Laura Beeslee claims she 'felt like she was dying' when her hot water bottle burst while tucked underneath her jeans.

The 31-year-old, who lives in Diss, Norfolk, was suffering with menstrual cramps when she reached for her trusty hot water bottle to help alleviate the pain.

After filling the compress with freshly boiled water, the nursery manager placed it under the waistband of her jeans.

Within ten minutes, Laura felt a strange sensation down her legs and looked down to discover the device had ruptured and its entire contents had spilled all over her.

Screaming in agony, Laura raced to the bathroom to remove her jeans while her 37-year-old partner Adam Rayner began hosing her down.

MORE ON HOT WATER BOTTLES

STAY TOASTY

Aldi shoppers fill baskets with 'fab' hot water bottle you never have to refill

WINTER HACK

You're making your bed all wrong – my bottom sheet hack means you'll be warm

Shocking photos show Laura's red-raw burns that required skin grafts – and left her unable to walk.

Laura said: "I was on my period having pains and found medication wasn't helping. So I thought I'd use my hot water bottle and tucked it into the top of my jeans I was wearing at the time.

"I was standing up just tidying the work surfaces and it just burst all of a sudden.

"I've used it before and slept with it and had no issues in the past.

Most read in The Sun

BBC STAR CHARGED

Bargain Hunt star Charles Hanson charged with assault & coercive behaviour

end of journey

Strictly in new ‘feud’ as THREE finalists all snub star after backstage row

DEADLY PLOT

Twisted teens who knifed trans girl Brianna Ghey to death are GUILTY of murder

STEPPING IN

Kate Garraway’s GMB replacement revealed as she waits by husband’s hospital bed

"There was almost like a numbing sensation but I knew something was wrong.

"I looked down and could see water had gone down my legs and was all over the floor.

"I can't remember much else but apparently I screamed and ran to the bathroom trying to get my jeans off.

"My partner got me in the bath and hosed me down for half an hour.

"I was going in and out of consciousness because the pain was so excruciating.

"I felt like I was going to die. It was a pain like I'd never experienced in my life."

Adam drove Laura to their local hospital where she was then blue-lighted to the burns unit at Bloomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, Essex, due to the severity of her injuries.

There, Laura was placed under general anesthetic while medics popped the blisters on the worst affected areas of her thighs and stomach.

She spent the following three days in the intensive care unit before undergoing a skin graft to help rebuild her damaged skin.

Laura said: "They took quite a large amount of my skin from my left thigh and put it on my inner thighs and stomach.

"I wasn't able to walk for a few days – I had to use a zimmer frame.

"It's been four months now and I'm only now being able to walk relatively comfortably.

SAFETY TIPS FOR HOT WATER BOTTLES

Always refer to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Ensure your hot water bottle complies with British Safety Standard BS 1970:2021.

Check your hot water bottle for signs of wear, damage and leaks before each use.

Ensure that the stopper screws on and stays in place prior to filling.

Don’t use tap water to fill your hot water bottle as the impurities it contains can cause the rubber to perish more rapidly. Use boiled water that has been allowed to cool for a few minutes.

Do not fill your hot water bottle more than two thirds full.

Ensure excess air is expelled before replacing the stopper.

Always use a cover on your hot water bottle.

Do not sit, lie or put excess pressure on your hot water bottle when it is filled.

Do not allow direct contact with one area of the body for more than 20 minutes.

When not in use, your hot water bottle should be completely drained of water and the stopper removed.

Store away from direct sources of heat or sunlight.

Replace your hot water bottle every two years.

"They said it could take at least two years for my inner thighs to recover but there's likely to be scarring for the rest of my life.

"If we go out for the day, I have to sit down after walking for a little while. I have to moisturise my inner thighs up to six times a day otherwise they become quite tight and I can't move very well.

"It's still swollen now and I still can't wear jeans."

After researching the safety of hot water bottles, Laura found out the recommended amount of time to use one is two years – and was shocked to discover her own device was eight years past the advised use-by date.

She also found out hot water bottles contain a flower symbol at the top, which indicates the date of manufacture.

Laura said. "I didn't even know hot water bottles had an expiry date on them.

"I think we'd worked out it was about eight years out of date when I used it.

"It's quite scary because a lot of people have had the same hot water bottle since they were children.

"Please just check the expiry date, don't use boiling water, use water from the tap, only fill it halfway and be really vigilant.

"I'll never use a hot water bottle for life. If I'm cold now I'll just put an extra layer of clothing on.

"I've got to just live my life with my scars. They're a part of my life now.

"I feel lucky that I can cover up my scars. In a way I'm very fortunate it happened where it happened so I don't have to have it on show all the time."

Janine Evans, an advanced practitioner occupational therapist at the Morriston centre, said: “We’re not saying not to use hot water bottles, we're saying that if you must use them, to ensure to use them safely. It's all about minimising the risk of an accident happening.

DON'T USE BOILING WATER

“Ultimately, people are filling them with boiling water, which they shouldn't be doing. We get patients who sustain a boiling water scald to their hand, as when filling it they miss the bottle and pour the hot water over their hand.

“Also, people are not checking whether the rubber is perished before filling it. And then the hot water either leaks out slowly, or in some cases it explodes.

Read more on The Sun

end of journey

Strictly in new 'feud' as THREE finalists all snub star after backstage row

UNIMAGINABLE HEARTACHE

Baby girl dies suddenly after morning feed just days before Xmas

“They can be quite big injuries. A lot of people use hot water bottles on their tummies or their lower back for pain relief. So the water can leak onto their groin or buttocks and that can be really painful and uncomfortable as you can imagine.

“If you have any sort of peripheral neuropathy you should be extra cautious. People with diabetes, for example, often use hot water bottles to warm up their feet. But because of their reduced sensation they don't always notice when the hot liquid is leaking out. So the contact time is longer and they sustain more significant injuries.”

Source: Read Full Article

The post I thought I was going to die after hot water bottle burst leaving me with horrific burns – don't make same mistake I did | The Sun appeared first on sivasistasyon.

No Christmas is complete without a ghost story to tell – and who better to regale the assembled royals at Sandringham with their very own spooky tale of things that go bump in the night than the Prince and Princess of Wales?

