The Best News: 2010

Monday, November 22, 2010

Hundreds Dead in Stampede

2010-11-22

In one of Cambodia's worst tragedies in recent years, at least 339 people are killed during a panic on a crowded bridge.

RFA

Bodies are lined up following a deadly stampede in Phnom Penh, Nov. 22.

More than 330 people have been killed in a bridge stampede in Cambodia's capital, marking a tragic end to an annual water festival.

Most died after being crushed or drowned following a panic as people rushed across a narrow bridge leading to an island in Phnom Penh, where celebrations were held to mark the close of the festival on Monday.

About three million people attended the three-day festival.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said over local television station Bayon TV that the death toll had reached 339 and indicated that it could go higher. About 330 people were injured.
Hun Sen said it was the worst Cambodian tragedy since the murderous Khmer Rouge's agrarian revolution from 1975-1979, which killed an estimated 1.7 million people under the command of the notorious Pol Pot.

In Monday's tragedy, many died after jumping from the bridge across a tributary of the Tonle Sap river.
Some witnesses said people were crossing the bridge linked to Diamond Island at night when suddenly there was a lot of pushing and shoving amid rumours that the bridge was about to collapse.

Autopsies

Map showing the location of the deadly stampede. RFA

"I was on the ground for two to three hours. No one helped me. People stepped on me all the time," a man, identifying himself as just Sophal, told RFA, relieved that he was alive. "While I was crossing the river at 8.30 p.m. , I heard people screaming that the bridge will collapse. There was chaos, and people fainted and some jumped off the bridge for survival," said another man, aged 20 but who did not identify himself, in a separate interview.
One unconfirmed report said the stampede began after several people were electrocuted. The bridge was lined with neon light decorations, which were still still burning brightly as families wept over the dead.
Government relief workers and members of the public helped place the bodies and the injured at several key locations before they were transferred to four hospitals.
The area where the stampede occurred was littered with discarded slippers, shoes, clothing and water bottles.
Hun Sen said the government was not convinced by accounts of how the stampede occurred, saying that a committee will be established to determine the circumstances leading to the tragedy. Autopsies will be studied, he said.

He declared Nov. 25 as a national day of mourning and said immediate compensation for funeral arrangements would be given to the families of those killed.
Young Cambodians
Many of the dead appeared to be young Cambodians.
Diamond island is owned by a local bank and equipped with newly built conference and exhibition centers, restaurants and entertainment areas.
It was in full party mood on Monday night. Many of the victims were crossing the bridge to return to the city when the stampede was believed to have started.

The annual water festival, one of Cambodia's largest and most exuberant, marks the reversal of the flow between the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers.

It is also seen as a way of giving thanks to the river for providing the country with fertile land and abundant fish.

The Cambodian tragedy is believed to be the worst stampede in nearly five years.
In January 2006, 362 Muslim pilgrims were crushed to death while performing a stoning ritual at the entrance to the Jamarat Bridge near Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
Reported by Leng Maly, Sek Bundith, Lion Chhin, Chi Vitha, Chea Sotheachea and Samoun Yun of RFA's Cambodian service. Translated by Poly Sam and Samoun Yun. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai.

Source http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/stampede-11222010145529.html

មនុស្សប្រមាណ១៨០នាក់ស្លាប់ក្នុងឧបទ្ទវហេតុនៅកោះពេជ្រ

2010-11-22

លោកនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ហ៊ុន សែន បានបញ្ជាក់តាមរយៈការផ្សាយផ្ទាល់តាមទូរទស្សន៍បាយ័ន ឲ្យដឹងថា មនុស្សប្រមាណ ១៨០នាក់ហើយបានស្លាប់នៅក្នុងឧបទ្ទវហេតុផ្អើលរត់ជាន់គ្នានៅលើ ស្ពានកោះពេជ្រ នារាជធានីភ្នំពេញ។

