Park beats Sun in 400, Pellegrini retains title

Park beats Sun in 400, Pellegrini retains title

OLYMPIC champion Park Tae-hwan of South Korea showed he's back in top form and Italy's Federica Pellegrini remained unbeatable in the 400-meter freestyle on the opening night of traditional swimming at the 14th FINA World Championships in Shanghai last night.polo ralph Lauren

Michael Phelps' first race ended in disappointment, meanwhile, as the United States had to settle for bronze in the 4x100-meter relay behind surprise winner Australia and runner-up France.

Phelps' leadoff leg put the Americans second, but they dropped from there and Australia led from start to finish, with former sprint world record holder Eamon Sullivan holding off France's Fabien Gilot in the anchor leg.

It was the first time the American men failed to win a relay since the 2007 worlds in Melbourne, Australia,the north face jacketswholesales mac Lip gloss when Ian Crocker jumped in too early on an exchange in the morning heats,chi hair straigntener resulting in a disqualification.

The Netherlands won the women's relay with the same four swimmers who took the title at the 2008 Olympics and 2009 worlds: Inge Dekker, Ranomi Kromowidjojo, Marleen Veldhuis and Femke Heemskerk.

Park took the lead back midway through the men's 400 free then pulled away over the last two laps to touch in 3 minutes, 42.04 seconds, a distant 1.20 seconds in front of rising Chinese rival Sun Yang.

It was a sharp contrast from the last worlds in Rome two years ago, when Park failed to even make the final in this event. "I (was) glad to swim in lane one, which allowed me to fully concentrate on my own tempo and not to get distracted from the competition," the Korean said.

Defending champion and world record holder Paul Biedermann of Germany settled for third, 2.10 back.

In the women's race,timberland boots sale Pellegrini was only fifth at the midpoint, but then surged into the lead one lap later and cruised to victory in 4:01.97.

Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington showed why she's a strong favorite for gold next year at her home London Games by taking silver, albeit a distant 2.04 behind, while Camille Muffat of France took the bronze, 2.09 back.

Cesar Cielo, the Brazilian cleared of doping by the Court of Arbitration for Sport three days ago, led the 50 free semifinals in 23.19.

Olympic champion Stephanie Rice of Australia led the 200 individual medley semifinals in 2:09.65. Ye Shiwen of China qualified third.

Cameron regrets hiring scandal-hit tabloid editor

Cameron regrets hiring scandal-hit tabloid editor

LONDON - British Prime Minister David Cameron, defending his integrity in an emergency debate in parliament on Wednesday, said he regretted the uproar caused by his hiring of a former newspaper editor at the heart of a phone-hacking scandal.

Cameron regrets hiring scandal-hit tabloid editor

A man wearing a mask depicting News Corp Chief Executive and Chairman Rupert Murdoch protests during a parliamentary committee on phone hacking at Portcullis House in London on Tuesday. Olivia Harris / Reuters

Under pressure from opponents to apologize, he said Andy Coulson,,wholesales mac Lip gloss, his former spokesman who once edited Rupert Murdoch's News of the World, had denied knowing of phone-hacking by the paper.,wholesale POLO Ralph Lauren SERIES, But should Coulson turn out to have lied, the prime minister said he would then offer an apology.

Beleaguered but not seen under serious threat of being dumped by his party after less than 15 months in office, Cameron defended his actions and those of his staff in dealings with the police and Murdoch's News Corp media empire.

But the 44-year-old Conservative premier said after his toughest two weeks in power: "You don't make decisions in hindsight; you make them in the present. You live and you learn - and believe you me, I have learned."

Cameron, who cut short a tour of Africa as parliament delayed its summer recess to quiz him, said in his opening statement: "I have an old-fashioned view about innocent until proven guilty. But if it turns out I have been lied to, that would be a moment for a profound apology. And, in that event,,Ronaldo soccer jersey,Do you want the best wedding dresses? Do you want the best cheap wedding dress, but don't want to pay expensive prices? In this article, we will look at how to find cheap wedding dresses, and whether it is a wise option to go with. I can tell you I will not fall short."

