Author: webmaster
This is a Test News! Another Test News!
Nigella Lawson, the television chef, could be forced to undergo a medical examination – including blood tests for illegal drugs – to obtain a visa for the United States, lawyers have said.
Miss Lawson was prevented from boarding a flight to Los Angeles on Sunday because of an earlier court confession that she took drugs.
Charlotte Slocombe, a US attorney and British solicitor for the London-based law firm Fragomen, said Miss Lawson was likely to be required to see a doctor appointed by the US Embassy as part of a new application for a visa.
“Given the history, she will most likely have to be seen by a physician who will ask about her drug habits,” said Miss Slocombe.
“Blood tests are almost certain to be requested. There is no doctor-patient confidentiality – all the results go straight back to the embassy.”
Miss Slocombe said the celebrity also faced the possibility of a visa being denied because of the drug-taking admissions.
Miss Lawson, 54, would then have to go through a further lengthy bureaucratic process to persuade the authorities that her drug confessions were no longer relevant.
The star made her confession under oath during a trial last year that she had snorted cocaine and smoked cannabis in front of her children.
Despite a public controversy, Scotland Yard decided not to act over her confession but the US authorities appear to have taken a tougher stance.
Miss Lawson was travelling alone when she checked in at Heathrow’s Terminal Five on Sunday morning to catch a direct British Airways flight to LA.
According to eyewitnesses, she checked in and went through security checks before being informed that she would not be allowed to board the aircraft.
The star was forced to return to the first class check-in to collect the luggage that she had planned to stow in the hold.
It is thought that the airline had been told by US authorities not to allow her to travel to California where she would have been refused entry.
Before her Heathrow humiliation, Miss Lawson had posted on Twitter in the early hours of Sunday that she was “packing for my holiday”. Her entry included a picture of a sun hat and some Colman’s mustard.
Miss Lawson is said to be a regular visitor to the States for pleasure and work.
The US authorities are well known for their tough line on drug users.
Britons who want to travel to America under the “visa waiver” programme must answer several questions about drug habits and other convictions.
However, US officials also have broader powers to refuse applications to people who have made “admissions to the elements of the offence”.
Susan McFadden, a US attorney of London-based Gudeon and McFadden, said: “If the doctor finds the applicant is a drug abuser than that person is ineligible for a visa.
“This can be set aside only if the consular official recommends that the ineligibility for a visa should be waived. this is something that has to be decided by the Department of Homeland Security in Washington and the process can take six or seven months.”
Airlines are required to supply US security officials in advance with details about all passengers on flights to America so they can be screened against Washington’s ‘no fly list’ of suspects linked to terrorism.
The carriers must also check that passengers have a valid visa or other authorisation to enter the US before they take off from the UK.
Weeks after her cocaine confession, Miss Lawson flew into America on New Year’s Day to film a live interview promoting the second series of The Taste USA.
The show was broadcast in January and February, having been filmed before TV’s “Domestic Goddess” admitted taking drugs.
But it would appear that American border protection officers appear to have hardened their position since January.
Roughly 100,000 people enter the US every day with around 366 deemed inadmissible and refused entry, according to US government statistics.
Miss Lawson’s travel ban comes after a difficult 12 months for Miss Lawson, who has endured a bitter public divorce from her former husband Charles Saatchi.
The marriage broke down irrevocably after art collector Mr Saatchi, 70, accepted a caution for assault when newspapers printed pictures of him with his hand around his wife’s throat outside Scott’s restaurant in Mayfair in June.
Miss Lawson then had to give evidence at the trial of her former housekeepers, Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo, who were accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of pounds from her and Mr Saatchi.
While insisting she had never been an addict or habitual user of drugs, she confirmed she had taken cocaine.
She said she needed the drugs to cope with the death of her first husband, John Diamond, and the difficulties of living with her second, Mr Saatchi.
The cook also described how she “smoked the odd joint” of cannabis in the last year of her marriage to Mr Saatchi to make “an intolerable situation tolerable”.
But she maintained that she was now drug-free, telling the jury: “I did not and do not have a drug problem, I had a life problem. I decided to address that.”
Miss Lawson was never arrested, and Scotland Yard said in January that she would not face any police action over her admission of drug-taking.
