Iglesias show's organisers 'should be whipped': Sri Lanka leader - Yahoo News: "Colombo (AFP) - Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena Sunday said that organisers of a recent concert by pop star Enrique Iglesias in Colombo should be "whipped with toxic stingray tails" because it was "uncivilised."
The December 20 concert in capital Colombo saw ecstatic local women running on stage to hug and kiss the "Hero" singer while others threw their underwear at him, Sirisena told a public meeting in the eastern district of Ampara.
"This is most uncivilised behaviour that goes against our culture," the president said.
"I don't advocate that these uncivilised women who removed their brassieres should be beaten with toxic stingray tails, but those who organised such an event should be," he added.
Whipping with the tails of stingrays was reserved for hardened criminals in medieval Sri Lanka and is used as a popular idiom for extreme punishment of wrongdoing.
There was no immediate comment from the local organiser, Live Events, a company co-owned by Sri Lankan cricket stars Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene.
In conservative Sri Lankan society, public displays of affection, even among married couples, is frowned upon. Police are known to have arrested courting couples for kissing in public parks or sea-front promenades."
'via Blog this'
Sunday, December 27, 2015
Thursday, December 24, 2015
US storms: At least seven dead in trail of destruction - BBC News
US storms: At least seven dead in trail of destruction - BBC News: "A storm described by forecasters as "particularly dangerous" has hit the South and Mid-west of the US, killing at least seven people and injuring scores more ahead of Christmas.
Four people were killed as tornadoes moved through northern Mississippi, officials said, and two in Tennessee and one in Arkansas.
There have been reports of at least 20 tornadoes of varying severity.
The high winds have also caused significant damage to homes.
Authorities in parts of Mississippi - where a seven-year-old was among those killed - are conducting a house-by-house search-and-rescue operation after the state was hit by multiple tornadoes.
The boy was inside a car, which was picked up and tossed in the storm. His relatives, who were also in the car, were taken to a hospital for treatment."
'via Blog this'
Four people were killed as tornadoes moved through northern Mississippi, officials said, and two in Tennessee and one in Arkansas.
There have been reports of at least 20 tornadoes of varying severity.
The high winds have also caused significant damage to homes.
Authorities in parts of Mississippi - where a seven-year-old was among those killed - are conducting a house-by-house search-and-rescue operation after the state was hit by multiple tornadoes.
The boy was inside a car, which was picked up and tossed in the storm. His relatives, who were also in the car, were taken to a hospital for treatment."
'via Blog this'
Shahena Uddin 'beaten for years and denied water' - BBC News
Shahena Uddin 'beaten for years and denied water' - BBC News: "21 December 2015 Last updated at 17:34 GMT
A woman who beat her teenage sister-in-law to death in the family home following a "regime of terror" has been jailed for life.
Salma Begum, 32, denied murdering Shahena Uddin, but was convicted at St Albans Crown Court. She must serve a minimum of 18 years.
Shahena's eldest brother, Suhail Uddin, was cleared of murder, but along with three other brothers and a sister was found guilty of causing or allowing Shahena's death"
'via Blog this'
A woman who beat her teenage sister-in-law to death in the family home following a "regime of terror" has been jailed for life.
Salma Begum, 32, denied murdering Shahena Uddin, but was convicted at St Albans Crown Court. She must serve a minimum of 18 years.
Shahena's eldest brother, Suhail Uddin, was cleared of murder, but along with three other brothers and a sister was found guilty of causing or allowing Shahena's death"
'via Blog this'
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
19 students barred from boarding US-bound Air India flight - Times of India
19 students barred from boarding US-bound Air India flight - Times of India: "Air India received communication on December 19, 2015 from the US Customs and Border Protection agency that two universities namely Silicon Valley, San Jose, California and North Western Polytechnic College, Fremont, CA are under scrutiny and students who arrived into San Francisco were not allowed to enter the US and were deported back to India," an Air India statement said.
"In the past, we have witnessed that students who secured admission in those institutions have been deported to India as soon as they land there. To avoid embarrassment to them and save their money, we prevented them from boarding the flight," an AI official said in Hyderabad.
Air India has offered full refund and waived all charges such as cancellation and rescheduling fee.
The airliner said it will start accepting students travelling to join these universities, at no additional cost, as soon as clearance is received from Air India's US office.
The statement said so far 14 students who travelled on Air India flights to San Francisco have been deported. Students travel on a one-way ticket to the US and, in the event of deportation, incur huge expenditure to buy a ticket back to India on first available service. Further, seats are often not available on any airlines to travel back," it said."
'via Blog this'
"In the past, we have witnessed that students who secured admission in those institutions have been deported to India as soon as they land there. To avoid embarrassment to them and save their money, we prevented them from boarding the flight," an AI official said in Hyderabad.
Air India has offered full refund and waived all charges such as cancellation and rescheduling fee.
The airliner said it will start accepting students travelling to join these universities, at no additional cost, as soon as clearance is received from Air India's US office.
