Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius leaves the Boschkop police station, east of Pretoria, South Africa, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013 en route to appear in court charged with murder. Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius was taken into custody and was expected to appear in court Thursday, after a 30-year-old woman who was believed to be his girlfriend was shot dead at his home in South Africa's capital, Pretoria. (AP Photo/Chris Collingridge) SOUTH AFRICA OUT
Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius leaves the Boschkop police station, east of Pretoria, South Africa, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013 en route to appear in court charged with murder. Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius was taken into custody and was expected to appear in court Thursday, after a 30-year-old woman who was believed to be his girlfriend was shot dead at his home in South Africa's capital, Pretoria. (AP Photo/Chris Collingridge) SOUTH AFRICA OUT
In this photo taken Friday July 13, 2012, Associated Press Sports Writer Gerald Imray, left, is shown by Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius, mobile images of his bloodied limbs after extensive training at an athletics training camp in Gemona, Italy. Pistorius trained in Gemona before competing as an able-bodied competitor at the London Olympics. (AP Photo/Paolo Giovannini)
Olympic athlete, Oscar Pistorius , in court Friday Feb. 22, 2013 in Pretoria, South Africa, for his bail hearing charged with the shooting death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. The defense and prosecution both completed their arguments with the magistrate soon to rule if the double-amputee athlete can be freed before trial or if he must stay behind bars pending trial) (AP Photo)
Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius stands in the dock during his bail hearing at the magistrates court in Pretoria, South Africa, Friday, Feb. 22, 2013. The fourth and likely final day of Oscar Pistorius' bail hearing opened on Friday, with the magistrate then to rule if the double-amputee athlete can be freed before trial or if he has to remain in custody over the shooting death of his girlfriend. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Olympic athlete, Oscar Pistorius , in court Friday Feb. 22, 2013 in Pretoria, South Africa, for his bail hearing charged with the shooting death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. The defense and prosecution both completed their arguments with the magistrate soon to rule if the double-amputee athlete can be freed before trial or if he must stay behind bars pending trial. (AP Photo)
JOHANNESBURG (AP) ? His head shrouded by a sports hoodie, the young man walked unnoticed through a bustling crowd outside the gates of the Olympic village in London last year. When he got close, I saw a familiar face smiling at me.
It was Oscar Pistorius. "Gerald!" he called and then raised both hands for a double high-five greeting followed by a hug.
On Feb. 14, I saw Pistorius in a hood again, and this time he stared straight at the ground, hands thrust into the pockets of a gray sports jacket. He was flanked by officers as he left a police station. Hours earlier, he'd been charged with killing his girlfriend.
It is hard to reconcile the easygoing, charismatic man I interviewed on several occasions with the man accused of premeditated murder in the shooting of Reeva Steenkamp in his South African home. Prosecutors painted him as a man prone to anger and violence, though he had no prior criminal record. The Olympian says he shot Steenkamp by mistake, thinking she was a nighttime intruder, while prosecutors allege he intentionally shot her after the couple argued.
Who is Oscar Pistorius? I thought I had some idea, and in a sense, so did the millions around the world who cheered the double-amputee athlete as a symbol of determination over adversity.
Now he is as much of a mystery as whatever happened in his home in the early hours of Valentine's Day.
My meeting with Pistorius in London was one of several in the three years I have been covering his remarkable story for The Associated Press, from South Africa to Italy to London ? and last week to Courtroom C on the first floor of the red-bricked and gray-walled Pretoria Magistrate's Court in the South African capital.
On reflection, Pistorius' narrative is partly an exploration of how hard it is to truly know someone who lives so much in the public eye. Journalists witnessed or heard reports of occasional flashes of anger ? with hindsight, do they loom as potentially more meaningful? At the time the outbursts passed largely unnoticed.
What I do know is that the public Pistorius seemed to have a soft spot.
Weeks before his debut at the Olympics, he stopped an interview with me to talk to a little girl who walked up to give him a strawberry from the gardens of the rural hotel at his training base in Gemona, in northern Italy.
"Oscar, Oscar," the little girl said, holding out the berry. Behind her, a woman called the child away to stop her from bothering Pistorius.
"Ciao, baba. Grazie," Pistorius replied with a smile, unfazed by the interruption, showing off his Italian and pretending to eat the strawberry.
"She brings me something to eat every night," he told me delightedly, pointing up to the windows of his hotel room.
Now the world knows Pistorius owns a 9 mm Parabellum pistol, licensed for self-defense, and that he applied for licenses to own six more guns ? listed for his private collection ? weeks before the shooting death of Steenkamp.
His relationships with women have been spread over the gossip pages in South Africa.
We spoke about his running, his love of sneakers and nice clothes but also about his history with fast cars and motorbikes and the high-speed boat crash in 2009 that left him in a serious condition in the hospital with head wounds. He conceded that the crash caused him to rethink how he lived.
"I just realized that I need to make some changes and some of them need to be with my lifestyle," Pistorius told me last year in that interview in northern Italy. "I was messing around a lot with motorbikes and just playing around and taking unnecessary risks."
Again with hindsight, was he grappling with anything deeper than just the high spirits and penchant for thrills of many young men flushed with success and money to burn?
Covering Pistorius' track career, he became more comfortable with me, remembering my name and shouting it when he would see me among a pack of journalists.
During his Olympic preparations in Italy, Pistorius pulled out his cellphone to show me pictures of his bleeding leg stumps, rubbed raw from the friction of pounding around the track on his blades.
