text:
KYIV -- Several thousand Ukrainians rallied in Kyiv and other cities to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the beginning of the pro-democracy protests that eventually led the Moscow-backed president to flee the country.
Some 5,000 people gathered on November 21 at the central square in the capital to mark the success of the so-called Maidan movement but also to mourn the lives lost and to express disappointment the protests did not end the endemic corruption that played a role in sparking the demonstrations late in 2013.
Gatherings were also reported in the cities of Odesa, Lviv, Dnipro, and Kharkiv.
The Maidan protest in Kyiv started on November 21, 2013, after then-President Viktor Yanukovych announced he was rejecting a far-ranging political and economic pact with the European Union called an Association Agreement. The same day, then-Prime Minister Mykola Azarov’s cabinet shelved the agreement.
According to the United Nations, 98 people were killed -- including 84 protesters and 13 law-enforcement officers -- during nearly three months of protests in central Kyiv’s Independence (Maidan) Square.
Ukraine's Prosecutor-General’s Office put the death toll at 104 people.
The majority of the killings took place at the height of the protests on February 20, 2014.
In the commemorations, several hundred people assembled in Kyiv on the street where most of the protesters were shot, known as the Alleyway of the Heavenly Hundred. They brought flowers and icon lamps, and a prayer service for the dead was held in the evening.
In Lviv, residents brought icon lamps to the memorial for the fallen.
About 100 people assembled at Odesa’s regional administration building. Local Maidan activists and journalists were severely beaten at the spot on February 19, 2014, by people the protesters described as hired thugs.
Several hundred assembled at Dnipro’s regional government building holding lighted torches, carrying blue-and-yellow Ukrainian flags and chanting the slogan, "No Capitulation!"
Ukrainians Mark Anniversary Of Movement That Drove Out Pro-Moscow President
The Ukrainian Fingerprints On A Shadowy Assassination Campaign On Russian Soil2
With Wagner In Disarray, Russian Diplomat With Spy Links Surfaces In Central African Republic3
'Liquidated': Two 'Traitors Of Ukraine' Killed In Separate Incidents4
Live Briefing: Russia Invades Ukraine5
Germany Delivers Fresh Military Aid Package To Ukraine6
Kyiv Expects Delivery Of F-16s 'Soon' As Further U.S. Aid Remains Stalled In Congress7
Offhand Remark Or Political Theater? Putin's Announcement Belies Kremlin’s Penchant For Pageantry8
Russian Opposition Leader Navalny Missing For Three Days, Life 'At Risk,' Supporters Say9
Iranian Rapper Tataloo Detained Upon Arrival After Being Deported From Turkey10
Azerbaijan, Armenia Agree To Several Goodwill Steps, Including Mutual Release Of Prisoners

domain: sociology


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text:
Our intelligence needs to be wakened, not weakened
If a guard is protecting a bank vulnerable to thieves, he needs to be vigilant. If he happens to be asleep when thieves attack, he needs to be awakened. But instead, if the thieves give that lethargic guard a sleeping injection, the bank will be rendered defenseless.
Our intelligence is like the guard for the inner bank of our consciousness wherein lies the wealth of our integrity and our spirituality. Self-destructive materialistic desires are like thieves bent on plundering our inner wealth. Our intelligence needs to be awake and alert, screening the stimuli entering our consciousness. If instead, our intelligence is stupefied, we succumb to self-destruction. The Bhagavad-gita (02.63) cautions that when our intelligence falls, we fall.
What stupefies our intelligence? Worldly attachments. The same Gita (02.44) indicates that steady intelligence is impossible for people attached to sensual indulgence and worldly opulence. Thoughts of sex and money act likes soporifics for our intelligence – they infatuate us with dreams and schemes of pleasure, blinding us to our long-term well-being.
Our mainstream culture, being materialistic, bombards us with sensual stimuli that numb our intelligence. Triggered by such sensuality, when we contemplate on specific sense objects, that contemplation acts like the sleeping injection for our already-lethargic intelligence. With our defense thus disabled, our consciousness is abducted and plundered by self-defeating indulgences.
To protect ourselves, we need to awaken our intelligence. How? By studying the Gita. It reminds us of the deceptiveness of sense pleasure and the joyfulness of the supreme spiritual reality, Krishna, who is the supreme object of love and the supreme source of happiness. Through such reminders, it acts as an energy booster for activating our intelligence.
By understanding that contemplating sense objects weakens our intelligence and contemplating scripture wakens it, we can replace sensual contemplation with scriptural contemplation.
To know more about this verse, please click on the image
Explanation of article:

domain: literature


text:
Why I Love Kindle E-Reader; an Online Writer's Experiments & Helpful Tips
Being a writer, more so, an online writer, reading is always my first love. I do carry a few books with me whenever I go out. And apart from reading, my great passion is travel. I love long journeys, especially on Trains. Needless to say, books are my best companion during these trips.
Why I turn to e-Reader
Well, that’s a fine question. Till recently my reading stuff was physical books or what we call the paperbacks. Of course, reading physical books is more comfortable and enjoyable as you all would agree. It has a smell and a sort of life too. Also, we can flip through the pages and it is eye-catching and a lot more you can add in favor of paperbacks. I have heard and read many points in support of paperbacks. People passionately argue for physical books. I do admit. But I had my own issues.
Issues or problems with Paper books
Space was the first constraint. The two bookshelves in my home are already overloaded with books. It took a good share of my office room’s space. Since my book purchase is regular, the stock of my books is always increasing. Then, how can I store them neatly? That was a big concern. I need to have more space; need to buy more shelves. It means I have to spend more on the storage facility with more shelves and book racks. It is an unnecessary expense, Isn't it?. Space and money are of course twin concerns for anybody.
Less luggage more comfort
Less luggage, more comfort. That’s the motto of the Indian Railways. During my frequent train trips, I had to have carried extra weight in the form of luggage loaded with my favorite books. I had to suffer this thanks to my reading habit. My experience taught me one thing: More luggage, less comfort!. This concern finally necessitated on my part to think of a proper solution. I had had some more issues, which you will read in the subsequent part of this note. Hence, I took the best decision: Buying an e-Reader!
What is an e-Reader? The Wikipedia defines thus: “An e-Reader, also called an e-book reader or e-book device, is a mobile electronic device that is designed primarily for the purpose of reading digital e-book and periodicals".
Then arose, another question: Which brand to buy? Since the market is flooded with all sorts of reading devices, I need to consider and choose the best one. My ‘detailed research’ finally zoomed on the Kindle of Amazon.
Advantages of Kindle e-Reader
- · It is cheap and comfortable.
- · No software required and is wireless too.
- · No back-light. Hence no glare and eye strain.
- · Pages look so natural and exactly like a paper book. You even forget you are reading on an electronic device.
- · Downloading of books is fast and possible within 60 seconds.
- · Easy and minimal control buttons to navigate.
- · You can highlight and create notes.
- · No need for internet to read and hence reading is possible from anywhere.
- · Can read under bright sunlight as it has no glare.
- · Long battery life, once charged it may last up to two weeks and more.
- · Easy to read than a paper book thanks to its technological advancement.
- · Can store more than 1000 books. The latest device can hold up to 3000 books.
- · You can download free samples before buying a book. If you are not happy with the contents, you need not purchase it.
- · It has an automatic backup facility. Once you accidentally delete a book, you can download it again free of cost thanks to the backup service of Amazon.
- · It has Text-to-Speech feature
- · MP3 files can be easily transferred to Kindle.
- · You can listen to audiobooks.
- · E-Ink, the most wonderful feature of Kindle makes your reading a pleasant experience.
- You can even avoid your glass while reading by increasing the font size of the text.
Watch this Video to know more
My 10 months experience with Kindle e-Reader
I have been using the Kindle for the last 10 months and based on this I can offer the following observations. E-books or for that matter, Kindle is a revolutionary reading device. It is easy to carry. You can even place it in your breast pocket. My Kindle now carries 50 books. It is amazing that such a large stock is stored in such a small device. And interestingly I can add 1000 more to the gadget. Further, e-Books are cheap compared to the physical books (not always, of course) as most of the eBooks are priced less.
After getting a Kindle, my reading is a pleasant experience. Now I avoid taking physical books while traveling and experience the wonderful features of Kindle. Reading of physical books depends on certain factors such as proper light, possession of your spectacles (if you are aged above 40), etc. I had a bad habit of forgetting my reading glass at times and so I had to abandon my reading those times. Fortunately, no such problems with Kindle since you can adjust the font size and line space easily. Moreover and may be the most striking feature of reading on a Kindle is its e-ink or electronic ink technology. This gives you the feeling that you are reading a real book! The readability is superb.
Inbuilt Dictionary and Reference Text
Another point that attracted me the most is the inbuilt dictionary in the device. Perhaps this is one of the most plus points of Kindle that your reading is never disturbed. In case you are reading a physical book, you need to stop your reading and go out for a dictionary when you find some unknown words. Here with Kindle, the dictionary is there just on a click away. Also, you get the definition and reference on your doubtful text, all on a click! We can search on net and Wikipedia through the device.
Easy Purchase of Books/Mags
When a new book or magazine of your interest hits the market, you need to reach the shop to grab a copy. You can also order the same through online service of the companies. But the problem is the long wait. It may take a few days to reach your hands after the deal is made. But here is the magic of Kindle. You can make the purchase within seconds thanks to the ‘Shop in Kindle Store’ facility of Amazon. Once you make the payment, the downloading happens within one minute. Wow! That’s a great experience and the real pleasure. Thus, you are ahead of the rest of the reading folks since you have got the copy of your favorite books or mags, the moment it hits the market.
Amazon digital bookstore has tons of books in its stock and a good number of books are offered absolutely free of charge. You can even read some great classics too without paying a penny. Similarly, you can download free sample copies of the books you wish to purchase. The sample is a fantastic option to decide on your purchase. If interested, buy it, and if not, just leave it. That’s all. We don’t get such option with the physical books.
How Kindle helps your writing process
For online writers like me, the Kindle offers certain great benefits. Apart from a reading device and a digital library of your great collections, the Kindle works as a storage device for your personal documents. Their Personal Document Service is a fantastic option for the writers. You might be a little bit confused here. I shall explain.
I am a hubber and by now have written more than 100 articles for HubPages, USA, the world’s one of the largest platforms for online writers. Though your articles are stored in the HP’s servers safely and available for retrieval at any time, we need to be extra cautious. Suppose, one fine morning you find that HP is closed and your articles are literally lost or out of the trace. It is shocking and a painful experience to lose our cherished literary works all on a sudden. I am not exaggerating things here since such things had happened in similar fashion elsewhere sometimes. The only safe option then is to have a copy of our articles stored elsewhere safely. The solution then is just to copy paste your works to a safe location (or drive) and ensure all time availability. In this regard, the Kindle is a sure choice. You can store all your articles on Kindle device. I have stored a couple of my articles on Kindle. To this job, what you need to do is just create an email in your own name suffixed with ‘kindle.com’ (for example, mine is ‘firstname.lastname@example.org') and send your articles as an attachment to the device. It is there.
The added bonus of this scheme is that you can read your articles at your own convenience and comfort. It is a delight to our eyes seeing our own articles on an e-reader just like other great books stored in the device. And, believe me, this helps you in several ways as I had experienced. You can read, re-read and it will work like a good editing process. Errors such as with spelling and grammar can be easily found and corrected quickly. Our repeated reading will definitely point out some of the mistakes crept in the article. You can also use the inbuilt dictionary for the process and find some other suitable words for the one you wrote to make it more attractive.
- The Kindle Cloud Reader: Some Tips to Know it Better
If you love e-Books, Kindle Cloud Reader is a must have. If you possess a Kindle e-Reader you need to have a basic knowledge of this technology. It helps you several ways. Some tips shared here.
- How to Get Free e-Books on Your Kindle-Some Tips
If you have a Kindle e-Reader, you must know the tricks to download free books since there are plenty of free e-Books available now. Where do you find the free stuff? This article gives you some tips
Which device to buy?
Fine, that’s the great concern or confusion before making a purchase. Well, I can help you. If you are a bookworm or a passionate reader, you just buy a basic (entry) model, which is exclusively meant for reading purpose. Since its only usage is reading, you are not disturbed by certain phone features such as frequent texts (messages), ads and incoming calls. For all these features, you can depend upon a phone or tabs or something like that. Kindle Fire (Kindle’s Tablet) is another option to avail all these services simultaneously. But I, as a passionate reader, will always advise you to opt for the basic models of e-readers. My point is let your e-Reader give you the one and only comfort, that is reading, reading alone. If you stick on with this decision, you get a pleasant reading experience. A trouble-free reading is a great experience. Plus, what you get is a lot of saving since the basic models cost you very little. Most of these devices can be purchased at a price below $ 100 or even less. I got mine for a price of Rs.5,000/- (price in India) which is equivalent to 82 $. To know the price features and order your Kindle, you can log into the website of Amazon.
To conclude my points here, let me suggest that a hubber or for that matter, any online writer must possess a reading device or what we call an e-reader. It will help him/her in several ways including their writing and related research as most of these jobs primarily involve reading. Kindle is a revolutionary reading device. Millions of people around the world are enjoying the comfort and luxury of a pleasant reading experience offered by Kindle. Give it a try to you will love it.
Do you have any plan to buy a Kindle e-Reader
© 2015 Sunil Kumar Kunnoth

