Scientists at US lab detect hints of elusive particle

2012-03-07

Scientists s-aid they have gotten even closer to proving the existence of the elusive Higgs boson, the so-called “God particle” that supplies mass to matter and would complete Albert Einstein’s theory of the universe.

Analyzing data from some 500 trillion sub-atomic particle collisions designed to emulate conditions right after the Big Bang when the universe was formed, scientists at Fermilab outside Chicago produced some 1,000 Higgs particles over a decade of work.

“Unfortunately, this hint is not significant enough to conclude that the Higgs boson exists,” said Rob Roser, a physicist at Fermilab, near Chicago, in explaining the findings being presented on Wednesday at a conference in La Thuille, Italy.

Aid workers find Baba Amr empty after UN talks in Damascus

2012-03-07

An aid convoy from the Syrian Arab Red Crescent found that most residents had fled the devastated Homs district of Baba Amr after being allowed there on Wednesday, as the U.N. humanitarian chief held rare direct talks in the Syrian capital Damascus.

Valerie Amos, who was denied entry to Syria last week, arrived on a three-day mission to try to persuade authorities to grant unhindered access for aid workers to deliver life-saving assistance to civilians. She was on her way to Homs as well on Wednesday afternoon.

A Red Cross aid convoy has been unable to enter Baba Amr since arriving in Homs last Friday, a day after rebel fighters fled following nearly a month of shelling by Syrian forces.

Romney wins Ohio, but fails to land knockout blow

2012-03-07

 

Mitt Romney eked out a close victory in Ohio but failed to land a knockout blow against rival Rick Santorum on the Republican presidential nominating contest’s biggest night, raising the chances of a drawn-out battle between the party’s establishment and its grassroots conservatives.

Romney won six of the 10 state contests on Tuesday but his margin of victory was uncomfortably slim in Ohio, the night’s biggest prize. Unlike previous contests, this year’s “Super Tuesday” results failed to anoint a nominee.

Justice and Elation

2012-03-07

 

Having been humiliated by the enemy a couple of weeks ago it was with great anticipation that I looked forward to the Arsenal – Milan contest, expecting another resounding win for the Rossoneri and an utter and total humiliation for Wenger and his nearly men. 

At half-time of this encounter I felt numb and speechless. My wife tried to attract my attention by offering me a glass of wine but I was ‘lost’. All I could see in front of me was Wenger lifting the Champions League Cup surrounded by jubilant Arsenal players. For me humiliation had taken on a new dimension.

Six British soldiers killed in Afghan blast

2012-03-07

Six British soldiers were killed when their armoured vehicle was hit by an explosion while they were on patrol in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan, a British military official said on Wednesday.

The incident marked the biggest single loss of life for British troops in Afghanistan since 2006 and takes the overall death tally for British forces there to 404 since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion to oust the Taliban.

Mohammad Ismail Hotak, a senior Afghan police official in Helmand, said the explosion was caused by a roadside bomb, the deadliest weapon used by insurgents.

Our View: Public sector awash in ‘too many chiefs, not enough Indians’

2012-03-07

SOME 29 senior-ranking National Guard officers, who were forced to take early retirement, returned to active service last week after the Supreme Court upheld their appeal against the initial decision. Another 26 senior officers who were forced out are also due to return to active service over the next few weeks because of a similar Supreme Court decision; most of the 55 officers are colonels, but some hold even higher rank.

Few gather to protest increased electricity prices

2012-03-07

JUST A few protesters gathered outside Parliament yesterday morning where they set fire to electricity bills in protest over high electricity prices.

“We’re not focusing on the numbers but the point is that we’re not giving up,” said Helen Pierides, one of the protesters.

An initial demonstration took place last week islandwide, however despite the disappointing turnout with only about 20 turning up for the event outside the EAC in Nicosia, a second protest was organised.

The ongoing protests are being organised jointly by two Facebook groups: One Voice-Facebook Group against the EAC and End Unfair Electricity of Cyprus Monopoly, who have garnered over 8,000 members between them.

Airport strike to go ahead today

2012-03-07

AROUND 10,000 passengers and 80 flights to and from Paphos and Larnaca Airports will be affected by the air traffic controllers’ (ATC) strikes this month as a final plea to call off today’s action fell on deaf ears.

According to the airports’ spokesman, Adamos Aspris, today’s four-hour strike starting at noon, as well as another two at the same times on Monday and next Thursday, are expected to create huge problems for the airports, as well as the travelling public.

“Based on preliminary data by Hermes Airports’ Operations Centre, the new strikes are expected to affect 36 flights (today) at Cyprus’ two international airports, 18 arrivals and 18 departures,” said Aspris. Of these, 22 involve Larnaca and 14 Paphos.

Chinese interest in old airport investment

2012-03-07

HERMES Airports Ltd, the consortium in charge of operating and managing the island’s two airports, has confirmed reports that it is negotiating a sizeable investment involving the construction of exhibition showrooms and a logistical services centre at the old Larnaca airport building with an unnamed Chinese company.

Airports’ spokesman Adamos Aspris said the consortium has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese company, following months of “discreet talks”.

The MoU would “pave the way for more substantive talks” between the two sides, with a view to achieving “one of the largest investments ever made in our country,” Aspris said.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.