The statement said so far 14 students who travelled on Air India flights to San Francisco have been deported. Students travel on a one-way ticket to the US and, in the event of deportation, incur huge expenditure to buy a ticket back to India on first available service. Further, seats are often not available on any airlines to travel back," it said."
'via Blog this'
Sunday, December 20, 2015
Welcome to Paradise: inside the world of legalised prostitution
Welcome to Paradise: inside the world of legalised prostitution: "Pressure to review prostitution laws is coming from an EU anti-trafficking directive that obliges member states to “reduce demand” for human trafficking. Given that at least 70 per cent of trafficking in Europe is into forced prostitution, a lot of people are arguing that the best way to reduce demand for trafficking is to reduce demand for prostitution. And one way to do that is to criminalise the buyer.
Sex trafficking statistics are frustratingly incomplete, but a recent report estimated the number of victims in Europe at 270,000. And Germany and the Netherlands have repeatedly ranked among the five worst blackspots.
There is “absolutely” a correlation between legalised prostitution and trafficking, says Andrea Matolcsi, the programme officer for sexual violence and trafficking at Equality Now. “For a trafficker it’s much easier to go to a country where it’s legal to have brothels and it’s legal to manage people in prostitution. It’s just a more attractive environment.”
She points out that Denmark, which decriminalised prostitution in 1999 – the same year Sweden made the purchase of sex illegal - has four times the number of trafficking victims than its neighbour despite having around half the population.
It’s one reason the Netherlands has gone into reverse with legalisation. The Deputy Prime Minister, Lodewijk Asscher, has called it “a national mistake”. As Deputy Mayor of Amsterdam he spent millions of euros buying back window brothels, turning them into shops and restaurants in an effort to rid the city of the gangs that had moved in.
Chancellor Angela Merkel attempted to raise the issue in the summer of 2013 but things got so out of hand (there were riots at conferences) that the matter was quietly dropped."
'via Blog this'
Sex trafficking statistics are frustratingly incomplete, but a recent report estimated the number of victims in Europe at 270,000. And Germany and the Netherlands have repeatedly ranked among the five worst blackspots.
There is “absolutely” a correlation between legalised prostitution and trafficking, says Andrea Matolcsi, the programme officer for sexual violence and trafficking at Equality Now. “For a trafficker it’s much easier to go to a country where it’s legal to have brothels and it’s legal to manage people in prostitution. It’s just a more attractive environment.”
She points out that Denmark, which decriminalised prostitution in 1999 – the same year Sweden made the purchase of sex illegal - has four times the number of trafficking victims than its neighbour despite having around half the population.
It’s one reason the Netherlands has gone into reverse with legalisation. The Deputy Prime Minister, Lodewijk Asscher, has called it “a national mistake”. As Deputy Mayor of Amsterdam he spent millions of euros buying back window brothels, turning them into shops and restaurants in an effort to rid the city of the gangs that had moved in.
Chancellor Angela Merkel attempted to raise the issue in the summer of 2013 but things got so out of hand (there were riots at conferences) that the matter was quietly dropped."
'via Blog this'
Welcome to Paradise: inside the world of legalised prostitution
Welcome to Paradise: inside the world of legalised prostitution: "It’s six o’clock in the evening at Paradise and about thirty men are padding about the swirly red carpet in wine-coloured towelling robes and green plastic slippers. The women sit in the men’s laps at the bar. One is cuddling up to a pot-bellied man on a day bed. Several are clustered together, looking bored in their black glitter basques and hot pink fishnets, waiting for it to get busier.
People think Amsterdam is the prostitution capital of Europe but Germany has more prostitutes per capita than any other country in the continent, more even than Thailand: 400,000 at the last count, serving 1.2 million men every day. Those figures were released a decade ago, soon after Germany made buying sex, selling sex, pimping and brothel-keeping legal in 2002. Two years later, prostitution in Germany was thought to be worth 6 billion euros – roughly the same as Porsche or Adidas that year. It’s now estimated to be 15 billion euros.
Prostitution was legalised “for the government to make a lot of money,” Beretin says, strolling past a woman in a lime green lycra shrug (and nothing else) while another woman, nude except for black hold-up stockings, leans against the bar. Quite a few people agree with Beretin – and not all of them are brothel owners grumbling about their tax bills. But that isn’t how the legalisation argument was won 12 years ago.
The idea of the law, passed by Chancellor Gerhard Schröder’s Social Democrat-Green coalition, was to recognise prostitution as a job like any other. Sex workers could now enter into employment contracts, sue for payment and register for health insurance, pension plans and other benefits. Exploiting prostitutes was still criminal but everything else was now above board. Two female politicians and a Berlin madam were pictured clinking their champagne glasses in celebration.
It didn’t work. “Nobody employs prostitutes in Germany,” says Beretin. None of the authorities I spoke to had ever heard of a prostitute suing for payment, either. And only 44 prostitutes have registered for benefits.
