Jackson's London concert promoters coy on refunds

Posted: 27 June 2009 0938 hrs

Two fans look on during the tribute to pop star Michael Jackson in Madrid.

LONDON: The organisers of Michael Jackson's 50 comeback tour dates in London remained guarded on Saturday about refunds for ticket holders, following the singer's death.

Jackson fans from around the world had rushed to snap up tickets for the 'This Is It' performances at London's O2 Arena which were due to start on July 13.

The reclusive star made his final public appearance to unveil the sellout gigs in March.

Reports in Britain say about 50 million pounds (59 million euros, 83 million dollars) has been spent on 750,000 tickets.

Promoters AEG Live made no comment immediately following Jackson's death, but a spokeswoman for the company said late Friday: "On behalf of the entire AEG organisation, we extend our deepest condolences to Michael Jackson's family and friends during this tragic time.

"Full ticket refund information and procedures will be released early next week for all Michael Jackson 'This Is It' shows. Fans are advised to hold on to their ticket vouchers/proof of purchase."

Most tickets for the concerts cost between 50 pounds and 75 pounds.

While fans who bought from official outlets are likely to be reimbursed, those who obtained tickets from other sources could lose out.

Tony Northcott, a spokesman for British consumer body the Trading Standards Institute, said: "Sales coming through a third party like eBay or a man in the pub will be on sticky ground.

"If sales are through a third party, then the terms and conditions disappear."

Trading website eBay, where tickets had fetched prices of up to 1,300 pounds, has urged customers to contact the individual sellers to discuss a refund.

The Times newspaper reported on Saturday that AEG had hoped to recoup much of the estimated 10 million pounds it would have cost to stage the concerts from merchandising and corporate entertainment.

With that possibility now quashed, question marks also remained over the extent of AEG's insurance for the Jackson concerts.

Quoting industry sources, the Times said insurers could face a bill of around 50 million pounds, but that was expected to be a fraction of the cost to AEG which most estimates put as 300 million pounds for cancelling the 50 dates and leaving the O2 venue empty for months.

The president of AEG Live, Randy Phillips, has said the company was insured for "the first 23 days" of the run and negotiations were ongoing to increase that.

Concerns for Jackson's health rose when the start of the shows was pushed back after the initial announcement.

But Phillips had insisted the rescheduling was due to the "sheer magnitude" of the show and insisted at the time: "I would trade my body for his tomorrow. He's in fantastic shape."

- AFP/so

From ChannelNewsAsia.com; see the source article here.

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Beauty of the beasts: Cows fight to be queen

Image via Wikipedia

06/15/2009 | 10:16 AM

GRIMENTZ, Switzerland – Furie and Cigale eye each other warily, take a step forward and lock horns.

It's an ancient ritual, one that plays out each summer high in the Swiss Alps, as cows battle to be queen and villagers come to watch.

Judges record every fight as spectators sit on the surrounding mountainside, sipping local wines and cheering their family herd. But it is the cows who choose who to fight and who will reign supreme at the end of the season.

"They've been doing this ever since my grandparents were young, and even before that," says Marthe Vianin, once the proud owner of several fighting cows. "It's hundreds of years old."

Vianin, in her sixties, has come to watch her son's two cows — Tzardon and Bamby — take on champions from other herds.

Down in the corral, Bergamote faces off a challenge from Berkane with a fierce stare and a tussle of horns. No harm done. Still, there are clearly some seasoned fighters in this contest, judging from the scars they bear from past battles.

Locals insist the bovine power-struggle is both humane and irrepressible.

"It's very rare for them to hurt themselves," says Vianin.

The fighting season starts in early June, when cows are taken up to pastures 9,000-feet (2,700-meters) high and encounter rival herds. What follows are a hundred days of grazing on lush Alpine meadows — and lots of fighting.

Black, with short legs and built more like bulls than cows, the Herens breed found in the southern canton (state) of Valais is naturally competitive and will always establish their own hierarchy. Natural leaders distinguish themselves in battle, where strength and determination are key.

In the fall, the herds' return to the valley is marked by a celebration. Owners decorate their cows with flowers and giant bells and they parade through the village, led, of course, by the queen.

"It's a beautiful thing to see," says Trisha Cochrane from London, who owns a vacation home in the village of Grimentz.

There is no prize money for the winner, but owners can fetch a handsome price — up to $30,000 (euro21,000) — if they choose to sell a queen.

Most important, says local Albert Salamin, is the respect.

The winner's owner is "king of the village for the year. He's more respected than the mayor," Salamin says to laughs from bystanders.

The Salamin brothers have several cows in competition, but Albert admits only his brother Armand's prize heifer Bolero stands a real chance this year.

Cow fighting is still taken seriously, but it's largely a hobby and a cherished tradition for most villagers, who have long since stopped living off the land.

Four-wheel drive cars and all-year tourism have changed life in these remote Alpine valleys, bringing prosperity and making cattle-rearing less appealing to a younger generation.

"Even 40 years ago, most families got much of what they needed from three or four cows," says Salamin. "Milk, cheese, meat, the cows provided it all." - AP

From GMANews.tv; see the source article here.

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They get info from London

SOMALI PIRATES

LONDON — Somali pirates are apparently being aided by intelligence gathered by associates living in Britain.

According to a Spanish radio station, a document produced by a European military intelligence agency claims pirates are targeting specific ships identified by a team of "well-placed advisers" in London. They are in constant satellite telephone contact with pirate commanders on land, who pass details of the layout of the vessel, its crew, route and cargo.

A Spanish radio station, Cadena SER, quoted the document yesterday. "The information provided voluntarily by merchant ships transiting the area to various international agencies has now landed in the pirates' hands," the document said.

Captains of hijacked ships said the pirates knew in great detail the nationalities of the crew, the ship's position, its layout and its destination.

The document, drawn up for the anti-piracy force patrolling off Somalia, reportedly said hijackers are avoiding ships sailing under certain flags, including Britain's. It was unclear why leaks of such sensitive details appear to be coming from there.

The pirate gangs are said to have grown out of vigilante patrols set up by Somalis to force trawlers stealing Somali fish to pay "tax" on their catches.

But the trend has turned into plunder, with ships hijacked purely for the millions in ransoms which are regularly paid.

A Somali minister said such payments, often denied by ship owners, was worsening the situation. "They are just running for ransom, you know ... and giving to these pirates is what made them strong," said Mr Abdul Karis Osman Issa, a minister in the Puntland region of Somalia.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

From TODAY, World – Wednesday, 13-May-2009

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