Other British celebrities said to have found it more difficult to gain entry to the US as a result of convictions or drug use include Amy Winehouse, Kate Moss, Russell Brand and Oasis stars Noel and Liam Gallagher.
A spokeswoman for the US Embassy said: “There are several ways of legally travelling into the United States and Ms Lawson has been invited to come to the Embassy and apply for a visa for travel to the US.
“We understand she has professional requirements for US travel and these matters are generally handled routinely and expeditiously, so stand by.”
Miss Lawson could not be contacted for comment.
Another Test News! This is a Test News!
Nigella Lawson, the television chef, could be forced to undergo a medical examination – including blood tests for illegal drugs – to obtain a visa for the United States, lawyers have said.
Miss Lawson was prevented from boarding a flight to Los Angeles on Sunday because of an earlier court confession that she took drugs.
Charlotte Slocombe, a US attorney and British solicitor for the London-based law firm Fragomen, said Miss Lawson was likely to be required to see a doctor appointed by the US Embassy as part of a new application for a visa.
“Given the history, she will most likely have to be seen by a physician who will ask about her drug habits,” said Miss Slocombe.
“Blood tests are almost certain to be requested. There is no doctor-patient confidentiality – all the results go straight back to the embassy.”
Miss Slocombe said the celebrity also faced the possibility of a visa being denied because of the drug-taking admissions.
Miss Lawson, 54, would then have to go through a further lengthy bureaucratic process to persuade the authorities that her drug confessions were no longer relevant.
The star made her confession under oath during a trial last year that she had snorted cocaine and smoked cannabis in front of her children.
Despite a public controversy, Scotland Yard decided not to act over her confession but the US authorities appear to have taken a tougher stance.
Miss Lawson was travelling alone when she checked in at Heathrow’s Terminal Five on Sunday morning to catch a direct British Airways flight to LA.
According to eyewitnesses, she checked in and went through security checks before being informed that she would not be allowed to board the aircraft.
The star was forced to return to the first class check-in to collect the luggage that she had planned to stow in the hold.
It is thought that the airline had been told by US authorities not to allow her to travel to California where she would have been refused entry.
Before her Heathrow humiliation, Miss Lawson had posted on Twitter in the early hours of Sunday that she was “packing for my holiday”. Her entry included a picture of a sun hat and some Colman’s mustard.
Miss Lawson is said to be a regular visitor to the States for pleasure and work.
The US authorities are well known for their tough line on drug users.
Britons who want to travel to America under the “visa waiver” programme must answer several questions about drug habits and other convictions.
However, US officials also have broader powers to refuse applications to people who have made “admissions to the elements of the offence”.
Susan McFadden, a US attorney of London-based Gudeon and McFadden, said: “If the doctor finds the applicant is a drug abuser than that person is ineligible for a visa.
“This can be set aside only if the consular official recommends that the ineligibility for a visa should be waived. this is something that has to be decided by the Department of Homeland Security in Washington and the process can take six or seven months.”
Airlines are required to supply US security officials in advance with details about all passengers on flights to America so they can be screened against Washington’s ‘no fly list’ of suspects linked to terrorism.
The carriers must also check that passengers have a valid visa or other authorisation to enter the US before they take off from the UK.
Weeks after her cocaine confession, Miss Lawson flew into America on New Year’s Day to film a live interview promoting the second series of The Taste USA.
The show was broadcast in January and February, having been filmed before TV’s “Domestic Goddess” admitted taking drugs.
But it would appear that American border protection officers appear to have hardened their position since January.
Roughly 100,000 people enter the US every day with around 366 deemed inadmissible and refused entry, according to US government statistics.
Miss Lawson’s travel ban comes after a difficult 12 months for Miss Lawson, who has endured a bitter public divorce from her former husband Charles Saatchi.
The marriage broke down irrevocably after art collector Mr Saatchi, 70, accepted a caution for assault when newspapers printed pictures of him with his hand around his wife’s throat outside Scott’s restaurant in Mayfair in June.
Miss Lawson then had to give evidence at the trial of her former housekeepers, Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo, who were accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of pounds from her and Mr Saatchi.
While insisting she had never been an addict or habitual user of drugs, she confirmed she had taken cocaine.
She said she needed the drugs to cope with the death of her first husband, John Diamond, and the difficulties of living with her second, Mr Saatchi.