domain: hobby


Brussels, 12th July 2006
Competition: Commission Decision of 12 July 2006 to impose penalty payments on Microsoft – frequently asked questions
(see also IP/06/979)
What is Microsoft required to do?
The European Commission’s Decision of March 2004 required that Microsoft take various steps to put an end to its illegal and anti-competitive conduct (see IP/04/382 and MEMO/04/70). These included obligations to:
(1) supply complete and accurate interface information which would allow non-Microsoft work group servers to achieve full interoperability with Windows PCs and servers; and
(2) make that information available on reasonable terms.
On 10 November 2005, the Commission warned Microsoft, pursuant to Article 24(1) of Regulation 1/2003, that should Microsoft not comply with these obligations by 15 December 2005, it would face a daily penalty payment of up to €2 million (see IP/05/1695). Article 24 of Regulation 1/2003 entitles the Commission to impose such penalty payments not exceeding 5% of average daily turnover in the preceding business year per calendar day to compel companies to put an end to infringements of EC Treaty anti-trust rules, where an infringement has been established by a previous Commission anti-trust decision.
Why has the Commission levied a penalty payment for non-compliance on only the failure to provide interoperability information, and not the terms on which that information is provided (i.e. the first and not the second of the two points from the 10th November 2005 Article 24(1) Decision)?
As regards the provision of information on reasonable terms, Microsoft has announced that it will review the pricing of its protocols once revised technical documentation has been submitted. Furthermore, a final assessment on the degree of innovation, if any, that is contained in the interoperability information, and hence the reasonableness of the royalties that Microsoft charges, can only be made once the technical documentation embodying that interoperability information is complete and accurate.
Why has the Commission decided that the fine levied should be €1.5 million per day?
Of the two elements of non-compliance identified in the Article 24(1) Decision, complete and accurate interoperability information is a prerequisite for interoperable work group server operating systems to be developed. Microsoft’s non-compliance in this regard has eliminated the effectiveness of the remedy. Consequently, the Commission has taken the view that failure to comply in this respect should at this stage constitute a larger part of the daily penalty payment identified in the Article 24(1) Decision of 10 November 2005.
Why has the Commission taken today’s Decision given that Microsoft is in the process of preparing revised technical documentation?
Microsoft’s obligation was to comply with the March 2004 decision’s requirement to make available the relevant technical documentation as of June 2004. As of 20th June 2006, Microsoft had not done that, and the Commission decided that it was appropriate to levy a fine on Microsoft for its non-compliance so far.
More than two years after the 2004 Decision, the Commission has therefore been obliged to resort to formal measures to ensure compliance. If any revised documentation that Microsoft submits proved to be complete and accurate, then Microsoft would not be subject to further daily penalty payments from the date on which complete and accurate technical documentation was provided. This would be the best outcome. However, if Microsoft continued to fail to comply with the requirements of the March 2004 decision, then further penalties could not be ruled out.
The overall penalty payment for just over half a year of non-compliance is €280.5 million, whereas the March 2004 Decision’s fine for an abuse lasting more than five years totalled €497 million. What is the explanation for this?
The March 2004 Decision imposed a fine on Microsoft for a past abuse of its dominant position. The present penalty payment relates to Microsoft’s ongoing non-compliance with a formal obligation set out in a Commission Decision, and is hence of a qualitatively different nature. Despite the Commission’s repeated calls for compliance, Microsoft has failed to do so. Microsoft’s continuing failure to bring its abuse of a dominant position to an end is liable to increase further the risk of elimination of effective competition in the work group server operating system market.
Where does the money go?
The penalty payment is paid into the EU Budget. It does not increase the Budget, but reduces the contribution from Member States. The fines therefore reduce the overall tax burden on individuals.
Why has the Commission increased the level of daily penalty payment to which Microsoft would be subject in the event of its continued non-compliance?
The Commission has taken this step because of Microsoft’s continued non-compliance. More than 8 months after the Article 24(1) Decision warned of daily penalty payments, Microsoft has still not complied with its obligations.
Has the Commission been in contact with the US authorities?
The Commission is in regular contact with the US authorities on these issues.


text:
Professor, Medicine (Endocrinology)
Director, Institute for Aging Research
Director, Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging
Ingeborg and Ira Leon Rennert Chair of Aging Research
AgingBiology of agingLongevity genes
Dr. Barzilai discovered the first “longevity gene” in humans. His research established that the gene variant that leads to high HDL, or “good cholesterol,” is linked to healthy aging and extreme longevity. Dr. Barzilai has been profiled by major outlets, including The New York Times, PBS’ “NOVA scienceNow” and National Geographic.
Treatments for age-related diseases like type 2 diabetes are being developed based on Dr. Barzilai’s work and are currently in clinical trials. In addition to his “longevity gene” research, Dr. Barzilai studies key mechanisms involved in the biology of aging, including how nutrients and genetics influence lifespan. He is also investigating the physical and mental declines associated with aging and how they affect longevity. Dr. Barzilai is professor of medicine (endocrinology) and of genetics, a member of the Diabetes Research Center and director of the Diabetes Research and Training Center’s Animal Physiology core.

domain: biology


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An Aurora man was sentenced Thursday to 68 years in prison for sexually assaulting a child he knew, as well as sexually assaulting a second victim.
Arturo Sanchez, 30, of the 600 block of Gates Avenue, sexually assaulted the child for more than five years, according to the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office. He was found guilty in June for predatory criminal sexual assault, a Class X felony; six counts of criminal sexual assault, a Class 1 felony; and six counts of criminal sexual abuse, a Class 2 felony.
Sanchez had previously faced a minimum prison sentence of 33 years, prosecutors said. Besides the prison term, he must now register for life as a sexual offender.
He will receive credit for 940 days served in Kane County Jail, where he has been since his arrest, prosecutors said. Prosectors presented evidence during a three-day trial that between April 2011 and February 2016, he had sexually assaulted and sexually abused two victims.
“It’s so important to report, investigate and prosecute these cases so the victims understand that someone is in their corner, that they’re not alone,” said Kane County Assistant State’s Attorney Debra Bree, who is also the executive director of the Kane County Child Advocacy Center. “This helps to give them the strength to find a place of safety in their lives.
“These victims’ strength helped us to prove that Mr. Sanchez is a sexual predator who belongs in prison where he can no longer harm innocent children.”


