"You see thousands of people using the dirty water of the canal because there is no other option," he said.

"We have never experienced this sort of massive load shedding before in Pakistan. It's unprecedented."

In April, a 19-year-old woman fell into a coma in a Lahore hospital because a power cut during an operation to remove her appendix shut off her oxygen supply.

Other problems include the spoiling of frozen food and the crippling of industrial production, including in Pakistan's vital textile sector.

The government has sought to give the impression that it has the situation under control. On Tuesday prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, speaking before the supreme court disqualified him from office, announced a high-powered "energy conference" of top officials. It would have been the eighth such event in 14 months, but critics say they lead to no substantial changes.

Economists say there is very little the government can do, given the country's dire fiscal position.

Years of not paying electricity providers has created huge debt piles, which grow constantly as a result of interest charges and continued spending on electricity.

In March, the country's natural resources minister told parliament that the so-called "circular debt" stood at 2.7 billion.

The state coffers are in no position to help as public funds have been consumed by the country's huge defense budget and interest payments on existing debt. Those two items alone make up about 65% of state spending.

Last month, Gilani suggested the power problem could be solved by simply printing more banknotes, despite already soaring inflation.

Link:
Pakistan Power-Cut Riots Spread As Politician's House Stormed

In response to the developing health crisis on L.A.'s Skid Row, the City of Los Angeles today launched a comprehensive program to address the ongoing health hazards on the area's streets, such as human waste, hypodermic needles and condoms.

Dubbed Operation Healthy Streets, the program was initiated by the Department of Public Works and includes an intensive, multi-day cleaning of the poverty-stricken neighborhood's streets and sidewalks. A release, which notes some of the other health hazards as rodent infestations and contaminated objects, says "the required cleanup will include street and sidewalk power washing and disinfection, which necessitates the removal of all items from the affected public rights-of-way."

To aid in this removal, the city along with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) have reached out daily to the homeless and other encampers to inform them of the cleaning and request that they move their belongings in advance. Two free property storage options -- 500 new storage bins at the Central City East Check-In Center and a secure warehouse on East Temple Street -- have been provided by the city for the area's inhabitants.

Patrick Butler, assistant chief with the Los Angeles Fire Department and acting spokesman for Operation Healthy Streets, told Los Angeles Downtown News, "Were coming out Tuesday morning with the Bureau of Sanitation, Bureau of Street Services and public health experts and were going to identify those items which are clearly public health issues as referenced in the county report."

The 32-page report followed the city's May request for a public health inspection of Skid Row, which revealed the neighborhood's hazardous conditions. Ordered by the county to clean up the area by May 29, the city obliged and is obviously taking cleanliness matters further. The city hoped the inspection would aid in its fight against a court injunction limiting controversial sweeps to dismantle sidewalk encampments; a decision by 9th Circuit Court of Appeals is expected this summer.

Focusing within the six blocks of Skid Row bordered on the north by East 5th Steet, on the south by East 7th Street, on the east by Gladys Avenue and on the west by Wall Street, the cleanup is expected to last for about two to three weeks. The release added that the work area will expand as needed to address all public health concerns.

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'Operation Healthy Streets' Starts Power Washing, Disinfecting Skid Row Today

A homeless couple gets up before dawn to dismantle their encampment before businesses open October 12, 2007 in the downtown Skid Row area of Los Angeles, California.(Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES (CBS) City cleanup crews descended on Skid Row Tuesday to clean up the human waste, hypodermic needles, condoms and rats that have built up in the area.

On orders from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, the citys Department of Public Works began a two- to three-week effort called Operation Healthy Streets to literally scrub down the sidewalks after a Los Angeles County Department of Public Health report noted the health dangers of living among feces, urine, rats and hypodermic needles found on Skid Row.

Crews will remove all items including the possessions of homeless people from the sidewalks on the streets on the east side of downtown where the homeless congregate and the sidewalks will be power-washed.

Possessions collected from the streets will be held in storage for at least 90 days at the Central City East Check-In Center, and a Storage facility at 432 E. Temple St.

Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority personnel have been telling Skid Row occupants about the cleanup operation and where to claim their belongings. Four outreach workers are accompanying clean-up crews, spokesman Peter Griffith said.

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Crews Prep Skid Row Sidewalks For Power Washing

BUCKSPORT Shortly before 9 a.m. on June 9, a caller reported to police that the snack shack at the Reggie Ginn ball field on Spoffard Avenue had been burglarized.

In less than a half-hour, another call came in reporting that there had also been vandalism in the dugouts.