Murdoch sent a message to his staff that his company was taking steps to ensure that "serious problems never happen again".

"Those who have betrayed our trust must be held accountable under the law," he added in an e-mail sent late on Tuesday.

Analysts said Murdoch's televised apology had put the spotlight on how Cameron emerges from scrutiny in the emergency parliamentary debate over the scandal, which has included allegations of hacking into a murdered schoolgirl's voicemail and the phones of British troops killed in combat.

A new opinion poll by Reuters/Ipsos MORI showed Britons' satisfaction with Cameron had fallen to its lowest level since he entered office in May last year. Only 38 percent were happy with the way he was doing his job. Another cross-party parliamentary committee published a report criticizing both News International and the police over the phone-hacking investigation.

Record settlement for shooting victim vs gunmaker

Record settlement for shooting victim vs gunmaker

A firearms maker has agreed to pay $600,000 to the family of a shooting victim in what one gun control group said Tuesday was a record settlement in such a case.

A Kahr Arms employee with a history of assault and drug addiction stole the gun later used to kill a man,Jogos Quentes Gold according to the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, whose Legal Action Project suit against Kahr Arms in 2002 over the incident.

The settlement on behalf of the deceased Danny Guzman against Kahr Arms is the largest against a gun manufacturer for irresponsible conduct leading to criminal gun violence, the Center said at a news conference on Tuesday.

It said the settlement will be paid to Guzman's family.

A Kahr Arms official could not be immediately reached for comment on the case.

The announcement followed a shooting tragedy in Norway last week that left at least 76 people dead.pittsburgh penguins jerseys


The Brady Center said the largest settlement involving a firearms maker in the past was its half-million dollar settlement against a manufacturer on behalf of the families of several victims of the Washington,ugg christmas D.C. area snipers in 2004.

"We have had a number of shocking reminders of the killing power of firearms," said acting Brady Center President Dennis Henigan Tuesday.

"That death toll (in Norway) from gun violence on a single day was regarded as a historic event, but that was less than occurs in our country on a single day."

Danny Nicacio, also known as Guzman, was shot and killed on Dec. 24,Do you want the best wedding dresses? Do you want the best cheap wedding dress, but don't want to pay expensive prices? In this article, we will look at how to find cheap wedding dresses, and whether it is a wise option to go with. 1999, with a 9mm handgun taken from a manufacturing plant in Worcester,Authentic NFL Jerseys Massachusetts, where Kahr Arms is based, according to the suit.

The complaint charges that a "lack of theft prevention measures or employee background checks" and "careless inventory tracking," amounted to "gross negligence/negligent hiring and supervision" and wrongful death.

The Center's Legal Action Project is attempting to implement a gun control legal strategy parallel to legislative reform, which Henigan said is often thwarted by powerful lobbying interests on behalf of the gun industry in Washington, including the National Rifle Association.

"The central rationale ... is to encourage gun companies to factor in the human cost," he said.

The NRA did not have an immediate comment on the Brady Center announcement.

Records indicate that in five years some 50 firearms have disappeared from Kahr Arms plant, the Brady Center said.

Kahr Arms is an "award-winning manufacturer of defensive handguns," according to its website, whose home page pictures a woman in an formal gown holding a slender handgun with the words "Thin is sexy."

Rats on the rise, but small house pests feel the heat

Rats on the rise, but small house pests feel the heat

The latest annual report on health has found that the density of rats in the city increased by nearly 15 percent in 2010 compared with the previous year.

The report by Beijing Health Bureau found that the increased population was mainly centered around food markets and construction sites.

"But it is within a normal fluctuation range and is under control," Tong Ying, director of the disinfection and pest prevention office under the Beijing Center for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC), told China Daily on Monday. "Otherwise, we will initiate campaigns to get rid of the rats."

