In the latest Guinness world record bid aimed at highlighting the Palestinian struggle a Gaza resident yesterday unveiled the “world’s largest Ramadan lamp”.
The 10-metre high and 3.5 metre wide structure made out of wood and cloth was modelled on the lamps that adorn streets across the Muslim world during the festive fasting month.
“I am determined to set a Guinness world record in order to send a message to the world to break the siege on Gaza,” Mustafa Massoud, 24, said, adding that he had spent $400 (on materials to build the lamp.
He said he also hoped to send a message to rival Palestinian governments in Gaza and the West Bank to resolve their differences.
The attempt follows bids by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) to set records for the most children bouncing basketballs and the most flying kites, events held last month. (AFP)
7,000-year-old oar uncovered
South Korean archaeologists said they have unearthed a rare neolithic period wooden boat oar, believed to date back about 7,000 years but still in good condition.
The oar was discovered in mud land in Changnyeong, 240 kilometres southeast of Seoul, the Gimhae National Museum said.
“This is a very rare find, not only in South Korea but also in the world,” museum researcher Yoon On-Shik said.
“We have to check with Chinese artefacts to confirm whether it is the oldest watercraft ever found in the world.”
One of the oldest boats or related artefacts was found in China’s Zhejiang province in 2005 and was believed to date back about 8,000 years.
The oar, which was found intact in its entirety, is 1.81 metres long.
“The oar was well preserved because fine mud layers completely blocked oxygen from decaying it,” Mr Yoon said. (AFP)
Texas murderer executed
Texas yesterday executed Peter Cantu, a gang member sentenced to die for the rape and murder of two teenagers that he committed when he was 18 years old, state authorities said.
Mr Cantu, 35, was given a lethal injection and declared dead at 2317 GMT at the prison in Huntsville, Texas, prison officials said.
Mr Cantu and five gang members were sentenced for attacking the two teenage girls, aged 14 and 16, in June 1993 in Houston, Texas.
The two victims “were abducted by Cantu and four members of a street gang he led as they walked along a set of railroad tracks, a short cut home for them,” the Texas Department of Criminal Justice said in a statement.
“Both were sexually assaulted by the gang members, beaten and strangled,” the statement read. (AFP)
Flu vaccine inquiry
Sweden’s Medical Products Agency opened an inquiry yesterday into vaccinations for swine flu made by British pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline, suspected of provoking narcolepsy.
“The MPA has received six reports from health care professionals regarding narcolepsy as suspected adverse drug reaction following Pandemrix flu vaccination,” it said in a statement.
“The agency will, in consultation with external experts, assess the possible relationship between the vaccination and the reported reactions.”
The reports concern children aged between 12-16 years who developed symptoms compatible with narcolepsy, a chronic sleeping disorder, that occurred one to two months after vaccination against the H1N1 pandemic.
The Medical Products Agency said it was in contact with European Union member states for information on any similar reports in other countries. (AFP)
228 million eggs recalled
An Iowa egg producer is recalling 228 million eggs after being linked to an outbreak of salmonella poisoning.
The federal Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said eggs from Wright County Egg in Galt, Iowa, were linked to several illnesses in Colorado, California and Minnesota. The CDC said about 200 cases of the strain of salmonella linked to the eggs were reported weekly during June and July, four times the normal number of such occurrences.
State health officials say tainted eggs have sickened at least 266 Californians and seven in Minnesota.
The eggs were distributed around the country and packaged under the names Lucerne, Albertson, Mountain Dairy, Ralph’s, Boomsma’s, Sunshine, Hillandale, Trafficanda, Farm Fresh, Shoreland, Lund, Dutch Farms and Kemp. (PA)