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Could an unmarked grave in Winchester contain the remains of King Alfred?

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 23:34:31 GMT

Friday, April 5, 2013

Science and technology

Nick Edmonds [edit]

Wikinews Why were the remains exhumed from the unmarked grave? Did you believe that it may attract criminal activity?

Nick Edmonds: Yes, under advice from the diocesan chancellor, and with many instances of amateur investigations of supposedly significant burial sites, the remains have been exhumed for reasons of safety and security, and are now in storage in accordance with English Heritage guidelines.

WN Are there plans for some form of testing to be carried out on the bones, such as DNA testing or carbon dating?

NE: No plans or permission at present. This may change, but would require a faculty (the church of England's planning permission process) to allow any kind of investigation. Such tests are of course possible down the line, and DNA is a hard test to predict reliability of.

WN What is the likelihood that these are the remains of the former King?

NE: This presupposes that this investigation is looking for King Alfred. In fact the interest is to investigate an unmarked grave, the contents of which are unknown. Of course, an outside possibility is a link to Alfred and the royal house of Wessex. To answer this question, you need to take a full look at the provenance and make your own judgement. Nonetheless, Alfred's bones were moved twice, before being unearthed by prisoners in the late 18th c. And subsequently possibly falling into the hands of a disreputable antiquarian in the 19th century. That's a heavily abridged version, but we are talking about a slim outside chance.

WN How long did the operation to exhume the bones take?

NE: 10 hours.

WN Could the bones be potentially buried again in the near future?

NE: By order of the Chancellor, if no further procedure is granted, the bones would be re-interred within 6 months maximum.

A file photo of the St Bartholomew's Church in Winchester.
Image: Michael Ford.

Professor John Clarke [edit]

Wikinews What is your role at the University of Buckingham?

Prof. John Clarke: I am Professor of Modern History and Secretary to Council at the University of Buckingham.

WN How likely do you think it is that these are the remains of King Alfred?

JC: Very difficult to say — although, as capital of Wessex, Winchester would be the obvious place. Much would depend on scientific evidence (see below). Also needs to be checked against any relevant literary sources such as the AS Chronicle [Anglo-Saxon Chronicle] and Asser's Life [of King Alfred]. There is nothing I have seen so far that positively excludes identification with Alfred. I have an idea that there may have been a Victorian claim about the burial being that of Alfred. This makes me just a little suspicious. The Victorians were very keen on Alfred and one cannot rule out the possibility of a fake by an overenthusiastic admirer. With not much else to go on I would say 50 per cent.

WN Is DNA testing difficult to conduct on bones of such an age? Would you say that there has been a surge in interest in finding the remains of former British monarchs?

JC: Royal remains are big news now. The Alfred story comes up close behind that of Richard III — which does raise the thought of a 'bandwagon.' In other words there does seem to be surge in interest in Royal Remains. An interesting combination of rather primitive fascination with 'relics' and the complexities of scientific analysis. The people at Leicester are certain that the bones they have are Richard III, and I have no reason to question their findings. In the case of Alfred there are three obvious differences.

Richard III's burial was some 500 years ago whereas Alfred's was about 1100 years ago. Other things being equal — and I do not know anything about the condition of the bones — it is likely to be harder to make positive identification for human material that is more than twice as old as Richard's

Again I must stress that I am not an archaeologist or DNA person but my understanding is that in Richard III's case procedure centred on comparison between his DNA and that of people who are alive today and who are descended from other members of his family — including his brother the Duke of Clarence and his niece Elizabeth of York. I was struck by how many figures of importance today are related to Richard — in other words they are the sort of people whose family trees are well known. While I am sure that there are many people related to Alfred, the greater length of time and the dispossession of so many Saxons at the time of the Norman Conquest would mean that present day descendents would be harder to trace with certainty. In other words I do not say that the DNA method would be impossible but it would face much bigger challenges than in the case of Richard III.

One of the clinching factors with Richard III was that contemporary accounts describe the King as having a humped back — as did the skeleton. As far as I know Alfred did not have any unusual physical features.

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Sources [edit]

This exclusive interview features first-hand journalism by a Wikinews reporter. See the collaboration page for more details.

