Prince William qualifies as search and rescue captain

LONDON?? Prince William is now qualified to fly Sea King helicopters for search and rescue missions in the Royal Air Force, Britain's Ministry of Defense said on Thursday.

Previously, William, who turns 30 in two weeks' time, was only authorized to co-pilot search and rescue missions for 22 Squadron based in Anglesey in North Wales.

Slideshow: William and Kate's first year (on this page)

The prince is also known as the Duke of Cambridge, or "Flight Lieutenant Wales," within the military. The new qualification does not alter his rank.

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"Flight Lieutenant Wales demonstrated the required standards needed for the award of Operation Captaincy," said Mark Dunlop, the commander of 22 Squadron.

"Operational Captaincy carries the overarching responsibility for the safety of the aircraft, its crew and any casualties," Dunlop said. "Required standards are always set at a very high level."

William and his wife ? formerly known as Kate Middleton ? were on show last weekend at a 1,000 vessel flotilla on the River Thames, a star-studded concert in front of Buckingham Palace and a royal procession through London for his grandmother the queen's diamond jubilee celebrations.

Millions of people turned out for events in central London and at parties in communities across Britain and in around the world to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's 60-year reign.

Video: Queen celebrates 60-year reign (on this page)

Now having passed his military assessments on May 29, the Duke of Cambridge has another reason to celebrate after two years of training leading up to the military exams.

Tests included searching for a yacht from the air, carrying out a rescue search for stray kayakers and stranded people in the water and extinguishing a fire on a large ship.

The prince was involved in his first rescue mission in October 2010 after a man became ill on an oil rig in Morecambe Bay near Lancaster.

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Solo Pacific rower hopes for rescue after boat is rolled by tropical storm

AFP - Getty Images, file

British female adventurer Sarah Outen sits in the narrow cabin of her rowing boat "Gulliver" in a suburb of Tokyo, April 11, 2012, before heading across the Pacific to Canada.

By Ian Johnston, msnbc.com

Updated at 5:50 p.m. ET: A 27-year-old woman trying to row solo across the Pacific Ocean was ?holding on? hoping for rescue after her 23-foot boat was hit by a tropical storm.

The storm, named Mawar, rolled Sarah Outen?s boat Gulliver several times, damaging the vessel, according to her blog. A Japanese Coast Guard plane was staying overhead ?to keep an eye on Sarah? while a Coast Guard boat went to pick her up. It was expected to arrive Friday.

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As the storm hit Wednesday, Outen, from Rutland, England, said on her Twitter account?that she had ?written ?SMILE? on one hand and ?BREATHE? on the other. Both will help when I am scared in the storm.?

At about 9:50 a.m. ET Thursday, she wrote her cabin was soaked and she was now ?wrapped in Union Jack [British flag] in place of soggy? sleeping bag and ?holding on.?

On her blog, London 2 London via the World, her support team wrote they had spoken to her and she was ?safe and doing well.?

Outen?s Pacific row was just one leg of a planned round-the-world journey by bicycle, rowing boat, and kayak that started on April 1 last year.

Fellow British Rower Charlie Martell was also awaiting rescue in his boat Blossom, the London 2 London website said in an update Thursday.?Martell is approximately 280 miles northeast of Outen. The Japanese Coast Guard was keeping an eye on him, too.

More world news from msnbc.com and NBC News:

Follow us on Twitter: @msnbc_world

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ECB holds off to force politicians' hand in crisis

FILE - In this May 31, 2012 file picture President of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi reports to the Economic Committee, in capacity as the head of the European Systemic Risk Board, at the European Parliament in Brussels. The European central Bank's 23-member governing council meets Wednesday June 6, 2012. No cut is expected in its benchmark interest rate, which has already been lowered to a record low 1 percent. Draghi wants politicians such as Germany?s Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and European Commmission President Jose Manuel Barroso to come together on far-reaching and potentially controversial action to fix what?s really wrong with the euro at a summit June 28-29 in Brussels. Then, analysts say, more help might be forthcoming. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)