What did happen was the opening of Europe’s biggest brothel – the 12-storey, neon-wrapped Pascha in Cologne. Not to mention a rash of FKK, or “naked”, clubs where men can spend the evening drifting between the sauna, the bar and the bedrooms. Bargain-hunters might try the “flat rate” brothels, where an entry fee of between 50-100 euros buys you unlimited sex with as many women as you want, or cruise the caravans at motorway truck stops, or the drive-through “sex boxes” in the street-walking zones. (They look like stables and are known as “verrichtungsboxen” - “getting things done boxes”.)"
'via Blog this'
People think Amsterdam is the prostitution capital of Europe but Germany has more prostitutes per capita than any other country in the continent, more even than Thailand: 400,000 at the last count, serving 1.2 million men every day. Those figures were released a decade ago, soon after Germany made buying sex, selling sex, pimping and brothel-keeping legal in 2002. Two years later, prostitution in Germany was thought to be worth 6 billion euros – roughly the same as Porsche or Adidas that year. It’s now estimated to be 15 billion euros.
Prostitution was legalised “for the government to make a lot of money,” Beretin says, strolling past a woman in a lime green lycra shrug (and nothing else) while another woman, nude except for black hold-up stockings, leans against the bar. Quite a few people agree with Beretin – and not all of them are brothel owners grumbling about their tax bills. But that isn’t how the legalisation argument was won 12 years ago.
The idea of the law, passed by Chancellor Gerhard Schröder’s Social Democrat-Green coalition, was to recognise prostitution as a job like any other. Sex workers could now enter into employment contracts, sue for payment and register for health insurance, pension plans and other benefits. Exploiting prostitutes was still criminal but everything else was now above board. Two female politicians and a Berlin madam were pictured clinking their champagne glasses in celebration.
It didn’t work. “Nobody employs prostitutes in Germany,” says Beretin. None of the authorities I spoke to had ever heard of a prostitute suing for payment, either. And only 44 prostitutes have registered for benefits.
What did happen was the opening of Europe’s biggest brothel – the 12-storey, neon-wrapped Pascha in Cologne. Not to mention a rash of FKK, or “naked”, clubs where men can spend the evening drifting between the sauna, the bar and the bedrooms. Bargain-hunters might try the “flat rate” brothels, where an entry fee of between 50-100 euros buys you unlimited sex with as many women as you want, or cruise the caravans at motorway truck stops, or the drive-through “sex boxes” in the street-walking zones. (They look like stables and are known as “verrichtungsboxen” - “getting things done boxes”.)"
'via Blog this'
Welcome to Paradise: inside the world of legalised prostitution
Welcome to Paradise: inside the world of legalised prostitution: "Forced prostitution comes in many guises. Some women are kidnapped, others are tricked with the promise of jobs as nannies or waitresses. Others choose to work as prostitutes but have no idea of the conditions that await them. Often, a woman’s pimps or traffickers are people from her own town. They know where her family lives and aren’t afraid of harming them in order to control her. Sometimes it’s the families who pressure girls into prostitution in the first place - unable, or unwilling, to think of another way for a woman to earn a living.
Hermann Müller knows that some of the women working in Pascha have pimps, “but [the pimps] are not allowed to come in the club,” he says. If a woman asks them for help, they put her in touch with the police. “Two weeks ago,” he says running his hands over his close-cropped hair, “a girl said to our manager that some guy wanted to have money from her because he drove her from Romania to Germany. And then he wanted to have money from her every week or something.” Pascha called the authorities and the girl went with them. Müller’s not too sure where.
Hopefully, she wound up somewhere like Solwodi. Lea Ackermann is the “foundress” of Solwodi, a charity with 16 counselling centres and seven shelters in Germany for victims of sex trafficking or forced marriage. She’s travelled the world with her work and exudes warmth, kindness and wisdom. It’s like talking to a Disney grandmother, only one who is telling the most terrible stories.
She tells me about a 17-year-old Russian - let’s call her Klara – whose father had fallen ill. The family was getting desperate for money so when Klara saw a newspaper advert offering temporary work as a prostitute in Germany, “she thought, ‘it will be awful but for three months I can bear it.’ And then she was raped by several men the night she arrived to “get her ready” for prostitution. They took her passport. There was another girl there who wouldn’t do something a customer wanted and they broke a bottle, a glass bottle, and raped her with that. She was cut inside. It was shown to all the others.” Klara was trapped there for four years."
'via Blog this'
Hermann Müller knows that some of the women working in Pascha have pimps, “but [the pimps] are not allowed to come in the club,” he says. If a woman asks them for help, they put her in touch with the police. “Two weeks ago,” he says running his hands over his close-cropped hair, “a girl said to our manager that some guy wanted to have money from her because he drove her from Romania to Germany. And then he wanted to have money from her every week or something.” Pascha called the authorities and the girl went with them. Müller’s not too sure where.