For their Norfolk home, Anmer Hall – just a couple of miles up the road from the big house where Charles will be hosting his second Christmas as King – has its own resident ghost.

The spirit of Jesuit martyr Henry Walpole is said to stalk the redbrick mansion. He was born in the grounds at Anmer back in the 16th century – and it was to Anmer he returned when fleeing the agents of the Crown.

Walpole came to a particularly sticky end, making him an ideal member of the haunting fraternity – he was tortured on the rack before being hanged, drawn and quartered, ending his days in 1595 before being made a saint for his troubles.

King Charles III and Prince William and his family attend the Christmas Day service at Sandringham Church

Anmer Hall on the Royal Sandringham Estate, the Norfolk family home of Prince William, Kate and the children

The spirit of Henry Walpole, born at Anmer way back in the 16th century, is said to stalk the red brick mansion

The Waleses were warned about the ghost of Walpole before they moved into Anmer, a wedding gift from the Queen, back in 2014. 

‘It didn’t deter them – they had a joke about it,’ said a friend at the time. ‘But their attitude was – no old home would be complete without its ghost.’

Ghost indeed. When the Norfolk winds blow, you can hear old Henry calling.

The house where he was born in 1558 has largely disappeared. 

But since his bloody death his spectre is said to still haunt the building and its surrounds.

READ MORE: The spooky Halloween presence that haunts Balmoral

The Waleses have been living there since a £1.5 million refurbishment was completed in 2014 – though their visits have become less frequent with the death of Queen Elizabeth and their move to make Adelaide Cottage in the grounds of Windsor Castle their principal residence

Anmer’s still their favourite place, though, even with a ghost in tow. And as Sandringham will be jam-packed full of guests this Christmas, including Camilla’s children, it’s likely the Waleses will be spending time in their country home.

Walpole was a follower of Edmund Campion, the Roman Catholic priest sainted for his work in trying to preserve the ‘Old Religion’ which had been persecuted ever since King Henry VIII’s break with Rome in the 1530s.

When Campion was hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn – the gallows stood where Marble Arch is now –  Walpole carried on his mentor’s work fighting to preserve Roman Catholicism. 

Walpole even wrote an epic poem about him, a matter so serious that the publisher’s ears were cut off for daring to print it.

Edmund Campion, a  Jesuit martyr, was Catholic mentor to Walpole – whose ghost haunts Anmer

Walpole was executed, aged 37, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. He was tortured on the rack in the Tower of London before being hung, drawn and quartered at Tyburn

The Waleses have been living at Anmer Hall since a £1.5 million refurbishment was completed in 2014

Sandringham House itself is touched by the spirit world. There is supposedly a ghost in one of the upstairs corridors who appears on Christmas Eve and stays around for several weeks

Walpole was executed in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, Henry VIII’s daughter, after first being tortured on the rack in the Tower of London for his refusal to deny his Catholic faith. 

Earlier, in a bid to escape his persecutors, he’d hidden at Anmer Hall hoping to outwit the men who finally caught and murdered him.

So badly was he tortured that it was agreed after his death that the rack was no longer a legitimate tool for extracting confessions.

Walpole’s story is both grim and heroic, full of the fanaticism and skullduggery of the age. 

The fact that Queen Elizabeth’s descendants live in his old home will probably cause Henry’s bones to rattle extra loud this Yuletide.

However Alan Murdie, chairman of the long-established Ghost Club – past members include famous names such as Charles Dickens and First War poet Siegfried Sassoon – suggests Prince William will be used to having spectres around the place.

He reveals there are quite a number of royal related ghosts. 

‘For example, though Buckingham Palace is a relatively new building, it stands on monastic land. 

‘Henry VIII did away with the monasteries, and to this day at the Palace the ghost of a monk appears on the terrace on Christmas Day.

‘Maybe that’s the reason the royals prefer to spend the festive season at Sandringham!’

Around Windsor Castle on Christmas Eve, expect to hear the sound of a huntsman’s horn and the barking of dogs. 

‘This is the day Herne the Hunter, a figure who first appears in Shakespeare, leads a pack of hounds through Windsor Great Park,’ says Mr Murdie, a veteran ghostbuster.

Buckingham Palace is a relatively new building, but it stands on monastic land. To this day, it is said, the ghost of a monk appears on the terrace on Christmas Day

‘Better not listen too intently – for if you hear his horn, it could be the omen of forthcoming calamities on a national or international scale.’

Even Sandringham House itself is not immune. According to Mr Murdie there’s a ghost in one of the upstairs corridors who appears on Christmas Eve and stays around for several weeks. 

There have been instances of bedclothes being pulled off beds and other poltergeist-type activity as well as heavy breathing noises.

Of course, these could attributed to something else entirely. But it’s Christmas – let’s not go there!

Source: Read Full Article

The post Do the Waleses known Amner is HAUNTED by a Jesuit martyr? appeared first on sivasistasyon.

Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time.

Children and young adults are driving a surge in people presenting to emergency departments with COVID-19 as infection rates continue to climb across NSW in the run-up to the Christmas break.

The surge in infections is prompting fresh calls for vulnerable people to seek booster shots, weeks after new monovalent vaccines targeted at sub-variants of the Omicron strain became available.

Vulnerable people are being urged to seek their booster shot. Credit: AP

NSW Health said emergency departments presentations for COVID-19 had continued to increase in the past fortnight, particularly in young children, and in people aged 17 to 34.

The latest NSW Health data showed 812 COVID-positive people went to emergency departments in the week to December 17, up from 721 and 628 in the previous two weeks.

“Community transmission of COVID-19 in NSW has increased and is at high levels,” a spokeswoman said.

NSW recorded 6210 positive PCR tests in the two weeks to December 16, up from 5333 in the previous fortnight. The latest sewage testing data also indicates the concentration of COVID-19 in Bondi, Liverpool and Quakers Hill has risen since the last fortnightly results were released.

The EG.5 variant accounts for most cases across the state, but the proportion of samples in which BA.2.86 and the new JN.1 variants have been detected has risen sharply since the end of November.