"King Alfred the Great 'bones' exhumed from churchyard" — The Daily Telegraph, March 26, 2013
"News Release: Winchester grave secured" — Diocese of Winchester, March 26, 2013

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Greg Barns named Australia's Wikileaks Party national campaign director

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 19:30:55 GMT

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Australia

Sources [edit]

Philip Dorling. "WikiLeaks names former Lib staffer to run campaign" — The Canberra Time, April 2, 2013
Rob Taylor. "Assange appoints WikiLeaks Party campaign director for Australian Senate bid" — Reuters, April 2, 2013
AAP. "Barrister Greg Barns to run Assange's Senate campaign" — Herald Sun, April 2, 2013

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Thousands take to streets protesting 'ratbag's Bedroom Tax

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 17:40:40 GMT

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Protester at Edinburgh's anti 'bedroom-tax' demonstration.

Protesters assembling around the modern art in St Andrew Square, Edinburgh with Jenners department store in the background.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Demonstrations took place across the UK over the holiday weekend, echoing the message personally delivered to Iain Duncan Smith at a Capita-sponsored talk last week. Chants of "Axe, axe, axe the bedroom tax" could be clearly heard throughout Edinburgh's demonstration. At the end of his minute-long tirade at the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Willie Black labelled Duncan Smith a "ratbag"; several people turned up with this printed on their tee shirts.

Wikinews photographed the march from Edinburgh's St. Andrew's Square to the Scottish Parliament. Various estimates put the number in-attendance between 1,200 and 1,600.

Other protests took place in London, with an estimated 1,000 at Trafalgar Square and Downing street. Glasgow saw around 2,500 take to the streets. Those demonstrating equated the package of changes that see benefit rises at a below-inflation 1%, and housing benefit cut by 14% for those with one spare room, 25% if they have two or more spare rooms, with the 'poll tax' which saw riots in England during Margaret Thatcher's time as Prime Minister.

Head of the UK's National Housing Federation David Orr commented: "It's bad policy, it's bad economics, it's bad for hundreds of thousands of ordinary people whose lives will be made difficult for no benefit — and I think it's about to become profoundly bad politics."

With the policy coming into effect now, protesters are intent on a "can't pay, won't pay" civil disobedience campaign.

Images from the Edinburgh protest [edit]

Panoramic shot of the protesters gathering outside the Scottish Parliament.
Image: Brian McNeil.

There was a widespread belief amonst the protesters that the cuts being imposed by Westminster are the upper-class attempting to reassert themselves.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Protesters gathering in Edinburgh's St. Andrew's Square.
Image: Brian McNeil.

One protester's hand-made signs demands rent controls.
Image: Brian McNeil.

The 'Yes' campaign for Scottish independence attended.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Some Edinburgh members of the UNISON union joined the march.
Image: Brian McNeil.

The Grim Reaper puts in an appearance at parliament.
Image: Brian McNeil.

The Scottish Green Party's banner arriving at Parliament.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Protesters setting off from St. Andrew's Square, marching to the Scottish Parliament.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Police, who gave an on-the-spot estimate of 1,200 at Parliament, prepare to close streets for the march.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Protesters walking out of St. Andrew's Square, with wheelchair user's sign reading "Do you want my carer to sleep in my bed?"
Image: Brian McNeil.

Marchers line up whilst press talk to police in-attendance.
Image: Brian McNeil.

"Axe the Tax", a popular slogan and chant during the march.
Image: Brian McNeil.

St John's Episcopal Church, at Edinburgh's West-End, has a mural skewering the tax with a religious theme.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Many disabled people face benefit cuts over a spare bedroom a carer may sleep in a few nights each week.
Image: Brian McNeil.

The march heads down towards Princes Street.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Princes Street, with the Scott Monument in the background.
Image: Brian McNeil.

The head of the march passing the £310-a-night Balmoral Hotel
Image: Brian McNeil.

The march waits as the last people join from St. Andrew's Square.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Press, foreground, photographing protesters sitting in the road.
Image: Brian McNeil.

More join the sit-down protest.
Image: Brian McNeil.

The march moves up onto Regent Road, which skirts the city's Calton Hill.
Image: Brian McNeil.

View of the march from the foot of the steps to the City Observatory.
Image: Brian McNeil.

The march towards the Scottish Parliament with the city skyline as a backdrop.
Image: Brian McNeil.

The march around Calton Hill passes the Dugald Stewart Monument.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Slogans and visuals on placards equate David Cameron with Margaret Thatcher.
Image: Brian McNeil.