The cook also described how she “smoked the odd joint” of cannabis in the last year of her marriage to Mr Saatchi to make “an intolerable situation tolerable”.
But she maintained that she was now drug-free, telling the jury: “I did not and do not have a drug problem, I had a life problem. I decided to address that.”
Miss Lawson was never arrested, and Scotland Yard said in January that she would not face any police action over her admission of drug-taking.
Other British celebrities said to have found it more difficult to gain entry to the US as a result of convictions or drug use include Amy Winehouse, Kate Moss, Russell Brand and Oasis stars Noel and Liam Gallagher.
A spokeswoman for the US Embassy said: “There are several ways of legally travelling into the United States and Ms Lawson has been invited to come to the Embassy and apply for a visa for travel to the US.
“We understand she has professional requirements for US travel and these matters are generally handled routinely and expeditiously, so stand by.”
Miss Lawson could not be contacted for comment.
Test News for Europe
Nigella Lawson, the television chef, could be forced to undergo a medical examination – including blood tests for illegal drugs – to obtain a visa for the United States, lawyers have said.
Miss Lawson was prevented from boarding a flight to Los Angeles on Sunday because of an earlier court confession that she took drugs.
Charlotte Slocombe, a US attorney and British solicitor for the London-based law firm Fragomen, said Miss Lawson was likely to be required to see a doctor appointed by the US Embassy as part of a new application for a visa.
“Given the history, she will most likely have to be seen by a physician who will ask about her drug habits,” said Miss Slocombe.
“Blood tests are almost certain to be requested. There is no doctor-patient confidentiality – all the results go straight back to the embassy.”
Miss Slocombe said the celebrity also faced the possibility of a visa being denied because of the drug-taking admissions.
Miss Lawson, 54, would then have to go through a further lengthy bureaucratic process to persuade the authorities that her drug confessions were no longer relevant.
The star made her confession under oath during a trial last year that she had snorted cocaine and smoked cannabis in front of her children.
Despite a public controversy, Scotland Yard decided not to act over her confession but the US authorities appear to have taken a tougher stance.
Miss Lawson was travelling alone when she checked in at Heathrow’s Terminal Five on Sunday morning to catch a direct British Airways flight to LA.
According to eyewitnesses, she checked in and went through security checks before being informed that she would not be allowed to board the aircraft.
The star was forced to return to the first class check-in to collect the luggage that she had planned to stow in the hold.
It is thought that the airline had been told by US authorities not to allow her to travel to California where she would have been refused entry.
Before her Heathrow humiliation, Miss Lawson had posted on Twitter in the early hours of Sunday that she was “packing for my holiday”. Her entry included a picture of a sun hat and some Colman’s mustard.
Miss Lawson is said to be a regular visitor to the States for pleasure and work.
The US authorities are well known for their tough line on drug users.
Britons who want to travel to America under the “visa waiver” programme must answer several questions about drug habits and other convictions.
However, US officials also have broader powers to refuse applications to people who have made “admissions to the elements of the offence”.
Susan McFadden, a US attorney of London-based Gudeon and McFadden, said: “If the doctor finds the applicant is a drug abuser than that person is ineligible for a visa.
“This can be set aside only if the consular official recommends that the ineligibility for a visa should be waived. this is something that has to be decided by the Department of Homeland Security in Washington and the process can take six or seven months.”
Airlines are required to supply US security officials in advance with details about all passengers on flights to America so they can be screened against Washington’s ‘no fly list’ of suspects linked to terrorism.
The carriers must also check that passengers have a valid visa or other authorisation to enter the US before they take off from the UK.
Weeks after her cocaine confession, Miss Lawson flew into America on New Year’s Day to film a live interview promoting the second series of The Taste USA.
The show was broadcast in January and February, having been filmed before TV’s “Domestic Goddess” admitted taking drugs.
But it would appear that American border protection officers appear to have hardened their position since January.
Roughly 100,000 people enter the US every day with around 366 deemed inadmissible and refused entry, according to US government statistics.
Miss Lawson’s travel ban comes after a difficult 12 months for Miss Lawson, who has endured a bitter public divorce from her former husband Charles Saatchi.
The marriage broke down irrevocably after art collector Mr Saatchi, 70, accepted a caution for assault when newspapers printed pictures of him with his hand around his wife’s throat outside Scott’s restaurant in Mayfair in June.
