Newsif Blog

Donald Rumsfeld, the former Secretary of Defense for both Presidents Gerald Ford and George W. Bush has died at the age of 88, in Taos, New Mexico.  His impressive five-decade-long career in politics saw him elected to congress in 1963 and later as a favored counsellor to President Nixon. He is most well-known for his role in the overseeing of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, leaving behind a legacy that is both controversial and consequential.  'It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of Donald Rumsfeld, an American statesman and devoted husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather,' the statement said. 'At 88, he was surrounded by family at his beloved ranch in Taos, New Mexico.'   The cause was multiple myeloma, said his former chief of staff Keith Urbahn.  He is survived by his wife of 67-years, Joyce Pierson, their three children, Valerie Richard, Marcy Rumsfeld and Nicholas Rumsfeld; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.  Fo...

A heartbroken mother has issued a warning to other parents after her two-year-old daughter died from swallowing a remote control battery.  Harper-Lee Fanthorpe, from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, passed away on May 23, hours after swallowing the battery when the acid inside burnt through her food pipe. Mother Stacey Nicklin said she did not realise her daughter had swallowed the battery until she found the remote control with a missing button battery in her bedroom.  Harper-Lee Fanthorpe, from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, passed away on May 23, hours after swallowing the battery when the acid inside burnt through her food pip Mother Stacey Nicklin said she did not realise her daughter had swallowed the battery until she found the remote control with a missing button battery in her bedroom The two-year-old was being watched over by her older sister, Jamie-Leigh Nicklin-Hulme  She recalled her daughter's final words to her were: 'Mummy, I need you'.  The two-year-old was b...

Sajid Javid tonight vowed to end all Covid restrictions on July 19. In a dramatic change of tone from predecessor Matt Hancock, the new Health Secretary said it was time to 'start returning to normal' after 15 months of crippling curbs. Mr Javid said restrictions should not last 'a moment longer' than necessary and he was determined that July 19 was the 'end of the line' for lockdown. He added that it was time for Britain to 'learn to live' with the virus. In another break from Mr Hancock's caution, he appeared to rule out the return of restrictions this winter. Mr Javid said: 'It's going to be irreversible – there's no going back.' The Sajid Javid said it was time to 'start returning to normal' after 15 months of crippling curbs Health Secretary's upbeat tone appeared to be infectious, with Boris Johnson also talking up the prospect of a release from remaining measures on July 19. The Prime Minister said the 'termin...

A supermarket has sparked public outrage by 'mistakenly' tripling the price of face masks hours before new coronavirus restrictions were enforced.  Australian Capital Territory introduced the wearing of mandatory masks outdoors and public indoor settings on Monday in response to a growing outbreak in nearby Sydney. As Canberrans rushed out to stock up on masks, shoppers were shocked to find packs of 50 selling for $120 at Supabarn Kingston in the city's south. It didn't take long for locals to express their outrage and share photos of the price hike on social media.  Supabarn Kingston in the nation's capital were selling packs of 50 masks for $120 on Sunday night. The price has since been slashed to $40 'Didn't they make price gouging illegal? I am now boycotting Supabarn and will encourage whoever will listen to do so as well,' one person commented on Reddit. Other Reddit users shared similar experiences.  'Friend just forked out $200 for 50 at some...

Fewer than one in 20 women support the replacement of men’s and women’s loos with gender-neutral ones, a poll reveals. Just four per cent would be happy if restaurants, hotels, bars, theatres, cinemas, concert venues and stadiums abolished separate toilets for two sexes. Men are almost as unenthusiastic. Fewer than one in ten support the loss of their own loos in public spaces. But a third of those questioned said they did support having gender-neutral toilets alongside those for men and women. A YouGov poll revealed fewer than one in 20 women support the replacement of men’s and women’s loos with gender-neutral ones  The findings from the poll carried out by YouGov and released yesterday suggest the rise in gender-neutral public loos is against the grain of public sentiment. The issue has become one of the battlegrounds between transgender rights lobbyists and feminists.  Attempts to introduce gender-neutral loos in public spaces or in offices have routinely provoked protests from wom...

Spain and Greece were last night leading the resistance to Germany’s demand for Europe to effectively ban British holidaymakers this summer. EU diplomats clashed at a behind-closed-doors meeting in Brussels, with German officials pushing hard to convince other countries to quarantine all UK arrivals – even those who’ve been vaccinated. Yesterday, both Portugal and Malta announced new quarantine-on-arrival rules for British holidaymakers. However, they stopped short of German demands and exempted those who have received both doses of a coronavirus vaccine. Angela Merkel has been pushing for EU-wide restrictions on Britons amid fears on the continent over the Indian, or Delta, variant. Pictured: Merkel talks with France's President Emmanuel Macron Meanwhile, both Spain and Greece said they would not even require Britons to be fully vaccinated – insisting they would welcome UK tourists simply with proof of a negative Covid test. Angela Merkel has been pushing for EU-wide restrictions ...

NBA star Ben Simmons won't play for Australia in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics after the Philadelphia 76ers point guard confirmed he will use the offseason 'to focus on individual skill development'. According to basketball reporter Marc Stein, the 24-year-old informed Basketball Australia 'he requires this upcoming period of time to focus on individual skill development' after being slammed for his poor form in the NBA playoffs.  The decision is a crushing blow for Australia's medal chances at the event as Simmons was set to lead a team heavy in NBA talent.  Simmons has been widely criticised after a hugely underwhelming series in the Eastern Conference semi-finals against the Atlanta Hawks where Philadelphia crashed out in Game 7 at home.  'Pathetic. @BenSimmons25 needs to sack his advisers and get some people who tell him what he needs to know rather than wants to hear,' journalist Greg Jericho said.  'That’s good cause Australia needs shooters anyw...