There is genuine anger behind some of the messages aimed at Westminster, by people who feel they are being penalised to enrich bankers and the country's richest.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Pro-Scottish independence supporters arriving at parliament; many feel the current UK government does not represent Scotland, which returned only on Tory MP at the last election.
Image: Brian McNeil.

The lead marchers stopped several times to allow people to catch up, but some gaps between groups were noticable when arriving at the Parliament.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Passing the gates to Holyrood Palace.
Amongst the chants during the march were "They say cutback, we say fight back.", "Tory, tory tory, scum, scum, scum!" and "We won't pay your bedroom tax!"
Image: Brian McNeil.

All ages took part in the march to the Scottish Parliament.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Many see the bedroom tax as a policy which would not be in-place were the country independent.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Edinburgh's James Connolly society arriving at the Parliament.
Image: Brian McNeil.

A small section of the crowd assembled at the Scottish Parliament.
Image: Brian McNeil.

Occupy protesters rub shoulders with 'Yes' campaign supporters, observed by part of the contingent of Lothian and Borders Police in attendance.
Image: Brian McNeil.

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Sources [edit]

This article features first-hand journalism by Wikinews members. See the collaboration page for more details.

"Thousands protest UK's bedroom tax" — RT (TV network), March 31, 2013
Tracy McVeigh. "'Bedroom tax' and welfare cuts protesters take to streets across UK" — The Guardian, March 30, 2013
"Iain Duncan Smith left speechless by protester "We'll see the end of you" [... "Ratbag"]" — YouTube, March 27, 2013
"Archbishop was wrong on benefits cap, says Duncan Smith" — BBC News Online, March 11, 2013

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Car crashes into house in Suffolk, UK, seriously injuring man

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 16:30:50 GMT

Sunday, March 24, 2013

United Kingdom

Sources [edit]

"Man seriously hurt as crash leaves car embedded in home" — BBC News Online, March 24, 2013
"Video and gallery: Man seriously hurt as car collides with house" — Ipswich Star, March 24, 2013
"Car collides with house" — Suffolk Constabulary, March 24, 2013

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Britain loses AAA credit rating due to poor economic growth and continued austerity

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 09:58:27 GMT

Monday, February 25, 2013

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Economy and business on Wikinews

Collaborate!

George Osborne: "Far from weakening our resolve to deliver our economic recovery plan, this decision redoubles it".
Image: HM Treasury.

The US-based credit rating agency Moody's Investors Service announced on Saturday their decision to downgrade their rating of the United Kingdom economy from AAA to AA1 - stating that lack of economic growth and austerity continuing into 2016 are to blame.

Moody's Investors Service said in a statement: "The main driver underpinning Moody's decision to downgrade the UK's Government bond rating to AA1 is the increasing clarity that, despite considerable structural economic strengths, the UK's economic growth will remain sluggish over the next few years due to the anticipated slow growth of the global economy and the drag on the UK economy from the ongoing domestic public- and private-sector deleveraging process".

George Osborne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, said that the move to lower the credit rating was a "stark reminder" of the debt problems that the country is facing and that the government is planning to stick to it's original deficit reduction plan. He went on to say "Far from weakening our resolve to deliver our economic recovery plan, this decision redoubles it".

The British economy shrank by 0.3% in the final quarter of 2012 and output remained flat throughout last year - the economy would have to grow in the first quarter of 2013 in order to avoid a recession. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development warned George Osborne last month that he should slow down the rate of his deficit reduction and austerity programme if Britain entered a triple-dip recession.

The Labour Party has said that the government must reduce the number of spending cuts and focus on growth. Ed Balls, the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, said: "This credit rating downgrade is a humiliating blow to a Prime Minister and Chancellor who said keeping our AAA rating was the test of their economic and political credibility."

