APTN National NewsTreaty eight First Nations in northeast British Columbia are hoping that the Federal Court of Appeal will soon side with them.They say flooding agricultural lands in a pristine valley along the Peace River to make way for a new dam is a bad decision.APTN’s Tina House has the details.
Quebec finance minister announces personal income tax cuts
QUEBEC – Quebec’s finance minister announced personal income tax cuts and increased funds for health and education on Tuesday and immediately denied the moves had anything to do with next year’s provincial election.“We are announcing today further tax reductions because we started doing that already last year,” said Carlos Leitao. “This year we’re adding another $1 billion. And if we do it now, it’s because we can do it now.”The government says a family of two adults and two children that earns $88,000 a year will see a tax reduction of $1,200, which includes the abolition of a health fee as well as the introduction of money earmarked for school supplies.A single person who earns $44,000 will save an estimated $500.Asked specifically whether the tax cuts will help the Liberals win next October’s election, Leitao replied, “Eleven months in politics is a lifetime. Who knows what’s going to happen in the next 11 months.”“These tax cuts are intended to give the population some breathing space,” he said. “It is something we said we’d do.“Since Quebecers have the highest tax burden in Canada, and we can lighten their burden, then yes, (we’re doing it).”Opinion polls suggest the Liberals are locked in a tight battle with the right-leaning Coalition for Quebec’s Future, with the Parti Quebecois trailing in third place.Leitao has probably not stopped handing out the goodies. He will table the 2018-19 budget next March or April and will no doubt sprinkle a few others to woo voters.The measures announced Tuesday include $100 for families for each child so they can purchase school supplies, although the government will have no direct control over how the money is actually spent.It will be retroactive to this year and parents will receive a first cheque in January.Leitao also said the government will invest an additional $630 million in the health sector over the next six years and $212 million in education over the same period.Another measure will see the province invest $2.6 billion over six years in a bid to lift 100,000 people out of poverty.Details of the ambitious plan are expected to be made public by the end of the year.PQ finance critic Nicolas Marceau reacted to Leitao’s measures by stating that Premier Philippe Couillard “is taking Quebecers for idiots.”“He’s insulting their intelligence,” Marceau said.“Today we’re seeing the beginning of the Liberals’ election campaign — a campaign that is not financed by Liberal party funds but rather by Quebecers’ money. It is being financed by the major cuts we’ve suffered over the last three years.”
Massachusetts Public Schools grant Muslim student a day off on Eid
Fez- On a cold winter day of Cleveland- Ohio, an American friend who happened to be driving me to Westside Market within the city glimpsed a catchy billboard. Since I was not the one behind the steering wheel, I glued sight on the big capital letters forming the statement: AMERICA IS A CHRISTIAN country. I still remember neither concurred with what that board said. My friend is Jew and I am a Muslim. This was few years ago.Today, the Revere public schools in Massachusets approved our (my friend’s and mine) standpoint from the content of that Billboard. The Revere Public schools took a leading initiation to grant the students a Holy day on Eid Al Adha (a Muslim celebrated- day of Sacrifice), which falls this year on the 15th of October. The school board (administrators and school committee) reached a unanimous decision to modify the holy days calendar for this Academic year. Good Friday (April 18th, 2014) will not be the only religious day off for students. The Jewish Rosh Hashanah (September 5th, 6th) and the Muslim Eid Al Adha (one day off) will make the total religious days off grow to four.The Decision was reached based on the conspicuous growing number of the Muslim community in the school district. Last year, a major problem of absenteeism among Muslim students happened on Eid Al Adha when kids preferred to spend the day with their families to celebrate the Holy Day.Last year, it was Cambridge Public Schools and this year it is Revere Public Schools that recognize the religious holidays of the multi-cultural community. The experience is expected to get cloned in many other school districts and with this recognition the Muslim community is amply satisfied.© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed
Nandy assures Sri Lanka continued support of UN
At the meeting, President Sirisena noted key priorities of the Government and reiterated the need to work together in addressing such challenges. (Colombo Gazette) Outgoing UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Sri Lanka Subinay Nandy reaffirmed the commitment of the United Nations to the Government of Sri Lanka in continuing to progressively work together for the benefit of the Sri Lankan people.In February, Nandy, will take up his new post as Head of Asia-Pacific Division of the Department of Political Affairs in UN New York Headquarters. Nandy, concluded his assignment in Sri Lanka after a 4 year and 8 month term and called on President Maithripala Sirisena for an exit meeting, the UN office in Colombo said today.