text:
Hey party people! Are you ready to turn your next get-together into a charades extravaganza?
Get ready to flex those acting muscles and have a blast with our ultimate guide to hosting an epic charades party.
We’ve got all the tips, tricks, and insider knowledge you need to make your night one for the books.
So grab your friends, clear some space, and get ready to turn your next gathering into an unforgettable event with these detailed instructions.
1. Planning and Preparation
Set the Date and Send Invitations
Alright, first things first, let’s pick a date that works for you and your crew. Send out those invites with all the deets—date, time, location, and any special theme or instructions you want to throw in there. Feel free to get creative with the invites, maybe add a little charades twist to get everyone excited!
To ensure smooth gameplay, gather all the necessary supplies in advance. These include:
- Word or phrase list (prepare your own or use a charades app)
- Paper and pens for writing down words
- Container for holding the word cards
- Timer or stopwatch
- Props or costumes for added fun, such as hats, scarves, or wigs related to different themes
Prepare the Space
Time to set the stage! Arrange your space to make sure everyone has enough room to move around comfortably. Dim the lights a tad, set up some cozy seating areas, and cue up some background tunes to set the mood.
2. Setting the Stage
- Decorate: Get creative and set the vibe with some killer decorations. Whether you’re going for a Hollywood glam look or a retro throwback vibe, deck out your space accordingly. You can’t go wrong with some movie posters, fairy lights, and maybe even a red carpet entrance for extra flair.
- Snacks and Refreshments: Keep the munchies coming with a spread of snacks and drinks. Think finger foods like popcorn, chips, and dip, along with some themed cocktails or mocktails to keep the party going strong.
3. How to Play Charades
Now onto the main event—let’s play some charades!
- Team Formation: Split your crew into teams, making sure they’re evenly matched in size. Aim for teams of around four to six players each so everyone gets a chance to shine.
- Word Selection: Time to get those creative juices flowing! Come up with a mix of words or phrases covering everything from movies and TV shows to celebrities and historical figures. Write each one down on a separate slip of paper and pop them into your container.
- Acting Out: Pick one player from each team to be the actor for the round. They’ll pick a word from the container and start acting it out without saying a word. Think big gestures, wild expressions—the whole nine yards!
- Guessing Game: The rest of the team has to guess the word based on their teammate’s performance. It’s a race against the clock, so the faster they guess, the more points they score!
- Rotation: After each round, switch up the players so everyone gets a turn to act and guess. This keeps things fair and ensures everyone stays involved and having a blast.
4. Enhance the Experience
Take your charades party to the next level with some extra fun twists:
Shake things up with themed rounds based on movies, TV shows, or even animals. Dive into the world of Disney with a “Disney Classics” round, or get your superhero on with a “Superhero Showdown” round. The possibilities are endless!
Random Charades Generator
Keep the game fresh and unpredictable with a random charades generator. It’ll spit out words or phrases for each round, adding an extra element of surprise to the game.
At the end of the night, hold a fun awards ceremony with categories like “Best Mime,” “Most Creative Guess,” or “Funniest Performance.” Use humorous or themed certificates or trophies to recognize the standout performers and add a fun and memorable touch to the party.
Set up a comfortable area away from the main action where guests can relax, chat, or play more laid-back games if they need a break from charades. Create a cozy lounge area with cushions, blankets, and maybe even some board games or card games for a chill vibe.
5. Tips and Tricks
Here are a few handy tips to make sure your charades party is a hit:
- Get into Character: Don’t be afraid to fully commit to your role! Whether you’re channeling your favorite historical figure like Abraham Lincoln or the iconic Joey Tribbiani from “Friends,” the key is to embody the essence of your word or phrase and leave your teammates in awe of your performance.
- Use Your Surroundings: Get creative with your surroundings and incorporate props, furniture, or even your pet into your performance. The more unexpected, the better!
- Stay Sharp: Time is of the essence in charades, so keep your performances snappy and to the point. No time for dilly-dallying—get in, act it out, and make those guesses count!
- Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: Communication is key! Work together with your teammates to brainstorm ideas, strategize your approach, and cheer each other on as you race against the clock to victory.
- Clear Gestures: Encourage your actors to go all out with their gestures and expressions. The clearer they are, the easier it’ll be for their team to guess the word.
- Time Management: Keep things moving along by setting a time limit for each round. A timer will help you keep track and make sure nobody drags out their performance too long.
- Positive Vibes: Above all, keep the energy positive and upbeat! Celebrate every successful guess and cheer on your teammates—it’s all about having fun together.
As the final round comes to a close and the winners celebrate their victory, take a moment to soak in the memories you’ve made and the laughter you’ve shared.
Win or lose, the true magic of charades lies in the camaraderie and connection it fosters among friends.
So raise a glass, toast to a night well-spent, and start planning your next charades adventure—because trust us, once you start, you won’t want to stop!

domain: entertainment


Rail chiefs are to appear in court accused of health and safety failings at the 2002 Potters Bar train crash.
Network Rail (NR) and maintenance firm Jarvis Rail face criminal proceedings brought by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) over the condition of train tracks at the disaster site.
Six passengers and a pedestrian were killed when a West Anglia Great Northern express train travelling from London to King’s Lynn derailed at a faulty set of points in Hertfordshire on 10 May 2002.
The ORR launched proceedings over alleged breaches of health and safety law following the conclusion of an inquest into the disaster last year.
A magistrate in Watford will open court proceedings today but could decide to refer the case to crown court.
While the maintenance company involved was Jarvis, the overall responsibility for the track rested with Railtrack whose functions were taken over by NR in October 2002.
Both companies face accusations of failings surrounding the installation, maintenance and inspection of adjustable stretcher bars, which keep the moveable section of a track at the correct width for train wheels.
Six passengers - Austen Kark, Emma Knights, Jonael Schickler, Alexander Ogunwusi, Chia Hsin Lin and Chia Chin Wu - were killed in the crash in Hertfordshire on 10 May 2002.
The seventh victim, Agnes Quinlivan, who was walking nearby, died after she was hit by debris.
More than 70 people were also injured when the 12.45pm King’s Cross to King’s Lynn train crashed as it reached the station of Potters Bar, where it was not due to stop, at around 1pm.
Last year a coroner promised to file a report expressing his concern about the risk of future deaths in similar circumstances.
The inquest concluded that a points failure was to blame.
The Crown Prosecution Service initially ruled out launching criminal proceedings, in 2005.


Authorities probing inmate death at Oklahoma County jail
Death is the sixth reported this year at the jail
OKLAHOMA CITY — Authorities say they are investigating a weekend inmate death at the Oklahoma County jail.
The Oklahoma County sheriff’s office says 24-year-old Sindi Lucille Spray died Sunday. Inmates had alerted guards that Spray was unresponsive in her cell and medical personnel responded, but Spray was pronounced dead about 30 minutes later.
Spray’s cause of death will be determined by the state medical examiner. She had been arrested in Pottawatomie County on an Oklahoma County felony warrant. She was transferred from the Pottawatomie County jail to the Oklahoma County jail on Thursday.
The death is the sixth reported this year at the Oklahoma County jail.
COPYRIGHT 2022 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.


The state of Delaware is joining forces with an AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) and WellPoint Inc. (WLP) health-research collaboration to find ways to keep a lid on rising Medicaid costs.The state through a multi-year agreement will contribute claims data on Medicaid patients, scrubbed of certain personal details, which can be mined in an effort to improve care and cut costs. Top priorities include cutting down on unneeded emergency room visits and untangling reasons for why babies treated in hospital intensive-care units have to make return visits.Delaware is getting involved as cash-strapped states around the U.S. try to manage growing Medicaid costs, which were pumped up when spiking unemployment pushed more people toward the health-care plan for the poor. Delaware spends about 18% of its state operating budget on Medicaid and has seen a significant rise in costs over the last decade.The knowledge gained could also prove helpful as states look for ways to better treat so-called "dual-eligible...
Rep. Jim Jordan and Rep. Elijah Cummings react to former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's testimony on Bank of America''s merger with Merrill Lynch.
Tom Steinke, Minnow Medical CEO, argues that a health - care overhaul will effectively kill research and development in the U.S.
Former AMA member Dr. Elizabeth Lee Vliet on the American Medical Association backing the House's health - care reform plan.
National Economic Summit: PatientsLikeMe CEO Ben Heywood on health care reform.
Deloitte Center for Heath Solutions’ Paul Keckley, Fmr. Congressional Budget Office Director Doug Holtz-Eakin, Strategas Research Partners’ Dan Clifton and Harvard Economist Jeff Miron answer questions on health - care reform.
Rep. Thaddeaus McCotter, (R-MI), Rep. Jim Himes, (D-CT), debate Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne health - care reform.
David Kendall of Third Way and Paul Keckley of Deloitte & Touche on the problems facing reform.
Anesthesiologist Dr. David Kloth and Porter Novelli Global Health Director Peter Pitts on whether the constant debate over health - care reform has created fatigue among Americans.
Former Bush Advisor Karl Rove on the president's health - care town hall and the reform plan.
Barrons.com Staff Writer Johanna Bennett, FOX News Contributor Douglas Schoen and FBN's Adam Shapiro on what's holding back health - care reform.
FBN's Liz MacDonald on how the government views health - care costs .
Lazard Capital Vice President Dr. Sean Levin on how the Senate decision in Massachusetts may trickle down to impact medical-device manufacturers.
FNC’s Dr. Siegel on the House’s decision to hold hearings on health - care panels.
Michigan congressman discusses bid for presidency
Dr. Siegel weighs in on what's worrying doctors
Dr. Siegel, Dr. London on reforming Medicare system
Dr. Siegel on GOP, Democrats clashing over Medicare cuts
Former Aetna Chairman and CEO Dr. John Rowe on the impact of President Obama's health care initiatives in his first 100 days.
Rick Scott, founder of Conservatives for Patients' Rights, sounds off on the White House's push for health - care reforms.