Miss Lawson then had to give evidence at the trial of her former housekeepers, Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo, who were accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of pounds from her and Mr Saatchi.
While insisting she had never been an addict or habitual user of drugs, she confirmed she had taken cocaine.
She said she needed the drugs to cope with the death of her first husband, John Diamond, and the difficulties of living with her second, Mr Saatchi.
The cook also described how she “smoked the odd joint” of cannabis in the last year of her marriage to Mr Saatchi to make “an intolerable situation tolerable”.
But she maintained that she was now drug-free, telling the jury: “I did not and do not have a drug problem, I had a life problem. I decided to address that.”
Miss Lawson was never arrested, and Scotland Yard said in January that she would not face any police action over her admission of drug-taking.
Other British celebrities said to have found it more difficult to gain entry to the US as a result of convictions or drug use include Amy Winehouse, Kate Moss, Russell Brand and Oasis stars Noel and Liam Gallagher.
A spokeswoman for the US Embassy said: “There are several ways of legally travelling into the United States and Ms Lawson has been invited to come to the Embassy and apply for a visa for travel to the US.
“We understand she has professional requirements for US travel and these matters are generally handled routinely and expeditiously, so stand by.”
Miss Lawson could not be contacted for comment.
Test News! Test News!
Nigella Lawson, the television chef, could be forced to undergo a medical examination – including blood tests for illegal drugs – to obtain a visa for the United States, lawyers have said.
Miss Lawson was prevented from boarding a flight to Los Angeles on Sunday because of an earlier court confession that she took drugs.
Charlotte Slocombe, a US attorney and British solicitor for the London-based law firm Fragomen, said Miss Lawson was likely to be required to see a doctor appointed by the US Embassy as part of a new application for a visa.
“Given the history, she will most likely have to be seen by a physician who will ask about her drug habits,” said Miss Slocombe.
“Blood tests are almost certain to be requested. There is no doctor-patient confidentiality – all the results go straight back to the embassy.”
Miss Slocombe said the celebrity also faced the possibility of a visa being denied because of the drug-taking admissions.
Miss Lawson, 54, would then have to go through a further lengthy bureaucratic process to persuade the authorities that her drug confessions were no longer relevant.
The star made her confession under oath during a trial last year that she had snorted cocaine and smoked cannabis in front of her children.
Despite a public controversy, Scotland Yard decided not to act over her confession but the US authorities appear to have taken a tougher stance.
Miss Lawson was travelling alone when she checked in at Heathrow’s Terminal Five on Sunday morning to catch a direct British Airways flight to LA.
According to eyewitnesses, she checked in and went through security checks before being informed that she would not be allowed to board the aircraft.
The star was forced to return to the first class check-in to collect the luggage that she had planned to stow in the hold.
It is thought that the airline had been told by US authorities not to allow her to travel to California where she would have been refused entry.
Before her Heathrow humiliation, Miss Lawson had posted on Twitter in the early hours of Sunday that she was “packing for my holiday”. Her entry included a picture of a sun hat and some Colman’s mustard.
Miss Lawson is said to be a regular visitor to the States for pleasure and work.
The US authorities are well known for their tough line on drug users.
Britons who want to travel to America under the “visa waiver” programme must answer several questions about drug habits and other convictions.
However, US officials also have broader powers to refuse applications to people who have made “admissions to the elements of the offence”.
Susan McFadden, a US attorney of London-based Gudeon and McFadden, said: “If the doctor finds the applicant is a drug abuser than that person is ineligible for a visa.
“This can be set aside only if the consular official recommends that the ineligibility for a visa should be waived. this is something that has to be decided by the Department of Homeland Security in Washington and the process can take six or seven months.”
Airlines are required to supply US security officials in advance with details about all passengers on flights to America so they can be screened against Washington’s ‘no fly list’ of suspects linked to terrorism.
The carriers must also check that passengers have a valid visa or other authorisation to enter the US before they take off from the UK.
Weeks after her cocaine confession, Miss Lawson flew into America on New Year’s Day to film a live interview promoting the second series of The Taste USA.
The show was broadcast in January and February, having been filmed before TV’s “Domestic Goddess” admitted taking drugs.
But it would appear that American border protection officers appear to have hardened their position since January.