Annan welcomes DR of Congos decision to disarm militia forcibly
In his 18th report to the Security Council on the peacekeeping UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), he also calls for the extension of state authority across the whole country so that the Government can collect the revenues needed to provide services to the Congolese people.”It is most regrettable that the long-awaited declaration by FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda) in Rome on 31 March has not resulted in concrete progress towards disarmament and the repatriation of combatants. I therefore welcome the commitment made on 16 July by the Transitional Government to take forcible action to disarm FDLR,” he says.MONUC had prepared six temporary assembly areas for voluntary FDLR disarmament, but FDLR chief Ignace Murwanashyaka left DRC in mid-May “without issuing orders to the combatants to enter the disarmament, demobilization, repatriation, reintegration and rehabilitation programme,” he says.On the question of public revenues, Mr. Annan says the Transitional Government must address illegal mining in eastern areas of DRC, install security at border crossing-points and re-integrate resource-rich Ituri into the nation.”Without such decisive action, revenues will continue to be misappropriated by illegal actors, undermining the Transitional Government’s credibility and endangering progress toward peace,” he says.Aided by donors, the Government must ensure that the armed forces of the DRC (FARDC) are paid and receive adequate logistical support for security operations, Mr. Annan says.It is difficult to assess whether direct support to the militia groups in Ituri is being provided from neighbouring countries, he says. “Reports indicate, however, that representatives of the groups move freely between the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Rwanda, including for meetings and to conduct financial transactions.””In a striking development, many representatives of armed groups met openly in Kampala (Uganda) in mid-June to form the Mouvement révolutionnaire congolais, whose aim is to oppose the extension of State authority throughout Ituri. There are unconfirmed reports that militia in Ituri are regularly receiving weapons, including across Lake Albert,” he adds.The international community must exert increased pressure on the neighbouring countries to refrain from supporting militia groups and violating the arms embargo and it must encourage mining and trading companies “to abide by good business practices in politically volatile and sensitive areas,” he says.In addition, the DRC Transitional Government must take decisive action “to ensure the regular payment of civil service salaries, extend the provision of health care and education, improve transport infrastructure and ensure good governance,” Mr. Annan says.
French court orders 188 million euros 21 million for babies switched at
by Nicolas Vaux-Montagny, The Associated Press Posted Feb 10, 2015 4:18 am MDT AddThis Sharing ButtonsShare to TwitterTwitterShare to FacebookFacebookShare to RedditRedditShare to 電子郵件Email French court orders 1.88 million euros ($2.1 million) for babies switched at birth Sophie Serrano, right, poses with her daughter Manon,Tuesday, Feb.10, 2015, in Grasse, southeastern France. A nurse’s assistant had accidentally given baby Manon Serrano, who was in an incubator, to another mother after her birth in July 1994, and given the infant next to her to Sophie Serrano. A court on Tuesday ordered a private clinic in the Riviera city of Cannes to pay out 400,000 euros ($450,000) each to two 20-year-old girls accidentally switched at birth and given to the wrong parents — part of a 1.88-million euro payment to members of the two families. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau) PARIS – A court on Tuesday ordered a private clinic in the Riviera city of Cannes to pay out 400,000 euros ($450,000) each to two 20-year-old girls accidentally switched at birth and given to the wrong parents — part of a 1.88-million euro payment to members of the two families.The clinic’s lawyer, Sophie Chas, said she wasn’t immediately certain whether an appeal would be lodged against Tuesday’s decision by the court in Grasse.Chas said the court ordered payments by the Clinica Jourdan and an insurance company of 300,000 euros for each of three parents involved in the case and 60,000 euros for three brothers and sisters.“I am perfectly satisfied (with the ruling) because responsibility within the medical chain was acknowledged,” the lawyer for the victims, Gilbert Collard, said in a telephone interview. The families had sought a total of 12 million euros, but had little hope of obtaining that amount, he said.A nurse’s assistant had accidentally given baby Manon Serrano, who was in an incubator, to another mother after her birth in July 1994, and given the infant next to her to Sophie Serrano.Three years later, Manon’s hair grew curly and her skin olive-toned — unlike either parent. Her father separated from Sophie Serrano after village rumours spread about the young girl being “the postman’s daughter.” In 2004, DNA tests showed that Manon was the daughter of neither of them. An investigation was launched and their biological child was located — some 30 kilometres (less than 20 miles) away.Sophie Serrano, who raised Manon, expressed relief that the error was at last acknowledged.“It’s a relief. We have waited for this for so long,” she said on iTele TV station.The other family involved in the case has chosen to remain anonymous.The suit brought in 2010 by the two families also targeted two doctors and the nurse’s assistant who made the mistaken switch, but the court did not convict them.