text:
Peter Allen – Mail Online Feb 9, 2019
A criminal enquiry has been launched after an arson attack on the home of the President of France‘s National Assembly.
Richard Ferrand, who is the equivalent of the Speaker in Britain’s House of Commons and a close personal friend of President Emmanuel Macron, described the attack on the property in his Brittany constituency as ‘violence and intimidation’.
The National Gendarmerie discovered a blanket, tire residue and a homemade torch soaked in fuel on the site, leaving ‘the criminal origin in no doubt,’ according to a statement from Mr Ferrand’s office.
The attack follows months of regular disturbances by the Yellow Vest anti-government movement, who have been behind similar blazes.
They were back on the streets of major cities including Paris on Saturday for an ‘Act 13’ of demonstrations that frequently turn into riots.
Responding to the blaze, President Macron said: ‘Nothing justifies violence or intimidation against an elected representative of the Republic. All my solidarity with Richard Ferrand and his family.’
In turn, Mr Ferrand, 56, posted two photos of the damage to the home in Motreff, which is in the Finistere department of Brittany.
Mr Ferrand was not in the house, which he shares with his partner – the lawyer Sandrine Doucen- at the time, and nobody was hurt.
A statement released through his parliamentary office said he was signing official documents in Rennes, Brittany, when the attack happened on Friday.
‘A neighbour noted that his home located in Motreff, in his constituency of Finistere, had been the target of an arson attack,’ the statement reads.
‘The National Gendarmerie discovered a blanket, a tyre particle, and a homemade torch soaked in fuel,’ adding that ‘the criminal origin does not seem in doubt.’

domain: news


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An inclusive economy is critical for the support of the black ecosystem. The NAACP will continue supporting statewide economic development work, helping our state conference implement statewide efforts to promote the growth of business ownership, entrepreneurship, and career advancement within the private and public sectors, providing financial literacy and engagement strategies statewide, creating a space for black led technology innovation in conjunction with the other NAACP Gamechangers
The Economic Development Committee implements statewide strategies in alignment with the NAACP national Inclusive Economy initiative. The Committee partners with statewide organizations and leaders to develop and support existing programs utilizing a organization and community-informed approach. The committee focuses on building Black wealth in to address the racial wealth and economic disparities that occur statewide. Partnerships with Urban Leagues and The State of Ohio Collective helps to address system, structural, and institutional based racism, while addressing asset building and wealth creation.


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3. Inheritance (Adaption #2) – Malinda Lo. Been meaning to read the 2nd half of this dulogy for awhile and it did not disappoint. Loved learning more about the Imria and getting to the bottom of the mystery. Plus: polyamory in YA!
4. In Case of Emergency – Courtney Milano. Reading for the Bisexual Book Award. I enjoyed this one a lot.
5. Solaris Rising 3 – edited by Ian Whates. I finally got around to reading this anthology, which has my story “They Swim Through Sunset Seas” in it. A good collection–I really enjoyed Gareth Powell’s story in particular.
6. A Darker Shade of Magic – V.E. Schwab. Loved this book. It was the perfect escape during a particularly difficult week.
Technically I also read Masquerade this month, but I’m never sure if I should count my own books in the totals. It does take me 2x as long to read them as I’m going over them more carefully. I also read some other articles and stories and such for uni.
2. Frog Music – Emma Donoghue. This was for the Bisexual Book Award, which I’m judging, so I won’t say too much. The setting of Victorian San Francisco was really interesting.
3. Waverley – Walter Scott. Read for university. I’m glad to have read it as it was so popular back in its day.
4. The Winner’s Crime – Marie Rutkoski. I was lucky enough to get this sequel to The Winner’s Curse via Netgalley. Just as engaging as interesting as the first, with another cruel cliffhanger.
5. Yes Please – Amy Poehler (audiobook). Listened and chuckled as I was walking along the street etc. It also caused me to start watching Parks and Rec. I do not regret this decision.
6. Edgelands by Paul Farley and Michael Simmons Roberts. Read for university and I wrote a 1k response essay to it. It’s about the in between spaces between city and countryscape, so things like industrial estates, etc, which are often ignored/overlooked.
7. The Paying Guests – Sarah Waters. Another Bisexual Book Award judging book. I’m not saying much about it again, but Sarah Waters is always a joy to read.
I also read probably about a book’s worth of essays, short stories/poems, and articles for university. Some were on the Bannatyne Club in Edinburgh, of which Walter Scott was a member. He and a bunch of other rich white men re-released older, forgotten literature. A lot of people thought their plan was stupid and called them “literary scavengers.” Reading the shade they threw back and forth was pretty amusing.
I’m currently in the middle of: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins and No Place to Hide: Edward Snowden, the NSA, and the U.S Surveillance State by Glenn Greenwald.
1. The Comforters – Muriel Spark. For university. Very meta, but I didn’t particularly enjoy it, I’m afraid.
2. Shark – Will Self. Also for uni. I actively despised this book. A 500 page book of one paragraph, post-post modernist prose with no q
uotation marks. So the opposite of my cup of tea.
3. Isla and the Happily Ever After – Stephanie Perkins. After reading Shark, I needed a palette cleanser of something easy to read and fun. I loved Perkins’s previous work and this helped me recharge.
4. Complete Atopia Chronicles – Matthew Mather. Book research. Mather is an IT security expert who self-published some short novellas, which were then put into one collection. I really liked how the novellas overlapped between the various characters, and found the ideas fascinating.
5. Austerlitz – W.E. Sebold. Another book without paragraphs. Though I still found it hard to get into, I enjoyed it more than Shark. I’ll enjoy every book I read this year more than Shark.
Last week the University of Aberdeen had a festival called “Being Human.” Unfortunately, I was only able to go to one event, a lecture on time, time machines, and the Victorians by one of my professors. It was good research for a book idea I’ve had for years that hasn’t quite gelled yet. The festival also had and interview with Will Self, a talk on Viking funeralscapes, an informal “Skeptics at the Pub” event, and more. I really wanted to go to a talk on the history of disability, and another on terrors, gods, and magic in the north, but between part-time day job, existing studies, and the fact that I was away in Glasgow Thursday and Friday meant that I couldn’t go.
This week is Book Week Scotland. I’m a Patron of Reading for the Aberdeen City Library, so a letter to the library I wrote will be on display within at least one branch, I think. There are some great events on both through the public library and at the University of Aberdeen library, though again, due to the semester nearing an end and the day job needing me for extra hours this week, I’m not sure if I’ll be able to attend any. I’d like to go to the historical crime event on Saturday, and I’m going to at least look at the miniature books on display before my lecture tomorrow at the University library! Tonight there was a bookbinding workshop I wish I could have gone to rather than toiling on my essay. One day, I’ll have free time…! But if you’re free in Aberdeen, you should definitely pop along to some of the upcoming events if you can to celebrate books an libraries.
Thanks to grad school, I read a lot in October! Mini-reviews as usual because I have All the Words to write for NaNoWriMo.
1. Jane Eyre – Charlotte Brontë. I read this as a teen so it was fun to revisit it a decade later. Though I seriously side-eyed Rochester’s attempts at wooing. Maybe DON’T dress up as a gypsy to try and trick your crush into revealing her feelings about you. Or maybe don’t pretend to love someone else to see if your crush gets jealous. Also, maybe don’t have a hidden wife in the attic. I wrote a 2,500 word essay on fairy tale illusions in the book as well.
2. The House of Seven Gables – Nathaniel Hawthorne. Also read for uni. The only other book by Hawthorne I’ve read was The Scarlet Letter. I enjoyed this well enough, but a lot of the characters were a little flat for me.
4. The Portrait of a Lady – Henry James. Another university read. I enjoyed it mightily at the start, thinking Isabel was lively and good fun. Then it got rather depressing as her light went out. Still well-written, but man, so long.
5. Murder Most Rare: The Female Serial Killer – Kelleher & Kelleher. Research for Brainfreeze Book. Fascinating and chilling. Serial killers are separated by type with case studies for each major type: poisoning, angel of death, crime or profit, sexual violence, team killers, etc.
6. Gone Girl – Gillian Flynn. Finally got around to reading this, just before going to see the film. Had some issues with it, but overall it was a compelling read.
7. Dirty Work – Chris Farnell. A short story anthology Chris asked me to read, which I really enjoyed.
8. Mrs. Dalloway – Virginia Woolf. Also for university. My first stream of consciousness novel. I enjoyed it, and it made me want to re-watch The Hours, as I feel I’d get all the references I missed.
Here’s the link to the roundup of my last Fantasycon, and my first con in the UK. It was my third post on this blog. Re-reading that made me smile. It’s where I met Adam Christopher, who is still a good friend, and many of the people I met at that first con I know much better now.
It’s also crazy to think how much things can change. Three years ago my first novel was under consideration with Angry Robot. I went to the masterclass and wondered if I’d ever find an agent. Now I’ve two books out and more to come and I’m going part-time at my job. I have the best agent and ten of her other authors were at the con, too. The Mushens Cabal. If you’d told me that all that was to come in 2011 I’d have had to sit down.
Nostalgia out of the way, I did enjoy Fantasycon 2014. I was still worn out from the Loncon cons. Usually there’s all the excitement of seeing people you’ve not seen in months, but this time it was like “oh, hello! I saw you three weeks ago.” I took it a lot easier this con. I arrived at 3 pm on the Friday, taking the train down from Aberdeen. I checked in and hung about briefly, then Craig and I snuck off into town because it was our five year anniversary.
After dinner I headed back to the hotel and went to the karaoke. I made a very poor song choice in California Dreaming and messed it up. Juliet impressed everyone with as the killed “9 to 5″ and then “Fat Lip” and lastly did a moving debut with Andrew Reid. Around 11, I called it a night.
The next morning I had all my programming back to back, which was actually nice as it means I sort of stayed in “professional author” mode. I had a signing, where I mainly hung out with the other authors, then my two panels. The dystopia panel was great, with everyone having great points to contribute and Guy Adams moderating very well. The main point I took away from it was that teen dystopia is often an escape because it’s teens potentially taking back control of the poor decisions their parents made. Right after that I had to dash to my next panel, about the lack of parents in YA. Mainly, it’s because parents can be inconvenient to stories. They cant very well nag about homework when the world is at stake.
After my panels, I snuck away for a few hours to see more of York. It’s such a beautiful town.
Afterward I saw Tea and Jeopardy live with Emma Newman and Peter Newman. I have never laughed so hard as when I heard a room of grown men and women clucking the Doctor Who theme as chickens. And to those who weren’t there: I shall not put that in context.
Later on was the Super Relaxed Fantasy Club, which normally is held in London, and is co-run by Den Patrick and Jen Williams (moar Team Mushens authors. We’re in ur genre, writing ur bookz etc). Simon Spanton of Gollancz was interviewed by James Barclay, and it was an excellent look into life as an editor in SFF. Then I had to read! Luckily, the opening of False Hearts seemed to go down well.
After me, it was readings from Edward Cox, Emma Newman, and Niel Bushnell. After that it was the disco, where I chatted with people and then boogied a little.
Sunday was another somewhat relaxed day. After breakfast I went back into York for a bit to do some work in a coffeeshop. The Cafe W in the Waterstones is adorable! Then in the afternoon was the British Fantasy Awards. I was up for Best Newcomer, and unsurprisingly lost to Ann Leckie, which I was fully expecting :-) I still got to go up on stage and accept the award for Lauren Beukes and The Shining Girls for Best Horror Novel, so that was fun.
And then it was pretty much time to head back. Thanks to everyone I chatted with. I’m not going to list everyone by name because it’s late and I’ll forget someone and then feel rubbish. It was a nice, sun-filled weekend.
And so my cons for this year are finished. Thank you to Creative Scotland for the Professional Development Bursary, which will have made it much, much easier to go to these events.
1. Learning from the Voices in my Head – Eleanor Longden. A short memoir about suffering from schizophrenia and coming back from it. Yet she did not get rid of her voices; rather, she learned to get along with them.
2. Daughter of the Forest – Juliet Marillier. Wonderful fantasy. Why haven’t I read her before?! Will continue with the series.
3. The Grand Sophy – Georgette Heyer. I enjoyed it – light regency romance.
4. The Red Necklace – Sally Gardner. I listened to the audiobook of this, which was narrated by Tom Hiddleston. It was a book meant for me – French Revolution, a magician, some magical realism, romance, lush language. Enjoyed it a lot.
5. Natural Causes – James Oswald. A member of #TeamMushens. James is the nicest guy, which is quite a disconnect when you read his very gory crime! I enjoyed this a lot and plan to pick up the rest of the series.
6. The Girl who Would be King – Kelly Thompson. I found this book while researching successful Kickstaters and picked it up. I’m glad I did, and even gladder to discover it’s recently been optioned for film! I also love, love, love this cover.
Total books this year: 42. If I’m to make my 80 book goal, I need to hustle. I’m 4 books behind schedule.