Roughly 100,000 people enter the US every day with around 366 deemed inadmissible and refused entry, according to US government statistics.
Miss Lawson’s travel ban comes after a difficult 12 months for Miss Lawson, who has endured a bitter public divorce from her former husband Charles Saatchi.
The marriage broke down irrevocably after art collector Mr Saatchi, 70, accepted a caution for assault when newspapers printed pictures of him with his hand around his wife’s throat outside Scott’s restaurant in Mayfair in June.
Miss Lawson then had to give evidence at the trial of her former housekeepers, Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo, who were accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of pounds from her and Mr Saatchi.
While insisting she had never been an addict or habitual user of drugs, she confirmed she had taken cocaine.
She said she needed the drugs to cope with the death of her first husband, John Diamond, and the difficulties of living with her second, Mr Saatchi.
The cook also described how she “smoked the odd joint” of cannabis in the last year of her marriage to Mr Saatchi to make “an intolerable situation tolerable”.
But she maintained that she was now drug-free, telling the jury: “I did not and do not have a drug problem, I had a life problem. I decided to address that.”
Miss Lawson was never arrested, and Scotland Yard said in January that she would not face any police action over her admission of drug-taking.
Other British celebrities said to have found it more difficult to gain entry to the US as a result of convictions or drug use include Amy Winehouse, Kate Moss, Russell Brand and Oasis stars Noel and Liam Gallagher.
A spokeswoman for the US Embassy said: “There are several ways of legally travelling into the United States and Ms Lawson has been invited to come to the Embassy and apply for a visa for travel to the US.
“We understand she has professional requirements for US travel and these matters are generally handled routinely and expeditiously, so stand by.”
Miss Lawson could not be contacted for comment.
California’s $425M Powerball
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The sole winner of February’s $425 million Powerball jackpot came forward to claim his prize Tuesday.
California Lottery officials said B. Raymond Buxton, a Northern California man, claimed the prize at the California Lottery headquarters in Sacramento.
” ‘Unbelievable!’ is all I could muster,” Buxton said in a statement on Tuesday. “Once the initial shock passed, I couldn’t sleep for days.”
After the winning numbers were announced, Buxton said, he sat in front of his computer in disbelief, checking and rechecking his ticket — and telling no one else that he had won. “Sitting on a ticket of this value was very scary,” he said.
When he claimed his prize Tuesday, Buxton was wearing a shirt that featured a picture of the Star Wars character Yoda and read, “Luck of the Jedi I have.”
According to his publicist Sam Singer, one reason that Buxton came forward on April 1 — April Fool’s Day — is simply that he has a healthy sense of humor.
“He still can’t believe it’s not a prank on him. But the reality is Ray Buxton is the winner,” Singer told The Associated Press.
Buxton has been working since February with an attorney and financial adviser to establish new bank accounts, set up a charity and sort out tax issues.
“I’m going to enjoy my new job setting up a charitable foundation focused on the areas of pediatric health, child hunger and education,” Buxton said in the statement.
Buxton also plans to stay out of the limelight and doesn’t want to speak directly to the media, Singer said. He also won’t reveal his age, address or what he did for a living until recently.
“He really wants to live a private life as best he can,” Singer said. “He was a solidly middle-class American, and today he is a solidly wealthy one.”
Buxton bought the one winning ticket for the Feb. 19 drawing at a convenience store in the San Francisco Bay Area city of Milpitas, about 10 miles north of San Jose.
The $425 million jackpot is one of the largest lottery jackpots in U.S. history, though far from the record. The nation’s biggest lottery prize was a Mega Millions jackpot of $656 million in 2012. The biggest Powerball jackpot was a $590.5 million last May.
Buxton chose to take a lump-sum payment of $242.2 million before taxes, lottery officials said.
Buxton was getting lunch at a Subway restaurant at the Chevron station’s convenience store when he decided to buy another ticket because the jackpot was so large, lottery officials said.
“It’s amazing how a little slip of paper can change your life,” Buxton said, who estimates that he has been playing the lottery for 20 years.
The Feb. 19 jackpot was the largest jackpot in California history, according to lottery officials, and the sixth-largest ever won in the United States.
The odds of matching all six Powerball numbers are 1 in about 175 million, according to statistics from the Multi-State Lottery Association in Iowa.