Accountability key to ensuring development progress beyond 2015 – UN officials
“The move to a universal development agenda will require an accountability mechanism that is comprehensive and flexible, yet robust, holding different actors to account according to their differing responsibilities,” General Assembly President John Ashe said at the opening of an interactive dialogue on the issue that he convened.The UN has embarked on a major effort to achieve a new post-2015 development agenda to succeed the landmark Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Those targets, agreed by world leaders at a UN summit in 2000, aim to slash extreme hunger and poverty, cut maternal and infant mortality, combat disease and provide access to universal education and health care, all by the end of 2015.“The time to begin this work is now,” said Mr. Ashe. “We cannot and should not wait until all the global goals and targets are agreed upon; rather, a global monitoring and accountability framework will need to be an integral part of our ongoing discussions on the design of a post-2015 development agenda and its implementation.“The framework we seek must be inclusive, transparent and based on mutual respect; it must promote mutual learning; it will need to contain feedback and/or inputs from the national to the regional and global levels; and it must fully utilize the new potential of data and technology.”The President said that making true progress is always at risk without robust accountability. “Governments everywhere need to be responsive to their Parliaments, their constituencies, their voters, and to their countries’ civil society at large. At the national level, all stakeholders should play a role in ensuring effective oversight for aligning international commitments to national development objectives,” he pointed out, adding that these efforts must be anchored at the global level.“We need to work together to construct a framework that will ultimately have a positive impact on development at the national level. In the end, this is where the results of our ambitions will need to be observed, measured, and evaluated.”Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the gathering that accountability is essential to assess progress and achieve results, and that this should happen at the national, regional and global levels. “All actors, including Governments, the UN system, civil society and the private sector, should be accountable for honouring their commitments. We need an inclusive, robust yet flexible accountability framework.” Also, to succeed, the accountability system must be universal, he noted. “Any framework for accountability must apply to all, taking into account their different capacities and responsibilities. Accountability mechanisms and platforms should be nimble and decentralized.” He added that the UN alone cannot be the sole platform for a system of accountability, and that it must be integrated with regional and national action by governments and their constituencies.
Rural womens empowerment critical to UN Sustainable Development Agenda – Ban
Rurual Women make up 25 per cent of the world’s population and in developing countries they make up 43 per cent of the agricultural labour force that produces much of the world’s food. It is no wonder, then, that the Secretary-General calls rural women the backbone of rural communities, where, “and in many households they have the key responsibility for food security, education opportunities and healthcare.” And yet that backbone is under threat, as increasingly, the effects of climate change and environmental degradation are forcing rural women to migrate in search of land where they can produce food and improve their families’ lives. This leads to instability, isolation, and marginalization. Frequently, male family members leave to seek work elsewhere. Executive Director of UN Women Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said in a statement on the Day that “rural women farmers can be agents of change in transforming food production and consumption so that land and resources are used efficiently and sustainably. They need policies and investments that facilitate their active participation and decision-making and their access to land and climate-resilient agricultural methods.” Changes are on the way for women farmersUN Women and the World Food Programme (WFP) have launched a the new programme in Rwanda to help women farmers forecast crop demands and create more secure and profitable supply chains through the use of digital technology.Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka urged countries with barriers to women’s land ownership or legislation that limits their ability to take out loans to repeal harmful laws and instead implement policies that put women in a position to scale up their production sustainably.“Food and agricultural initiatives often disregard differences in the roles, labour burdens, assets and access to resources of rural men and women. But if women in rural areas had the same access to land, technology, financial services, education and markets as men, they could increase agricultural production and reduce the number of hungry people – and among those, the women and girls who often eat least,” she added.Mr. Ban, in his message, urged governments to make simple policy changes, such as regulating remittances and reducing transaction costs in order to provide rural women with economic access and power. “Training and access to information on climate-resilient agriculture and technology can make a critical difference,” he recommended.In order to successfully implement these changes, governments and other actors must also work to dismantle stereotypes that view economics as an exclusively male domain, added the UN chief.To put the impact of this exclusion and the effects of climate-change induced migration into perspective, consider that 76 per cent of the world’s poorest people live in rural areas that are vulnerable to growing stress on water and land use.The Secretary-General underscored that in order for us to deliver on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, “we must help rural women to thrive, and to access the support and information they need so they can fulfil their potential without leaving their communities.”