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Tail Crush is Ridley's Down Special Move in Super Smash Bros. Global Apocalypse. Ridley sticks his tail out into the ground, damaging anyone near it. The player can also input the direction keys in order to make Ridley move and scrape his tail through the screen, similarly to the move he did as a Boss in Brawl.
SNES - Super Metroid (1994)


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IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY MUST PAY A COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER OVER $85,000 IN LEGAL EXPENSES as part of a settlement of a lawsuit over campus distribution rights, a federal magistrate ordered in late August. The Ames Daily Tribune had sued the university over the restrictions it placed on distribution of off-campus publications. Last December, a federal judge ruled that some of the university’s restrictions were unconstitutional. The case was set to proceed to decide the question of whether the university could give preferential distribution rights to school-sponsored publications when the parties agreed to settle the lawsuit.
The case points out the dangers public colleges and universities face when they attempt to restrict distribution of publications on campus. It also raises questions about the common practice of giving preferential treatment to an official campus newspaper. The SPLC suggests that student media not presume that they have any special rights; other media, especially those produced or distributed by students, may be legally entitled to place their stands at similar locations.


- Available in Black and Tan
- Allows for mounting to the rear of Ops-Core ARC Rails, leaving the top portion of the rails free for mounting accessories, such as lights, cameras, etc. This also creates better helmet stabilization and a counterbalancing effect of forward shroud mounted devices, such as night vision devices.
- A single point gimbal attachment to the ear cups allow for 360° adjustment, which not only allows for better fitment and seal to the user’s unique ear / head shape, but maintains that seal and moves more naturally with their head movement.
- Earcups rotate to the side or rear of helmet when not in use, streamlining stowage to create a very low profile
Ops Core Amp Arm Helmet Mount Kit
JWhiskeyQ (verified owner) –
Received just as advertised. I accidentally ordered the wrong color and reached out to CNV, they corrected it immediately and shipped it in a timely manner. If you’re using Fuzz Dynamics for your AMP headsets be prepared for a tight fit, gotta man handle it to snap it in place. Rotating the earpros act like a counterweight balance when I use my nods. 10/10 recommend CNV and will buy from again.
GreenEyedOwl87 (verified owner) –
Super fast and easy way to mount your Amps. Good build quality, well worth the money.


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The best hostels in the world, recommended by Feetup Hostels
HOSTELS IN CROATIA.
- Zagreb. Palmers Lodge, Zagreb Hostel. Part of the world famous, award winning, Palmers Lodge chain.
HOSTELS IN PORTUGAL
- Lisbon. Lisbon Lounge Hostel. The Lisbon Lounge Hostel is a place where informal interchaging is the main issue.
- Lisbon. Living Lounge Hostel. We are a team of four Portuguese artists who own and operate the Lisbon Lounge.
- Lisbon. Travellers House Lisbon Hostel. We are proud to announce you that we are nowadays known as a true city classic and land mark hostel in Lisbon.
- Lisbon. Lisbon Old Town Hostel. I introduce you to one of the newest hostels in the gorgeous city of Lisbon.
- Lisbon. Hostel in Lisbon Lagos - Portugal. You don't have to be born in Lisbon to feel that you belong here.
HOSTELS IN NEDERLAND
- Amsterdam. Bulldog Hotel. The Bulldog Hostel Amsterdam is loaded with that typical international and liberal atmosphere that makes Amsterdam so special... besides other things.
HOSTELS IN AUSTRIA
- Vienna. Hostel Ruthensteiner Vienna. Vienna’s original independent backpacker’s hostel since 1968, Hostel Ruthensteiner is the perfect place to stay – with its friendly, international atmosphere in a smoke-free environment.
- Vienna. ALIBI Hostel in Vienna. Planning a visit to Vienna? Stay at Hostel Vienna and enjoy its location in the city centre.
- Vienna. Stramberry Hostels in Vienna. Strawberry Summer Hostel Mittelgasse.
- Vienna. Westend CIty Hostel. Vienna´s charming private hostel is the perfect venue for all young (and young at heart) visitors. The perfect place to stay for backpackers.
- Salzburg. Yoho Youth Hostel. Situated in the city centre right between the train station and the old town, both just a 10 minutes walk away, YoHo is the perfect spot to explore the world cultural heritage city of Salzburg.
HOSTELS IN ROMANIA
- Transylvania. www.hostelcluj.com. At Transylvania Hostel you'll find more than just a bed, you'll find a community.
HOSTELS IN IRELAND
- Rome. The Yellow Youth Hostel. YOU are going to love it here if. YOU like to get your party on. YOU love socializing from dusk till dawn.
HOSTELS IN PRAGUE
- Prague. Sirt Toby´s Hostel in Prague
- Prague. Arpacay Backpackers Hostels. Located in the centre of Prague in one of the most picturesque streets of the city that leads up to Prague Castle (120 m).
- Prague. HOSTEL ELF. Your home in Prague.
HOSTELS IN GERMANY
- Dresden. Lollis Homestay - your original Backpacker Hostel in Dresden. Close to historic downtown, 15 minutes to the Dresden Neustadt Train Station and right in the middle of Dresden's lively trendy district.
- DJH Thueringen. Youth Hostels in Germany.
- Köln. Station Hostel for Backpackers. Welcome to the Station Hostel in Köln.
- Berlin. OSTEL Hostel Berlin. Machen Sie eine Zeitreise zurück ins Ost-Berlin der 70er und 80er Jahre.
- Berlin. Heart of Gold Hostel Berlin. The Starship Hostel Berlin.
- Berlin. The Baxpax Family Hostel Berlin. The baxpax Hostel Berlin Family were founded in 1994 and the first Berlin Hostel at place.
- Berlin. Three Little Pigs. Hostels in Berlin.
- Berlin. Alcatraz Backpacker Hostel. Cheap Hostel in Berlin.
- Berlin. Aurora Hostel Berlin. Located in the heart of Berlin's young and trendy district of Prenzlauer Berg our hostel offers you the ideal mix of affordable accommodation and attractive ambience.
- Berlin. Amstel House Hostel Berlin. Free Wi-Fi and PCs. 24/7 reception and bar.
- Berlin. What happens, if two architects and a designer travel the world at large and ask themselves again and again: "Why are there not enough nice and reasonably priced places to stay? Booking in CityStay Hostel.
- Munich. www.wombats-hostels.com. More than 50.000 satisfied guests every year can´t be wrong! The wombats city hostels in Munich, Berlin and two hostels in Vienna have a central location just around the corner from the major train station and only minutes away from the historic city center.
- Berlin. SleepCheapHostel.com. If you are interested in sleeping cheap in Berlin.
HOSTELS IN SPAIN
- Seville. www.samayhostels.com. Samay Hostel Sevilla is the most popular backpackers & independent travellers hostel in Seville, that´s because Samay Hostel Sevilla is located right in the heart of Seville and we offer a complete range of facilities for you to enjoy your stay with us.
- Calpe. www.youthhostel4you.com. We have created a new hostel concept for everyone all over Europe.
- Madrid. www.posadadehuertas.com. The Posada de Huertas is a hostel in madrid center`s so-called "Distric of Letters". The Posada de Huertas is the ideal place for international youth tourism and follows the guidelines proper tod a hostel.
- Malaga. www.meltingpothostels.com. Youth Hostels centrally located in Malaga, Cadiz and Tarifa. Cheap hostels in south of Spain.
HOSTELS IN EEUU
- San Diego. California Hostel. San Diego's Ocean Beach Hostel is Centrally Located in Sunny San Diego,California.
- New York. Big Apple Hostel. Big Apple Hostel New York City Vacation Rentals.
HOSTELS IN GREECE
- Greece. The Pink Palace Hostel. Or Jet Setter, The Pink Palace is sure to suit every travel budget.