It was around the time when people were again questioning whether he should be allowed to run in the 400 meters against able-bodied athletes. The message in showing these graphic photos was: Do you still think I have an unfair advantage?
Until that moment, I hadn't fully realized what Pistorius went through every time he slipped on his prosthetic blades to compete or train. Not many people had, I guess.
It was rare for Pistorius to show images of his amputated limbs, but he grinned and shrugged. He said it was just part of the job.
It took a long time for him to get used to people filming and taking photographs of him putting on his carbon-fiber blades. He used to ask people not to film him without his prosthetics.
When he finished a race at the South African national championships last year, he quickly disappeared to a secluded part of the track to swap his blades for artificial legs, complete with sponsored sneakers that his agent was holding for him. It was his regular post-race routine. He then came bounding back to give me an interview.
He often apologized when he had to end an interview because he was running out of time. It always seemed people wanted more of his time than he could give. After we talked in London, Pistorius stayed a little longer to pose for photographs with Olympic security staff, even convincing one shy lady to get into one of the pictures.
Then he popped on his identity-concealing hood and, on his prosthetic legs, he walked off, anonymous in the crowd.
___
Follow Gerald Imray at http://twitter.com/GeraldImrayAP
Welcome back to the UK Human Rights Roundup, your regular booster shot of human rights news. The full list of links can be found?here. You can also find our table of human rights cases?here?and previous roundups?here.
Unsurprisingly, Theresa May?s views on the role of immigration judges sparked much debate this week ? yet haven?t stopped the judges making findings that Immigration Rules are unlawful.? The consequences of the dismissal of the Pryce jury are still playing out, while the Strasbourg Court has made an important ruling on discrimination based on sexual orientation.? Keep an eye out on some new events advertised this week, and various updates in the legal blogging world.
In the news
Blogs and Awards
Sad news for the world of online legal journalism with the?announcement?that?Guardian Law?is to abolish its position of editor and become ?semi-automated?.? The pill, however, is sweetened with the news that our very own UKHRB has been?nominated?for the Legal Journalism Award at this year?s Halsbury Legal Awards.? Nominations are also open for the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year, for which information can be found?here.
Theresa May v Immigration Judges & Other Immigration News
Following Adam?s UKHRB post last week, the key news item has been the fallout from Theresa May?s public attack on immigration judges in last week?s Mail on Sunday.? T
ObiterJ notes?the ?major inaccuracies? in Mrs May?s article, particularly that in fact no immigration judge actually considers Article 8 (right to respect for family life) to be an absolute and unqualified right.? The blogger also makes very clear that the Immigration Rules, although voted upon by one chamber in Parliament, do not constitute primary legislation, and accordingly will not be treated by judges as such.
The Free Movement blog raises the possibility that Parliament may, in light of this incident, modify the Human Rights Act, and questions with caution that if foreign criminals become a first exception, who might follow?? The Spectator also nods in the direction of repealing or amending the Human Rights Act, though sets Mrs May?s comments in the current political context of the Eastleigh by-election, ?where immigration may play as an issue?.
The Upper Tribunal was, however, seemingly not put off by Theresa May?s views, as displayed by a two-part post on the Ogundimu case relating to the new rules pertaining to Nigeria.? The first?points to the UT?s finding that the First Tier Tribunal made a ?serious error of law? by finding that ?Article 8 was not even engaged.?? The second?goes on to explain the Tribunal?s finding that deportation was not a proportionate response to the legitimate aim of preventing crime, given the appellant?s family circumstances.? The Court of Appeal has also found?the country guidance for Burma to be flawed, a finding which has essentially reopened all Burmese asylum cases.
Sexual Orientation and Reform at the ECtHR
Paul Johnson briefly summarises the decision of the ECtHR in X and Others v Austria on the ECHRSO blog, before turning his eye to deeper analysis on the ECHR blog.? The Court found that Austrian domestic law did discriminate against same-sex couples when it comes to ?second parent [step-parent] adoptions?, breaching Article 14 in conjunction with Article 8 of the ECHR.? Johnson?s view is that the Court?s conclusion and method are consistent with an established line of case law, but he criticises the continued view of the Court that gives states a wide ?margin of appreciation? under Article 12 to maintain a ?heteronormative? view of marriage.
In a busy week for the ECHR Blog, it also points to?the Council of Europe?s new webpage that brings together all the relevant material associated with reform of the ECtHR.? For a digestible background piece, see the Council of Europe?s page?on the history of the reforms.? The blog also provides a useful collation of commentary of the Court?s earlier decision in El-Masri.
The Pryce of Trial by Jury
Expect some more on this next week, but the fallout from the dismissal of the jury in the Vicki Pryce case is starting to animate the pens of legal commentators.? Mark Elliott provides?some useful background to many of the relevant issues at play, including his own suggestion that perhaps juries ought to be expected to give reasons for their decisions.? Richard Moorhead, however, suggests?that we are asking the wrong questions: it is not a matter of whether trial by jury is an appropriate method of dispensing justice, but rather we should focus on how judges direct said jurors. Meanwhile, Joshua Rozenberg and David Allen Green discuss the issue in a joint piece in today?s Observer.