FILE - In this May 31, 2012 file picture President of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi reports to the Economic Committee, in capacity as the head of the European Systemic Risk Board, at the European Parliament in Brussels. The European central Bank's 23-member governing council meets Wednesday June 6, 2012. No cut is expected in its benchmark interest rate, which has already been lowered to a record low 1 percent. Draghi wants politicians such as Germany?s Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and European Commmission President Jose Manuel Barroso to come together on far-reaching and potentially controversial action to fix what?s really wrong with the euro at a summit June 28-29 in Brussels. Then, analysts say, more help might be forthcoming. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)

President of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi reports to the Economic Committee, in capacity as the head of the European Systemic Risk Board, at the European Parliament in Brussels, Thursday, May 31, 2012. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)

President of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi drinks as he reports to the Economic Committee, in capacity as the head of the European Systemic Risk Board, at the European Parliament in Brussels, Thursday, May 31, 2012. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) ? The European Central Bank has a powerful weapon that just might push political leaders into helping solve the continent's financial crisis: withholding further support.

The ECB isn't likely to take any new steps when it meets Wednesday, analysts say, even as anxiety builds over the deteriorating outlook for Europe's economy and banking system.

ECB President Mario Draghi signaled last week that he wants to see stronger political and financial ties among the 17 countries that use the euro. If such ties are forged ? possibly at a European Union summit later this month ? analysts say the ECB would be more likely to reward European governments and banks with the financial shot in the arm they desperately need.

It's a risky game because euro countries are in big trouble.

Spain's borrowing costs are rising to an unsustainable level as the country struggles to come up with billions to prop up banks saddled by bad real estate loans. Concerns are rising that it could be forced to join Ireland, Greece and Portugal in seeking an international financial rescue. Spain's economy is much larger than the other three, making its problems an order of magnitude more worrisome for European leaders.

In just over two weeks, Greek voters return to the polls. If they elect a government that rejects the terms of the country's multibillion-euro bailout, this could force the country out of the euro ? an outcome that would have uncertain and potentially dire consequences for global financial markets.

All across Europe, ailing banks and governments are joined at the hip. Bailing out banks has been a huge burden on governments; and weakened government finances have been a drag on banks that own government bonds.

Over the past week, some of Europe's leading authorities have been pushing political leaders to act quickly to break this burdensome link.

The European Commission called on politicians last Wednesday to create a central European authority with the financial muscle to fix the continent's broken banks. The next day, Draghi echoed those comments, saying the current setup of the 17-country currency union was "unsustainable."

No cut is expected Wednesday in the ECB's benchmark interest rate, which is already at a record low of 1 percent. And there's little prospect that it will serve up more cheap emergency loans for shaky banks anytime soon. It handed out ?1 trillion ($1.24 trillion) in such loans in December and February.

Analysts say the ECB has a strong motive for staying put until it sees some movement from governments.

"The ECB looks tired of being the eurozone's fire brigade and seems to have a preference for staying on hold," Carsten Brzeski, an analyst at ING in Brussels, wrote in a note to investors. "It looks like the ECB will want to keep the pressure as high as possible to tackle political complacency."

If Draghi and the ECB governing council see results from EU leaders at their late June summit, they might be inclined to respond with more help. That's what the ECB did after European countries agreed to a deficit-cutting treaty in December; it followed up with cheap bank loans that temporarily helped hold the crisis at bay.

Of course, the ECB's hand could be forced sooner if Europe's financial crisis were to deteriorate.

Among the measures the ECB could introduce are:

? Cut interest rates below its current record of 1 percent. Analysts say they could go as low as 0.5 percent. The ECB might be forced to do that as early as July if the economy keeps deteriorating or a government defaults on its debt. Lower rates can help growth by lowering borrowing costs for businesses.