Hopefully, she wound up somewhere like Solwodi. Lea Ackermann is the “foundress” of Solwodi, a charity with 16 counselling centres and seven shelters in Germany for victims of sex trafficking or forced marriage. She’s travelled the world with her work and exudes warmth, kindness and wisdom. It’s like talking to a Disney grandmother, only one who is telling the most terrible stories.
She tells me about a 17-year-old Russian - let’s call her Klara – whose father had fallen ill. The family was getting desperate for money so when Klara saw a newspaper advert offering temporary work as a prostitute in Germany, “she thought, ‘it will be awful but for three months I can bear it.’ And then she was raped by several men the night she arrived to “get her ready” for prostitution. They took her passport. There was another girl there who wouldn’t do something a customer wanted and they broke a bottle, a glass bottle, and raped her with that. She was cut inside. It was shown to all the others.” Klara was trapped there for four years."
'via Blog this'
Welcome to Paradise: inside the world of legalised prostitution
Welcome to Paradise: inside the world of legalised prostitution: "Forced prostitution comes in many guises. Some women are kidnapped, others are tricked with the promise of jobs as nannies or waitresses. Others choose to work as prostitutes but have no idea of the conditions that await them. Often, a woman’s pimps or traffickers are people from her own town. They know where her family lives and aren’t afraid of harming them in order to control her. Sometimes it’s the families who pressure girls into prostitution in the first place - unable, or unwilling, to think of another way for a woman to earn a living."
'via Blog this'
'via Blog this'
Driving instructors 'may offer lessons in return for sex', Netherlands government confirms - Telegraph
Driving instructors 'may offer lessons in return for sex', Netherlands government confirms - Telegraph: "Transport minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen and Justice minister Ard van der Steur addressed the issue in response to a question tabled in parliament by Gert-Jan Segers of the socially conservative Christian Union party, noting that, although 'undesirable', offering driving lessons with sex as payment is not illegal.
In a letter to parliament the ministers said: "It's not about offering sexual activities for remuneration, but offering a driving lesson. It is important that the initiative lies with the driving instructor, and focuses on offering a driving lesson, with the payment provided in sexual acts. When a sexual act offered in lieu of financial payment, that is prostitution."
• Welcome to Paradise: inside the world of legalised prostitution
• Prostitution, pimping and brothels: how legal are they across the world?
It's been noted that web searches for driving lessons in exchange for sex, or 'a ride for a ride' as the practice has been dubbed, have recently increased in popularity.
Gert-Jan Segers protested that the situation should be illegal as the (apparently entirely theoetical) learner drivers would not have an escort license, and would not be declaring the sexual services for tax purposes."
'via Blog this'
In a letter to parliament the ministers said: "It's not about offering sexual activities for remuneration, but offering a driving lesson. It is important that the initiative lies with the driving instructor, and focuses on offering a driving lesson, with the payment provided in sexual acts. When a sexual act offered in lieu of financial payment, that is prostitution."
• Welcome to Paradise: inside the world of legalised prostitution
• Prostitution, pimping and brothels: how legal are they across the world?
It's been noted that web searches for driving lessons in exchange for sex, or 'a ride for a ride' as the practice has been dubbed, have recently increased in popularity.
Gert-Jan Segers protested that the situation should be illegal as the (apparently entirely theoetical) learner drivers would not have an escort license, and would not be declaring the sexual services for tax purposes."
'via Blog this'
Friday, December 18, 2015
Book and Weblog – Authored by Garth Turner — Greater Fool – Authored by Garth Turner – The Troubled Future of Real Estate
Book and Weblog – Authored by Garth Turner — Greater Fool – Authored by Garth Turner – The Troubled Future of Real Estate: "The dollar crashed to an 11-year low, now at 71 cents. Oil tanked, too. "
'via Blog this'
'via Blog this'
AsAm News | Asian Gang Broken up in Queens
AsAm News | Asian Gang Broken up in Queens: "A suspected violent New York gang known as the Zheng Organization was raided this week by the FBI, New York Police Department and IRS in Queens.
Eight members of the gang have been indicted on charges of racketeering, drug trafficking, extortion, and illegal gambling.
Qian Zheng, also known by the nickname “cash,” is accused of dealing the drug Ecstasy and the pain killer Ketamine in Brooklyn and Queens since 2007.
The criminal indictment alleges those that crossed Cash were often the targets of hired thugs who would assault Zheng’s enemies.
“For years, Zheng and his associates committed violent acts to make money, protect their territory, and as retribution for perceived slights. Violent gangs are a blight on our neighborhoods, and we will do all in our power to prevent them from casting a shadow of violence over our streets,” stated United States Attorney Robert Capers. “The arrests and charges announced today are a testament to our commitment to dismantling violent criminal organizations and making our communities safe.”
Zheng faces a maximum sentence of 164 years in prison. The seven other suspects could get maximum sentences of 16 to 40 years.
The names of the other defendants and their nicknames are below.