Eaton Airflex coupling solution helps avoid grinding mill high torque spikes
Power management company Eaton has introduced a new Airflex® Torque Limiting Coupling, which increases torque by 25% and provides an automatic slip detection system to help decrease maintenance costs and downtime during operation. Designed to withstand high torque spikes found in grinding mills and heavy duty variable frequency drive applications, the Airflex Torque Limiting Coupling “utilises automatic reset and re-engage and automatic wear compensation to help safeguard expensive driveline components.”The new coupling features adjustable slip detection control, which automatically disengages the torque limiting coupling if slip is detected between the motor and the pinion. The required overload torque can be easily set and adjusted by varying the applied air pressure. Re-applying the predetermined air pressure quickly and automatically resets the coupling.“As grinding mill drivelines are migrating from clutch-based drivelines to variable frequency drive (VFD) systems, Eaton’s new generation of Torque Limiting Couplings are answering the call to protect equipment from damage during unexpected torque overloads,” said Mike Williams, Product Line Manager, Eaton. “The advanced Airflex Torque Limiting Coupling solution is designed to reset and restart nearly instantaneously, striving to achieve maximum uptime for mill operations.”The torque settings of the Airflex Torque Limiting Coupling remain constant throughout the service life, requiring no periodic adjustments, lubrication, calibration or other preventative maintenance. Eaton’s Airflex Torque Limiting Couplings are available in a wide range of sizes, from 51 to 76 in, with a torque range capacity of 2.5 million inch pounds to 12.1 million inch pounds on grinding mill applications of 4,000 hp and above.
Contract Signing for Construction of Police Fire Station for Grand Bahama
Related Items:grand bahama, hurricane francis, hurricane jeanne, Patrick McDonald Construction Company, Police Fire Station Grand Bahama International Airport Will Reopen Today Facebook Twitter Google+LinkedInPinterestWhatsAppGrand Bahamians, in particular, will not soon forget the names “Francis” and “Jeanne”. For too many, the effect of these back-to-back hurricanes remains very present in their lives. For too many, recovery has been long and hard; and for too many, hope has been a tough option. Because of this, my visits to Grand Bahama are taken as occasions to renew hope and to encourage positive attitudes in a people that I know to be among the most resilient of Bahamians. I am, therefore, very pleased to be here to witness this event, which will restore and enhance a work environment befitting this District’s hardworking team.Unfortunately and unexpectedly, in 2004, Hurricanes Francis and Jeanne brought irreparable damage to the landmark metal, pre-fabricated fire station located at East Settlers Way. Officers and staff, I am advised, continue to execute their duties from cramped accommodations in the former Mobile Division Headquarters. The challenges of economy have caused delay of what Government committed to do since 2012. That delay, though, has not translated to denial. Grand Bahama will have a new state-of-the-art Police Fire Station from which officers can serve the population well into the future – and very soon.Today, I am very pleased to witness the execution of a contract in the amount of $6,109,999.75 between the Government of The Bahamas and Patrick McDonald Construction Company to construct the new Police Fire Station for Grand Bahama. The contract period is not to exceed 70 weeks. The terms of the contract is the standard Government Long Form contract with some modifications.The journey toward today began with the invitation of three (3) building contractors located in Freeport, Grand Bahama to submit competitive bids. Initial bids were submitted and publicly opened at the Ministry of Finance Tenders Board Meeting in Nassau on 16th December 2014.A Tender Report was prepared by the Quantity Surveying Firm Veritas Consultants Ltd, and the same was presented to the Tenders Board earlier this year. A recommendation was made to Cabinet for consideration. A decision was subsequently made, and today, we bring to you the product of Cabinet’s decision.The purposed Police Fire Station Project will be designed and built on approximately three (3) acres of relatively flat land at Fairfield East on the corner of Sergeant Major Drive and Settlers Way, East Freeport. The Government of The Bahamas appreciates then kind donation of this land by the Grand Bahama Port Authority.The Station features an 11,660 square foot main Administrative Building, two-storey and masonry structure. The ground floor will house the daily administrative offices for its staff, as well as a reception area with public restrooms. There will also be a police training room, an operator’s office, police locker room, exercise room, day room, dining room, and