Powerball is played in 43 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
A Test Business News
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The sole winner of February’s $425 million Powerball jackpot came forward to claim his prize Tuesday.
California Lottery officials said B. Raymond Buxton, a Northern California man, claimed the prize at the California Lottery headquarters in Sacramento.
” ‘Unbelievable!’ is all I could muster,” Buxton said in a statement on Tuesday. “Once the initial shock passed, I couldn’t sleep for days.”
After the winning numbers were announced, Buxton said, he sat in front of his computer in disbelief, checking and rechecking his ticket — and telling no one else that he had won. “Sitting on a ticket of this value was very scary,” he said.
When he claimed his prize Tuesday, Buxton was wearing a shirt that featured a picture of the Star Wars character Yoda and read, “Luck of the Jedi I have.”
According to his publicist Sam Singer, one reason that Buxton came forward on April 1 — April Fool’s Day — is simply that he has a healthy sense of humor.
“He still can’t believe it’s not a prank on him. But the reality is Ray Buxton is the winner,” Singer told The Associated Press.
Buxton has been working since February with an attorney and financial adviser to establish new bank accounts, set up a charity and sort out tax issues.
“I’m going to enjoy my new job setting up a charitable foundation focused on the areas of pediatric health, child hunger and education,” Buxton said in the statement.
Buxton also plans to stay out of the limelight and doesn’t want to speak directly to the media, Singer said. He also won’t reveal his age, address or what he did for a living until recently.
“He really wants to live a private life as best he can,” Singer said. “He was a solidly middle-class American, and today he is a solidly wealthy one.”
Buxton bought the one winning ticket for the Feb. 19 drawing at a convenience store in the San Francisco Bay Area city of Milpitas, about 10 miles north of San Jose.
The $425 million jackpot is one of the largest lottery jackpots in U.S. history, though far from the record. The nation’s biggest lottery prize was a Mega Millions jackpot of $656 million in 2012. The biggest Powerball jackpot was a $590.5 million last May.
Buxton chose to take a lump-sum payment of $242.2 million before taxes, lottery officials said.
Buxton was getting lunch at a Subway restaurant at the Chevron station’s convenience store when he decided to buy another ticket because the jackpot was so large, lottery officials said.
“It’s amazing how a little slip of paper can change your life,” Buxton said, who estimates that he has been playing the lottery for 20 years.
The Feb. 19 jackpot was the largest jackpot in California history, according to lottery officials, and the sixth-largest ever won in the United States.
The odds of matching all six Powerball numbers are 1 in about 175 million, according to statistics from the Multi-State Lottery Association in Iowa.
Powerball is played in 43 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Business News
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The sole winner of February’s $425 million Powerball jackpot came forward to claim his prize Tuesday.
California Lottery officials said B. Raymond Buxton, a Northern California man, claimed the prize at the California Lottery headquarters in Sacramento.
” ‘Unbelievable!’ is all I could muster,” Buxton said in a statement on Tuesday. “Once the initial shock passed, I couldn’t sleep for days.”
After the winning numbers were announced, Buxton said, he sat in front of his computer in disbelief, checking and rechecking his ticket — and telling no one else that he had won. “Sitting on a ticket of this value was very scary,” he said.
When he claimed his prize Tuesday, Buxton was wearing a shirt that featured a picture of the Star Wars character Yoda and read, “Luck of the Jedi I have.”
According to his publicist Sam Singer, one reason that Buxton came forward on April 1 — April Fool’s Day — is simply that he has a healthy sense of humor.
“He still can’t believe it’s not a prank on him. But the reality is Ray Buxton is the winner,” Singer told The Associated Press.
Buxton has been working since February with an attorney and financial adviser to establish new bank accounts, set up a charity and sort out tax issues.
“I’m going to enjoy my new job setting up a charitable foundation focused on the areas of pediatric health, child hunger and education,” Buxton said in the statement.
Buxton also plans to stay out of the limelight and doesn’t want to speak directly to the media, Singer said. He also won’t reveal his age, address or what he did for a living until recently.
“He really wants to live a private life as best he can,” Singer said. “He was a solidly middle-class American, and today he is a solidly wealthy one.”