GUIFU GAO, also known as “Chicken Feather” Age: 35
XIN LIN, also known as “Blackie” Age: 33
ALLEN HUI CHEN, also known as “Yi Hui” Age: 43
KAI HUAN HUANG, also known as “Shen Shen” Age: 25
BILLY CHEN, also known as “Lo Di” Age: 42
JIAYO JIANG, also known as “Yi Qiang” Age: 45
XUE JIANG GAO, also known as “Xue Zhang” Age: 30"
'via Blog this'
Eight members of the gang have been indicted on charges of racketeering, drug trafficking, extortion, and illegal gambling.
Qian Zheng, also known by the nickname “cash,” is accused of dealing the drug Ecstasy and the pain killer Ketamine in Brooklyn and Queens since 2007.
The criminal indictment alleges those that crossed Cash were often the targets of hired thugs who would assault Zheng’s enemies.
“For years, Zheng and his associates committed violent acts to make money, protect their territory, and as retribution for perceived slights. Violent gangs are a blight on our neighborhoods, and we will do all in our power to prevent them from casting a shadow of violence over our streets,” stated United States Attorney Robert Capers. “The arrests and charges announced today are a testament to our commitment to dismantling violent criminal organizations and making our communities safe.”
Zheng faces a maximum sentence of 164 years in prison. The seven other suspects could get maximum sentences of 16 to 40 years.
The names of the other defendants and their nicknames are below.
GUIFU GAO, also known as “Chicken Feather” Age: 35
XIN LIN, also known as “Blackie” Age: 33
ALLEN HUI CHEN, also known as “Yi Hui” Age: 43
KAI HUAN HUANG, also known as “Shen Shen” Age: 25
BILLY CHEN, also known as “Lo Di” Age: 42
JIAYO JIANG, also known as “Yi Qiang” Age: 45
XUE JIANG GAO, also known as “Xue Zhang” Age: 30"
'via Blog this'
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Unusually warm weather triggers mold allergies
Unusually warm weather triggers mold allergies: "Not everyone appreciates unseasonably warm temperatures this December. People with allergies are actually suffering because of them."
'via Blog this'
'via Blog this'
80 percent of workplaces face this drug scourge
80 percent of workplaces face this drug scourge: "America's painkiller epidemic grips the workplace
New study claims that as much as 80 percent of employers face prescription painkiller abuse by workers."
'via Blog this'
New study claims that as much as 80 percent of employers face prescription painkiller abuse by workers."
'via Blog this'
Monday, December 14, 2015
Shiite, Sunni militants fuel chaos in Yemen - Times of India
Shiite, Sunni militants fuel chaos in Yemen - Times of India: "rmed groups have led the slide into chaos in Yemen, where a truce between Arab-backed loyalist forces and Iran-backed Shiite rebels is expected to enter into force at midnight Monday.
Shiite militiamen and Sunni extremists have sought to exploit a power vacuum since 2011 nationwide protests forced veteran president Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down.
The Shiite Huthi militiamen, also known as Ansarullah (Supporters of God), have long complained of marginalisation by authorities in Sanaa.
They hail from the Zaidi sect, an offshoot of Shiite Islam that comprises approximately one-third of Yemen's Sunni-majority population.
Their strongholds lie in northern provinces bordering Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia, which is leading the Arab coalition against them."
'via Blog this'
Shiite militiamen and Sunni extremists have sought to exploit a power vacuum since 2011 nationwide protests forced veteran president Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down.
The Shiite Huthi militiamen, also known as Ansarullah (Supporters of God), have long complained of marginalisation by authorities in Sanaa.
They hail from the Zaidi sect, an offshoot of Shiite Islam that comprises approximately one-third of Yemen's Sunni-majority population.
Their strongholds lie in northern provinces bordering Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia, which is leading the Arab coalition against them."
'via Blog this'
Nigerian Shias say soldiers have killed hundreds - Times of India
Nigerian Shias say soldiers have killed hundreds - Times of India: "geria): Soldiers killed hundreds of Shia Muslims this weekend after their group opened fire on the convoy of Nigeria's army chief, the Shia Islamic Movement and military reports said Monday. Other reports put the number of dead at about 20.
Shia leader Ibraheem Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenah Ibrahim, are in military custody, Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state told The Associated Press. The movement had earlier reported that Zakzaky's wife was among the dead from the military raids in northern Zaria town, along with two of their sons and Zakzaky's deputy.
"They were arrested alive and are receiving medical attention,'' El-Rufai said in an email message that implied the couple may have been wounded.
Zeenah Ibrahim called AP early Sunday to report that soldiers were besieging her home in a ``pre-planned attack to assassinate the sheikh.'' She said hundreds of Zakzaky's followers surrounded the house to protect the leader.
Witness Ojo Momodu said the Shias barricaded the road with burning tires as Buratai approached and then stoned his convoy. Momodu said residents are frequently harassed by the Shias' unlawful blocking of roads for processions."