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Sources [edit]

"UK loses top AAA credit rating for first time since 1978" — BBC News Online, February 23, 2013
"Britain's Premium Credit Rating Downgraded" — Sky News, February 23, 2013
"UK's AAA credit rating is downgraded" — Herald Scotland, February 23, 2013
Ben Chu. "George Osborne embarrassed as UK's credit rating drops" — The Independent, February 22, 2013
Larry Elliott. "OECD tones down backing for George Osborne's staunch austerity programme" — The Guardian, February 6, 2013
"UK GDP: Economy shrank at end of 2012" — BBC News Online, January 25, 2013

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Three die in Cornwall, UK caravan park of suspected carbon monoxide poisoning

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 09:24:40 GMT

Monday, February 25, 2013

United Kingdom

Sources [edit]

"Camborne family die in suspected CO poisoning" — BBC News Online, February 23, 2013
"3 die from 'carbon monoxide'" — ITV West Country, February 23, 2013
"Partnership to help foster families stay safe from carbon monoxide poisoning" — Cornwall Council, February 18, 2013

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Team USA delivers going into third day of 2013 IPC Alpine World Championships

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 12:15:05 GMT

Wikinews Sports

Sources [edit]

This article features first-hand journalism by Wikinews members. See the collaboration page for more details.

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Presenter Derek Batey dies at age 84

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 15:20:41 GMT

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Related news

Obituaries on Wikinews

10 May 2013: Former Pennsylvania Governor George Leader dies aged 95
8 April 2013: Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher dies aged 87
20 February 2013: Presenter Derek Batey dies at age 84
12 January 2013: Report: hacker activist Aaron Swartz commits suicide
4 December 2012: Australian Paralympian Janet Shaw dies aged 46

Collaborate!

In the United Kingdom, television presenter Derek Batey has died at the age of 84. Yesterday, ITV Border, the company for whom he used to work, said Batey died Sunday night in a hospice near his Lytham St Annes residence in Lancashire, England after experiencing a brief illness.

Batey, who was born in Brampton, Carlisle in 1928, was at one time a ventriloquist. According to BBC News Online, Batey first worked in broadcasting for the BBC. He went on to work for Carlisle-based Border Television, which is now called ITV Border, from its inception in 1961. He continued to work at the station for about 25 years, gaining the nickname 'Mr Border' as a result.

Batey was notable for presenting the game show Mr. and Mrs., a format which he developed for Border Television after seeing a similar game show on Canadian television. Batey presented 500 episodes of the TV programme, which tested married persons on their knowledge of their partners to see which which couple had the best knowledge of each other. At its peak in the 1970s, the programme achieved nine million viewers. Batey adapted the game show into a successful stage show which he presented 5000 times.

Batey also presented a talk show called Look Who's Talking. Recalling the basis for the launch of the series, Batey said: "[T]here wasn't a lot of theatre in the Border area and we thought if we could bring the national names to Carlisle and invite the audiences in, it is a chance to see names where they couldn't see elsewhere, so we did that." Both Mr. and Mrs. and Look Who's Talking were originally regional programmes and were later broadcast across the ITV Network, Batey reported.

Harry King, a former colleague and friend of Derek Batey, described him as "a proud Cumbrian [...] a people person and was never happier than when he was talking to people. He could be talking to the Queen or the person next door". King described Mr. and Mrs. as "iconic" and said Batey "would always let the people he was talking to take the limelight". ITV News Border reporter Matthew Taylor said Batey "will leave a lasting legacy in this region".

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Sources [edit]

"Mr & Mrs gameshow host Derek Batey dies aged 84" — BBC News Online, February 19, 2013
"Derek Batey dies aged 84" — Lookaround, February 18, 2013 (Video)

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Police charge man over fatal hit and run in Birmingham, UK

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 23:20:25 GMT

Monday, February 18, 2013

Crime and law

Sources [edit]

"Man Charged After Pensioner Hit By Car" — Sky News, February 17, 2013
"Man charged over Yardley crash death of pedestrian, 80" — BBC News Online, February 17, 2013
Claire Thomas. "Hit and run in Yardley" — West Midlands Ambulance Service, February 17, 2013

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East London double shooting kills teenager, seriously injures man

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 17:16:25 GMT

Monday, February 18, 2013

Crime and law

Sources [edit]

"Teenager Shot Dead In East London Is Named" — Sky News, February 18, 2013
"Clapton shooting: Teenager killed and man badly hurt" — BBC News Online, February 18, 2013

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Police charge man with murder of three-year-old in Sheffield, UK

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 20:50:19 GMT

Monday, February 11, 2013

United Kingdom

Sources [edit]

"Man charged with murder of Shiregreen girl" — South Yorkshire Police, February 11, 2013
"BREAKING: Murdered Sheffield girl, 3, is named" — Sheffield Star, February 11, 2013

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Briton sentenced to death for drug smuggling in Indonesia

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 04:23:28 GMT

Indonesia

Sources [edit]

"Government condemns Sandiford death penalty" — Channel 4 News, January 22, 2013
"Bali Drugs: Death Sentence for Briton Lindsey Sandiford" — BBC News Online, January 22, 2013

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Wikinews interviews Spain's most decorated Paralympian, Teresa Perales

Sat, 19 Jan 2013 22:27:07 GMT

Wikinews Sports

Evolution of the Paralympics [edit]

Wikinews Hi this is Laura Hale and I'm interviewing Teresa Perales (Raystorm translating), the most decorated Spanish paralympian of all time, and we're in Zaragoza. And you're from Zaragoza, right?