RFA/Leng Maly

កម្លាំងកងរាជអាវុធហត្ថកំពុងលើកអ្នក របួសនៅក្នុងឧបទ្ទវហេតុផ្អើលរត់ជាន់គ្នានៅកោះពេជ្រ ក្នុងរាជធានីភ្នំពេញ ដើម្បីយកទៅសង្គ្រោះនៅមន្ទីរពេទ្យ នៅថ្ងៃ២៣ ខែវិច្ឆិកា ឆ្នាំ២០១០។

នៅវេលាម៉ោងប្រមាណ ១អធ្រាត្រឈានចូលថ្ងៃទី២៣ ខែវិច្ឆិកានេះ លោកនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ហ៊ុន សែន ប្រមុខរដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជា បានធ្វើសន្និសីទជាសាធារណៈជាលើកទី១ តាមទូរទស្សន៍បាយ័ន ដោយធ្វើការបន្តផ្ទាល់តាមរយៈវេទិកាប្រគំតន្ត្រីនៅក្បែរសណ្ឋាគារ ណាហ្កា បានឲ្យដឹងថា អ្នកស្លាប់ក្នុងឧបទ្ទវហេតុនៅកោះពេជ្រ មានប្រមាណជា ១៨០នាក់ នេះមិនបានគិតដល់អ្នកដែលរងរបួស និងអ្នកដែលត្រូវសង្គ្រោះនៅមន្ទីរពេទ្យនៅឡើយទេ។
លោកនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រីក៏បានបញ្ជាទៅដល់ស្ថាប័នពាក់ព័ន្ធទាំងឡាយ ជាពិសេសស្ថាប័នស៊ើបអង្កេត ឲ្យធ្វើការស៊ើបអង្កេត និងធ្វើកោសលវិច័យឲ្យបានម៉ត់ចត់ ចំពោះព្រឹត្តិការណ៍ដែលធ្វើឲ្យមនុស្សស្លាប់ដែលគួរឲ្យរន្ធត់នេះ។
សូមស្ដាប់សេចក្ដីរាយការណ៍ដំបូងរបស់លោក សេក បណ្ឌិត នៅទីកើតហេតុ តាមរយៈការសាកសួររបស់លោក វោហារ ជាតិ ៖
Source http://www.rfa.org/khmer/indepth/about_180people_died_in_stampede_on_bridge-11222010133802.html

មនុស្សស្លាប់កើនដល់ ៣៣៩នាក់ និងរបួស ៣២៩នាក់

2010-11-22

នៅរាត្រីថ្ងៃទី២២ ខែវិច្ឆិកា ឆ្នាំ២០១០ ត្រូវនឹងថ្ងៃទី៣ នៃពិធីបុណ្យអុំទូកចុងក្រោយ នៅតំបន់មជ្ឈមណ្ឌលកម្សាន្តកោះពេជ្រ ក្នុងសង្កាត់ទន្លេបាសាក់ ខណ្ឌចំការមន រាជធានីភ្នំពេញ មានឧបទ្ទវហេតុមនុស្សផ្អើលរត់ជាន់គ្នានៅលើស្ពានឆ្លងដៃទន្លេ បាសាក់ ពីសួនច្បារ ហ៊ុន សែន ទៅតំបន់កោះពេជ្រ នៅម៉ោងប្រមាណជាង ៨យប់ បណ្ដាលឲ្យមនុស្សស្លាប់ និងរងរបួសរាប់រយនាក់។

RFA/Leng Maly

២៣-វិច្ឆិកា-២០១០: សាកសពជនរងគ្រោះដោយឧបទ្ទវហេតុផ្អើលរត់ជាន់គ្នានៅលើស្ពានកោះ ពេជ្រ តម្កល់ទុកនៅមន្ទីរពេទ្យមិត្តភាពកម្ពុជា-សូវៀត ក្នុងរាជធានីភ្នំពេញ ដើម្បីរង់ចាំសាច់ញាតិមកទទួលយក។