kitchen. Additionally, there will be a First Aid Room for staff that may fall ill or sustain injury during working hours.The upper floor will house police dormitory for both male and female police officers. There will be eight (8) single bedrooms, two double bedrooms and five bunk beds for male officers. The female officers will be provided housing with four (4) bunk beds, separate bathrooms, changing areas, and showers. A common laundry room will serve all officers.Adjourning the Administrative Building is a single storey masonry fire garage will house four fire trucks and have some support spaces for storage, tools, and lockers. A grease pole will connect the garage to the dormitory level of the main building.There will also be standalone masonry buildings to service the fire trucks and other police vehicles associated with the police fire station.Patrick McDonald Construction Company submitted the lowest and comprehensive bid at tender. We thank the unsuccessful companies that participated in the process. We thank the Royal Bahamas Police Force Fire Branch for your tolerant professionalism. Above all, we thank Grand Bahama for your patience. Hope remains alive and well.ENDHon. Philip E. Davis, Q.C., M.P.Deputy Prime Minister/Minister29th May 2015 Recommended for you Grand Bahama Set to Return to Normal After Hurricane Irma Facebook Twitter Google+LinkedInPinterestWhatsApp Lighthouse Pointe at Grand Lucayan on Grand Bahama Island Reopens
Air Force Local Leaders Seek Compromise over Proposed Textile Plant outside March
Officials from March Air Reserve Base in Southern California and local authorities are hoping to avoid a potential conflict over a proposed textile plant that would be located in the airfield’s Accident Potential Zone 1.The project still is in the preliminary stages, but the commander of the air reserve base has said the $31 million, 185,000-square foot manufacturing plant could jeopardize the installation’s mission, reports the Press-Enterprise.At a meeting of the March Joint Powers Authority last week, Brig. Gen. Russell Muncy said locating a plant in the base’s accident potential zones would raise concerns about the safety of its flight operations.“The desire is to minimize density along these corridors,” Muncy said. “Ideally, if an airplane were to come out of the sky, you want it to hit nothing.”Ultimately, the plant could make the base vulnerable to realignment or closure, the commander said. “Encroachment is the quickest way to render any military installation ineffective,” he said.Danielle Wheeler, executive director of the joint powers authority, indicated the conflict could be resolved.“There’s been lots of discussions about [this] project today,” Wheeler said, referring to her office and officials from March and the neighboring city of Perris. “We’re making great headway.”Muncy similarly was optimistic a mutually beneficial solution to the issue could be found.“We’re looking at ways, ‘How can we get to a win-win for the community and still protect the base’s operational capability?’” he said. “I think we’ll get there on this. When you’ve got good communication you can work through anything.” Dan Cohen AUTHOR
Veteran Homelessness Resumes LongTerm Decline in 2018
Dan Cohen AUTHOR The number of homeless veterans fell 5.4 percent since 2017 according to an annual, one-night survey conducted in January, reversing the increase recorded last year after the figure had dropped steadily since 2010. The latest estimate found 37,878 veterans experienced homelessness, compared to 40,020 reported in January 2017. The 2017 figure represented an increase of more than 500 people over the previous year. Veterans advocates applauded this year’s improvement, but said the federal government could be doing more.“Down is always a good thing, especially given the affordable housing crisis we’re seeing in America today,” Kathryn Monet, CEO of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, told Military Times. “But we still have a sense that if leadership were more committed to this issue, we could have seen even bigger decreases.”Each year thousands of local communities conduct a one-night, point-in-time estimate of the number of persons experiencing homelessness — in emergency shelters, transitional housing programs and in unsheltered locations, according to a Housing and Urban Development Department press release.Air Force photo by Senior Airman Timothy Taylor
Unable to repay debts man ends life in Hyderabad
Unable to repay his debts, a 55-year-old carpenter committed suicide by hanging himself to the ceiling fan at his residence in Chandrayangutta. He was found dead by then neighbours who informed the police. According to the police, Mohammed Rashid, a resident of Ghousenagar in Bandlaguda had taken a few hand loans and could not repay it. Depressed over it and was unable to find any work for the past few days, Rasheed took the extreme step on Friday night. The police registered a case and launched an investigation.