? Offer more cheap loans to banks. The first two rounds helped ease the crisis by letting troubled banks borrow at a current rate of 1 percent for three years. The banks used some of this money to buy government bonds, which made it less expensive for some heavily indebted nations to borrow.

? Direct purchases of government bonds. This would drive down government borrowing costs. The ECB did this intermittently to support Spain and Italy until late last year. But the limited nature of the program did not impress bond markets much.

But for the ECB to introduce one or more of these measures, it likely needs action first from Europe's leaders.

A variety of proposals have been put forth to stem the crisis and put Europe on a more sustainable path. They include: using Europe's bailout fund to directly recapitalize banks, instead of funneling loans through individual governments; creating a Europe-wide bank regulator with the power to take over failing banks; and establishing some form of European bonds that could make it easier for heavily indebted nations to borrow and reduce the likelihood of default by any single country.

Any such reforms would be difficult to achieve because they would require richer countries ? such as Germany ? to accept more responsibility for poorer countries' mismanaged finances. And most would take years to implement. Still, joint decision-making by governments could reassure the markets and help the eurozone step back from the edge.

Associated Press

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mooshkatoo: Looking for Advice: Prepping Em for a Little Brother?

I?m a little concerned.

Emmy has been the sun, the moon and the stars of our family for the past 20 months. Our family time has been primarily focused on her needs, and giving her plenty of love and attention.

The new baby?s arrival is going to bring change. Our family dynamic is going to change. As much as I would like to tell myself that even when the baby arrives, I will be able to provide Em with the same amount of love and attention as I am able to today, I know that is not really true. I know that time and attention will need to be shared, and that Emmy will see and feel the difference.

I have tried explaining to Em that I have a baby growing inside me. On a few occasions, Emmy has kissed my belly, as if acknowledging the baby?s presence. On other occasions, Emmy has pulled my shirt back down over my belly and said ?Bye bye, Baby!?

Mmmm? this is going to be tough.

I want to prepare Emmy for being a big sister. I have read and researched what other parents have done. They have read books about babies with their toddlers in the months leading up to the baby?s arrival. They have bought their toddlers baby dolls and played ?family? to help the toddler get acquainted with a baby?s needs.? They have involved their toddlers in preparing the baby?s room and belongings, so they start understanding that change is on the horizon.

This all makes sense, of course.

But Emmy hardly ever sits through an entire book.

?And while she likes putting her baby doll to bed, she also REALLY seems to like throwing her doll on the ground for amusement.

And I have no idea yet as to what we are going to do with the baby room to make it ?ready? for our little monkey (except that in an ideal world, I would love to create a giant wall hanging for the nursery, with a tree and sunshine and birds with pretty beaded eyes and lots of little flowers on the ground? ah, if only there were 4 more hours in a day that I could dedicate to this project).

I know I have plenty of time to prepare Em for what is coming. I know that once my belly really starts popping out, and the baby starts moving and kicking, it will be easier for me to talk to Emmy about her little brother. I know that by the time the baby arrives, Emmy might have the patience to sit through an entire book about becoming an older sister, and she might better understand why it is not so great to throw the baby doll on the ground. And maybe in the coming months I will even have a better plan for the baby room, and can involve Em in the preparations.

But I am wondering how others have dealt with this kind of experience. Did you spend much time prepping your first born for the arrival of a sibling? Did they respond well? How did your child react when you brought the new baby home? How have you and your family adjusted to a new dynamic? Any suggestions on how we can help Em prepare?

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Queen's Diamond Jubilee takes to River Thames

LONDON (Reuters) - Queen Elizabeth joined a spectacular armada of 1,000 vessels on Sunday for the most dazzling display of British pageantry seen on London's River Thames for 350 years, watched by cheering crowds celebrating her 60th year on the throne.