'via Blog this'
Shia leader Ibraheem Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenah Ibrahim, are in military custody, Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state told The Associated Press. The movement had earlier reported that Zakzaky's wife was among the dead from the military raids in northern Zaria town, along with two of their sons and Zakzaky's deputy.
"They were arrested alive and are receiving medical attention,'' El-Rufai said in an email message that implied the couple may have been wounded.
Zeenah Ibrahim called AP early Sunday to report that soldiers were besieging her home in a ``pre-planned attack to assassinate the sheikh.'' She said hundreds of Zakzaky's followers surrounded the house to protect the leader.
Witness Ojo Momodu said the Shias barricaded the road with burning tires as Buratai approached and then stoned his convoy. Momodu said residents are frequently harassed by the Shias' unlawful blocking of roads for processions."
'via Blog this'
Sunday, December 13, 2015
In the first majority-Muslim U.S. city, residents tense about its future - The Washington Post
In the first majority-Muslim U.S. city, residents tense about its future - The Washington Post: "HAMTRAMCK, MICH. — Karen Majewski was in such high demand in her vintage shop on a recent Saturday afternoon that a store employee threw up her hands when yet another visitor came in to chat. Everyone wanted to talk to the mayor about the big political news.
Earlier this month, the blue-collar city that has been home to Polish Catholic immigrants and their descendents for more than a century became what demographers think is the first jurisdiction in the nation to elect a
majority-Muslim council.
It’s the second tipping for Hamtramck (pronounced Ham-tram-ik), which in 2013 earned the distinction of becoming what appears to be the first majority-Muslim city in the United States following the arrival of thousands of immigrants from Yemen, Bangladesh and Bosnia over a decade.
In many ways, Hamtramck is a microcosm of the fears gripping parts of the country since the Islamic State’s attacks on Paris: The influx of Muslims here has profoundly unsettled some residents of the town long known for its love of dancing, beer, paczki pastries and the pope."
'via Blog this'
Earlier this month, the blue-collar city that has been home to Polish Catholic immigrants and their descendents for more than a century became what demographers think is the first jurisdiction in the nation to elect a
majority-Muslim council.
It’s the second tipping for Hamtramck (pronounced Ham-tram-ik), which in 2013 earned the distinction of becoming what appears to be the first majority-Muslim city in the United States following the arrival of thousands of immigrants from Yemen, Bangladesh and Bosnia over a decade.
In many ways, Hamtramck is a microcosm of the fears gripping parts of the country since the Islamic State’s attacks on Paris: The influx of Muslims here has profoundly unsettled some residents of the town long known for its love of dancing, beer, paczki pastries and the pope."
'via Blog this'
Lessons from a US town with majority Muslim city council - BBC News
Lessons from a US town with majority Muslim city council - BBC News: "Once heavily Polish Catholic, the Detroit-area town has seen a number of Muslim immigrant communities - isolated from each other by language - each building their own mosque.
Now Hamtramck has become what is thought to be the first American town to elect a majority Muslim city council. "
'via Blog this'
Now Hamtramck has become what is thought to be the first American town to elect a majority Muslim city council. "
'via Blog this'
Changing faiths: Hispanic Americans leaving Catholicism for Islam - BBC News
Changing faiths: Hispanic Americans leaving Catholicism for Islam - BBC News: "21 August 2013 Last updated at 01:20 BST
With more than 50 million Hispanics living in the US, the Latino community is now the country's biggest minority.
While most are brought up within the Catholic Church, a number of them are turning to Islam.
Precise figures are difficult to pin down as the US Census does not collect religious data, but estimates for the number of Latino Muslims vary between 100,000 and 200,000.
The BBC's Katy Watson went to Union City in New Jersey - where the population is more than 80% Hispanic - to meet some converts."
'via Blog this'
With more than 50 million Hispanics living in the US, the Latino community is now the country's biggest minority.
While most are brought up within the Catholic Church, a number of them are turning to Islam.
Precise figures are difficult to pin down as the US Census does not collect religious data, but estimates for the number of Latino Muslims vary between 100,000 and 200,000.
The BBC's Katy Watson went to Union City in New Jersey - where the population is more than 80% Hispanic - to meet some converts."
'via Blog this'
Inside a halal slaughterhouse, where the knives are sharp and tradition endures | Public Radio International
Inside a halal slaughterhouse, where the knives are sharp and tradition endures | Public Radio International: "It's a messy process. This is a slaughterhouse after all. But there’s a prayer: Allahu Akbar. God is great in Arabic.
Then things move very quickly and precisely. Mayar says the idea is for the animal to suffer as little as possible. “It takes seconds to kill these animals in a really humane way,” he says.
The blood also drains quickly and fully. You’re not going to see a rare, bloody halal piece of meat — ever. And soon the animal is off to the meat locker. "
'via Blog this'
Then things move very quickly and precisely. Mayar says the idea is for the animal to suffer as little as possible. “It takes seconds to kill these animals in a really humane way,” he says.