According to Sgt. David Winchester, candy and food items were missing from the concession stand, while the dugouts had been vandalized with paint.

Criminal Trespass

Shane A. McNally, a 25-year-old transient, was arrested June 4 for criminal trespass after police received a report of someone going into the abandoned house next to Family Dollar on Route 1.

Taken Tools Turn Up

While conducting a bail check at a Silver Lake Road residence June 5, police recovered stolen property that was then turned over to the Ellsworth Police Department.

According to Winchester, the stolen property consisted of tools.

Vehicle Fires

A Central Street resident called police shortly after 7 a.m. June 6 to report that a vehicle caught fire during the night but is out now. A police officer and a firefighter responded to the scene as a precaution.

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Bucksport Police: Burglary, Vandalism Reported at Ball Field

A downtown luncheon on Friday was intended as a celebration of the 30th anniversary of a nonprofit organization. But it turned into a love fest between Sue Gibbens and some of the owners of small businesses that she has helped get started or expand here over the past six years.

Gibbens is the executive vice president of the Henderson office of Community Ventures Corp. (CVC), a Lexington-based nonprofit that is the largest Small Business Administration lender in the nation, helping entrepreneurs and small businesses secure loans ranging from a few hundred to many thousands of dollars.

In fact, CVC President and CEO Kevin Smith said his organization expects in a couple of weeks to have $900,000 to loan in the Henderson area through the USDA Intermediary Relending Program, which is intended for businesses in rural communities. Loans of up to $150,000 will be available.

But Gibbens, a Certified Economic Developer and the local face of CVC, is more than a loan officer. She's also a consultant, a mentor to fledgling business owners even a provider of a shoulder for a nervous entrepreneur to cry on.

"They become my best friends, my kids," Gibbens said of her clients following the anniversary celebration.

The affection was obvious as client after client owners of small businesses ranging from a power-washing service to a professional philanthropy consulting firm thanked or even hugged her during the luncheon.

Three of those clients spoke about their businesses and the role Gibbens played.

Rebecca Goodman knew that opening Mind's Eye Studio to teach art to children in Morganfield was "a very risky business."

"But CVC had faith in me that I could do it," Goodman continued, as Gibbens helped her figure out how to research demographics such as income levels and average family size to help assess the feasibility of her venture. Gibbens also helped her obtain a micro loan.

Since opening with 17 students in 2008, Goodman's studio has grown to an average of 105 students.

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Business owners thank Gibbens at CVC celebration

SULLIVAN For Sumner Memorial High School Salutatorian Brianna Fernandez, the learning experiences outside the classroom were as important as those inside.

The high school, she said at graduation ceremonies June 7, was like a boxing ring with friendly wins and losses among students and with the school administration.

We have learned more than a textbook could teach us, she said.

Relatives and other well-wishers crowded the gymnasium for the event, which culminated with a balloon drop from a net fastened to the ceiling and a triumphant march down the center aisle.

Valedictorian Jamie Hoglund compared her and her classmates four-year journey to Platos allegory of the cave about the limitations of perceived reality.

Our reality has been shaped by what weve seen and what we know, she said.

Graduation, said Hoglund, catapults students into the real world where they should see and experience as much as possible.

Quoting Helen Keller, she said: Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.

The commencement speaker was history teacher Vern Campbell, who shared his tongue-in-cheek presentation and slide show with Americorps volunteer Marcie Powers.

They concluded with an alternative to the three Rs of a fundamental education three Ls learn every day, laugh every day and love those around you.

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Sumner Grads Look Back and Ahead

MIDDLEBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - Residents in Middleborough voted Monday night to make the foul-mouthed pay fines for swearing in public.

At a town meeting, residents voted 183-50 to approve a proposal from the police chief to impose a $20 fine on public profanity.

Officials insist the proposal was not intended to censor casual or private conversations, but instead to crack down on loud, profanity-laden language used by teens and other young people in the downtown area and public parks.

I'm really happy about it," Mimi Duphily, a store owner and former town selectwoman, said after the vote. "I'm sure there's going to be some fallout, but I think what we did was necessary."

Duphily, who runs an auto parts store, is among the downtown merchants who wanted take a stand against the kind of swearing that can make customers uncomfortable.

"They'll sit on the bench and yell back and forth to each other with the foulest language. It's just so inappropriate," she said.

The measure could raise questions about First Amendment rights, but state law does allow towns to enforce local laws that give police the power to arrest anyone who "addresses another person with profane or obscene language" in a public place.

Matthew Segal, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, said the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the government cannot prohibit public speech just because it contains profanity.