Teresa Perales in Zaragoza on Thursday
Image: LauraHale.

Teresa Perales :Yes, I'm from Zaragoza.^((es))

WNSo, are you confident that Madrid is going to get the 2020, and are you going to stay around?

Teresa Perales : (laughs) I'd love to. I participated in the bid for Madrid 2016. It was a pity we didn't get them, and I hope now it is our chance. But I don't think I will be competing in them.^((es))

WNYou first competed in 2000. Has there been a big change from 2000 to London that you've noticed like in terms of the atmosphere, or even the level of sport and issues of classification?

Teresa Perales : Yes, especially in the level of sport. Our sport is more professional, there are more countries that dedicate more resources, and it is much more professional than in 2000. I've seen an evolution, in Sydney times that were gold medal now didn't make it to the finals. Another very important change has been the media coverage, at an international level and specially in Spain. Here in Spain for the first time we've had more than 14 hours of daily coverage of the Games. We've had specific programmes and general coverage, and that has been completely different than in Beijing, Athens, Sydney and previous others. It's been the first time that we've been featured in the main pages of newspapers and opened the first minutes of the tv news. Regarding organization, I don't think there's been much change. I think Sydney organised the Games wonderfully well. Athens wasn't very good, at all. Beijing was amazing: the organization was A plus, volunteers were A plus, everyone was A plus. It was fantastic. And London was like... I'm now using a new term, which it no longer is integration or normalization, it is naturally. As in, now everyone does see us the same, just exactly like the Olympians. Not for our disabilities. The biggest change I've seen is how people look at me, for example, it now is: I've won 22 medals. I am the sportsperson with more medals in Spanish History. And this has been recognised at an institutional and social level. This year I will receive the Gran Cruz al Mérito Deportivo, the highest honor that a sportsperson can achieve in Spain. It never before had been conceded to a paralympic sportsperson, ever. Many national awards, which weren't possible for sportspeople with disabilities, national awards from newspapers, associations, clubs or town halls. It's a radical change.^((es))

Sponsorship [edit]

WNI went to London, and the quality of sport — you didn't go there and say, that's a person in a wheelchair. You went, fall down guy in a wheelchair, because the sport was so great. There was no embarrassment like the Olympics where they let the people from Lesotho swim in the pool. [The level of sport] was very equitable [at the Paralympics]. In Australia, there was discussion amongst the Paralympians with the issue of sponsorship because sport is becoming so elite. Do you think Paralympians should be getting sponsorship and on the same level that their able-bodied counterparts are?

Interior panorama of the London Aquatics Centre, one of the venues of the 2012 Paralympic Games.
Image: Alexander Kachkaev.

Teresa Perales : Of course. Yes, I hope, some day. Here in Spain... I don't know well other countries, how they work, I know the financial recognition they get after the Games, but I don't know the level of sponsorship the sportspeople have. ^((es))

WNYeah I was asking you about Spain, the Australians are why I asked.

Teresa Perales : Ah, ok. In Spain we have a law, which has to be improved, which is the Law on Patronage ("Ley del Mecenazgo") which regulates the way in which companies sponsor a sportsperson or an event and receive tax deductions in exchange. For example, sponsoring the ADO Paralympian Plan. It's a special plan for Olympians and a plan for Paralympians. The financial support for a Paralympian and for an Olympian is very different. The amount for a Paralympian is a tenth of that of an Olympian. For example, all my medals in London, which were a gold, three silvers and two bronzes, are financially equivalent to one Olympic bronze medal. Very different. Companies prefer to sponsor the event, the plan, before the sportsperson, because they receive more advantages for that. This is in the case of the Paralympians: for Olympians, it is more usual for companies to sponsor sportspeople. For Beijing and London I had a sponsor, Arena, the swimsuit brand, who gave me swimsuits to compete with. For London they gave me three. [Laughs]^((es))

WNIs there any difference between men and women?