នៅក្នុងព្រឹត្តិការណ៍គួរឲ្យរន្ធត់នេះ គេបានរកឃើញមនុស្សស្លាប់បានកើនឡើងជាបន្តបន្ទាប់។ មកដល់ម៉ោងប្រមាណ ៣ទៀបភ្លឺ ថ្ងៃអង្គារ ទី២៣ ខែវិច្ឆិកា គេបានរកឃើញមនុស្សស្លាប់ប្រមាណជាង ៣៣៩នាក់ និងរបួសធ្ងន់ សន្លប់ ប្រមាណ ៣២៩នាក់។ នេះជាការប្រកាសឲ្យដឹងពីលោកនាយករដ្ឋមន្រ្តី ហ៊ុន សែន តាមរយៈការផ្សាយផ្ទាល់តាមទូរទស្សន៍បាយ័នភ្លាមៗនៅរាត្រីកើតហេតុ ហើយគេរំពឹងថា ចំនួនមនុស្សស្លាប់នឹងអាចកើនឡើងទៀត។
លោកនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រីបានថ្លែងសុំទោស និងសោកស្ដាយចំពោះព្រឹត្តិការណ៍គួរឲ្យរន្ធត់នេះ និងចូលរួមរំលែកទុក្ខ ព្រមទាំងបញ្ជាឲ្យមានការស៊ើបអង្កេត និងធ្វើកោសល្យវិច័យលើសាកសពដែលបានស្លាប់ និងអ្នករបួសជាបន្ទាន់ ទៅលើហេតុផលមិនទាន់ច្បាស់លាស់ថា ផ្ដើមឡើងដោយដួលសន្លប់ ហើយផ្អើលរត់ជាន់គ្នាបណ្ដាលឲ្យស្លាប់មនុស្សអស់ជាច្រើនបែបនេះ។
សាក្សីម្នាក់ជាបុរស អាយុប្រមាណ ២០ឆ្នាំ ដែលទើបងើបពីដួលសន្លប់នៅក្នុងហេតុការណ៍ខាងលើនេះ បានថ្លែងទាំងឈឺចាប់ថា នៅពេលគេកំពុងដើរឆ្លងស្ពានថ្មី ឆ្លងពីកោះពេជ្រមកសួនច្បារ ហ៊ុន សែន នៅម៉ោងប្រមាណ ៨កន្លះ មានគេស្រែកឆោឡោតៗគ្នាថា ស្ពានជិតបាក់ហើយ ហើយក៏រត់បុកដួលជាន់គ្នាកាន់តែខ្លាំងឡើងៗ បណ្ដាលឲ្យមានអ្នកសន្លប់កាន់តែច្រើនទៅៗ អ្នកខ្លះរត់រួច អ្នកខ្លះបង្ខំចិត្តលោតចុះទឹកទាំងប្រថុយជីវិត។
សាកសព និងអ្នករបួសភាគច្រើន ត្រូវបានស្រង់ពីទឹក ហើយបានបាក់ដៃជើងដោយជាន់លើគ្នា។
ការពិនិត្យដោយភ្នែកនៅពេលយប់ក្រោយហេតុការណ៍បានធូរស្រាល នៅលើស្ពានកើតហេតុនោះ ទាំងសមត្ថកិច្ច និងអ្នកសង្កេតការណ៍ផ្សេងៗ ពុំទាន់អាចសន្និដ្ឋានបានថា ស្ពាននោះមានការប្រែប្រួលខុសសភាពដើមយ៉ាងណានោះទេ។
សាកសព និងអ្នករបួស ត្រូវគេដឹកតាមរថយន្តសង្គ្រោះបន្ទាន់ និងរថយន្តកងរាជអាវុធហត្ថជាច្រើនគ្រឿង ទៅកាន់មន្ទីរពេទ្យចំនួន៤ ក្នុងទីក្រុងភ្នំពេញ ក្នុងនោះមានមន្ទីរពេទ្យមិត្តភាពខ្មែរ-សូវៀត ឬហៅថា ពេទ្យរុស្ស៊ី ជាដើម។
ក្នុងពេលនេះដែរ រដ្ឋាភិបាលបានប្រកាសឲ្យប្រជាជនណាដែលបាត់បងប្អូន សូមអញ្ជើញទៅទាក់ទងមន្ត្រីសាលាក្រុងភ្នំពេញ ដើម្បីសួររកសាច់ញាតិ និងសាកសព។
លោកនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី បានប្រកាសយកថ្ងៃទី២៥ ខែវិច្ឆិកា ជាថ្ងៃកាន់ទុក្ខទូទាំងប្រទេស ចំពោះអ្នកស្លាប់ក្នុងព្រឹត្តិការណ៍គួរឲ្យអាណោចអាធម្មទាំងនោះ៕