Pealing bells greeted the flotilla as the queen's gilded royal barge sailed alongside a colorful and eclectic array of boats from leisure cruisers and yachts to a Hawaiian war canoe and Venetian gondolas.

Typically inclement British weather failed to dampen enthusiasm, with hundreds of thousands of onlookers, waving "Union Jack" flags, massed on the riverbanks to catch a glimpse of the procession along the seven mile (11 km route).

The queen, wearing a silver and white dress with a matching coat, smiled broadly and waved to the crowds from the royal barge, "The Spirit of Chartwell", alongside her 90-year-old husband Prince Philip.

They were accompanied on the barge by heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles, his eldest son Prince William and new wife Kate, a global fashion trendsetter who wore a vivid red Alexander McQueen dress and matching hat.

Up and down the country, organizers said millions of people attended diamond jubilee street parties in honor of the 86-year-old sovereign, the only British monarch after Queen Victoria to have sat on the throne for 60 years.

"We're English, we know what the weather is like. We really don't care if we get wet you know - it's the jubilee, it's the queen, so it's nice to come up and celebrate it," said Jackie, a 39-year-old sales consultant who travelled across southern England to watch the Thames pageant.

From New Zealand Maoris who paddled their canoe wearing traditional cloaks to sailors and people dressed as pirates, the flotilla boasted a colorful array of participants from every corner of the planet.

There were even vessels from the 1940 evacuation of British and Allied troops from Dunkirk in northern France - a famous rescue performed by crafts of all shapes and sizes and a celebrated piece of British history.

Organizers said Sunday's river pageant, reminiscent of a Canaletto canvas from the 18th century, was the largest of its kind since a similar spectacle was held for King Charles II and his consort Catherine of Braganza in 1662.

CHURCHILL AND EISENHOWER

Other craft included Motor Torpedo Boat 102 on which Allied Forces commander General Dwight Eisenhower and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill inspected warships before the 1944 D-Day invasion of Nazi-occupied France.

The flotilla passed under 14 bridges and past landmarks including the Houses of Parliament, St Paul's Cathedral, and the Tower of London, after the picturesque Tower Bridge bascules were raised in salute.

Another boat taking part, "Amazon", featured in diamond jubilee celebrations for Queen Victoria, Elizabeth's great-great-grandmother, held in 1897 when Britain's empire spanned much of the globe.

The jubilee pageant appeared on news sites around the world and was among the top trending topics on the Twitter micro blogging site, with messages ranging from congratulatory to comic.

"Booze cruise" wrote @Queen_UK, an irreverent and unofficial spoof twitter handle written from the queen's perspective.

Although the queen is still head of state in 16 countries from Australia and Canada to tiny Tuvalu in the Pacific Ocean and head of the Commonwealth, Britain is a shadow of its former imperial self.

Nevertheless, interest in the pageant and affection for Queen Elizabeth extended to former colonies such as Canada.

"I admire Queen Elizabeth II for her extraordinary grace and diligence," marketing expert Amanda Batchelor told Reuters from her home in Toronto where she was watching on television.

"The fact that she remains relevant to millions of people - in the UK and abroad - over six decades of rapid change is testimony to her longevity. She is a sign of stability and security. She is a kind of living history."

Historians and commentators say the pomp and spectacle of British royal occasions gives the country a sense of national pride at a time when the economy is in recession and people face deep austerity measures.

STREET PARTIES

Across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, street parties were being held to mark the occasion. Prince Charles and his wife Camilla dropped into one in central London before the pageant, joining in a rousing rendition of the national anthem.

While the queen and the royal party braved the elements under a golden canopy on a barge in the middle of the Thames, the wet conditions proved too much for Prime Minister David Cameron, who moved his Downing Street party indoors.

That said, the government hoped the festivities would mark the start of a summer of revelry capped off by the Olympic Games in London, raising the public's spirits and their poll ratings.