domain: geography


text:
Brits struggle with basic car maintenance, according to survey
- Credit: PA Wire/Press Association Images
More than half of British motorists (51 per cent) admit to being confused by car maintenance, according to a survey.
Some 85pc do not know what MoT stands for (Ministry of Transport), while 42pc have no idea how to change a flat tyre. Over a third of motorists (36pc) do not understand the majority of dashboard symbols and more than one in 10 (11pc) do not know how to measure oil, according to the research.
The poll of 2,000 British drivers was commissioned by car repair and servicing company Kwik Fit.
Some 59pc of motorists admitted not knowing the difference between MoTs and services, and over a fifth (21pc) believe passing an MoT means a car is safe to drive for a year. One in 50 (2pc) drivers even think leaving the lights on will stop a vehicle frosting over.
Paul Boulton of Kwik Fit said: “The level of misunderstanding around what keeps our cars running safely is pretty shocking.
“The industry should be doing more to demystify these misconceptions.”
- 1 Stevenage Pizza Hut closure prompts Nando's plans
- 2 Men sentenced after guns and class A drugs uncovered at Ickleford property
- 3 Woman on trial over bottles smashed in Aldi store
- 4 Stevenage MP earns over £4,000 per month from other jobs
- 5 High winds stop Stevenage Christmas lights switch-on event
- 6 Former army major sentenced after pillion rider dies in motorcycle crash
- 7 Missing Letchworth woman found safe and well
- 8 Enter Shikari to play Club 85 gig in Hitchin as part of The National Lottery’s Revive Live Tour
- 9 James Bay announces intimate ‘New Songs New Stories’ solo tour for Independent Venue Week
- 10 Vegan market returns for final 2021 trade with festive twist


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| Eviction drive at Ranihat Medical Road in Cuttack. Picture by Badrika Nath Das |
Cuttack, Aug. 31: Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) and city police are all set to intensify their anti-encroachment drive to decongest major roads in the city.
“Efforts are being initiated to launch eviction drives in various parts of the city to facilitate smooth flow of traffic. We had also carried out an eviction drive on Ranihat Medical Road yesterday,” said L.N. Mohapatra, joint commissioner of the CMC.
Mohapatra said the ongoing eviction drive will be a continuous process of the CMC and such kind of initiatives to make city roads free from encroachment will be intensified in the days to come.
Several roadside encroachments, illegal constructions and kiosks were demolished along the busy Ranihat Medical Road yesterday.
“The eviction drive is a part of the ongoing efforts
to decongest major roads. Commuters have to face a
lot of problems because of traffic snarls at Ranihat. There is a proposal to introduce one-way traffic here, along with two other places, in the city,” said assistant commissioner of police (traffic) Krushna Samal.
In June, a massive eviction drive was launched in which encroachments from Bajrakabati Road to Khannagar were evicted in the presence of CMC officials and the police.
The eviction drive was launched by the traffic management committee following a high court order to clear encroachments that were creating problems in the free flow of traffic on major city roads.
A number of locations were identified for the anti-encroachment drive at a meeting chaired by police commissioner B.K. Sharma on June 3.
Besides Bajrakabati and Khannangar, eviction drives were subsequently launched in areas such as Buxi Bazar, Choudhry Bazar, Baropathar and Tinikonia Bagicha in Cuttack city. Sources in the city police said many roads and thoroughfares were facing problems because of illegal occupation along with heavy traffic. Efforts were being initiated to clear roadside encroachments to facilitate better traffic flow.
It has, however, been observed that squatters have again set up business at places were eviction drives were earlier conducted, including on Bajrakabati Road.
“The ongoing eviction drive has failed to ensure that the roads remain free from illegal occupation. The vendors come back to the streets within a few days of being evicted. Along with conducting eviction drives, the civic authorities should also consider providing alternative vending zones to the evicted vendors,” said Seikh Samim, a resident of Bajrakabati Road.
“Adequate measures are being taken to ensure that the evicted places are not encroached upon again. We are undertaking eviction drives at regular intervals,” said a senior police officer.


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For 24 Hour Addiction Help in Honolulu, Hawaii Call 800-926-8143 (Who Answers?) to speak with a Placement Specialist. Addiction is a disease, you are not alone.
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- Buprenorphine Services
Type of Care:
- Residential short-term treatment (30 days or less)
- Residential long-term treatment (more than 30 days)
Forms of Payment Accepted:
- Self payment
Special Language Services:
- ASL or other assistance for hearing impaired

domain: medical


A need for more effective and efficient homeland security first put telematics vendors to the test, as meeting our nation’s needs for reliable tracking services became an issue of national security. And according to a recent report by market intelligence research firm ABI Research, as the government’s interest in telematics grew, commercial business leaders in both the long- and short-haul trucking industries couldn’t help but sit up and take note of it.
According to David Schrier, an analyst at ABI Research, telematics has become an important “mobile resource management tool” for commercial vendors trying to keep track of their cargo. This includes both truckload carriers that want to improve efficiency and customer satisfaction, as well as the public transportation industry vendors, such as taxi or city bus dispatchers that want to be more efficient with their response to calls.
Improvements in RFID, terrestrial and satellite communication infrastructures and GPS technology, according to Schrier, now allow trucking companies to monitor their cargo and improve driver habits (by monitoring speed efficiency and instances of hard braking) as well as engine efficiency. As a result, companies such as Schneider National Trucking (which will outfit 48,000
trailers with Qualcomm’s T2 tracking hardware this year), can monitor its assets in real time.
ABI’s new report “Trailer Tracking Markets” states that the telematics industry has “evolved to the point where system vendors are now providing specialized hardware for specific types of trailers besides the common dry van.” These include refrigerated and flatbed trailers, as well as intermodal cargo containers. The previously legislative atmosphere surrounding telematics is giving way to a more business-centered, commercial market.
The United States isn’t the only country to jump aboard the telematics bandwagon, as the market is at various stages of growth all around the world, reports Schrier. The United States continues to be at the forefront of developments in telematics, but China and India are quickly closing in, with the telematics trend making an impression both in their thriving trade markets, as well as urban infrastructure. ABI finds that “taxis represent a huge addressable market, particularly in Beijing, as fleets gear up for the 2008 Olympics in China.”
As telematics technology adapts to an increasingly diverse customer base (in Hawaii and Europe, cars with hidden telematics systems are being used to bait and catch car thieves), telematics gives businesses that invest the tools to rise above the rest in profit and efficiency.


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- Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei down 1.28%, Shanghai Composite down 0.96%, Hang Seng down 0.36%, ASX down 1.08%
- Commodities : Gold at $1826.40 (+0.27%), Silver at $23.19 (+0.13%), Brent Oil at $84.82 (+0.41%), WTI Oil at $82.22 (+0.12%)
- Rates : US 10-year yield at 1.724, UK 10-year yield at 1.110, Germany 10-year yield at -0.098
News & Data:
- (USD) 30-y Bond Auction 2.08|2.4 vs 1.90|2.2 previous
- (USD) Unemployment Claims 230K vs 199K expected
- (USD) Core PPI m/m 0.50% vs 0.50% expected
- (USD) PPI m/m 0.20% vs 0.40% expected
Asian stock markets are mostly lower on Friday, following the broadly negative cues overnight from Wall Street, with energy and technology stocks primarily dragging the markets to the downside. Traders remain worried and cautious amid the rapid spread of the coronavirus Omicron variant in most countries and the likely economic impact of the related curbs.
Mainland Chinese stocks struggled for direction as the Shanghai composite declined 1%, while the Shenzhen component traded flat. The Japanese stock market is trading sharply lower on Friday, following the broadly negative cues overnight from Wall Street, with weakness across most sectors, particularly technology stocks. Australia’s ASX 200 dipped 1.1%, with bank stocks falling.
Crude oil prices gave ground on Thursday as investors cashed in on recent gains that led to a two-month closing high. The U.S. dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of its peers, was at 94.648, continuing its slide since beginning of the week.
- 01:30 PM GMT – (EUR) ECB President Lagarde Speaks
- 01:30 PM GMT – (USD) Core Retail Sales m/m
- 01:30 PM GMT – (USD) Retail Sales m/m
- 02:15 PM GMT – (USD) Industrial Production m/m
- 03:00 PM GMT – (USD) Prelim UoM Consumer Sentiment

domain: finance


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Founded in the 1870's, Clarksville is nestled in the middle of what is known as Old West Austin. It is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Austin and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Many homes in the neighborhood are historic as well. The neighborhood’s borders are MoPac on the east, North Lamar Boulevard on the West, and extend north from West 6th Street to West 15th Street to the South.
Founded by freed African-American slaves, the Clarksville neighborhood was originally the plantation of Texas Governor Elisha Pease, who sold some of his property to a freed slaved named Charles Clark, who started the community which was eventually named in his honor. The original Clarksville residents were descendants of freed slaves.
Today, the majority of the residents are young professionals and families who desire a quiet, historic, and affordable place to live. Home prices vary in the area, and the Clarksville neighborhood has some of the most beautiful historical homes in the city, and numerous new houses are also being built. The neighborhood provides its residents with a taste of urban living in an mature, quiet neighborhood.
Located just around the corner, 6th Street and Lamar provide trendy shopping including Whole Foods, Waterloo Records, and Amy’s Ice Cream. Since Clarksville borders downtown, all of the restaurants and clubs are just minutes away; easily within walking distance. If you prefer to ride the bus or catch a taxi cab, both are easily accessible within the neighborhood. The Clarksville community is full of restaurants and shopping, located in a convenient location to the many other amenities that Austin has to offer.
The neighborhood has its own park, Clarksville Park (also known as Mary Francis Baylor Park), with over an acre of beautiful surroundings, soft rolling hills, a shaded playground, basketball court, splash pad and picnic tables. The neighborhood is also home to the Clarksville Community Garden; a healthy and fun way to bring residents together.
Every summer, the neighborhood’s CCDC (Clarksville Community Development Corporation) hosts an ice cream social for the neighborhood where residents can enter their homemade ice creams in a competition to win the coveted ‘Golden Scoop Award’ for the best ice cream in Clarksville. The CCDC also sponsors a Family Fun Fest and Potluck Dinners in the spring and fall, all held in the park.
Living in the Clarksville neighborhood gives you the best of both worlds. It’s a quaint, quiet neighborhood with distinctive homes, diverse residents, and plenty of history, and it’s located in the center of the city, just a short distance from downtown Austin and its many attractions.