60 second startup guide How to rank high on Google
In a time of mobile consumers and internet shoppers, making sure your company ranks well on Google searches is paramount. Customers need to be able to search for your services and find you instantly for your company to be in with a chance of beating the competition. Search Engine Optimisers can help manipulate your rankings through several clever tricks to ensure you are always top of the pile.Here, Expert Market SEO guru Max Holloway shares his insight into how new businesses can optimise their online presence to climb higher in Googles sacred rankings.Consolidate useful pagesThough creating lots of separate pages on every subcategory your business offers may seem like a good way to organise your site, it is not a good way to climb up the rankings. Google operates by crawling websites looking for relevant information that it can offer to people searching for content. By creating too many pages with a similar theme or keyword, you are essentially pulling Google in different directions – as a result, all pages will be marked down and achieve low rankings, because your pages are essentially in competition with each other.Look through your website and mark pages that fall under one theme or question. Collate this content into one single, useful page with concise, relevant content that is carefully structured to answer your customers most-asked queries. Any conflicting pages should be deleted, but ensure that you properly redirect pages to the new location using the HTTP 301 code. This tells Google that the content has been permanently moved to a new part of the site and ensures any click-throughs from a search come to the correct page.Use useful online analytics toolsGetting the right links to your site is the single most important SEO activity you will engage in, because Google counts this to be one of its most important ranking factors.You can think of links as the internet equivalent of a friends recommendation. A recommendation from someone who is trustworthy and authoritative will be worth much more than one from one you dont know that well or one who has a bad reputation. The same is true for websites, so bear that in mind when approaching websites for links.There are a whole host of powerful online tools – such as Moz OSE, ahrefs and MajesticSEO – which will tell you where your competitors are getting their links from. If someone is linking to your competitors, they will probably link to you.Once you have your list of websites to approach you can begin to formulate your strategy to get the most links.Display data beautifullyWhen coming up with new content ideas onsite and for outreach, the most important thing to remember is not to get too bogged down in your product. Look at the wider sector in which your business operates and investigate the more newsworthy aspects to release interesting reports or comments about your sector to the media. The ultimate objective is to drive people to your site, so as long as the content relates to your brand, you can exercise as much creativity as you like.Research interesting facts about your industry and try and present it in a new, quirky way. Studies have shown that the attention span of the average online user has been steadily decreasing, which means that brands have a matter of seconds to grab their audiences attention. Consider visualising your data or story into an infographic. Content that is beautifully designed and is easy to digest has high sharable potential. A high volume of shares means lots of mentions, which result in more people wanting to head to your site to learn more about your brand.There are a number of alternative methods you can adopt to win links on online publications to get your brand name out there. Consider pitching an expert opinion piece to a business site or an instructive how-to guide.Join us for next weeks 60 second startup guide where we explore how to attract top talent to your small business.Max Holloway is a Senior Marketing Manager from Expert Markets publishing team. For more information about how web developers can improve your new website head to www.expertmarket.com Close
US Invests Millions To Train Journalists In Pakistan
Laura IsenseeMarina Marri is an editor at the Express-Tribune. She’s part of the growing workforce of reporters in Pakistan. The number of working journalists here has jumped from 2,000 in 2002 to 18,000 in 2013.There’s a lot of growth in Pakistan’s journalism, particularly on the TV side, along with a lot of energy from journalists.An example is Marina Marri, editor of the Express-Tribune. The journalists there have been resilient and tenacious in the face of violence.And Marri not only manages a newsroom, but also plays soccer.In order to keep fostering new generations of journalists in the country, there’s an effort to start up a Master’s Degree and the U.S. has a strong role in it.We invite you to listen to Laura’s latest dispatch above.She is participating in a fellowship for reporters sponsored by ICFJ— the International Center For Journalists. Think of it as a student exchange for journalists.You can also follow her journey on Twitter and Facebook.And check out Laura’s earlier entries on the special page on our website. To embed this piece of audio in your site, please use this code: X 00:00 /03:24 Listen Share
KMC sets target of renovating 2500 clogged ponds across city
Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is adopting a changed approach in renovation of dirty ponds across the city. There are around 3,500 clogged ponds spreading across 144 wards of the civic body that are in need of thorough cleaning of its water and the civic body has taken up a target to clean up 2,500 such ponds.”A considerable amount of money has been drained out from the KMC exchequer due to the method that was adopted for renovation. After renovation, the Program Management Unit (PMU) department of the KMC carried out beautification of the ponds. Now, we are just extracting the filth from the pond be it water hyacinth, plastic or any other rubbish and are then taking the necessary steps to clean the water. We are not going for any beautification. The main aim of the renovation is to ensure that the water in the ponds remain fresh for a long duration,” a senior official of the Environment & Heritage department of KMC said. Also Read – Rs 13,000 crore investment to provide 2 lakh jobs: MamataAccording to Director General (Environment & Heritage) Debasish Chakraborty, water hyacinth mats lower dissolved oxygen concentrations, prevents adequate penetration of sunrays and damages fish population. It also provides ideal breeding environments for mosquitoes. Work has already started in Borough X and as per the list available with KMC, there are more than 30 such ponds in Borough XI and XII that are in urgent need of a facelift. Borough I and XIV also have a good number of ponds. There are ponds in each of the 16 boroughs and the councillors have been asked to submit a list of dirty ponds in their respective wards that are in need of a facelift. KMC has also floated tender for taking up pisciculture in a number of ponds that have already witnessed a facelift. The local clubs have also taken up fish farming in some ponds that have been renovated by KMC.