Buxton bought the one winning ticket for the Feb. 19 drawing at a convenience store in the San Francisco Bay Area city of Milpitas, about 10 miles north of San Jose.
The $425 million jackpot is one of the largest lottery jackpots in U.S. history, though far from the record. The nation’s biggest lottery prize was a Mega Millions jackpot of $656 million in 2012. The biggest Powerball jackpot was a $590.5 million last May.
Buxton chose to take a lump-sum payment of $242.2 million before taxes, lottery officials said.
Buxton was getting lunch at a Subway restaurant at the Chevron station’s convenience store when he decided to buy another ticket because the jackpot was so large, lottery officials said.
“It’s amazing how a little slip of paper can change your life,” Buxton said, who estimates that he has been playing the lottery for 20 years.
The Feb. 19 jackpot was the largest jackpot in California history, according to lottery officials, and the sixth-largest ever won in the United States.
The odds of matching all six Powerball numbers are 1 in about 175 million, according to statistics from the Multi-State Lottery Association in Iowa.
Powerball is played in 43 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Test News, Test News, Test Business News
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The sole winner of February’s $425 million Powerball jackpot came forward to claim his prize Tuesday.
California Lottery officials said B. Raymond Buxton, a Northern California man, claimed the prize at the California Lottery headquarters in Sacramento.
” ‘Unbelievable!’ is all I could muster,” Buxton said in a statement on Tuesday. “Once the initial shock passed, I couldn’t sleep for days.”
After the winning numbers were announced, Buxton said, he sat in front of his computer in disbelief, checking and rechecking his ticket — and telling no one else that he had won. “Sitting on a ticket of this value was very scary,” he said.
When he claimed his prize Tuesday, Buxton was wearing a shirt that featured a picture of the Star Wars character Yoda and read, “Luck of the Jedi I have.”
According to his publicist Sam Singer, one reason that Buxton came forward on April 1 — April Fool’s Day — is simply that he has a healthy sense of humor.
“He still can’t believe it’s not a prank on him. But the reality is Ray Buxton is the winner,” Singer told The Associated Press.
Buxton has been working since February with an attorney and financial adviser to establish new bank accounts, set up a charity and sort out tax issues.
“I’m going to enjoy my new job setting up a charitable foundation focused on the areas of pediatric health, child hunger and education,” Buxton said in the statement.
Buxton also plans to stay out of the limelight and doesn’t want to speak directly to the media, Singer said. He also won’t reveal his age, address or what he did for a living until recently.
“He really wants to live a private life as best he can,” Singer said. “He was a solidly middle-class American, and today he is a solidly wealthy one.”
Buxton bought the one winning ticket for the Feb. 19 drawing at a convenience store in the San Francisco Bay Area city of Milpitas, about 10 miles north of San Jose.
The $425 million jackpot is one of the largest lottery jackpots in U.S. history, though far from the record. The nation’s biggest lottery prize was a Mega Millions jackpot of $656 million in 2012. The biggest Powerball jackpot was a $590.5 million last May.
Buxton chose to take a lump-sum payment of $242.2 million before taxes, lottery officials said.
Buxton was getting lunch at a Subway restaurant at the Chevron station’s convenience store when he decided to buy another ticket because the jackpot was so large, lottery officials said.
“It’s amazing how a little slip of paper can change your life,” Buxton said, who estimates that he has been playing the lottery for 20 years.
The Feb. 19 jackpot was the largest jackpot in California history, according to lottery officials, and the sixth-largest ever won in the United States.
The odds of matching all six Powerball numbers are 1 in about 175 million, according to statistics from the Multi-State Lottery Association in Iowa.
Powerball is played in 43 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Sample Business News, Sample Business News
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The sole winner of February’s $425 million Powerball jackpot came forward to claim his prize Tuesday.
California Lottery officials said B. Raymond Buxton, a Northern California man, claimed the prize at the California Lottery headquarters in Sacramento.
” ‘Unbelievable!’ is all I could muster,” Buxton said in a statement on Tuesday. “Once the initial shock passed, I couldn’t sleep for days.”
After the winning numbers were announced, Buxton said, he sat in front of his computer in disbelief, checking and rechecking his ticket — and telling no one else that he had won. “Sitting on a ticket of this value was very scary,” he said.
When he claimed his prize Tuesday, Buxton was wearing a shirt that featured a picture of the Star Wars character Yoda and read, “Luck of the Jedi I have.”