The World Health Organisation this week declared the emerging JN.1 a “variant of interest”, saying it was spreading rapidly across the globe but currently posed a low additional public health risk.

Associate Professor Stuart Turville, a virologist at the Kirby Institute, said the JN.1 subvariant, which had evolved from the Omicron BA.2.86 variant, was expected to take over from the XBB subvariants as the dominant strain in 2024.

“The way JN.1’s getting into cells is far more competitive and that’s probably the key factor that’s driving the rates of transmission and infection in the Northern Hemisphere at the moment,” Turville said.

NSW Health said COVID infections in children and young people were driving the wave of infections in NSW.Credit: NSW Health

Turville said the fast-spreading virus could trigger a “double hump” in COVID-19 infections.

“I think we thought we’d get around Christmas and be over the wave of the back end of the XBB [variants], but there might be a little bit of a follow-on as JN.1 enters the community.

“It is very competitive if you look at the numbers compared to the other variants, its growth advantage is very, very high.”

The new monovalent – or “XBB.1.5-containing” – vaccines have been available to eligible Australians since December 1 following approval by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI).

The vaccines targeting a sub-variant of the Omicron strain have been approved for use as both primary and additional doses, with Pfizer’s version approved for eligible people aged over five years, and Moderna’s for those over 12.

The vaccines offer modestly improved protection against COVID-19 strains circulating in Australia, the federal government said in a statement.

It did not recommend extra doses of the new jab for healthy people under 65 who already had their recommended 2023 dose of a COVID vaccine.

But it encouraged recommended groups – those over 75, and younger people with medical comorbidities – who had not been vaccinated this year to get one as soon as possible, given there had been a rise in COVID cases across Australia in November.

Pharmacy Guild NSW branch president David Heffernan said vaccination rates had broadly dropped, but he encouraged vulnerable people – including the elderly, immunocompromised and Indigenous Australians – to get their booster shot to minimise their risk during the holidays.

“The vulnerable populations are still vulnerable. The message to those populations is, make sure you’re vaccinated.”

Turville said the updated vaccines would help “future-proof” the recipient’s immune system.

“If you’re given the choice, and it’s there, you’d probably want to pick the monovalent [vaccine] because the probability is it’s going to generate more cross-reactive antibodies for you.”

The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here.

Most Viewed in National

From our partners

Source: Read Full Article

The post New COVID surge arrives … in time for Christmas appeared first on sivasistasyon.

• Christopher and Colin Nourse were given over 40 years in prison on Wednesday
• They shot at two robbers who tried taking their motorcycles
• Police said they had acted recklessly and took justice into their own hands 

Two brothers have been put behind bars for a total of 40 years after they ambushed and fired a gun at men who tried to steal their motorbikes in an ‘extremely reckless’ attack.

Christopher Nourse, 45, and his 42-year-old brother Colin, were spending an evening together at Colin’s house when they noticed a group of men outside, lurking near their motorcycles in a bid to steal them. They were eventually disturbed by a resident and fled empty-handed.

However, when two of them returned later that same evening, the brothers were waiting in ambush armed with guns – and Christopher Nourse opened fire, shooting one of the men in the arm.

Christopher Nourse was sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment on Wednesday and his brother Colin to 14 years behind bars.

Detective Superintendent Gavin Moss, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: ‘These two men decided to arm themselves with firearms after somebody sought to steal their motorcycles.

Colin Nourse (pictured) was given 14 years behind bars

Christopher Nourse (pictured) was sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment on Wednesday

‘This was extremely reckless and, when one of them discharged his weapon in a residential area, it is only by chance that a member of the public unconnected with the incident did not suffer a fatal injury.’

READ MORE: Shoplifter arrested in front of policing minister Chris Philp as he talked to store staff about shoplifting admits week-long theft spree – and walks free from court

The incident took place March 8 2020, in a communal car park on Cooper Close in Greenhithe, Kent.

During the evening, a group of people were seen trying to steal some motorcycles before fleeing empty handed when they were disturbed by a resident.

However, when two of them returned to the scene, the bikes’ owners, Christopher and Colin Nourse, were waiting.

The brothers had armed themselves with guns and Christopher Nourse shot at the two men who ran away from the close.

The brothers then left in separate vehicles and travelled to Christopher Nourse’s home in London.

Residents who had heard the sound of the gunshots called the police and patrols went to Cooper Close.

Officers were also alerted when a man with bullet injuries to his arm arrived at Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford, Kent.

An investigation was launched and officers recovered six 9mm calibre and nine 0.4 inch calibre ammunition casings at the scene. Two vehicles in the car park had also been damaged by the shots.

When the brothers returned to Greenhithe while officers were still completing their inquiries, they were arrested.

A search of Christopher Nourse’s address in Penge, London,  and of Colin Nourse’s house in Cooper Close, led to the seizure of firearms accessories.

In addition, a spent 0.4 inch calibre cartridge, a lock knife, and a Taser were recovered from the two cars the brothers had used after the incident.

Forensic examination of the vehicles located gunshot residue and a spent ammunition casing which had traces of Colin Nourse’s DNA on it.

Detectives later recovered a handgun used in the shooting which had been discarded under a car in Penge.

Additionally, CCTV footage from Cooper Close was examined by detectives and showed the brothers exiting Colin Nourse’s address immediately before the shots were fired.

The brothers were also forensically connected to bullet casings recovered at the scene.

Both men were charged with attempted murder on March 12, 2020.

They pleaded not guilty at Maidstone Crown Court and on Thursday 28 July 2022, Christopher Nourse was convicted of attempted murder and possession of a prohibited weapon.

While Colin Nourse was cleared of attempted murder, he was convicted of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Both men were sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on Wednesday. 

Christopher Nourse was jailed for a total of 30 years’ imprisonment and his brother Colin was jailed for 14 years.

Both men will have to serve two thirds of their jail terms before they are eligible for parole, after which they will be required to complete a further four years on licence.

Source: Read Full Article

The post Brothers jailed for more than 40 YEARS after they shot at robbers appeared first on sivasistasyon.