Missing bird found
DID YOU KNOW?Click on the words highlighted in red to read more on this and related topics.If you are reading this on your cellphone and there are telephone numbers provided in the text, you can call these simply by clicking on them.To receive news links via WhatsApp.For the latest news, visit our webpage or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Join us there! WebsiteWebsiteWebsite WebsiteWebsiteWebsite WebsiteWebsiteWebsite A bird, suspected to be someone’s pet, has been found near Harrismith Road.The bird, which is a cockatiel, is white in colour and has orange spots on both its left and right cheek.If it is your bird or you know the owner, please contact 0835600122 for more information and the exact whereabouts of the bird.
Israeli Druze alarmed by plight of their brethren in Syria
In this photo taken on Wednesday, June 17, 2015, a young member of the Druze minority watches the fighting between forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad and rebels in the Druze village of Khader in Syria, from the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights. Members of Israel’s Druze minority are concerned about their brethren in Syria. Now, they are asking Israel to help the Druze in Syria, even offering to go fight there if needed. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) Milstead says best way to stop wrong-way incidents is driving sober Patients with chronic pain give advice But after al-Qaida-linked militants earlier this month brutally killed as many as 20 Druze in what amounted to the deadliest violence against members of the small Arab sect since the Syrian conflict started in March 2011, Israel finds itself under increasing internal pressure to act. That would have the extraordinary outcome of having Israel intervene on behalf of a group perceived as loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government.The plight of Syria’s Druze — and Israel’s dilemma over possible involvement — adds another complicated layer to the mayhem of rapidly disintegrating Syria.It also casts a light on the Druze, a mysterious sect that began as an offshoot of Shiite Islam and that managed to survive in a turbulent region by showing allegiance to their country of residence — sometimes at the cost of fighting other Druze on the battlefield.And though Israeli Druze have been fiercely loyal Israelis — to a striking degree, considered the century-long conflict between Israel and the Arabs — and often rise in military ranks and in politics, they also worry about their brethren elsewhere.“We are loyal to our country and we are loyal to our brothers,” said Amir Wahabi, a 38-year-old Druze from Daliyat al-Karmel, a village in northern Israel where traffic circles are named after fallen Druze soldiers in the Israeli military. Village streets are lined with blue-and-white Israeli flags, alongside the five-colored Druze flag. 0 Comments Share “If … someone hurts the Druze in Syria, that person becomes my enemy. I am willing to die to protect my brothers there,” he added.Israel’s about 130,000 Druze live mostly in the north of the country, where some have taken to the streets, demanding action to help the Syrian Druze. They are also asking that Israel stop treating wounded Syrian rebels in its hospitals, and instead offer medical aid to Syrian Druze and provide them with weapons and air support against the advances of al-Qaida’s branch in Syria, the Nusra Front.Some have even asked that the Syrian Druze be allowed into Israel by the thousands, should that become necessary.The Israeli government insists it will not allow the Druze to be massacred but has stopped short of any action.Since the uprising against Assad began, Israel’s strategy appears to have been that it’s better to hold off as rivals next door butcher each other rather than notice Israel — a common enemy to nearly all warring factions in Syria.But that rationale may change.Ayoob Kara, deputy minister for regional cooperation and the highest ranking Druze in the Israeli government, said Israel has broadcast behind-the-scenes messages that the Druze are not to be harmed. Here’s how to repair and patch damaged drywall Many Israeli Jews have shown solidarity with the Druze, although most have stopped short of calling for military intervention.The liberal Haaretz daily, urged the government in an editorial to “save the Druze in Syria.”Moti Yogev, a hawkish coalition lawmaker from the Jewish Home party, said Israel’s “mutual commitment” to the Druze supersedes the complexity of engaging in Syria and the emotional difficulty of aiding those who have been loyal to Assad and who cooperated with Israel’s arch-enemy Hezbollah. The Lebanese militant group is backing Assad in Syria’s civil war.Israeli columnist Ron Ben-Yishai said Hezbollah and its Iranian backers are using the Druze to tug on Israeli heartstrings and drag the country into the bloody battlefields of Syria.“It’s an absurd only the Middle East could produce,” Ben-Yishai wrote.Meanwhile, Walid Jumblatt, Lebanon’s powerful Druze leader who has sided with Syrian rebels against Assad, warned last week on his Twitter feed against any Israeli intervention.Perhaps those in the most complex situation are the 22,000 Druze residents of the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights. They have continued to identify themselves as Syrians — even after years of Israeli rule that has seen them become fluent in Hebrew an integrated in Israeli society. Sponsored Stories DALIYAT AL-KARMEL, Israel (AP) — Members of Israel’s Druze minority, long among the Jewish state’s most loyal citizens, have become increasingly concerned about the plight of their beleaguered brethren in neighboring Syria. Now, they are asking the state of Israel to help their fellow Druze next door — and some are even offering to go fight in Syria if needed.Israel has been careful to stay out of the four-year-old Syrian civil war and the Syrian Druze have themselves mostly avoided involvement.