The ordinance gives police discretion over whether to ticket someone if they believe the cursing ban has been violated.

Middleborough, a town of about 20,000 residents perhaps best known for its rich cranberry bogs, has had a bylaw against public profanity since 1968. But because that bylaw essentially makes cursing a crime, it has rarely if ever been enforced, officials said, because it simply would not merit the time and expense to pursue a case through the courts.

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Mass. town OKs $20 fines for swearing in public

TORONTO, June 11, 2012 /CNW/ - With the summer months come fun in the sun, but the warm weather can also spell trouble. With thunderstorms, floods, lightning, strong winds, tornadoes, and even talk of hurricanes, Canadians should be prepared for severe conditions and the aftermath that can sometimes accompany warmer weather.

"While the weather is often unpredictable, it's fairly safe to say that all Canadians will experience a moderate to severe weather event in their area sometime this season," said David Phillips, senior climatologist, Environment Canada. "Therefore, it's important to remind Canadians that they should be prepared wherever they might live."

CSA Group, a leading certification and testing organization committed to public safety, wants to help everyone stay safe during the coming summer months. "At CSA we are all about safety," said Anthony Toderian, CSA Group. "The summer months are generally filled with quality time spent outdoors with friends and family. Being weather aware and summer-smart is easy if equipped with a few simple but essential tips, which may ultimately help Canadians stay safe throughout the summer and fall storm seasons."

STRONG WINDS & TORNADOES

Canada has the second most number of recorded tornadoes in the world, with between 60 and 80 events each year. CSA Group encourages Canadians to keep in mind some essential safety tips when it comes to recovering from severe wind damage:

STORMS AND FLOODING

Thunderstorms occur regularly in Canada during warmer months. In eastern Canada, two to three tropical storms enter Canadian waters in an average year, sometimes wreaking havoc on shore. Even a "garden-variety" thunderstorm can cause major wind and water damage. CSA reminds Canadians to keep in mind the following when dealing with flooding:

BLACKOUTS

In Canada, there are up to three-million lightning strikes each year, and an average of one strike every three seconds in the summer in central Canada. Lightning and extreme summer heat can lead to brownouts, or even blackouts. If faced with this situation, there are some important safety considerations:

For more everyday consumer tips and safety advice, please visit http://www.csasafetytips.com

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Wicked Summer Weather Can Wreck More Than Your Week; Prepare Yourself with These Severe Weather Recovery Tips from CSA ...

Dramatic footage as a tornado hits Morley. Courtesy Steven McKiernan.

Caution: Strong language. Watch as chairs and other debris fly through the air during today's tornado. Courtesy Jason Bourke

Watch as a tornado forms over Perth's Northern suburbs. Courtesy Josh Bird.

STORM FRONT: Peter Ehlers stands in his Light Street backyard after a tornado ripped through Dianella and Morley. PICTURES: Stewart Allen Source: PerthNow

DESTRUCTIVE PATH: The line of destruction from the mini-tornado. Source: PerthNow

TREE FLOP: The tree in front of Maureen Ransom's Fitzroy Street home fell onto the road without causing damage to any houses or cars. PICTURE: Stewart Allen Source: PerthNow

DESTRUCTIVE: A mini-tornado has slammed Dianella-Morley around midday today. Picture: David Alexander Source: PerthNow

DESTRUCTIVE: A mini-tornado has slammed Dianella-Morley around midday today. Source: PerthNow

FLYING HIGH: What looks like pyjama pants hang from a tree in Marmion Street, Dianella. PICTURE: Stewart Allen Source: PerthNow

DESTRUCTIVE: A mini-tornado has slammed Dianella-Morley around midday today. Source: PerthNow

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Residents tell of tornado terror as storm smashes homes

Twin Falls, Idaho (KMVT-TV)

UPDATED:

The City of Twin Falls has lost electrical power to its primary water source at Blue Lakes Springs.

Due to this emergency, the City is able to generate only a small percentage of the water required for normal activity in the City.

An emergency is hereby declared, pursuant to the Twin Falls City Code 7-8-12, and it is ordered that use of the Citys potable water system is limited to essential uses.

This order is effective immediately, and all use of water for industrial uses and irrigation is prohibited until further notice.

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All residents of the City of Twin Falls are being asked to cease any unnecessary use of City water.

Strong winds damaged electrical lines that provide power to pumps, which maintain a majority of the Citys water supply.

Crews are working to restore power to the pumps, however, the Citys water reservoir levels have reached critically low levels.

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City of Twin Falls Declares Emergency, Residents Need To Conserve Water