Also in the News
Just a quick blitz through some other items making this week?s headlines, starting with a couple of pieces on children and the law.? David Burrows questions?whether those who provide information on alleged abuse ought to be entitled to public interest immunity, with the Supreme Court finding that the right to a fair trial overrides the concomitant right to privacy.? Meanwhile, Family Lore outlines?the recent judgments of the Supreme Court in L and B and in J, with links to case summaries.
Finally, some interesting takes on matters of public law: Brodies LLP have undertaken research?into judicial review in Scotland, noting in particular the low success rate of applications and relatively steady rate of applications.? Andrew Le Sueur on the UK Constitutional Law Blog observes?that the Wikipedia article on the UK constitution is broadly written by non-experts, and invites fellow experts to make contributions as a method of public education.? The UKSC blog provides a useful outline of a speech given by Lord Reed on an ?insider?s? view of the Supreme Court, with some fascinating insights into the mechanisms of the Court.? Finally, in light of the government?s decision not to implement aspects of the Equality Act, and to repeal others, Sir Bob Hepple QC indicates?the vital role to be played by the Equality and Human Rights Commission with its remaining resources.
In the Courts
X and Others v Austria?(Application no. 19010/07) Austrian domestic law preventing same-sex couples carrying out ?second parent? adoptions breaches Articles 14 and 8.
Durani v Secretary of State for Home Department [2013] EWHC 284 (Admin)?21 day immigration detention of minor unlawful due to obviously flawed local authority age assessment, rules High Court
Horncastle and Others v United Kingdom (Application no. 4184/10)?Horncastle case returns to the ECtHR for questions to parties
Upcoming Events
To add events to this list,?email Adam Wagner. Please only send events which (i) have their own webpage which can be linked to, and (ii) are relevant to topics covered by the blog.
Human Rights Law in Practice: Policy, Politics and Potential Saturday 9th March, 09:30 ? 17:00,?Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
The Economics of Killing Tuesday 5th March 2013, 18:00 ? 20:00, Warwick University
Public Law Project Wales Conference 2013 Thursday 11th April 2013, 09:30 ? 17.30. Venue: Cardiff University
International Graduate Legal Research Conference King?s College London, April 8-9, 2013 (including 2 human rights panels and one on environmental law).
Justice and Security Bill ? Closed hearings in civil cases ? ALBA 05 March 2013, Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke QC MP and Shami Chakrabarti, chaired by Lord Justice Lloyd Jones ? ALBA members only, booking required
The Power of Literature and Human Rights Saturday 2 March 2013, 11am-12.30pm Venue: LSE Wolfson Theatre, New Academic Building
How would you like to win a brand new Samsung Galaxy S4, courtesy of Android Central? In 'The World's First Samsung Galaxy S4 Contest', you can win the device, no strings attached.
Here's how you can submit your entry:
Submit a single comment to this blog post.
That's it.
Pretty easy, right? Leave a comment on this post and you're automatically entered to win. A winner will be announced shortly after the official device announcement on March 14th, and we will ship the device as soon as it becomes available.
Good luck to all!
P.S. Once you've left your comment, head on over to the Samsung Galaxy S4 Forum for more chat, banter and general S4 goodness.
Fine Gael Cork East TD and Chair of the Fine Gael Internal Jobs Committee, Tom Barry, has today (Friday) welcomed the inclusion of the JobsPlus initiative in this year?s Action Plan for Jobs (APJ) 2013, saying it will make it much easier for small businesses to create new jobs. JobsPlus is one of seven Disruptive Reforms included in the APJ 2013, and it will see the Government covering 25% of the cost of hiring someone who is long-term unemployed.
?
?As a small business owner, I know how difficult it can be to take on even one extra staff member, even if you have the need and the desire to do so. The JobsPlus initiative will make that process much easier, and much more attractive.
?
?From the employer?s perspective, this scheme means the State will pay ?1 of every ?4 it costs to recruit someone off the Live Register. This is a major incentive to increase your workforce, even if it just involves taking on one extra person. And from the worker?s perspective, this will open up new job opportunities and increase the chance of securing full time employment.
?
?The multinational sector here is booming. But it is the small business sector that will always be the lifeblood of the Irish economy. Micro and small business employ over 650,000; so supports to the SME sector are absolutely essential if we want to comprehensively tackle our unemployment problem.
?
?The APJ 2013 also contains a range of other measures to boost job creation in small businesses. Access to finance remains a key issue, and by the end of this year Government finance schemes worth over ?2 billion will be lending to businesses. A single licencing application system is also going to be established, which should save the retail community about ?20 million a year.
?
?Over the next year, Enterprise Ireland will continue its focus on helping small businesses to access lucrative export markets through its Potential Exporters Division. It will also help support over 1,000 companies on management development programmes. A specific element of the plan aims to help Irish businesses to benefit from the presence of large multinationals here by boosting the level of products and services sourced locally. This has the potential to generate up to ?500 million in new business.
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?The APJ 2013 is an extremely comprehensive document containing 333 actions to be implemented across 16 Government Departments and 46 agencies. Its actions to support business, reduce costs, improve access to finance and target key growth sectors will help both large and small companies here to expand, succeed and create jobs.?
ANAHEIM, Calif. ? When she steps into the cage at UFC 157 this weekend, Liz Carmouche will be the first openly gay fighter in the UFC.
To date, no male UFC fighter has come out of the closet. UFC president Dana White, however, said he knows how he will react ?not only if a male fighter comes out, but also if his opponent would threaten to refuse a fight against a gay athlete.