Teresa Perales : Only in the financial support of the clubs. Of course, that doesn't affect us because we do not get money from the clubs. For example, Mireia Belmonte has an ADO sponsorhip, a Federations sponsorship, and well now she has problems with her club because she wanted to get the same amount of money as the men, and so she left the club. But she gets money from three places: ADO, Federation, and club. In our case it's ADO only.^((es))

WNIn the US, the system is, you need sponsorship to get to the elite level. In Australia, the government funds Olympians and Paralympians equally. Like goalball players got 7,000 dollars each, so it is interesting to find out how Spain differs.

Teresa Perales : Yes, but then, here in Spain we have to make a disctintion: we have the ADO Paralympic Plan since 2005, and the first time we perceived money, rewards for medals and ADO Plan, was after Beijing. Very recently.^((es))

Classification [edit]

WNAs someone who watched the Paralympics, classification was a huge issue. Mallory Weggemann was an American [Paralympic swimmer] who got reclassified at the Games and the Americans were really upset, and the Australians have said classifiers have won them more medals than the athletes themselves. How important is classification for you and are you happy with the system that exists for swimming?

Teresa Perales : Well, since I am also a representative of the Athlete's Council at the International Paralympic Committee, this is a topic we have discussed there. We think that it is important than in the Olympic year, especially in the last months, and above all during the Games, there should be no classifications. Exactly to avoid these cases, in which sportspeople go up a category or down a category, and mess up the ranking. There have been many cases, in Spain we've had cases of people losing a medal because of a reclassification. We are worried about that and by the way in which events, the places to hold the competition, are selected during the Paralympic Games. ^((es))

WNIn Atlanta it was really bad...

Teresa Perales : Yes, some even were unable to compete because they were not able to get to the place of the event.^((es))

WNSome of the people with the Paralympic movement think understanding classification is key towards moving the Games forward, like how do you convey that to the public, how classification works, so when somebody sees you, an S5 swimmer, they go, 'we got times like this, but the S1 swimmers, this, and I can't see much of a difference'.

Teresa Perales : Yes, that is one of the problems we have. In fact, it is the biggest problem for having in the future an open class system, a system in which all classes were able to compete together. One of the issues that was being evaluated since before London had to do with the events, not the place but the event, for example 50m butterfly, why now yes and before no, or why before yes and now not? One of the systems proposed, to avoid events from having to disappear, is unifying several categories. In other words, to have one class, but open. ^((es))

WNLike skiiing?

Teresa Perales : Yes. It's similar. Yes, yes, similar to that. They are thinking of doing something similar in swimming, athletics, cycling... in sports with many people. This arises because we have a limited number of people who can participate in the Games, which is 4,000. 4,200, total. It's 10,000 Olympians, while we are 4,000. And this is an agreement with the Olympic Committee. The Paralympic Committee makes a deal with the Olympic Committee, and that's why we cannot exceed 4,000, and why some events have to be eliminated. To eliminate events, there is the option to concentrate the classes. But there is a big problem, because the public would not understand me competing against a swimmer who is only missing a hand, because she would obviously beat me. Imagine that I really do beat her not because I arrive before her, but because my time, due to the correction percentages or whatever, is held to be the winner, even if however I came in last position. ^((es))

WNThat happened in cycling. Set a World Record, did not win a medal.

Teresa Perales : Yes, I know. Yes, but they have, like in ski. In ski what they do is, time goes slower depending in which category you are in, so that at the end it is the same. Then the public really see that the time is going down and they are seeing a timer, seeing the time slowing down, but at the end they are seeing the same time. Then they see who's won because they can see the time. The problem happens in sports in which several of us compete simultaneously, eight lanes. It's difficult to understand.^((es))

WNHave you ever had any problems with in your career where they've said...?

Teresa Perales : No. At first I was in New Zealand, I was S6, and then in 2000? No, in 1999, in the European Championships, I was reclassified, and now I am S5, SB4, and SM5, because they saw my arm is not very good.^((es))

Mixing sport and politics [edit]

WNIn the US, there is a view that celebrities and sportspeople should stay out of politics because... they're dumb.