"What is great is that we have the jubilee and then the Olympics. We should show how great we are in Britain," said Joanne Richmond, 61, from central England, who was in London for the queen's coronation as a two-year-old.

However, economists have warned that the extra public holidays will hit Britain's already ailing economy, potentially prolonging a recession.

The celebrations come as polls show the overwhelming backing for the monarchy, which has overcome a slump in the 1990s following marital infidelities and the death of the hugely popular Princess Diana in a 1997 Paris car crash

However, not everyone in London was cheering as about 100 republicans waving banners demanding "Votes not Boats" and "Make Monarchy History" staged a protest near Tower Bridge.

"Her achievement is just staying alive, doing little and saying less," Graham Smith, head of campaign group Republic, told Reuters.

Even republicans acknowledge there is almost no chance that the queen will be ousted and take solace in indications many Britons are simply indifferent -- 2 million people are leaving the country to take advantage of the extended public holiday.

Celebrations will continue on Monday with a pop concert outside Elizabeth's London residence Buckingham Palace and conclude with a service of thanksgiving at St. Paul's Cathedral on Tuesday followed by a carriage procession.

(Additional reporting by Jeremy Gaunt, Philip Baillie, Peter Griffiths and Ethan Bilby, editing by Paul Casciato)

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DeLorme inReach for Messaging Wherever You Are - Dick ...

Ten percent of the world has cell phone coverage. Obviously, that also means that 90% of the world is outside cell phone range. That includes a lot of places where RVs (recreational vehicles) travel.

Most interstate highways have excellent cell phone coverage, as do most metropolitan areas. While RVs do spend a lot of time on the highways, they also appear in rural areas more often than in cities. I have stayed at more than one RV resort where the cell phone coverage was either spotty or non-existent.

How about data coverage? Can an RV owner surf the web or send and receive e-mail? The answer is... "sometimes." Some campgrounds provide wi-fi coverage while others do not. Many RV owners purchase "air cards" to connect laptop computers to the Internet via a local cell tower; but, air cards have the same limitations as cell phones: they don't work too well in rural areas beyond the reach of the nearest cell tower. Air cards are useless in 90% of the world.

Then there is the issue of "boondocking." That is, camping out in a wilderness area instead of at an established campground. (Information about boondocking may be found at http://www.boondockingguide.com/.) Boondocking is very popular in the western U.S. and is occasionally practiced in some areas of the east. Of course, there are no wi-fi networks when boondocking, and even air cards can be well outside of cellular coverage. All this can leave the RV resident without communications. Have an emergency? Good luck!

Of course, you can always buy a satellite phone, but have you checked the prices on those things? Out of sight!

Now a new device from DeLorme provides limited message capabilities at reasonable prices. Whether you are crossing Antarctica or the Sahara or hiking the Appalachian Trail or taking a cruise on a cruise ship or simply parking the RV in Arizona, you?ll have reliable coverage on the 90% of the earth outside of cell phone range. All this works on the world?s only truly global network: satellite coverage.

The DeLorme inReach device is a handheld communications hub for data (no voice capabilities) that works with your present Apple, Android, or Windows Mobile cell phone. It also works with Apple iPod Touch, iPad, and with most Android tablet computers or any laptop computer that includes Bluetooth. It transforms your smartphone or tablet into a two-way text-messaging global communications device and a GPS viewer (with the latest terrain and road details).

In short, your present cell phone or tablet becomes a handheld computer terminal that connects via wireless Bluetooth to the DeLorme inReach device. In turn, the inReach provides two-way communications to an overhead satellite. Communications is limited to text messages of only 150 characters maximum. That's not much, but it is enough to tell friends and relatives, "I'm OK," or, "I reached my destination," or, "I am spending the night at location..." followed by your precise longitude and latitude, as supplied by the inReach device. Of course, the same device can be used to send SOS messages to relatives or to the authorities.

Messages are two-way: you can both send and receive messages (up to 150 characters per message).