According to his publicist Sam Singer, one reason that Buxton came forward on April 1 — April Fool’s Day — is simply that he has a healthy sense of humor.
“He still can’t believe it’s not a prank on him. But the reality is Ray Buxton is the winner,” Singer told The Associated Press.
Buxton has been working since February with an attorney and financial adviser to establish new bank accounts, set up a charity and sort out tax issues.
“I’m going to enjoy my new job setting up a charitable foundation focused on the areas of pediatric health, child hunger and education,” Buxton said in the statement.
Buxton also plans to stay out of the limelight and doesn’t want to speak directly to the media, Singer said. He also won’t reveal his age, address or what he did for a living until recently.
“He really wants to live a private life as best he can,” Singer said. “He was a solidly middle-class American, and today he is a solidly wealthy one.”
Buxton bought the one winning ticket for the Feb. 19 drawing at a convenience store in the San Francisco Bay Area city of Milpitas, about 10 miles north of San Jose.
The $425 million jackpot is one of the largest lottery jackpots in U.S. history, though far from the record. The nation’s biggest lottery prize was a Mega Millions jackpot of $656 million in 2012. The biggest Powerball jackpot was a $590.5 million last May.
Buxton chose to take a lump-sum payment of $242.2 million before taxes, lottery officials said.
Buxton was getting lunch at a Subway restaurant at the Chevron station’s convenience store when he decided to buy another ticket because the jackpot was so large, lottery officials said.
“It’s amazing how a little slip of paper can change your life,” Buxton said, who estimates that he has been playing the lottery for 20 years.
The Feb. 19 jackpot was the largest jackpot in California history, according to lottery officials, and the sixth-largest ever won in the United States.
The odds of matching all six Powerball numbers are 1 in about 175 million, according to statistics from the Multi-State Lottery Association in Iowa.
Powerball is played in 43 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Just a Sample Heading
While much of the midterm election talk has revolved around the Republican advantages apparent in this cycle, it shouldn’t be overlooked that women may also win big this year.
Even though it’s unlikely that 2014 will surpass the record number of women filing to run for Senate (36) or winning Senate primary contests (18), a look at the specific races across the country suggests that when all the votes are counted the next U.S. Senate may make history (or herstory).
According to the Center for American Women and Politics, four of the 29 incumbents (three Democrats and one Republican) running to keep their seats in the Senate are women. (Two of these incumbents were appointed and are now running for a full Senate term.) Should all four retain their seats, next year’s Senate will likely include 21 women, breaking the historical record of 20 women serving (16 Democrats and 4 Republicans), which was set during this current Congress. That’s because in the open seat contest in West Virginia, the likely nominees on both sides of the aisle are women: Democrat Natalie Tennant and Republican Shelley Moore Capito.
[See a collection of political cartoons on Congress.]
That said, two of the three Democratic women incumbents (North Carolina’s Kay Hagan and Louisiana’s Mary Landrieu) are running in toss-up races, and given the Republican tilt of their states and the national political environment, it seems fair to speculate that one or possibly both of them will fail to return to the Senate, which would mean that the number of women in the Senate would not exceed the record.
But then again, there are another four competitive Senate contests (Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan and Oregon) with impressive women candidates who have serious shots at not only securing their party’s nomination, but also winning their general election. Two are Democrats (Michelle Nunn in Georgia andAlison Lundergan Grimes in Kentucky) and two are Republicans (Monica Wehby in Oregon and Terri Lynn Land in Michigan).
There are also a handful of other women (Democrat Colleen Hanabusa in Hawaii, Republican Karen Handel in Georgia, Republican Jodi Ernst in Iowa and Republican Heather Grant in North Carolina) who, while unlikely to win their party’s nomination, could land in the Senate were they to do so owing to the partisan lean of their states.
[Read more from blogger Lara Brown.]
Considering all of these contests amid the national political cross-currents, it seems to me that we are, in fact, on track to add a few more cracks in that glass ceiling.
Women are far (ridiculously far) from parity in federal elective office, but having 21, 22 or 23 women in the Senate would constitute progress. And given the political leadership we witnessed from our women senators last October, having a couple more women in the chamber next session, when gridlock is expected to only get worse, can’t be a bad thing.