Teresa Perales : [Laughs]. Okay, this doesn't happen in Spain.^((es))

WN Should sportspeople be involved and do Paralympians especially, should they be more involved because of the nature of the sport they are doing in politics, and is it something in Spain and should be done elsewhere in the world... Should there be a call for more Paralympians in politics? Because you protested in Madrid...

Teresa Perales : Yes!^((es))

Paralympic swimmer Teresa Perales with Miguel Carballeda; the president of the Spanish Paralympic Committee told IOC inspectors Madrid would stage the "greatest Paralympic Games ever."
Image: Atr1992.

WNAnd you were a politician.

Teresa Perales : I was, I was. [Laughs] No, I worked in politics, I really wasn't a politician. I believe that when you want things to change, and when you believe that there is something that has to change, you need to be part of the change. And that's why I entered politics. That's why I think that it is important that people get involved in politics. And not only... In my case, I didn't get in for sports politics, I got in for general politics, because I believed there were several things that could be improved or that should be changed, and that's why I got in. And I believe that sportspeople are very qualified, because, let me give an example. Me, that I spend seven days a week, six hours every day training, seeing the floor and walls, I just can do whatever I want in this life.[Laughs] I know I am not going to go down in the dumps if I have a problem, because while training I know that things may not work out the first day, the second, the third, but someday they will, right? And that's what sportspeople contribute to any job, and especially to politics. I defend what sportspeople can contribute, I've given conference talks on what a sportsperson can contribute to a company, and what a sportsperson can contribute to politics is the same because it is also a job and a company, right? It's how to manage resources: I manage my resources every day to get the most out of me. I also manage my emotions, because I am a whole. I am a physical whole, but also an emotional whole. And I know I can make decisions in a matter of seconds. I do it every time I compete. My 50m event takes 35 seconds. It's 35 seconds. Four years, seven days a week, six hours every day for 35 seconds. So I can make decisions and work really well in politics or in whatever I want to. ^((es))

WNBecause they are disabled, and the way society treats people with disabilities, sets Paralympians off from able-bodied athletes, does that make it special emphasis that they should be more engaged in the political process than someone like Michael Phelps?

Teresa Perales : Yes, because... I had something very clear when I worked in politics, and it's that you cannot make policies without the people to whom they are directed. It's necessary for the people to whom they are destined work in politics, because that will ensure they are right. If not, no. And the people with disabilities, especially sportspeople with disabilities, that we care least of all about the disabilities really, we've had to overcome so many things, that we are able to contribute so much more.^((es))

Funding Spanish sport [edit]

WNThe Spanish Paralympic Committee is supported primarily by the Government?

Teresa Perales : No, for us it is the Government and companies. Both do the ADO Paralympic Plan.^((es))

WNDo they give you as an athlete the support that you need to be successful?

Teresa Perales : No. No, absolutely not. I don't have a lane for swimming every day, only for me. I have to share it with other, not athletes, not swimmers, people, who come to the swimming pool and then swim, or try to swim. I cannot afford to pay a lane exclusively for my use. It's 30 euros per hour. I have to pay the ticket for the swimming pool, I have to pay all my travels, not with the national team, but my travels for qualifiers, and I can't pay my coach, who is in another swimming pool, in another center, because I can't. Okay, I have to be fair: the ADO Plan pays me 1,900 euros monthly, but I'm a mother, I have a family. I have to pay the school, everything. So this is not enough for me. I have to pay someone to take care of my child when I am competing, when I am in the stages. I remember this year, preparing London, I needed to be out of home for 22 days, twice, ok? I needed to pay someone for being with my baby, and it's very expensive. So it's not enough. I win gold so I have this kind of money — is the same [as] sixth place in [the] Olympics. Someone who was sixth at the Olympics has the same as me with a gold medal. I was recently at the Congress of Deputies, and I was talking about this.^((es))

WNIs the Spanish Paralympic Committee working to fix this? Is it one of their goals to adjust this problem?

Teresa Perales : Yes, but the Spanish Paralympic Committee are... Let me count.^((es))

WNThey said six...

Teresa Perales : Yeah. [Laughs] It is true that the companies who support us, who support the ADO Paralympian Plan, it's been easier to get them to sign again after London than those of the Olympians. But then again, it's because the quantities are smaller!^((es))

Being an elite female athlete [edit]

WNIn other interviews you talk about your family life. That's interesting, but you are an elite female athlete, and there's other interesting questions. Is there anything...?