The blood also drains quickly and fully. You’re not going to see a rare, bloody halal piece of meat — ever. And soon the animal is off to the meat locker. "
'via Blog this'
She's an imam in LA and doesn't have patience for a strict interpretation of Islam | Public Radio International
She's an imam in LA and doesn't have patience for a strict interpretation of Islam | Public Radio International: "Instead she founded a Muslim community — Muslims for Progressive Values — that embraces gender equality, gay rights and interfaith marriage."
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Imam Explains Why He Agrees With Trump's Ban on Muslims Entering the U.S. | Fox News Insider
Imam Explains Why He Agrees With Trump's Ban on Muslims Entering the U.S. | Fox News Insider: "On "Hannity" tonight, a Muslim imam explained why he actually agrees with Donald Trump's proposed ban on Muslims entering the U.S.
Imam Nidal Alsayyed, religious director of the Islamic Society of Triplex in Houston, Texas, told Sean Hannity that Trump is concerned about Muslims and Islam being associated with radical terror groups.
Alsayyed said it's a "very wise move" to take safety and security measures, including putting a temporary hold on Muslim immigration, until we have figured out what's going on.
He explained that many Muslims don't understand what it takes to live in Western countries, such as not following Sharia law.
"The issue is a matter of different backgrounds, from different places," Alsayyed said."
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Imam Nidal Alsayyed, religious director of the Islamic Society of Triplex in Houston, Texas, told Sean Hannity that Trump is concerned about Muslims and Islam being associated with radical terror groups.
Alsayyed said it's a "very wise move" to take safety and security measures, including putting a temporary hold on Muslim immigration, until we have figured out what's going on.
He explained that many Muslims don't understand what it takes to live in Western countries, such as not following Sharia law.
"The issue is a matter of different backgrounds, from different places," Alsayyed said."
'via Blog this'
Nidal Alsayyed, Texas imam, forced to resign after endorsing Trump's Muslim ban - Washington Times
Nidal Alsayyed, Texas imam, forced to resign after endorsing Trump's Muslim ban - Washington Times: "Shortly after he made the comments, Mr. Alsayyed said he was forced to resign as religious director of the Islamic Society of the Triplex in Beaumont. A board member said the board will issue an official statement Saturday on Mr. Alsayyed, the station reported.
Meanwhile, Mr. Alsayyed said Mr. Trump’s controversial comments are in line with the Islamic religion.
“The text of the holy Quran says the loss of one life is equivalent to killing the whole mankind,” he said. “We cannot [be] behaving in the Islamic society in a way to act in a political dimension. If Mr. Trump said something that goes in line with our sharia law, yes we need to take all safety measure to protect people in the country. We are dealing with unknown people [who] are coming with different backgrounds.”
He said his viewpoint has shifted, in part, due to the recent terror attack by a Muslim couple in San Bernardino, California, that killed 14 people.
“But the way it happens when you see this mass shooting and you see some people coming with such a very peaceful background and all of the sudden the intelligences themselves, the agencies are not able to figure out what’s happening, why all of a sudden this guy or this girl or that lady open fire and kill 15 people, because American Muslims are not doing their job in the country. So we need to stop, we need to stop taking new ones until we fix the existing situation,” he said."
'via Blog this'
Meanwhile, Mr. Alsayyed said Mr. Trump’s controversial comments are in line with the Islamic religion.
“The text of the holy Quran says the loss of one life is equivalent to killing the whole mankind,” he said. “We cannot [be] behaving in the Islamic society in a way to act in a political dimension. If Mr. Trump said something that goes in line with our sharia law, yes we need to take all safety measure to protect people in the country. We are dealing with unknown people [who] are coming with different backgrounds.”
He said his viewpoint has shifted, in part, due to the recent terror attack by a Muslim couple in San Bernardino, California, that killed 14 people.
“But the way it happens when you see this mass shooting and you see some people coming with such a very peaceful background and all of the sudden the intelligences themselves, the agencies are not able to figure out what’s happening, why all of a sudden this guy or this girl or that lady open fire and kill 15 people, because American Muslims are not doing their job in the country. So we need to stop, we need to stop taking new ones until we fix the existing situation,” he said."
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Tuesday, December 8, 2015
China and Japan Continue to Liquidate US Treasury Holdings: What It Means - 24/7 Wall St.
China and Japan Continue to Liquidate US Treasury Holdings: What It Means - 24/7 Wall St.: "November marked a record month for China in terms of the pace of its liquidation of foreign exchange reserves. The People’s Bank of China reported on Monday, December 7 that foreign exchange reserves, which mostly consist of U.S. Treasury debt, dwindled by another $87 billion in November. This constitutes a stunning 2.5% drop in one month.