Source http://www.rfa.org/khmer/indepth/339people_died_329injure_in_stampede_on_bridge-11222010145456.html

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Bill Nye speaks at Bovard about global climate change

Bill Nye, known for his television show Bill Nye the Science Guy, spoke to a full Bovard Auditorium on Tuesday night about climate and global changes with his signature humor.

Now you know · Many students said they attended the event because Nye, who spoke Tuesday, was a huge influence during their childhood years. - Tim Tran | Daily Trojan

During the lecture, Nye fainted but woke up shortly after.
“What happened? How long was I out?” Nye said after standing up. “Wow, that was crazy. I feel like Lady Gaga or something.”
Though Nye was visibly shaken, leaning on the podium for support and eventually sitting down, he finished his lecture.
“The joy of discovery, my friends, is what science is all about,” Nye said.
Nye discussed mainly climate change and the issue of rapid global warming, but drew on examples from the climate of Venus to North Dakota windmills.
“This is not, as I like to say, rocket surgery. This is people not paying attention to what’s going on,” Nye said.
Addressing the audience as the “climate change generation,” Nye presented students with facts and solutions for the current climate situation and emphasized students’ abilities to change the world, particularly through technology.
“You guys can invent technology that could — dare I say it? — change the world,” Nye told the audience.
Nye balanced the lecture with humor and facts. Nye spoke in dramatic voices and one-liners, reminiscent of his popular television show.
Audience members applauded Nye for resuming his lecture after fainting.
“He kept trying to finish his speech though it was clear he was really woozy, and he did finish from a chair. What a trooper,” said Pierre Tasci, a sophomore majoring in engineering.
After the lecture, the audience gave a standing ovation and chanted “Bill,” a tribute to his show’s theme song.
Bill Nye the Science Guy, ran on PBS from 1993 to 1997. The popular show aimed at teaching different scientific concepts to its audience.
“I remember the little episodes; it was all do-it-yourself, [so] you didn’t need a kit. I remember the funny voices he did, his kid helpers, the cool sets he had … I wondered how things worked, and he explained it,” Sidhom said.
Corrine Tom, a junior majoring in biomedical engineering, said she would love to have Nye as a professor, and enjoyed his lecture.
“I thought it was really awesome; really seeing him in person was wonderful,” Tom said.
“[The lecture] was interesting — he brought in a lot of stuff from the show, like quirky voices. It was really cool to see one of my childhood heroes,” Sam Lin, a senior majoring in biomedical engineering, said.
The event was organized by the USG Program Board’s Speakers Committee and Academic Culture Assembly. Nye’s lecture lasted about 45 minutes, but the question-and-answer session was cancelled because of concerns about his health.
Some students lined up more than five hours before the doors opened just to see Nye speak.
“I love Bill Nye. He taught me English … and science, too. I’m ready, front and center,” Richard Sidhom, a freshman majoring in philosophy, policy, and law.
Sidhom was the first student in line, arriving at Bovard at 1:45 p.m.
Arya Shah, a freshman majoring in neuroscience, had been in line since 3:30 p.m.
“He’s my hero. My dad used to tape all his shows for me,” Shah said. “I loved him.”
Program Board organizers said Nye fainted because of exhaustion, but was not taken to the hospital.
Source http://dailytrojan.com/2010/11/16/bill-nye-speaks-at-bovard-about-global-climate-change/

Monday, November 1, 2010

US Elections 2010: Candidates make last push for votes

Michelle Obama and former president Bill Clinton were on the campaign trail supporting fellow Democrats

Candidates are making their final push for votes on the last day of campaigning for Tuesday's US Congressional mid-term elections.