Mumbai, November 05, 2014 -- /EPR NETWORK/ -- Continuing the lineage of two of the world’s most premier trade fair brands for manufacturing industry professionals, Control India and Motek India, will mark their debut edition in India from 5 – 7 February 2015 together with SPS Automation India which is derived from Europe’s premiere event for electrical automation SPS IPC Drives. In a strategic move to bring innovations in the field of material handling in production, assembly line, quality control and optoelectronics technology together on one platform, Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India Pvt Ltd. has announced that the three fairs will take place concurrently to better address the technology needs of the Indian market.
Prompted by the Indian government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, Indian companies and industrial houses today are seeking to invest in quality automation processes to maximise operational efficiency. The perfectly timed launch of the three fairs aimed at bringing companies from all disciplines in industrial, production and assembly automation, quality assurance and inspection technology at a single industry event will thus pave the path to providing Indian manufacturers access to more competitive and cutting-edge solutions.
The high-growth prospects for the Indian manufacturing sector which is projected to touch USD 1 trillion by 2025 opens up invaluable opportunities for automation and inspection technology solution providers eyeing this market.
With Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India Pvt Ltd.‘s strong reach across automotive, textile, lighting, security and environmental technology sectors through the vast porfolio of fairs in India, the launch of the co-joint fairs is poised to attract attention from the decison makers and key professionals from varied industries. Moreover, with the fairs being centered in one of India's highly industrialised state of Gujarat, this will be the perfect opportunity for sector players to strengthen their linkages within the end user sectors such as pharmaceuticals, gems and jewellery, oil and gas, petrochecmical etc.
The Indian manufacturing sector is competing at a global level and has proved its mettle as a manufacturing and supply hub in several verticals. A sophisticated trade and networking platform like such will bring sector players, technology experts and professionals from the design, manufacturing, production, analysis and consultation sides together to network and experience new technology and innovations. Like the mother event in Stuttgart, Germany, Control India will be a specialist trade fair dedicated to quality control, R&D, instrumentation and inspection technology while Motek India will showcase technologies for material handling in the form of automation solutions, pneumatics and applied robotics.
Frontrunners in providing automation solutions, Pepperl+Fuchs, SICK India Pvt Ltd, Baumer Technologies India Pvt Ltd., Delta Electronics India Pvt Ltd, Endress+Hauser India Pvt Ltd, Geissel India Pvt Ltd, Harting India Pvt Ltd, IFM Electronic India Pvt Ltd, Micro-Epsilon, Omron India, Themis Automation (Murr Electronik), Nikon India Pvt Ltd., Vipa Automation India Pvt Ltd. and many others have confirmed their participation for SPS Automation India 2015 which is dedicated to automation and applied solutions.
A technical conference has also been planned alongside the three fairs to provide sector professionals an understanding of new processes and technology trends making a headway in the manufacturing sector. The conference is supported by Frost and Sullivan and AMA Association for Sensors and Measurement, Germany and will invite delegates from all sectors of inspection and manufacturing.
Together, the platform will present top-of-the-line automation, assembly line and quality control solutions from 5 – 7 February 2015 at the Mahatma Mandir Exhibition and Convention Centre, Gandhinagar in Ahmedabad, Gujarat that will drive the Indian manufacturing sector forward.
Background information on Messe Frankfurt
Messe Frankfurt is one of the world’s leading trade fair organisers, generating around €545 million in sales and employing some 2,000 people worldwide. The Messe Frankfurt Group has a global network of 28 subsidiaries and around 50 international Sales Partners, allowing it to serve its customers on location in more than 150 countries. Messe Frankfurt events take place at more than 30 locations around the globe. In 2013, Messe Frankfurt organised a total of 113 trade fairs, of which more than half took place outside Germany.
Comprising an area of 578,000 square metres, Messe Frankfurt’s exhibition grounds are home to ten exhibition halls. The company also operates two congress centres. The company is publicly owned, with the City of Frankfurt holding 60 percent and the State of Hesse 40 percent.
For more information, please visit our website at www.messefrankfurt.com
Contact-Details: Ruhi Shaikh
PR & Corporate Communications
Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India Pvt.Ltd


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Our Natural Sciences collections cover both life sciences and earth sciences.
With renewed government restrictions we are currently unable to accept return loans or make any new outgoing research loans.
Our collections are comprehensive in their coverage of the natural world, although Botany is only represented by fossil plants.
Our collections are global in terms of their content and most of the several million specimens held originate from efforts to better understand the Natural World.
Our collections and specimens are open to researchers for examination, and we'd be happy to help you conduct research. Please contact our staff to enquire.
Looking for a particular object in our Natural Sciences collections?Search our collections
Responsible for: The Natural Sciences department, its staff, collections and projects.
Research interests/expertise: Early Mesozoic terrestrial and marine ecosystems; phylogeny and systematics of Rhynchocephalia and Protorosauria; global faunal and floral change across the Triassic-Jurassic boundary.
Follow @NatSciNMS on Twitter for collection highlights & research.


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After a show-stopping final of the X Factor 2014, Ben Haenow was crowned winner ahead or worthy runner-up Fleur East tonight.
The rock singer couldn't hide his joy as he took the top spot, after a stunning rendition of One Republic's Something I Need.
Having performed Man In The Mirror earlier in the show, and being showered with praise from all four judges throughout the show, it was a top night for the singer.
The van driver from Croydon has beat thousands of hopefuls to the top spot with his rock god performances and chiselled good looks.
Releasing his winner's single, Something I Need, Ben will be hoping to take that coveted Christmas number one spot if he can stay at the top of the charts for the next two weeks.
Opening up about the moments before the announcement on Xtra Factor tonight, Ben even revealed he thought Fleur would win.
Over 10 million viewers voted in the live final, with over 40 million casting their votes over the entire series.
And there was more good news to come, as Simon revealed Ben's winner's song was already number 3 in the iTunes chart after just 30 MINUTES. Wow.
On finding out he'd won Ben said: "OH MY GOD. I can't believe it! Thank you so much for making my dreams come true!"
Ben has been consistent throughout the live shows and has impressed all the judges with his gravelly vocals as he took on hits including Come Together by The Beatles and Ed Sheeran's Thinking Out Loud.
He even got the chance to duet with Ed after the singer returned to the show to thank Ben for sending his single back to number one.
Ben only emerged as Paddy Power's favourite to win last night after Saturday's live final which saw Andrea Faustini get the boot.
Ben's X Factor win will be the start of a whole new life for the singer, who has shown just what winning meant to him when he broke down in tears during the semi-final.
He said: "It means everything to me, to be here..."
Well, you did it Ben.
Was Ben your X Factor winner?
3000+ VOTES SO FAR
Like this? Did you know we have a dedicated TV and Film page on Facebook?n


Alejandro Gonzalez-Davidson, director of the NGO Mother Nature Cambodia, was expelled from Cambodia in February 2015 and placed on a black list that prevents his return to the country. The Khmer-speaking Spanish environmentalist, who drew the government's ire by leading a campaign against a controversial dam project, spoke to Sel San of RFA's Khmer Service about evidence that sand dredging is still going on despite a government ban.
RFA: It’s been a while since you have been away from Cambodia. Do you miss Cambodia?
Alejandro Gonzalez-Davidson: Yes, I do. I have been finding ways to return to Cambodia. However, the current circumstance is not easy me to return.
RFA: You have stated that sand is still being exported although the government has banned it. What evidence do you have to prove your claim?
Alejandro Gonzalez-Davidson: We have ample evidence. After receiving information from the local villagers of sand dredging activities, four Mother Nature activists took the boat with some villagers to the sites. They have taken some pictures of the sand dredging operation.
RFA: The government has accused Mother Nature of failing to cooperate with the Ministry of Mines and Energy to address this issue. The ministry has accused your group of creating problems rather offering to help solve them. Is that correct?
Alejandro Gonzalez-Davidson: No, it isn’t. We have always availed ourselves for such cooperation since mid-2015 but all to no avail. Unfortunately we have been retaliated against for our work. The activists of Mother Nature have been prosecuted. An arrest warrant was also issued for me by the Koh Kong court. I therefore don’t think there is a need for us to cooperate with the ministry anymore. What we need to do now is collect information on our own and publish it on social media to put pressure on the government. We are not creating problems. We are finding solutions to the problems. We note that the government and ministries concerned are incapable of curbing sand export.
RFA: The Ministry of Mines and Energy has indicated that the ban on sand exports is not a blanket order. In other words, sand which is the raw material for making glass is allowed for expert. What kind of sand is being exported now?
Alejandro Gonzalez-Davidson: Well, it’s the ministry’s new excuse. The government ministries have manipulated the public since November 2016. It’s a complete lie that the ban is not a blanket order. I recall the ministry has stated that the export of all kinds of sand is banned. The sand that is being dredged now is for landfill and construction purposes. It is not for making glass. The reason we didn’t inform the ministry before we made a public statement about the sand dredging activities was that we didn’t want the ministry to collude with the companies to destroy the evidence.
Translated by Nareth Muong.