"Most of the guys that are in this sport are really good people," White said during Friday's question and answer session. "I honestly don't see a situation where that would happen, but if it did, I'd fix it."
White has been criticized by gay groups in the past for using homophobic language, which he discussed.
"Some of our guys, and I have said some things that make it look like we're homophobes," White said. "But we're not, and we've apologized."
No active athletes in in the four major sports have come out of the closet. Some athletes, like the NBA's John Amaechi, came out after retirement.
It appears, however, that attitudes are changing in the athletic world. Just this week, NFL quarterback Tim Tebow pulled out of a speaking engagement at a church led by an anti-gay pastor.
Can you smell it? Smartphone season is in the air. Along with recent leaks for the Lumia 720 and Lumia 520, another handset from Nokia was just tipped -- this time at the FCC. The phone in question is known only as the RM-860, but with support for LTE bands 4 and 13, it carries the telltale marks as a Verizon smartphone. As you may recall, Nokia revealed earlier this year that it aims to bring high-end, mid-range and low-end Lumia smartphones to AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile. Given the relatively blah Lumia 822 that's already at Big Red, could this be a sign that Verizon is set to gain its own iteration of the Lumia 920? Or, might it be that the carrier is aiming for lower hanging fruit?
Three UEA writers have won prizes in the 2012 Caf? Writers Open Poetry Competition, judged by acclaimed poet Ian Duhig.? Jane Monson (pictured) was awarded second prize in the competition for her prose poem ?Beam of Light?.? Jane graduated from the UEA MA in Creative Writing (Poetry) in 2000 and subsequently gained a PhD in Creative and Critical Writing from the University of Cardiff. Her first collection ?Speaking Without Tongues? was published by Cinnamon Press in 2010.? Colette Sensier won third prize for her poem ?I Have My Mother?s Eyes?. Colette is currently studying for her MA in Creative Writing (Prose Fiction) at UEA.? She published her debut collection of poetry ?How Many Camels Is Too Many?? last year, and was one of five young writers selected for the Flight 2012 mentoring scheme organized by Spread the Word and run in partnership with the Poetry School.? Tim Clare was awarded the prize for Funniest Poem for ?Mango?. Tim graduated from the Creative Writing (Prose) MA in 2004 and is the author of the memoir ?We Can?t All Be Astronauts?, which won the Biography category of the 2009 East Anglian Book Awards, and the collection ?Pub Stuntman?, published last year by Nasty Little Press.? He is a member of the poetry collective Aisle16, and is a regular performer of stand-up poetry at both literary and music festivals.
Saving money by using electric vehiclesPublic release date: 22-Feb-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Monika Landgraf presse@kit.edu 49-721-608-47414 Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres
This press release is available in German.
High battery costs still prevent many people from buying an electric vehicle. Is it possible to save money by using an electric vehicle instead of a conventional reference car? This question is studied by the companies of Michelin and Siemens in cooperation with research partners at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI. In January 2013, the consortium was promised funding by the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building, and Urban Development (BMVBS) under the Baden-Wrttemberg LivingLab BWe mobil showcase project.
"If electric mobility is to be successful in Europe, it has to be economically efficient. We are looking for applications in which electric vehicles are cheaper than a reference car with a combustion engine," says Dr. Olaf Wollersheim, head of the RheinMobil showcase project at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). This is where the companies of Michelin and Siemens come in. Their staff members commute frequently between the German and French facilities. So far, conventional vehicles have been used for these trips. However, an electric vehicle may be cheaper, as every kilometer driven electrically costs less than driving on gasoline or diesel fuel. Wollersheim points out that the reason is the much higher efficiency of the electric drive train. "If the vehicle is used often, costs can be reduced considerably and the high purchasing price is compensated."
In a few weeks from now, first electric vehicles will be used by the staff commuting from Alsace to the Michelin factory in Karlsruhe. At the same time, Siemens staff members will use an electric instead of a gasoline-based vehicle for their trips between the factories in Karlsruhe and Haguenau, France. In both cases, utilization of the vehicles is planned to be increased, such that the electric vehicle will be cheaper than the reference car with a combustion engine at the end of the project. This concept also convinced the federal government. The project scheduled for a duration of three years and having a volume of nearly two million euros will be funded by the BMVBF and the project partners at a ratio of 50 : 50.
"Michelin does not only develop and sell tires, but is also committed to viable mobility. This is one of the company's principles outlined in the "Performance and Responsibility" Charter. The RheinMobil project fits perfectly to our company culture, as we can combine our values of 'respect for people' and 'promoting innovation'", explains Christian Metzger, the Karlsruhe plant manager of Michelin. "If electric mobility is to have a future, we have to bring electric vehicles onto the roads and make them visible," Metzger says.
"By participating in the project, Siemens does not only want to contribute to environmental protection, we also want to enhance the acceptance of electric mobility among our staff members. For business trips to our factory at Haguenau, Alsace, which is located 70 km away, they can test the electric vehicle in practice," says Hans-Georg Kumpfmller, spokesman of the Karlsruhe Siemens plant management.
To reach the ambitious project objectives, smart operation strategies for the vehicles, charging stations at the right places, and efforts to convince the staff members of the companies are required. Fraunhofer ISI and KIT have already studied user expectations and commercialization obstacles. They know the factors that prevent people from using electric vehicles, such as high costs, small ranges, and limited availability of charging infrastructure.