President Barack Obama's Democratic party is expected to lose its majority in the House of Representatives and is struggling to keep the Senate.
Mr Obama spent the day at the White House attending meetings and recording radio interviews.

US Elections 2010

Republicans hope to capitalise on voters' discontent with the economy.

"We're hoping now for a fresh start with the American people," Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele said on Monday.
"If we don't live up to those expectations, then we'll have a problem in two years."
Up for election on Tuesday are all 435 House seats, 37 of the 100 seats in the Senate, governorships of 37 of the 50 states and all but four state legislatures.
The Republican Party needs to gain 39 House seats to win control of the lower chamber of Congress - an amount opinion polls suggest they will easily win - and 10 to take over the Senate.
Democrats are hoping to hold on to the Senate by at least one or two seats.
In addition, voters will decide on ballot measures ranging from marijuana legalisation in California to a referendum in Oklahoma on forbidding judges from using Islamic Sharia law in rulings.
Rallying support Mr Obama tried to rally support for Democrats on Monday by giving an interview to Ryan Seacrest, host of the popular TV programme American Idol. The interview is due to air on Tuesday on Seacrest's nationally syndicated radio show.

Sarah Palin at an election event in Orlando, Florida - 23 October 2010

Mr Obama also recorded interviews for radio stations in the cities of Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Honolulu and Miami.

Former President Bill Clinton rallied Democrats a day before the elections in the states of New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Mr Clinton told an enthusiastic crowd in the Pennsylvania town of McKeesport that the most important thing was to get out the vote on Tuesday.
Both Republicans and Democrats appeared on early morning TV shows to try to motivate supporters for election day.
Democratic National Committee chairman Tim Kaine and Mr Steele appeared on the ABC network's Good Morning America, Democratic Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois and Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas were interviewed on NBC's Today show and Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour was on CBS's The Early Show.
Mr Steele acknowledged that recapturing the Senate would be a difficult task, while Mr Barbour said claiming a majority in the Senate would be "a bit of a stretch".
Economic blame On Sunday, Mr Obama wrapped up a final blizzard of rallies and speeches in the key battleground state of Ohio.
Speaking in Cleveland, he repeated the theme from his 2008 presidential campaign.
"In two days, you have a chance to once again say: 'Yes, we can'."
He urged his supporters to get the vote out and sought to place the blame for the country's economic woes on the policies of his predecessor, Republican President George W Bush.
The rally was short of capacity, a contrast to the 2008 election when across the country people were turned away from Mr Obama's packed-out appearances.
The Democrats face losing up to six House seats, one Senate race and the governorship in Ohio.
Tea Party momentum Republicans are riding high in opinion polls, buoyed by discontent over unemployment running near 10%, slow economic growth and a burst housing market bubble that has seen many Americans lose their homes.

Supporters listen to Republican Senate hopeful Rand Paul campaign in Kentucky

Kentucky Senate candidate Rand Paul is among those backed by the Tea Party movement

The party has also gained from the backing of the populist Tea Party movement, which has given voice to conservative grassroots opposition to Mr Obama and the Democrats' economic stimulus programmes and healthcare overhaul.
Tea Party favourite Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential candidate in 2008 and a former governor of Alaska, said in a TV appearance on Sunday that Tuesday's vote would be a "political earthquake".
She said voters would tell the president and the Democrats: "You blew it, President Obama. We gave you the two years to fulfil your promise of making sure that our economy starts roaring back to life again."
Ms Palin is not running for any office but has hinted at a 2012 run for the presidency.
Republican House leader John Boehner, who stands to replace Democrat Nancy Pelosi as the House Speaker if the polls are borne out, acknowledged the country's economic problems had not started under Mr Obama.
"But instead of fixing them, his policies have made them worse," he said, campaigning in Ohio.
The results of the day's gubernatorial and state legislative elections could also have a big impact on American politics.
In a given state, the party that controls the state legislature and holds the governor's office has influence over the redrawing of the Congressional district map for the next 10 years.

Source http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11663672

Massive crater opens up in German town

Source http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Massive-crater-opens-up-German-town/ss/events/wl/110110germanycrater