Craig Nieset and Faye Hellman take 1-Mile titles
AKRON, Ohio (June 24, 2017) – The 2017 Akron Children’s Hospital Akron Marathon Race Series is off and running (pun intended) as thousands of participants toed the starting line at the 3rd annual National Interstate 8k & 1 Mile. Sunny skies and ideal race temperatures greeted runners as they zipped through the city and finished on the 50-yard line at the University of Akron’s InfoCision Stadium.
The first runner across the finish line was Craig Nieset of Chardon with a time of 4:47 in the one mile event. The top 8k finisher, Bobby Moldovan of Twinsburg completed the unique course in 24:57. Becki Spellman, 2016 National Interstate 8k champ from Hilliard, retained her title with a finishing time of 29:30. Both Moldovan and Spellman set new event records.
In total, 1,960 runners crossed the finish line. Nearly 100 competitors took in their first race as part of a new area running group – the Blue Line Beginners – named after the fabled blue line marking the Akron Marathon course. Training since April, these runners and walkers have committed to participating in the entire race series. “The team at the Akron Marathon is proud to welcome all first-time racers. This group has formed a unique bond and dynamic support system, and that was evident out on the course today with groups of runners and walkers completing the course together and cheering each other on through the end,” said Anne Bitong, executive director of the Akron Marathon. “Their spirit truly characterizes all that is wonderful about this running community.”
The day’s winners included
- Men’s 8k: Bobby Moldovan, Chardon – 24:57
- Women’s 8k: Becki Spellman, Hilliard – 29:30
- Men’s master’s 8k: Damon Blackford, Akron – 30:38
- Women’s master’s 8k: Debbie Harding, Akron – 36:37
- Men’s 1-mile: Craig Nieset, Chardon – 4:47
- Women’s 1-mile:Faye Hellman, Philadephia, PA – 5:38
- Men’s master’s 1-mile: Matt Cochran, Tallmadge – 5:36
- Women’s master’s 1-mile: Amanda Richardson, Copley – 7:35
As with all Akron Children’s Hospital Akron Marathon Race Series events, enthusiasm was never in short supply as spectators and local ‘superheroes’ from Akron Children’s Hospital encouraged and cheered participants along the way. Upon finishing, runners celebrated with family and friends at the finisher festival. “Whether you are a first-time racer or seasoned veteran, the attitude and vibe at this event is unlike anything you find at most other races; high-energy, social and wellness opportunities and of course, fun,” said Tony Mercurio, President and CEO of National Interstate. “We hope that the race will serve as a reminder of how simple it is to get involved and take control of living a healthy lifestyle.”
The remaining 2017 race dates are as follows: August 12 (Goodyear Half Marathon & 10k) and September 23 (FirstEnergy Akron Marathon, Half Marathon, Team Relay). The dates coordinate with a typical training schedule to help runners reach bigger goals and longer distances. Registration for all Akron Marathon Race Series events is available at AkronMarathon.org.
“The race series continues to grow with each passing year. We are very excited by the momentum,” said president & CEO of Akron Children’s Bill Considine. “Together we are impacting lives and building an increasing commitment to health and wellness in our companies and our community.”


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The conservative media have repeatedly attacked Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf for his remark that “the United States' policies were an accessory” to the 9-11 attacks. However, Rauf's comments are not outside the mainstream; indeed, the former chairman and vice chairman of the 9/11 Commission have stated that U.S. “actions have contributed” to “a rising tide of radicalization and rage in the Muslim world.”
Conservative media attack Rauf over 9-11 comments
Beck attacks Rauf for saying he “wouldn't say” the U.S. “deserved what happened,” but “the United States' policies were an accessory” to 9-11. During his attack on Rauf, Beck said:
He also said, quote, “I wouldn't say the United States deserved what happened on 9-11, but the United States' policies were an accessory to the crime that happened.”
Hannity criticizes Rauf for his “troubling views on 9/11.” On the August 11 edition of his television show, Hannity said of Rauf:
All right. Now even more troubling are his views on 9/11. Now, just 19 days after the attacks he was asked if the United States deserved what happened. Now, he said, quote, “I wouldn't say the United States deserved what happened. But the United States' policies were an accessory to the crime that happened.” (accessed via Nexis)
NY Post attacks Rauf over “his onetime claim that US policies contributed to 9/11.” From an August 10 New York Post editorial:
To be sure, Rauf and Khan have their backers. The State Department hails him as “a distinguished Muslim cleric.” But are they truly America's best envoys to a region rife with Islamic extremism -- given, say, Rauf's refusal to label Hamas a terror group or his onetime claim that US policies contributed to 9/11?
But Rauf's comments are mainstream, as shown by op-ed by 9/11 Commission chair and vice chair
Former chairman and vice chairman of 9/11 Commission: “We face a rising tide of radicalization and rage in the Muslim world -- a trend to which our own actions have contributed.” In a September 9, 2007, Washington Post op-ed headlined “Are we safer today?” Thomas H. Kean and Lee H. Hamilton, former chairman and vice chairman of the 9/11 Commission respectively, wrote: “We face a rising tide of radicalization and rage in the Muslim world -- a trend to which our own actions have contributed. The enduring threat is not Osama bin Laden but young Muslims with no jobs and no hope, who are angry with their own governments and increasingly see the United States as an enemy of Islam.”
Former vice chairman of the CIA's National Intelligence Council: U.S. policies and Muslim perceptions of them can lead to terrorism. In an August 24, 1998, Los Angeles Times column, Graham E. Fuller, former vice chairman of the National Intelligence Council at the CIA, wrote:
There is no monolithic Muslim bloc, but a few deeply held attitudes among the public are quite evident. Broadly speaking, most Muslims feel helpless, weak and resentful in the face of external power at work in their region: The Middle East -- the center of world civilization for several milleniums -- is now beset with masses of poor citizens (apart from the oil states), bad social services, poor education, absence of democracy, constant abuse of human rights, widespread corruption, police states, often brutal rulers, no voice over their own fates; they are victims of truly bad governance in most states of the region.
And what do they perceive? U.S. support for almost any ruler willing to protect U.S. interests -- routinely identified in Washington as oil and Israel. They see a Washington unwilling to act evenhandedly in the Arab-Israeli peace process and infinitely tolerant of a hard-line government in Israel that denies Palestinians land, dignity and statehood. They perceive double standards that allow Israel to violate U.N. resolutions, but not Iraq; that Israeli nukes are OK, but not nukes in Muslim hands. They see routine use of U.S. unilateral military power against Muslim targets that is unparalleled elsewhere in the world. They see themselves routinely humbled by use of overwhelming Israeli military power. They see U.S. military forces in the Gulf as being there to protect ruling families and not populations -- the essence of Osama bin Laden's charge.
These perceptions obviously do not fully reflect reality, and counterarguments can be made in many cases. But perceptions matter mightily since they form the increasingly poisonous psychological backdrop against which distraught and angry Muslims end up championing those who overcome their impotence, stand up to the West and assert Muslim dignity.
Beck made similar comments to Rauf. Although Beck attacked Rauf for his comments about 9-11, Beck himself said that while the U.S. did not “deserve 9-11,” the U.S. was “in bed with dictators” and “that causes problems.” Talking about “why do you think they hate us in the Middle East,” Beck said:
When people said they hate us, well, did we deserve 9-11? No. But were we minding our business? No. Were we in bed with dictators and abandoned our values and principles? Yes. That causes problems.


East Rutherford, New Jersey (CNN) -- From nuclear weapons to human rights, the image of Iran is quite negative in America. But with little fanfare, one Iranian man has won hearts and cheers battling Americans on the court in basketball arenas around the country.
Hamed Haddadi is the NBA's first Iranian basketball player. At 7-foot-2, Haddadi began playing for Tennessee's Memphis Grizzlies in August 2008. His final game of this season was set for Wednesday night in Oklahoma City.
Despite U.S.-Iran tensions in the political arena, any strains appear absent with teammates and fans alike.
"It seems like he's the most popular Grizzly. When we go on the road ... he has a lot of support from a lot of people, a lot of people come out to watch him and watch us play," said teammate Mike Conley, who accompanied Haddadi to a "kebab fest."
The kebab fest was held in Las Vegas in 2009. Haddadi was accompanied by Conley and fellow Grizzly Hakim Warrick to a Persian restaurant. The event served to introduce the teammates to Persian food. Grizzlies' forward Rudy Gay turned the tables when he took Haddadi for a taste of American ribs at a Memphis restaurant.
It wasn't as easy getting permission to play in the United States. Current U.S. sanctions on Iran prohibit "a person or organization in the United States from engaging in business dealings with Iranian nationals," stated the NBA legal counsel.
The NBA had to apply to the U.S. government for a license that granted Haddadi permission to play for the NBA.
The reception has been positive courtside. But problems arose from game announcers once.
Ralph Lawler and Mike Smith, L.A. Clippers announcers on local Fox Sports, were suspended for a game for insensitive comments about Haddadi. When the Grizzlies faced the Clippers, the two joked about the Iranian center.
"You're sure it's not Borat's older brother?" said Smith. "If they ever make a movie about Haddadi, I'm going to get Sacha Baron Cohen to play the part."
Mayar Zokaei, Haddadi's Iranian-American manager, said the Iranian basketball player has brought lots of media attention to the middle-of-the-standings Grizzlies.
"He's gotten more press then any of his teammates this year and the past couple of years just for the sole reason that he's Iranian-American," said Zokaei. "Iranian playing basketball in America ... that's rare. [There aren't many]) Iranians doing anything in bona fide sports arenas in the U.S."
Haddadi faces big challenges. One is speaking and learning English.
Furthermore, his family is almost 7,000 miles away in Iran. The political turmoil back home is something he can't control. He worries about his family.
"It affects him because he misses them, he's not able to keep up to date with them because he's so busy ... he's always concerned about their well-being and such," said Zokaei.
Off the court, Haddadi has been working to bridge the gap between Iranian-Americans and basketball. Haddadi was at the forefront of creating the Hamed Haddadi Javanan Foundation. The charity organization aims to award college scholarships to student athletes.
The foundation has not been his only initiative.
In 2009, with Los Angeles Lakers forward Ron Artest and manager Zokaei, Haddadi hosted a weekend basketball camp for 100 children.
The camp was held on the campus of California State University at Northridge and was aimed mainly at the Iranian-American community.
Haddadi's team did not make the NBA playoffs, which start within the week. His next test on the court -- playing for Iran against the United States in the world championships in September in Turkey. Haddadi and teammate Rudy Gay agree the United States will win.
"Tell you the truth ... we can't beat the United States you know," said Haddadi. "We're [The U.S.] gonna win, of course," boasted Gay.
But his two years in America have been a personal victory for Haddadi, who just wants to play more when he returns to America.