• The owners of the £1.2million top floor flat have links to a Soviet-era apartment 

Intelligence officers have raised security concerns about a Russian-owned penthouse that overlooks MI6’s London headquarters, it has been reported.

The owners of the £1.2million top floor flat have links to a Soviet-era apartment just a few hundred yards away from the Moscow chemical site that developed deadly nerve agent Novichok, according to the i newspaper.

The property in St George Wharf is owned by the Poresso Group, a Russian firm with a registered Moscow address next to the Kremlin’s State Research Institute of Organic Chemistry and Technology.

The facility developed the nerve agent used in the 2018 assassination attempt of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury.

British Virgin Islands-listed Poresso Group has two Russian registered directors who have no obvious online footprint.

St George Wharf and the MI6 Vauxhall Cross buildings on the Thames south bank

Poresso Group’s Moscow address, a short distance from Russia’s Novichok factory

Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Alicia Kearns, called for additional scrutiny to be applied to properties surrounding MI6’s famous building in Vauxhall, south London.

‘It’s no surprise that hostile states are buying up properties for surveillance purposes – but it’s the Government’s job to stop them by working with neighbouring buildings,’ she told the i.

‘I used to work from a high rise next to SIS – from our windows we were able to identify both individuals and patterns of behaviour. What was of passing interest to us, was intelligence for a hostile asset.’

The Foreign Office said it would not comment on security matters.

A National Crime Agency spokesman said: ‘This is not something the NCA are currently looking into, but we continue to work with partners to share and assess information.’

Poresso does not list its Moscow address on UK company registers, instead using the details of Trident Trust, an offshore agent often used by Russian officials and oligarchs in the BVI.

One of the world’s largest offshore service providers, Trident Trust has offices in Mauritius, Singapore, the BVI and other secrecy jurisdictions.

It has been used in the past by oligarchs looking to secretly transfer assets to shell companies across the globe, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists claimed in 2021.

A UK intelligence source, who now works for a government department, raised serious concerns to the i about a Moscow-based company owning property in such a close proximity to the Secret Intelligence Service building.

In 2000, the Real IRA fired a rocket-propelled grenade at the MI6 HQ, blowing out windows on the seventh and eighth floors of the nine-storey building.

Although the apartment is registered close to where novichok was developed, this doesn’t mean Poresso is linked to the institution.

Source: Read Full Article

The post Top spies' fears over £1.2m penthouse flat overlooking MI6 HQ appeared first on sivasistasyon.

• Switzerland capital Bern is examining a pilot scheme to allow the sale of cocaine

Switzerland’s capital is examining a pilot scheme to allow the sale of cocaine for recreational use – a radical approach to the war on drugs that is not thought to have been tried elsewhere.

The Parliament in Bern has supported the idea, which still needs to overcome opposition from the city government and will also require a change in national law.

Drugs policy around the world is evolving, with the U.S. state of Oregon, for example, decriminalising possession of small amounts of cocaine in 2021 in favour of drug treatment.

Many European countries, including Spain, Italy and Portugal, no longer have prison sentences for possession of drugs including cocaine, although nowhere has gone as far as the proposal under discussion in Bern.

Switzerland is re-examining its stance on the drug after some politicians and experts criticised complete bans as ineffective, with the proposal – currently in its early stages – following trials now under way to permit the legal sale of cannabis.

‘The war on drugs has failed, and we have to look at new ideas,’ said Eva Chen, a member of the Bern council from the Alternative Left Party who co-sponsored the proposal.

Police display a portion of the six tonnes of cocaine, money and other material which was seized during a drug bust at an industrial estate at the police headquarters in Malaga, Spain

‘Control and legalisation can do better than mere repression.’

Wealthy Switzerland has one of the highest levels of cocaine use in Europe, according to the levels of illicit drugs and their metabolites measured in waste water, with Zurich, Basel and Geneva all featuring in the top 10 cities in Europe.

Swiss cities, including Bern, are also showing increasing usage, while prices of cocaine have halved in the last five years, according to Addiction Switzerland, a non-governmental organisation.

‘We have a lot of cocaine in Switzerland right now, at the cheapest prices and the highest quality we have ever seen,’ said Frank Zobel, deputy director at Addiction Switzerland.

‘You can get a dose of cocaine for about 10 francs these days, not much more than the price for a beer.’

Bern’s education, social affairs and sport directorate is preparing a report on a possible cocaine trial, although this does not mean it will definitely take place.

‘Cocaine can be life-threatening for both first-time and long-term users. The consequences of an overdose, but also individual intolerance to even the smallest amounts, can lead to death,’ the Bern government said.

Bern parliament member Chen said it was too early to say how a pilot scheme would develop, including where the drug would be sold or how it would be sourced.

‘We are still far away from potential legalisation, but we should look at new approaches,’ Chen said. ‘That is why we are calling for a scientifically supervised pilot scheme trial.’

For a trial to take place, parliament would have to amend the law banning the recreational use of the drug.

The decision could come in a matter of years, or earlier if the current cannabis schemes – where the drug is on sale at pharmacies – show successful results, political experts said.

Any legalisation would be accompanied by quality controls and information campaigns, Chen said, with the approach also reducing a lucrative criminal market.

The Parliament in Bern has supported the idea, which still needs to overcome opposition from the city government and will also require a change in national law (file image) 

Experts are divided, with even those in favour of the trial concerned about the potential dangers.

‘Cocaine is one of the most strongly addictive substances known,’ said Boris Quednow, group leader of the University of Zurich’s Centre for Psychiatric Research.

He said its risks were in a completely different league to alcohol or cannabis, citing links to heart damage, strokes, depression and anxiety.

On the other hand, Thilo Beck, from the Arud Zentrum for Addiction Medicine, the largest centre for addiction medicine in Switzerland, said it was time for a more ‘grown up’ policy towards cocaine.

‘Cocaine isn’t healthy – but the reality is that people use it,’ said Beck. ‘We can’t change that, so we should try to ensure people use it in the safest, least damaging way.’

Leo, a cocaine user from Geneva, said legalising the drug would make treatment easier, as well as reduce violence and crime linked to supply. It would also make it easier to control the quality of the drugs on sale.