New Valley school lets students pick career-path academies “The Druze are a small people,” he said. “We will not leave our people behind to be slaughtered.”____Follow Aron Heller on Twitter at www.twitter.com/aronhellerap .Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Kara said he believes the Nusra Front’s official distancing itself from the killing of Druze villagers in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib two weeks ago was a sign the warning has been received.A member of the ruling Likud Party, Kara insisted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is listening to him in the matter. The 60-year-old Kara, who lost two brothers in battle serving in the Israeli military, insists the Druze “alliance doesn’t end at the border” with Syria.“If the Druze are harmed, hundreds of thousands of others will be harmed as well. And if I have to take up arms and fight there like I did as an Israeli officer I will,” said Kara, speaking at his home in Daliyat al-Karmel, the largest Druze village in Israel.“I want to see who won’t join me, particularly Jews, when I march to the (Syrian) border with thousands of supporters and they know that there is genocide taking place on the other side,” he said.Israeli Druze leaders say their alliance with Jews dates back long before they helped them win independence in 1948. The Druze revere Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, whose tomb in northern Israel is one of their most sacred sites. Early signs of cataracts in your parents and how to help They still have relatives in Syria, and the now shuttered Quneitra border crossing had served as a gateway for students attending university in the Syrian capital of Damascus, brides crossing over to marry fellow Druze — even a route for the annual apple exports.But few of the Golan Druze have taken Israeli citizenship — an option they were offered after Israel annexed the territory in 1981 — and have mostly backed Assad’s government, at least in public.Separated relatives have traditionally congregated at the “Shouting Valley” between Israel and Syria, where they talk to each other through megaphones. An old joke says those on the Israeli side complain to their cousins about how awful life is in Israel, while those in Syria tout how great it is with Assad — and both sides know they are both lying.But the recent Syrian Druze deaths have stirred anger mixed with concern and a new realization that their future looks better with Israel.Hail Safadi, a 45-year-old Druze from the border town of Magdal Shams, said it was in Israel’s strategic interest to support the 700,000 Syrian Druze. And just as Israel has a moral obligation to aid Jews in distress around the world, it has the same responsibility toward the kin of its own loyal Druze population. Ex-FBI agent details raid on Phoenix body donation facility Top Stories 4 ways to protect your company from cyber breaches
Fiserv Suite Aids Servicers with CFPB Compliance
October 3, 2013 469 Views “”Fiserv, Inc.””:http://www.fiserv.com/index.htm, a provider of technology solutions for the financial services industry, says lenders and servicers seeking help to maintain compliance with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) servicing rules should look no further than the company’s LoanComplete suite of products.[IMAGE]In a release, Fiserv specifically pointed to two of CFPB’s final servicing rules: The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (Regulation X), which lays out requirements for communications regarding loss mitigation options, and the Truth in Lending Act [COLUMN_BREAK](Regulation Z), which establishes guidelines for companies to respond to consumer requests for information regarding their loans. To help companies address these issues, LoanComplete automatically gathers documents for the required servicing file, tracks missing documents across the servicing process spectrum, audits transfer files for data mismatches and critical documents, and accumulates and archives notes, documents, and borrower communications.All of these processes are automated, Fiserv says, allowing institutions to avoid the costs of additional staff to meet the new regulatory requirements.””The lending environment has become increasingly complex, and lenders and loan servicers are trying to manage all of the new requirements that are not supported by traditional lending technologies,”” said Gregg Lehman, product manager of enterprise content management at Fiserv. “”LoanComplete is the first comprehensive solution that complements existing lending systems and simplifies the regulatory compliance, loan origination and servicing processes, and helps lending institutions reduce risk, increase customer satisfaction and enhance profitability.”” Fiserv Suite Aids Servicers with CFPB Compliance Agents & Brokers Attorneys & Title Companies Company News Compliance Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Fiserv Investors Lenders & Servicers Processing RESPA Service Providers TILA 2013-10-03 Tory Barringer
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