"This is where we come in," says Max Nastold, managing director of the company e-MotionLine. This company has just been established by KIT graduates and now received the first order to supply vehicles for the RheinMobil project. "We take care of the selection of economically most efficient vehicles, coordinate the charging infrastructure, and train the users in using this new technology." Max Nastold is convinced that this concept can also be used to open up other economically efficient applications. As regards the use of the charging infrastructure on both sides of the German-French border, the RheinMobil partners cooperate closely with the CROss-border Mobility for EVs (CROME) project (http://crome.forschung.kit.edu) that is funded by several German and French ministries.
The RheinMobil project is one of about 40 projects in the Baden-Wrttemberg "LivingLab BWe mobil" electric mobility showcase. It is funded with about 2 million euros by the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building, and Urban Development (BMVBF) under the showcase program of the federal government. In April 2012, the federal government selected four regions in Germany as "electric mobility showcases". In these regions, research and development of alternative drive trains are funded according to the decision made by German parliament. For the showcase project, the federation will provide funds in the total amount of EUR 180 million. In large-scale regional demonstration and pilot projects, electric mobility will be tested at the interface of energy system, vehicle, and traffic system. Further information can be found at www.schaufenster-elektromobilitaet.org.
###
"LivingLab BWe mobil" Electric Mobility Showcase
In the Baden-Wrttemberg "LivingLab BWe mobil" showcase, more than 100 partners from industry, science, and public institutions are studying electric mobility in practice. The projects concentrate on the region of Stuttgart and the city of Karlsruhe and ensure high international visibility. "LivingLab BWe mobil" stands for a systematic approach based on coordinated projects for everybody to experience electric mobility from the electric bike to the electric car to the electric van to plug-in shuttle buses. The projects address aspects of intermodality, fleets, commercial transport, infrastructure and energy, urban and traffic planning, vehicle technology, communication, and participation as well as training and qualification. "LivingLab BWe mobil" is coordinated by the State Agency for Electric Mobility and Fuel Cell Technology e-mobil BW GmbH and the Stuttgart Regional Economic Development Corporation (WRS).
About Michelin
The worldwide active tire manufacturer Michelin has 115,000 employees and sales organizations in more than 170 countries. In line with its vision of an environmentally compatible mobility, the company develops, produces, and sells tires for nearly all types of vehicles. Michelin has 70 production facilities in 18 countries on five continents. For the constant further development of its complex products and technologies, Michelin possesses test and development centers in Europe, the USA, and Japan. The company admits its social responsibility. Among others, it has been organizing regularly the Michelin Challenge Bibendum since 1998. It is one of the largest forums worldwide for sustainable mobility. Michelin is committed to tradition. In 1931, the first production facility of Michelin in Germany was established in Karlsruhe. Today, this production facility is a recognized specialist for the manufacture of light truck tires. The highly automated production facilities are among the most modern facilities in the branch. Michelin produces a wide spectrum of tire dimensions of highest quality, mainly for the European market, but also for Japan, Mexico, and North America. In Germany, the Michelin Reifenwerke AG & Co. KGaA manufacture about 18 million tires at five facilities every year. More information can be found at www.michelin.de.
About Siemens AG
Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a worldwide leading company in the electronics and electrical engineering sector. The group focuses on the areas of industry, energy, and healthcare and supplies infrastructure solutions for cities and urban areas in particular. For more than 165 years, Siemens has been standing for technical performance, innovation, quality, reliability, and internationality. Moreover, Siemens is the largest supplier of environmentally compatible technologies worldwide. About 40% of the company's turnover are based on green products and solutions. In the past business year that ended on September 30, 2012, Siemens reached a turnover of 78.3 billion euros from continuing operations. After-tax income totaled 5.2 billion euros. In late September 2012, the company employed about 370,000 persons in continued operations worldwide. More information can be found on the internet at http://www.siemens.com.
About Fraunhofer ISI
The Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research, ISI, analyzes the origins and impacts of innovations. Fraunhofer ISI studies short- and long-term developments of innovation processes and the impacts of new technologies and services on society. On this basis, clients from industry, politics, and science are provided with recommendations for actions and perspectives for key decisions. The expertise of Fraunhofer ISI lies in the broad scientific competence as well as an interdisciplinary and systemic research approach. www.isi.fraunhofer.de
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is a public corporation according to the legislation of the state of Baden-Wrttemberg. It fulfills the mission of a university and the mission of a national research center of the Helmholtz Association. KIT focuses on a knowledge triangle that links the tasks of research, teaching, and innovation.
This press release is available on the internet at www.kit.edu.
The photo of printing quality may be downloaded under www.kit.edu or requested by mail to presse@kit.edu or phone +49 721 608-4 7414. The photo may be used in the context given above exclusively.
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Saving money by using electric vehiclesPublic release date: 22-Feb-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Monika Landgraf presse@kit.edu 49-721-608-47414 Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres
This press release is available in German.
High battery costs still prevent many people from buying an electric vehicle. Is it possible to save money by using an electric vehicle instead of a conventional reference car? This question is studied by the companies of Michelin and Siemens in cooperation with research partners at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI. In January 2013, the consortium was promised funding by the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building, and Urban Development (BMVBS) under the Baden-Wrttemberg LivingLab BWe mobil showcase project.