‘Prohibiting drugs doesn’t give good results in terms of health policies and prevention,’ Leo told Reuters. ‘On the contrary, it looks like countries who chose to legalize it or to depenalize drugs, have better results in terms of prevention and global health policies.

‘Switzerland has been courageous in its policies with other drugs, so I think the next stage should be the legalisation of cocaine.’

Source: Read Full Article

The post Switzerland considers legalising COCAINE appeared first on sivasistasyon.

• Fisherman says he netted large plane wing  
• Speculates it could be missing  MH370
• READ MORE: Theories surrounding MH370

An Australian fisherman’s broken net could be the clue that finally unravels the mystery of what happened to missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

The final resting place of the downed plane – which disappeared on March 8, 2014 with 227 passengers and 12 crew members aboard – remains elusive despite the most extensive search at sea in world history.

Now, nine years after the plane’s disappearance, retired Australian fisherman Kit Olver, 77, has come forward to reveal his deep-sea trawler pulled up what appeared to be the wing of a commercial airline around 55km off the south-east coast of South Australia, in the Southern Ocean, in September or October of 2014.

Most authorities believe MH370 came down in the southern Indian Ocean.

Retired fisherman Kit Olver, 77, has come forward to reveal his deep-sea trawler pulled up what appeared to be the wing of a commercial airline around 55km off South Australia ‘s south-east coast in September or October of 2014 

READ MORE: Pilot’s baffling 22 minute manoeuvre which could hold the key to proving MH370 mystery WAS a murder-suicide

Mr Olver told the Sydney Morning Herald that he was trawling in his secret spot for the prized fish species alfonsino when his net snagged on something large, which it struggled to bring to the surface. 

‘It was a bloody great wing of a big jet airliner,’ he told the paper. 

‘I’ve questioned myself; I’ve looked for a way out of this. 

‘I wish to Christ I’d never seen the thing … but there it is. It was a jet’s wing.’

Because he had held a pilot’s licence he was confident the wing was larger than any on a typical private plane.

The only other surviving member of the trawler Vivienne Jane’s crew George Currie also corroborated Mr Olver’s claim to the newspaper.

‘It was incredibly heavy and awkward. It stretched out the net and ripped it. It was too big to get up on the deck,’ Mr Currie said.

‘As soon as I saw it I knew what it was. It was obviously a wing, or a big part of it, from a commercial plane. It was white, and obviously not from a military jet or a little plane.’

Mr Olver points to the location where he had cut his fishing net after it pulled up a large air craft wing that his crew couldn’t disentangle

After struggling all day to free the object Mr Olver ordered his crew to cut the $20,000 net free and let it drift back into the comparatively shallow depths of that part of the Southern Ocean.

Mr Olver told the Sydney Morning Herald’s Tony Wright he could locate the spot, which was about 55km west of the South Australian town of Robe, and shared its GPS coordinates.

He says he tried to tell authorities of his find soon after returning to port by phoning the Australian Maritime Safety Authority(AMSA). A few hours after making the call he was contacted by an official who told him the find was likely a shipping container that had fallen from a Russian ship in the area off Robe.

The AMSA told the Sydney Morning Herald they had no record of Mr Olver’s call.

Mr Olver believed it was right thing to go public with his find if it can help the families of those aboard the MH370 finally know the fate of their loved ones. 

Earlier this year, families of those on board MH370 called on the Malaysian government to allow the American seabed exploration firm Ocean Infinity to mount a new search for the missing plane. 

The fate of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, that has 227 passengers and 12 crew members  on board, when it disappeared in 2014 remains an enduring mystery

In 2018, Malaysia engaged Ocean Infinity to search for the aircraft in the southern Indian Ocean, offering to pay up to $70million if it found the plane. But its operation came up short.

The firm’s search came after Malaysia, China and Australia ended a fruitless two-year, A$200million ($135.36million) underwater hunt in January 2017 after finding no trace of the plane.

Voice370 – a grouping of relatives of those aboard the plane – urged the Malaysian government to accept any proposals from the firm on a conditional fee basis, such that the firm would only be paid if successful.

‘Ocean Infinity, over the last 12 months have made real progress working with many people to further understand… the events in 2014,’ Voice370 said in a statement, following a memorial event to mark the ninth year since MH370’s disappearance.

‘Ultimately, this has greatly improved their chances of conducting a successful search.’

Source: Read Full Article

The post Bombshell in the disappearance of missing flight MH370 appeared first on sivasistasyon.

Britain’s high streets could soon feel the impact of the Red Sea crisis, with vital imports of wine, tea, tobacco and other popular goods drying up ‘within days’, experts have warned. 

Marco Forgione, director general of the Institute of Export and International Trade, said goods from countries including Bangladesh, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan and Australia will be hit by the shipping disruptions, as tankers seek to avoid the Red Sea.

It comes as the Iran-backed Houthi rebels continue to cause mayhem in the critical Middle Eastern shipping route, using missiles and drones to attack merchant vessels, as the terror group chilling vowed to turn the route into a ‘graveyard’.

The relentless attacks by the Yemen-based group are in response to the war Israel-Hamas war, with militants today insisting their relentless assaults ‘will not stop… no matter the sacrifice it costs us’. 

Mr Forgione warned the knock-on effects on consumers would start to be felt within days with supplies of essential items such as meat, clothes, shoes, Australian wine and electronic goods such as mobile phones, impacted.

He told MailOnline: ‘The ripple effects of these shipping disruptions will become apparent to consumers within a matter of days.

A map has shown which major goods are set to be impacted by the crisis in the Red Sea, as shipping firms seek to avoid missile attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen

‘The Bab al-Mandab strait serves as a crucial passage, facilitating nearly 30 per cent of containers carrying consumer goods.

All the imports that could be derailed by the Middle East crisis  

THAILAND

Chicken

High street sandwiches

Frozen foods

BANGLADESH

Clothes

Shoes

Shellfish

Fish

VIETNAM

Sound equipment

Mobile phones

AUSTRALIA

Wine

Tobacco

JAPAN

Cars

KENYA

Tea

Coffee

SOUTH AFRICA

Grapes

‘Should ships be unable to navigate through this route and resort to the longer Cape of Good Hope route along the African west coast, it spells significant delays in stocking supermarket shelves and also high street stores, with essential products.

