper, I think it was that paper I originally fell down on.
"My maths is fast but I'm a slow thinker and it takes me a while to absorb it.
"I was curious to sit it again."
Name: Jo Paine, of Tristan Gardens, Rusthall
Age: 44
Occupation: School secretary
Reason for volunteering: Her daughter is due to take the 11-plus in September
Score: 96 per cent
Reaction: "I thought it would be supportive to try the 11-plus, my daughter thought it was hysterical.
"I'm hugely surprised by my result.
"The questions were fine but I think some would be tough for an 11-year-old.
"If you are trying to do it quickly it's really easy to misread it."
Name: Amanda Manuel, of Wickenden Road, Sevenoaks
Age: 41
Occupation: Businesswoman
Reason for volunteering: Mother of two and chairman of campaign group, Sevenoaks Action for Community Education
Score: 93 per cent
Reaction: "I have never seen an 11-plus paper, my children aren't at that age yet and I come from out of the county so it's not something I am familiar with. I thought it would be interesting.
"The first question on the verbal reasoning paper took me forever to get my head around but once I worked it out it wasn't too bad.
"I messed up several maths questions from not reading it properly.
"If we go down this path with our children I will make sure my son knows to read the question carefully, check his answers and write out the maths."
Name: Amy De-Keyzer, resident of Sevenoaks
Age: 23
Occupation: Reporter
Reason for volunteering: Born and brought up out of county and unfamiliar with the 11-plus
Score: 82 per cent.
Reaction: "Having gone through lots of exams in relatively recent years I was optimistic about the test.
"Some of the questions seemed tough and I made a major mistake in answering more questions than necessary because I didn't follow the instructions."
Source: www.thisiskent.co.uk
My mum used to say that when she was little(she was born 1906),they used to send rockets into the clouds to make it rain.Apparently it was something to do with iodine crystals. Did someone do it when we were in drought and now can't turn off the tap?! And still we have a hosepipe ban down here.
- Diane, Haywards heath, 12/6/2012 23:20
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