"If electric mobility is to be successful in Europe, it has to be economically efficient. We are looking for applications in which electric vehicles are cheaper than a reference car with a combustion engine," says Dr. Olaf Wollersheim, head of the RheinMobil showcase project at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). This is where the companies of Michelin and Siemens come in. Their staff members commute frequently between the German and French facilities. So far, conventional vehicles have been used for these trips. However, an electric vehicle may be cheaper, as every kilometer driven electrically costs less than driving on gasoline or diesel fuel. Wollersheim points out that the reason is the much higher efficiency of the electric drive train. "If the vehicle is used often, costs can be reduced considerably and the high purchasing price is compensated."
In a few weeks from now, first electric vehicles will be used by the staff commuting from Alsace to the Michelin factory in Karlsruhe. At the same time, Siemens staff members will use an electric instead of a gasoline-based vehicle for their trips between the factories in Karlsruhe and Haguenau, France. In both cases, utilization of the vehicles is planned to be increased, such that the electric vehicle will be cheaper than the reference car with a combustion engine at the end of the project. This concept also convinced the federal government. The project scheduled for a duration of three years and having a volume of nearly two million euros will be funded by the BMVBF and the project partners at a ratio of 50 : 50.
"Michelin does not only develop and sell tires, but is also committed to viable mobility. This is one of the company's principles outlined in the "Performance and Responsibility" Charter. The RheinMobil project fits perfectly to our company culture, as we can combine our values of 'respect for people' and 'promoting innovation'", explains Christian Metzger, the Karlsruhe plant manager of Michelin. "If electric mobility is to have a future, we have to bring electric vehicles onto the roads and make them visible," Metzger says.
"By participating in the project, Siemens does not only want to contribute to environmental protection, we also want to enhance the acceptance of electric mobility among our staff members. For business trips to our factory at Haguenau, Alsace, which is located 70 km away, they can test the electric vehicle in practice," says Hans-Georg Kumpfmller, spokesman of the Karlsruhe Siemens plant management.
To reach the ambitious project objectives, smart operation strategies for the vehicles, charging stations at the right places, and efforts to convince the staff members of the companies are required. Fraunhofer ISI and KIT have already studied user expectations and commercialization obstacles. They know the factors that prevent people from using electric vehicles, such as high costs, small ranges, and limited availability of charging infrastructure.
"This is where we come in," says Max Nastold, managing director of the company e-MotionLine. This company has just been established by KIT graduates and now received the first order to supply vehicles for the RheinMobil project. "We take care of the selection of economically most efficient vehicles, coordinate the charging infrastructure, and train the users in using this new technology." Max Nastold is convinced that this concept can also be used to open up other economically efficient applications. As regards the use of the charging infrastructure on both sides of the German-French border, the RheinMobil partners cooperate closely with the CROss-border Mobility for EVs (CROME) project (http://crome.forschung.kit.edu) that is funded by several German and French ministries.
The RheinMobil project is one of about 40 projects in the Baden-Wrttemberg "LivingLab BWe mobil" electric mobility showcase. It is funded with about 2 million euros by the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building, and Urban Development (BMVBF) under the showcase program of the federal government. In April 2012, the federal government selected four regions in Germany as "electric mobility showcases". In these regions, research and development of alternative drive trains are funded according to the decision made by German parliament. For the showcase project, the federation will provide funds in the total amount of EUR 180 million. In large-scale regional demonstration and pilot projects, electric mobility will be tested at the interface of energy system, vehicle, and traffic system. Further information can be found at www.schaufenster-elektromobilitaet.org.
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"LivingLab BWe mobil" Electric Mobility Showcase
In the Baden-Wrttemberg "LivingLab BWe mobil" showcase, more than 100 partners from industry, science, and public institutions are studying electric mobility in practice. The projects concentrate on the region of Stuttgart and the city of Karlsruhe and ensure high international visibility. "LivingLab BWe mobil" stands for a systematic approach based on coordinated projects for everybody to experience electric mobility from the electric bike to the electric car to the electric van to plug-in shuttle buses. The projects address aspects of intermodality, fleets, commercial transport, infrastructure and energy, urban and traffic planning, vehicle technology, communication, and participation as well as training and qualification. "LivingLab BWe mobil" is coordinated by the State Agency for Electric Mobility and Fuel Cell Technology e-mobil BW GmbH and the Stuttgart Regional Economic Development Corporation (WRS).
About Michelin
The worldwide active tire manufacturer Michelin has 115,000 employees and sales organizations in more than 170 countries. In line with its vision of an environmentally compatible mobility, the company develops, produces, and sells tires for nearly all types of vehicles. Michelin has 70 production facilities in 18 countries on five continents. For the constant further development of its complex products and technologies, Michelin possesses test and development centers in Europe, the USA, and Japan. The company admits its social responsibility. Among others, it has been organizing regularly the Michelin Challenge Bibendum since 1998. It is one of the largest forums worldwide for sustainable mobility. Michelin is committed to tradition. In 1931, the first production facility of Michelin in Germany was established in Karlsruhe. Today, this production facility is a recognized specialist for the manufacture of light truck tires. The highly automated production facilities are among the most modern facilities in the branch. Michelin produces a wide spectrum of tire dimensions of highest quality, mainly for the European market, but also for Japan, Mexico, and North America. In Germany, the Michelin Reifenwerke AG & Co. KGaA manufacture about 18 million tires at five facilities every year. More information can be found at www.michelin.de.