‘Items from Bangladesh, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan and Australia will all be impacted. Expect shortages in items ranging from clothing, shoes to shellfish, meat and mobile phones, cars, wine and tobacco.

‘Britain relies heavily on clothes produced in Bangladesh – they make up 91.9 per cent or £3billion of goods imported to the UK, fish and shellfish from this country will also be impacted, we currently import to the value of £42.1million.

‘The top five goods imported to the UK from Vietnam this year see telecoms and sound equipment and footwear take the top two spots.

‘High street sandwiches and frozen foods will also be impacted by any delays as meat is our number 1 import from Thailand and makes up £541.7million or 19.3 per cent of all UK goods imported from the country.

‘We rely on Japan for cars, they make up £1.3billion or 14.4 per cent of all UK goods imported from the country.

‘You could find your favourite Australian tipple is missing from the supermarket shelves – beverages and tobacco from Australia make up £258.3million or 12.5 per cent of all imports to the UK. Kenyan tea and coffee, South African grapes, and Vietnamese nuts will also be impacted.’

As the crisis in the Middle East continues to deepen, a new 10-nation naval task force, led by the US Navy, was set up to protect the critical shipping route. 

Royal Navy destroyer HMS Diamond and frigate HMS Lancaster – which has been in the Gulf since last year – are among some of the British contribution to the fleet. 

Diamond, a £1billion guided-missile destroyer touted by the navy as one of the ‘most advanced’ in the world, has already been forced to defend itself, last week blasting down a Houthi drone with one of its Sea Viper missiles.

The pair of UK vessels join warships from Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, the Seychelles, and Spain  as part of the American-led multi-national naval force.

Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond is among the British warships now helping to protect the vital Red Sea shipping lane 

The £1billion guided-missile destroyer has already been forced to defend itself, last week blasting down a Houthi drone with one of its Sea Viper missiles (pictured as it launches)

Houthi rebels say they won’t let up on their attacks. Pictured is Huthi military spokesman, Brigadier Yahya Saree delivering a statement about the group’s recent attacks

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told the cabinet that ‘malign actors were seeking to exploit the situation in the Middle East for their own ends’.

He told ministers that Houthi attacks have ‘led to several companies suspending passage through the area’, and added that ‘the UK has always stepped up to protect free trade and HMS Diamond and HMS Lancaster were in the region to provide necessary deterrence’.

The prime minister’s official spokesman added: ‘These are Iran-backed rebels and we know that Iran is actively seeking to undermine stability in the region.

Commander Tom Sharpe, a former Royal Navy officer who once captained frigate HMS St Albans, today warned the Houthis were posing a greater risk now than in recent years.

The group has previously targeted warships, firing cruise missiles at American guided-missile destroyer USS Mason in 2016 and carrying out a number of sporadic rocket attacks over the years. ‘No one really cared. [But the situation now] is a different ball game,’ Cdr Sharpe told MailOnline. 

Maritime expert Martin Kelly, head of advisory at EOS Risk Group Ltd, said shipping firms were abandoning the Red Sea route, instead travelling some 3,500 miles more around the west coast of Africa to dodge the danger. 

The former Petty Officer, who served 17 years in the Royal Navy and operated in the Middle East, warned Houthi attacks were becoming more random.

‘As Israli-linked ships are avoiding Red Sea transit the Houthi rebels have broadened the threat profile to include ships trading to Israeli ports,’ he added.

‘The volume of attack against ships in the last week has increased substantially but the links to Israel are becoming more and more obscure’.

A Houthi military helicopter flies over the Galaxy Leader cargo ship in the Red Sea last month

The comments come as experts this week warned attacks by militants on vessels in the Red Sea could cause oil prices to surge, leading to a fresh cost-of-living crisis for million’s of cash-strapped Britons. 

Oil giant BP said this week it had paused all of its tanker journeys through the Red Sea due to attacks by militants in Yemen amid a ‘deteriorating security situation’.

Iranian-backed Houthi militants have stepped up attacks on vessels in the Red Sea in recent days. The rebels are targeting ships using the narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait, with the pro-Hamas group seeking to disrupt ships set for Israel.

How shipping firms are avoiding Red Sea as Houthi attacks increase

Here is a list of companies that are considering or have decided to pause shipping via the Red Sea:

BP

BP said today that it had temporarily paused all transits through the Red Sea after witnessing a ‘deteriorating security situation’ for its shipments.

CMA CGM

French shipping group CMA CGM said on Saturday that it was pausing all container shipments through the Red Sea.

EVERGREEN

Taiwanese container shipping line Evergreen said today that its vessels on regional services to Red Sea ports would sail to safe waters nearby and wait for further notification. Ships scheduled to pass through the Red Sea will be re-routed around the Cape of Good Hope. It has also temporarily stopped accepting Israeli cargo.

HAPAG-LLOYD

German container shipping line Hapag Lloyd said today that it would re-route several ships via the Cape of Good Hope until the safety of passage through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea could be guaranteed.

A projectile believed to be a drone struck its vessel Al Jasrah last Friday, while sailing close to the coast of Yemen. No crew were injured.

MAERSK

Denmark’s AP Moller-Maersk said last Friday that it would pause all container shipments through the Red Sea until further notice, following a ‘near-miss incident’ involving its vessel Maersk Gibraltar a day earlier. The ship was targeted by a missile while travelling from Salalah in Oman to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, the company said.

MSC

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) said on Saturday that its ships would not transit through the Suez Canal, with some already rerouted via the Cape of Good Hope, a day after Houthi forces fired two ballistic missiles at its MSC Palatium III vessel. The decision will disrupt sailing schedules by several days, the Switzerland-based group said.

OOCL

Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) said last Saturday that it had stopped cargo acceptance to and from Israel until further notice. The shipping firm is owned by Hong Kong-based Oriental Overseas (International) Ltd. 

Several other shipping firms such as MSC, Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd and CMA CGM have already paused container shipments through the area due to the surge in attacks.