The density refers to the number of rats monitored within a unit area in a certain period of time, and all the statistics come from monitoring networks in district branches of the municipal CDC.

The density of rats increased by 14.75 percent, and the major rat species are sewer rat and house mouse, according to the report.nfl throwback jerseys from china

Pest control experts said it is understandable that rats gather at food markets and construction sites.

"Rats like trenches around food markets and restaurants, where there is plenty of food," said Bu Lingtao, a technician for Beijing Bangjieshi Pest Co.GHD Black

"Real estate is booming in this city, with a high rate of construction, which destroys nests of rats. So rat numbers grow in and around construction sites," said Li Zhenjiang,Stretch tricot knitted fabric general manager of Beijing Suqing Pest Control Co.

Three professional pest control companies told China Daily that they believe the attempts of efforts to drive away rats and harmful insects has decreased.

"Schools, hospitals and other enterprises are carrying out disinfection work every year. That helps to control the number of pests," Li Zhenjiang said.

The density of mosquitoes, flies and cockroaches fell by 7.81 percent, 3.GHD Pink Limited Editionstarcraft 2 Promotion6 percent and 29 percent in 2010 compared with 2009, said the report.

Misrata rebel military leaders Ramadan Zarmouh and Ahmed Hachem

The rebels initially insisted that Gadhafi leave the country, and one of those who met Wednesday with Sarkozy maintained that view _ while others are not ruling out the possibility that he could stay in Libya if he gives up power.

"I don't think there is a place for him (in Libya). He is a criminal now," Souleiman Fortia, the National Transitional Council's Misrata representative, told reporters after the meeting with the French president.

Misrata rebel military leaders Ramadan Zarmouh and Ahmed Hachem also met with Sarkozy.

Rebels and pro-Gadhafi forces have been locked in a stalemate,,cheap Chargers Jerseys, with the rebels unable to advance beyond pockets in the west despite a NATO air campaign against Gadhafi's forces.

Rebels hold most of the east, but have proven unable over the last week to wrest the strategic oil town of Brega from Gadhafi's forces.

Mohammed Idris, a doctor at the hospital in the nearby town of Ajdabiya, said 27 rebels were killed and 83 others were wounded Tuesday in fighting for Brega. That raised the six-day death toll to 60, according to Idris.

Rebel military spokesman Ahmed Zleitini said Wednesday that rebel forces had pulled back from Brega but still had the city surrounded in hopes that Gadhafi's forces in the city would surrender "to avoid bloodshed."

Blade Runner Pistorius Runs Closer to Olympic Dream

Blade Runner Pistorius Runs Closer to Olympic Dream

South African double amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius has qualified for the 2011 World Championships and 2012 Olympics after clocking 45.07 seconds in the 400 meters to meet the 'A' standard qualifying time at a meeting in Lignano, Italy.

Known as the Blade Runner,ncaa jerseys Pistorius runs with carbon fiber prosthetic running blades. "The fastest man on no legs", who was born without fibula in both legs,,MLB JERSEYS,,Jogos Quentes Gold, set world records in the 100, 200 and 400 meters events at the 2008 Paralympics despite failing in his final opportunity to qualify for the 400 meters at the 2008 Summer Olympics by 0.70 seconds.

This was Pistorius' final chance to attain the 'A' qualifying standard of 45.25 which could seal his spot at the World Championships next month in Daegu, South Korea.,Ray Ban Sunglasses, The 24-year-old eventually ran 0.18 seconds inside the 'A' standard time and is now able to compete with able-bodied athletes on his carbon fiber blades at a major international event for the first time.

"It was just a dream race. 'See you in Daegu' sounds so wonderful," Pistorius, the multiple Paralympic gold medalist said after his win.

"I am sure tomorrow when I wake up it is going to hit me. It is really humbling to know I have gotten so much support from everyone."

The time put Pistorius on track to achieve his ambition of being first amputee sprinter to be eligible for selection for South Africa at the London Olympic Games.