About Siemens AG
Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a worldwide leading company in the electronics and electrical engineering sector. The group focuses on the areas of industry, energy, and healthcare and supplies infrastructure solutions for cities and urban areas in particular. For more than 165 years, Siemens has been standing for technical performance, innovation, quality, reliability, and internationality. Moreover, Siemens is the largest supplier of environmentally compatible technologies worldwide. About 40% of the company's turnover are based on green products and solutions. In the past business year that ended on September 30, 2012, Siemens reached a turnover of 78.3 billion euros from continuing operations. After-tax income totaled 5.2 billion euros. In late September 2012, the company employed about 370,000 persons in continued operations worldwide. More information can be found on the internet at http://www.siemens.com.
About Fraunhofer ISI
The Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research, ISI, analyzes the origins and impacts of innovations. Fraunhofer ISI studies short- and long-term developments of innovation processes and the impacts of new technologies and services on society. On this basis, clients from industry, politics, and science are provided with recommendations for actions and perspectives for key decisions. The expertise of Fraunhofer ISI lies in the broad scientific competence as well as an interdisciplinary and systemic research approach. www.isi.fraunhofer.de
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is a public corporation according to the legislation of the state of Baden-Wrttemberg. It fulfills the mission of a university and the mission of a national research center of the Helmholtz Association. KIT focuses on a knowledge triangle that links the tasks of research, teaching, and innovation.
This press release is available on the internet at www.kit.edu.
The photo of printing quality may be downloaded under www.kit.edu or requested by mail to presse@kit.edu or phone +49 721 608-4 7414. The photo may be used in the context given above exclusively.
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>>>it has so far been an awful
flu season
, and it's not over. and this year, as we seem to do every year, we've been passing on to you the advice of the experts. whatever you do, make sure you get that
flu shot
. well, the new numbers out tonight from the cdc show the
flu vaccine
has actually been a dismal failure among those who need its protection the most. as many as 49,000 americans die from the flu every year, and while we don't have the total numbers for this
flu season
yet, they will be high. and the number of people 65 and over, hospitalized for the flu, has been the highest since they started tabulating in
2005
. our report tonight from our chief science correspondent,
robert bazell
.
>> reporter: it has been the constant message from the cdc throughout this bad
flu season
.
>>protect yourself. protect your family. everyone needs a
flu vaccine
.
>> reporter: but cdc's own study out today shows that surprisingly often, the vaccine just doesn't work. even though it matched this year's flu strain. overall, the vaccine proved effective, just over half. 56% of the time. but against the dangerous a-strain in people 65 and over, the vaccine offered only 9% protection. in the very
age group
most likely to be hospitalized, and even die.
>>we simply need a better vaccine against influenza. one that works better and lasts longer.
>> reporter: infectious disease
expert michael oesterhom got through this year.
>>over the past decade, the
public health
community has said the
flu vaccine
would be answer. now as we have improved in the science of our studies of
influenza vaccine
, we know that's not the case.
>> reporter: oesterhom and many
public health
officials agree more research is needed to find a better vaccine. meanwhile, they urge people to continue to get vaccinated.
>>although it's far from perfect,
flu vaccination
is by far the best tool we have to protect from flu.
>> reporter: because of the vacci vaccin vaccines' limits, the cdc today made important recommendations for treating people 65 and older. it says they should get treatment with tamiflu or other antiviral medicines if they have suspended influenza, regardless of their vaccination status. critical advice for the population who are usually the most vulnerable to complications from the flu, and after a particularly severe
flu season
, an admission that for them the vaccine often does little good.
robert bazell
, nbc news, new
LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - Three people were killed and at least four others were hurt in a car-to-car shooting and crash early on Thursday on the Las Vegas Strip, police said.
A person in a black Range Rover Sport opened fire on a Maserati at about 4:20 a.m. (1220 GMT) as the cars traveled north in front of the Strip's Bellagio and Bally's casinos, said Officer Jose Hernandez, a police spokesman.
The Range Rover fled the scene.
The driver of the Maserati lost control of the car and crashed into a taxi, which burst into flames. The Maserati, which had a passenger, struck another four cars, he said.
The drivers of the Maserati and the taxi were killed, as was a passenger in the taxi. The Maserati passenger and three others were taken to a hospital.
There was no known motive for the shooting, Hernandez said. The Strip was partly shut down after the shooting.
Hernandez said police had received "quite a few" calls about the shooting, which meant there were multiple witnesses.
"The Strip is a busy place," he said. "It's truly a 24-hour town, and that means we'll get help with investigating this incident."
(Reporting by Tim Pratt, writing by Ian Simpson; Editing by Barbara Goldberg and Jeffrey Benkoe)
Today brought more news of US government action in the cyber sphere, as Washington publicised plans to increase diplomatic pressure on countries thought to be behind cyber attacks and intellectual property theft against American organisations. Fanning the flames of the nation's ongoing feud with China, White House officials repeatedly singled out the Asian superpower as a likely source of attack during the announcement, something sure to deepen the superpowers' mutual distrust over cyber matters. The US says its new policy will see the States work with like-minded governments to tackle offenders using trade restrictions and criminal prosecutions, in a bid to protect security infrastructure business innovation on home soil.
Several thousand non-developers will be able to get their eager paws on an early pair of Google Glass smart glasses, Google has said. The firm has launched a competition that will let 8,000 members of the public 'win' the chance to pay $1,500 (?985) for a pair by explaining in fewer than 50 words how they plan to use the device. Meanwhile, Google released a YouTube video that offers a sneak peek at the Google Glass interface, as well as some of its features. Follow the link for more details, as well as a look at a patent application for the product.