The Red Sea has the Suez Canal at its northern end and the narrow Bab el-Mandeb at the southern end leading into the Gulf of Aden. The busy waterway has ships traversing the Suez Canal to bring in a huge amount of Europe’s energy supplies.

The shipping route is a key area for global trade, particularly for the transport of oil, grain and consumer goods from east Asia – and experts have warned the escalating tensions could have a ‘huge, knock-on effect on oil prices’ into the coldest months.

Dr Stavros Karamperidis, head of the Maritime Transport Research Group, told MailOnline that the impact of the disruption on oil prices is the ‘£1billion question’.

The maritime expert, who is a lecturer at Plymouth University, said: ‘I think we have to see in a couple of days how events escalate. We’ve seen an increase, we’ve seen the market is reacting. There is a lot of anxiety in the market about what’s going to happen in the Gulf.

‘A lot of companies don’t want to take the risk. The longer the journey, the more expensive it’s going to be. Also the vessels themselves are going to require more oil to move from point A to point B.

‘So that means we’re going to see more need for oil regardless of everything else. And we have to consider the vessels passing through the Suez Canal might have to pay some extra for insurance. 

‘Overall the prices are going to increase. How much it’s going to be is a big question mark.’

Oil and gas prices increased today due to the potential disruption caused by the shipping issues, with Brent Crude oil rising by around 1 per cent to $77.20 (£61.00) per barrel. 

Wholesale oil prices rose more sharply, with the European benchmark for gas, Dutch front month futures, rising by 7 per cent to over €35 (£30) per megawatt hour.

It could spell more cost-of-living pain for UK households, with average energy bills already set to rise in January from the equivalent of £1,834 a year to £1,928.

The UK’s energy watchdog Ofgem has also unveiled plans to lift the energy price cap from April next year in order to help suppliers recover nearly £3billion in debts from customers who cannot pay their bills.

Dr Karamperidis added that most Christmas deliveries going through the region to Britain will have already been shipped, but the increase in journey times from not using the Suez shortcut could be noticed in the New Year.

He said: ‘The most important thing is going to be containers. There are already five companies now not operating from the area. That bypass could add easily 15 to 20 days for additional journeys both ways from Asia to Europe and Europe to Asia.

‘They are doing a loop and then they’re coming back. That of course is going to remove capacity. The good side for containers is Christmas is already passing in terms of containers so there is capacity.’

He said that additional costs are ‘likely to be passed onto consumers’ but added that he expected this to be ‘something minimal – it’s not going to be huge’. 

Dr Karamperidis said that many of the vessels going through the region are generally the more modern ships, which companies therefore ‘don’t want to take any risks’ on and would rather take a longer, more costly route. 

Protesters at Sana’a in Yemen take part in a demonstration last Friday in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza, amid the conflict. The Houthis, who are aligned with Iran, have launched attacks on ships in the Red Sea and have used drones and missiles to target Israel

Insurance costs have already doubled for ships moving through the Red Sea, which can add hundreds of thousands of pounds to a journey for the most expensive vessels. 

Other experts have been discussing the overall impact on the global supply chain, with Institute of Export and International Trade director general Marco Forgione pointing out that issues in the Red Sea come at a time when Panama Canal is also experiencing shipping delays.

The Panama Canal Authority began restricting vessel transits in the summer as the drought limited supplies of water needed to operate its lock system. 

READ MORE Panama Canal backlogs threaten £22m worth of Christmas supplies from Peru: Experts warn availability of fresh fruit, vegetables, tea and meat in UK supermarkets could be hit due to drought crisis in shipping route

Mr Forgione also told MailOnline: ‘It is clear that the response to Houthi attacks on shipping using the Bab al Mandeb straights is causing growing disruption to global supply chains.

‘Over the weekend another two of the world’s largest shipping companies paused all their movements into the Red Sea and this morning BP has announced it is pausing its use of the Suez Canal. The impact of all this disruption cannot be underestimated.’

He said 10 per cent of the world’s oil tankers use Suez, 30 per cent of the world’s container shipping passes through Suez and 8 per cent of liquid natural gas. It is also a key supply route for crops such as corn.

Mr Forgione continued: ‘Supply routes to and from East Africa, India, Bangladesh, South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand stand to be impacted.’

He also pointed out that in the same week that Japan ratified UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trade agreement, the main route to market is being blocked off.

Mr Forgione said: ‘The only way to resolve this issue is for the Houthi attacks to stop. Unfortunately at the moment that seems unlikely.

‘The share prices for key shipper such as Maersk and Hapag Lloyd have risen significantly indicating that markets expect the disruption to persist and the price of containers to carry on rising.

‘Costs going up throughout the supply chain means increased prices for consumers will be inevitable and there’s a real risk of shortages on shelves. There’s also a risk that petrol prices will rise, if oil shipments are now delayed.’

Source: Read Full Article

The post Red Sea crisis could see wine and tea vanish from shops 'within days' appeared first on sivasistasyon.

Christmas-themed drinks at popular barista chains contain as much caffeine as up to six cups of instant coffee, a study has revealed.

Some of Britain’s biggest high street names are once again taking advantage of the festive mood by offering a host of specialist beverages.

But sleep experts are warning the winter treats are made up of so much caffeine they could leave shoppers struggling to enjoy some proper rest.

Many studies have previously shown that up to 400mg of caffeine per day is the maximum amount you should be consuming and that any more can make it harder to fall asleep.

It can also reduce your total sleep time by 30 minutes, or reduce the amount of deep, slow-wave sleep you get, which experts say is critical for feeling refreshed the next day.

Research by MattressNextDay found Pret’s Gingerbread Lattes and Salted Caramel Lattes each contain a huge 360mg of caffeine per serving – the equivalent of six instant coffees or 90% of your recommended daily allowance in one cup.

READ MORE: The Christmas coffees that’ll give you a gut like Santa’s: Festive drinks at Dunkin’ and Starbucks contain up to 1,200 calories and 14 TIMES more sugar than a donut 

The sandwich shop is followed on the study’s ‘naughty list’ by Costa Coffee, whose various festive drinks contain around 200mg  – equivalent to more than three cups of instant coffee.