Teresa Perales : As female Paralympians, I think we are one, two, three, four. Four Paralympian mothers. Only. That we go to the Games. ^((es))

WNHow many women total, then?

Teresa Perales : Puf, I don't know. It is very difficult, you know, to be a mother, train, compete, be at the stages, take care of the kid... sometimes it's a balancing act. Apart from the physical changes that take place when you become a mother. ^((es))

WNParalympics in some sports have many fewer women than men, especially skiing. Is that something that exists in swimming, and does it hurt the quality of sport? Because the men in the skiing are like, the women, they are so few of them, they embarrass us, is that something that exists on a swimming level?

Teresa Perales : Yes. But not only in Spain, in the whole world.^((es))

WNPeople say that women don't swim as well as the men, because there's so few?

Teresa Perales : We are very few. In Spain we had a problem before the Games due to the number of spots given to the Spanish women swimmers, which were a third of those offered to the men. And we had female swimmers who made the qualifying time but could not go to the Games. And in Spain qualifiers are hard, there are two kinds: A minimum and B minimum. I'm talking about swimming, athletics... Especially swimming. B minimum is until the eighth position, A minimum is until the third. So, there we women who would have made the finals, and could not go. But this is not a recent problem, it's because of classification, at the World Championships... it's not only a problem in Spain. It's a problem that women do not participate as much as men. I really believe it is a family problem, a cultural problem, and it is a problem that comes from women traditionally doing more things than men and dedicating more time to their families than to training. A man doesn't have to stop to have a child, usually has more support for the house things, and yet however women don't.^((es))

WNIn Australia they say, female sportswomen, fantastic, more medals! So they go for them. And that's not the case here?

Teresa Perales : No. Not men or women. Only the medals. So if there's a man who wins more medals, well, okay, the man. The problem is that this has to be potentiated before. It's like the people with high support needs. There are fewer participants with high support needs, because it is much easier to tend to people with lesser disabilities. It's like that.^((es))

WNYou're really fascinating. It's a completely different perspective. Is there anything else people should know about Paralympics in Spain, or you?

Teresa Perales : Well, to be fair I should say that my case is special because I'm in Aragón, in Zaragoza, we're very few sportspeople with disabilities that make the Games. It's not the same a sportsperson who lives in a city with a High Performance Center, they have it better than me. ^((es))

WN I want to thank you a lot, thank you!

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This exclusive interview features first-hand journalism by a Wikinews reporter. See the collaboration page for more details.

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Helicopter collides with crane in central London

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 20:42:48 GMT

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

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A helicopter hit a crane on the top of a high-rise building, St George Wharf Tower, in Vauxhall, Central London today, killing the pilot, Pete Barnes, and another person not in the helicopter. At least nine people were injured and at least five of them were delivered to hospital.

After the collision, debris from the lightweight, twin-engine Augusta 109 fell on the road.

The incident occurred during the morning rush hour, in heavy fog. Full investigation may take up to several months, but authorities already have said the incident does not suggest terrorism.

Barnes had extensive piloting experience and used to work in film industry, including some work in the James Bond film series.

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Sister links [edit]

Vauxhall helicopter crash

Sources [edit]

"London helicopter crash: Two die in Vauxhall crane accident" — BBC News Online, January 16, 2012
"Helicopter smashes skyscraper crane in central London, 2 dead (PHOTOS, VIDEO)" — Russia Today, January 16, 2012

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Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai discharged from hospital

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 15:33:36 GMT

Friday, January 4, 2013

Pakistan

Sources [edit]

Haroon Siddique. "Pakistan schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai discharged from hospital" — The Guardian, January 4, 2013
Kim Hjelmgaard. "Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousufzai leaves hospital" — USA Today, January 4, 2013
Jon Boone. "Malala Yousafzai: Pakistan Taliban causes revulsion by shooting girl who spoke out" — The Guardian, October 9, 2012

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Wikinews interviews Spain's most decorated Paralympian, Teresa Perales

Contents

Evolution of the Paralympics [edit]

Sponsorship [edit]

Classification [edit]

Mixing sport and politics [edit]

Funding Spanish sport [edit]

Being an elite female athlete [edit]

Related news [edit]

Sources [edit]

Helicopter collides with crane in central London

Sister links [edit]

Sources [edit]

Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai discharged from hospital

Sources [edit]