Elsewhere, South Korean handset manufacturer LG has unveiled a pair of new 4Ghandsets ahead of next week's Mobile World Congress. The mid-range Optimus F5 and higher-end Optimus F7 both support LTE connectivity and will ship with Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. The duo will also feature custom LG UX features like QSlide and Live Zooming. LG is currently keeping mum on release dates and pricing, but we'd expect the pair to arrive early on in Q2.
Have we forgotten something? Oh yeah, that little PlayStation 4 thing. Dry witticisms aside, Sony launched the PS4 at an event in New York City last night, and ITProPortal was up burning the midnight to oil to bring you an in-depth report of the evening's proceedings. Purists will be no doubt disappointed that was no room for a glimpse of the actual console box, but we did get our first look at the new PlayStation controller, as well as a peek at some pretty stunning looking games. But will Sony's new hardware succeed in putting the PlayStation back on top? That's the question Stuart Andrews endeavours to answer in his latest blog - follow the link for more insight.
Carney: Obama Calls GOP As Budget Cuts Loom | www.wsbradio.com
President Barack Obama called House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell Thursday about the looming spending cuts set to kick in on March 1. (Feb. 21)
Brooklyn Nets guard Joe Johnson (7) scores over Milwaukee Bucks forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (12) with time expiring for a 113-11 overtime victory in their NBA basketball game at Barclays Center, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013 in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Brooklyn Nets guard Joe Johnson (7) scores over Milwaukee Bucks forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (12) with time expiring for a 113-11 overtime victory in their NBA basketball game at Barclays Center, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013 in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Brooklyn Nets guards C.J. Watson (1) and Joe Johnson (7) celebrate after Johnson scored with time expiring for a 113-111 overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in their NBA basketball game at Barclays Center, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Milwaukee Bucks guard Monta Ellis (11) shoots over Brooklyn Nets forward Gerald Wallace (45) in the first half of their NBA basketball game at Barclays Center, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) steals the ball from Milwaukee Bucks center Larry Sanders (8) as Nets guard Joe Johnson (7) and Bucks forward Ersan Ilyasova (7) watch in the first half of their NBA basketball game at Barclays Center, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Milwaukee Bucks forward Ersan Ilyasova (7) pulls in a pass as Brooklyn Nets forward Kris Humphries (43) defends in the first half of their NBA basketball game at Barclays Center, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
NEW YORK (AP) ? Joe Johnson hit a tying 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter and then his buzzer-beating jumper at the end of overtime lifted the Brooklyn Nets to a 113-111 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night.
Johnson finished with 24 points, and Brook Lopez and Deron Williams added 19 each as the Nets snapped a 13-game losing streak against the Bucks dating back to March 30, 2009.
Brandon Jennings scored 34 points to lead the Bucks. Ersan Ilyasova had 21 points, Monta Ellis added 18 and Larry Sanders 14.
Jennings, who scored 23 points after halftime, saw his short jumper go in and out with 15 seconds left in overtime. After a Nets timeout, Johnson was intentionally fouled by Luc Mbah a Moute with 5 seconds left. The Nets inbounded again and Johnson won the game with his foul line jumper over Mbah A Moute.
Mbah a Moute had given the Bucks a 111-108 lead with 2:58 left in overtime. The Nets tied the score on Keith Bogans' 3-pointer with 1:02 left.
Neither team scored again before Johnson's winning shot.
Johnson's 3 with 1.3 seconds left in regulation tied the score at 105.
The Bucks trailed 61-51 at halftime, but outscored the Nets 30-19 in the third quarter to take an 81-80 lead.
Ekpe Udoh gave Milwaukee its biggest lead, 87-82, with 9:57 left in the fourth. However, Brooklyn went ahead with a 10-4 run, capped by a long jumper from Andre Blatche that put the Nets up one with 6:24 left.
Blatche scored 10 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter.
Sanders tipped in a missed layup by Jennings to give the Bucks a 103-102 lead with 10 seconds left in regulation. After Williams was called for an offensive foul with 7 seconds left, Jennings was fouled and made both free throws.
That set up Johnson's tying 3.
The Nets took a 56-41 lead ? their largest of the game ? on Lopez's jumper with 2:29 left in the first half.
The Nets led 31-24 after the first quarter, having made 7 of 8 free throws while the Bucks didn't attempt any.
C.J. Watson added 11 points for Brooklyn.
NOTES: The Bucks entered the game having won four of their last five games immediately following the All-Star game They are now 27-17 all-time after the break. ... The Nets had lost seven straight at home to the Bucks. Brooklyn's last win in the series was on March 3, 2009, a 99-95 victory in Milwaukee, while its last home victory was a 99-85 win on February 3, 2009. ... The Nets improved to 18-8 under interim coach P.J. Carlesimo, the second-best start under any of their previous 21 coaches. Lawrence Frank's team started 19-6 in 2003-04.
Welcome back to the UK Human Rights Roundup, your regular booster shot of human rights news. The full list of links can be found?here. You can also find our table of human rights cases?here?and previous roundups?here.
ANAHEIM, Calif. ? When she steps into the cage at UFC 157 this weekend, Liz Carmouche will be the first openly gay fighter in the UFC.
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Public release date: 22-Feb-2013
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