Elsewhere, McDonald’s Caramel Waffle Latte and Toffee Nut Latte contain 153 mg, which is closely followed by Greggs’ Christmas line-up with a caffeine punch of 150mg.

Studies report that it takes at least eight hours to metabolise just half of anything you consume, so experts say to make sure such a timeframe is left between enjoying festive drinks and going to bed.

On the researchers’ ‘nice list’ was Caffè Nero, whose Panettone Latte, Florentine Mocha, and Panettone Iced Latte ranges each contain 120mg of caffeine, while Starbucks had the lowest content, with just 66.2mg in its festive drinks.

Martin Seeley, the CEO and sleep expert at MattressNextDay said: ‘Our investigation into the caffeine content of popular Christmas-themed coffees from major chains has uncovered a startling issue that many people may not be aware of. 

‘The data reveals shocking caffeine levels in festive drinks, notably Pret’s, which contains the caffeine equivalent of six instant coffees. 

‘Similarly, Costa’s Christmas drinks contain the caffeine equivalent of more than three instant coffees, and both McDonald’s and Greggs follow closely behind at around two and a half instant coffees.

Christmas-themed drinks at popular barista chains contain as much caffeine as up to six cups of instant coffee, a study has revealed

‘While there’s nothing wrong with buying a Christmas drink from these chains—after all, it is the last week before Christmas—we would recommend not drinking them in the last eight hours of your day. 

READ MORE: Does your coffee have more calories than your Christmas cake?

‘The high caffeine content is likely to impact your sleep, affecting its onset and overall quality.

‘Our aim of the study is to highlight the impact of caffeine on sleep and encourage mindful consumption. 

‘The findings underscore the importance of moderating caffeine intake, especially around bedtime. 

‘Opting for lower-caffeine alternatives from Starbucks and Caffè Nero in the evening can aid in a more restful sleep, making them the perfect option for those who need a little bit of added energy before tackling the high streets for last-minute Christmas shopping or for those who have their Christmas party after work but need an energy boost beforehand.’

Pret, Costa, McDonald’s Greggs, Starbucks and Caffè Nero have been approached for comment.

Source: Read Full Article

The post Experts warn coffees at popular chains could leave you suffering appeared first on sivasistasyon.

• A Scottish mother said ‘There is a lack of culpability in America’ after her 23-year-old son was shot dead in Utah, the family are now using the tragedy to highlight gun culture in the US

A heartbroken Scottish mother is speaking out against US gun laws after her 23-year-old son was shot dead by a 15-year-old in Utah this past October. 

According to the Salt Lake City Police Department, Rory Swimm and two friends got involved in a dispute with a group outside of a 7-Eleven on October 12. 

Just before 2am in the early hours of the following day, Swimm was killed by a member of the other group outside of an apartment building. The gun, a 9mm pistol, had been a gift given to the shooter by his grandfather. 

‘There’s a lack of culpability in America. It’s totally fine that you can go out and shoot somebody because it happens all the time here,’ Swimm’s mother, Susan, told the BBC in a recent interview. 

The victim was born in Dundee, Scotland, to a Scottish mother and American father. The family moved to the US when he was just six weeks old, settling in the city of Vail in Colorado.

In an interview with the BBC, Susan Robb described the police arriving at their home to tell him that their 23-year-old son had been shot dead 

Rory Swimm was a dual US and British citizen, having moved to Colorado at just six weeks old 

Rory had a love for skiing, shown here, he planned to become youth coach in the sport

Susan went on to speak about a ‘culture of hatred’ that is prevalent in the US. 

‘I don’t believe for a single minute that we can change any of the gun laws in America, but I feel that today within the teenage youth there’s a terrible culture of hatred.’

‘Instead of raising kids to be positive in society, they’re being struck down by all the negativity that’s out there,’ she said. 

Swimm’s father, Robb, went so far in the BBC interview to propose a boycott of the US over gun laws similar to boycotts that South Africa endured during the apartheid regime. 

‘I don’t want my son to just be a statistic, I want him to be remembered in a way that’s positive. The repercussions of this little act of a finger pulling a trigger ripples in so many directions,’ he said.

The teenage suspect in the shooting apparently used to go shooting with his grandfather every week. 

According to the police, he told his friends that he shot the gun in the air and didn’t aim for Swimm. 

His death was the 14th homicide in Salt Lake City this year, which is still among the lowest rates of any major city in the US. 

The second 15-year-old who was involved in the shooting has been released without charge. 

In a heartbreaking obituary, Rory Swimm was remembered for his ‘ear-to-ear’ grin

‘[He] killed my son. [He] needs to pay for the crime of murder, not be released into the loving arms of his mother,’ Susan Swimm said at a court hearing in November. 

At that hearing, the teen was remanded in custody. He will face another hearing in January to see if he will be tried as an adult. 

‘These guys, little egos, they wanted to be big men that day. They all wanted to be the big man. That’s how they need to be treated now, like big men,’ Robb Swimm told ABC Utah in October. 

Swimm was about to graduate from Salt Lake Community College and move to Montana to take up a welding job. 

The Dundee-native lived in Bozeman for a time after leaving high school. In addition to his welding job, Swimm also planned to coach young skiers. 

Robb spoke about his son’s aptitude for skiing at a celebration of his life that was held in Vail, Colorado on October 21. 

‘Rory tried soccer, it wasn’t good. Martial arts, now that was comedy. Lacrosse, Rory was out there chasing butterflies, and if you came into his little area he would just whack you whether you had the ball or not.’

‘But put skis on him, and he was a natural. He was so good at skiing that people told me he needed to compete, but he didn’t have a competitive bone in his body, just did not care about winning the trophies … he just wanted to ski,’ he said. 

His love of skiing was also mentioned in his obituary. 

‘A passionate skier, Rory went from being a competitive mogul skier in his youth to embracing freestyle and big mountain skiing. Images are forever imprinted in our hearts of wild aerials and acrobatics accented by his ear-to-ear grin,’ the tribute read. 

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Swimm’s family through this difficult time. 

Source: Read Full Article

The post Grieving Scottish mom slams America's gun laws appeared first on sivasistasyon.