When an SOS message is sent, the GEOS International Emergency Response Coordination Center (IERCC) is contacted. That office provides 24/7/365 emergency response capability. When the SOS is sent, one of the IERCC Duty Officers will be dealing with your emergency, liaising with the primary first response agency responsible in the area closest to you. The Center coordinates with other relevant authorities (such as police or Coast Guard) as well as coordinating any additional private search and rescue resources that may be required to rescue you or save your life. IERCC will also notify the emergency contacts on your inReach account.

Messages can be sent via email or to Facebook or Twitter. You can even have messages and your precise location displayed on your own custom web page, either visible to everyone or visible only to those to whom you give a password. You remain in control over "who can see what." Your custom web page also lets you optionally display your exact location on a map.

A Follow-Me/Find-Me Tracking and automatic location feature allows others to follow your travels. You can turn tracking on or off at any time to make sure your route is known. Use it to aid rescuers, to make maps, to keep you connected to the world, or just to provide a measure of authenticity to your travel stories or adventures. People can even ping your inReach device to find your latest location.

The DeLorme inReach weighs just 8 ounces (227 grams) with 2 lithium batteries plugged in. It is handheld size: 3.4" high (4.77" including antenna), 2.85" wide, 1.73" deep; (or 8.6 cm H (12.1 cm including antenna), 7.2 cm W, 4.4 cm D). It easily slips into a backpack or a jacket pocket. It is waterproof and dustproof, and if dropped in water, it floats.?

There are no cables to carry as all communications with your cell phone are via wireless Bluetooth. However, a small USB to micro-USB cable is included in the box with the inReach, which you will want to use when you return home to download firmware updates to your desktop or laptop computer and then copy them to the DeLorme inReach. You won't need that cable for everyday use, however.

Two-way communications requires both the DeLorme inReach and a so-called smartphone or tablet computer. However, one-way follow-me tracking and SOS messages will work the DeLorme inReach device alone, no cell phone or computer required.

The inReach should last 60 hours on two lithium AA batteries, based on transmitting one tracking point every 10 minutes. Actual results will vary, based on individual usage. For longer trips, you can carry extra batteries or plug the inReach into a vehicle's cigarette lighter power socket for up to several weeks of use. It will also work with most any solar panels designed for use with 12-volt devices.

The inReach connects you to the Iridium network, the world?s largest satellite constellation. It works in the Sahara, the South Pacific, Outer Mongolia, or Arizona. However, if you are in a deep slot canyon or an unusually narrow mountain pass, you may not have the direct line of sight to a satellite that?s needed. Unlike satellite television, the Iridium network does not use geosynchronous satellites, and you do not need a clear view of the southern sky when in the Northern Hemisphere. In fact, the Iridium satellites are in constant motion. If none is overhead at the moment you send a message, the inReach stores the message and waits for a satellite to come within range, then sends it. From any point on earth, a satellite usually becomes available within a few minutes.

The DeLorme inReach sells for a reasonable $249 although you will also need a monthly subscription plan. Those subscription plans vary from $9.95/month for 10 messages per month up to $49.95/month for unlimited messages. You also need to spend $19.95 for a one-time activation fee. SOS messages are always accepted, even if you have exceeded your monthly message allotment. Subscription plan details may be found at http://www.inreachdelorme.com/product-info/faq.php.

The DeLorme inReach is a great unit for recreational vehicles as well as for marine use, aviation, and many other applications. If I still owned an airplane, I would buy one of these devices in a heartbeat as a supplement to the airplane's ELT (Emergency Locator Transmitter). At 8 ounces of weight, it is a great unit for aircraft use. It becomes a satellite-enabled panic button as well as a useful tool for sending and receiving short email messages.

More information about the DeLorme inReach may be found at http://www.inreachdelorme.com/product-info/. You can purchase the DeLorme InReach satellite communications device from several online retailers, including Amazon at http://goo.gl/kWzuu.

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