Since peaking at $3.99 trillion in June 2014, China’s central bank has sold off more than half a trillion dollars of (mostly) U.S. treasuries, accounting for 14% of its entire stockpile. At this rate China’s foreign exchange holdings will be liquidated within nine years. While there is no reason to assume the current rate will continue for that long, it does illustrate how fast the debt and currency markets are moving, hinting at possible instability ahead"
'via Blog this'
Since peaking at $3.99 trillion in June 2014, China’s central bank has sold off more than half a trillion dollars of (mostly) U.S. treasuries, accounting for 14% of its entire stockpile. At this rate China’s foreign exchange holdings will be liquidated within nine years. While there is no reason to assume the current rate will continue for that long, it does illustrate how fast the debt and currency markets are moving, hinting at possible instability ahead"
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Monday, December 7, 2015
China's capital outflows set to hit record: Expert - Yahoo Finance
China's capital outflows set to hit record: Expert - Yahoo Finance: "Data released Monday showed China's foreign exchange reserves fell by $87.2 billion in November to $3.44 trillion. Evans-Pritchard's calculations suggest that fluctuations in exchange rates accounted for $30 billion of that reduction, leaving $57 billion in foreign exchange sales by the central bank.
Combining the foreign exchange sales with Capital Economics' trade surplus estimate of around $55 billion for November (official data are out Tuesday) leaves net capital outflows at $113 billion.
It is worth noting that these estimates can vary. Capital Economics reckons that net capital outflows stood at $86.3 billion in August, the month when China rocked financial markets by devaluing the yuan. In contrast, the U.S. Treasury believes capital outflows were closer to $200 billion during the month."
'via Blog this'
Combining the foreign exchange sales with Capital Economics' trade surplus estimate of around $55 billion for November (official data are out Tuesday) leaves net capital outflows at $113 billion.
It is worth noting that these estimates can vary. Capital Economics reckons that net capital outflows stood at $86.3 billion in August, the month when China rocked financial markets by devaluing the yuan. In contrast, the U.S. Treasury believes capital outflows were closer to $200 billion during the month."
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Saturday, December 5, 2015
Mumbai Muslims ready plan to fight back Islamic State - The Times of India
Mumbai Muslims ready plan to fight back Islamic State - The Times of India: "MUMBAI: Alarmed by the rapid spread of the Islamic State and its propaganda to attract impressionable youngsters, Mumbai's top maulanas, muftis, and heads of religious organisations are gathering on Thursday at the Mahim Darhah to plan a fight back.
Among a host of measures likely to be discussed will be Friday sermons across all mosques in the city where the imams will call the Islamic State's bluff, and a counteroffensive on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The tag-line for Thursday's meeting is - 'ISIS is our enemy.'
"The fact that IS is using the name of Islam but has nothing to do with Islam in reality needs to be engraved in the minds of the community's youth," said Maulana Khalilur Rehman Noori, general secretary of Tanzeeme Masjid, an organisation of Imams that has over 10,000 members in Mumbai.
Maulana Noori will be among the hundred-odd eminent community leaders present at the Mahim Dargah meeting.
There is a growing concern among the city's Muslims that the Islamic State's activities are bringing a bad name to the community. The fear of radicalisation of Muslim youth because of Islamic State's strong presence online was brought home when four Kalyan youngsters -- Arif Majeed, Fahad Shaikh, Aman Tandel, and Saheen Tanki --joined the Islamic State last year. While Arif has since returned and has been charged with conspiring to commit a terrorist act and waging a war against the nation, there have been reports of Saheen's death in a gun fight. According to a Union Home Ministry report, 23 Indians, including the four boys from Kalyan, joined Islamic State in 2015.
"What ISIS is doing is un-Islamic as well as inhuman. But in all this, it is the Muslim community that is suffering," said Suhail Khandwani, trustee of the Mahim Dargah. He said the sole agenda of Friday's meeting would be to convey that Muslims are against ISIS.
He said that while the community has been discussing the impact of Islamic State's activities on its image for some time now, the Paris attacks have brought a new urgency to this dialogue. Community leaders are now convinced there is a need to counter the Islamic State's propaganda with their own aggressive outreach. "ISIS is using the internet to target the youth. We have to counter them with using the internet to reach out to our youth and spread the real meaning of Islam," said Mufti Manzur Ziyaee of the Raza Academy.
Ziyaee, who is also the Islamic advisor to the Mahim Dargah, said that the Raza Academy's IT department is already active on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. "They are in the process of maximizing the reach," said Ziyaee, adding that messages like "ISIS will not lead you to jannat" and "a terrorist has no religion" are being spread out in the web space."
'via Blog this'
Among a host of measures likely to be discussed will be Friday sermons across all mosques in the city where the imams will call the Islamic State's bluff, and a counteroffensive on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The tag-line for Thursday's meeting is - 'ISIS is our enemy.'
"The fact that IS is using the name of Islam but has nothing to do with Islam in reality needs to be engraved in the minds of the community's youth," said Maulana Khalilur Rehman Noori, general secretary of Tanzeeme Masjid, an organisation of Imams that has over 10,000 members in Mumbai.
Maulana Noori will be among the hundred-odd eminent community leaders present at the Mahim Dargah meeting.
There is a growing concern among the city's Muslims that the Islamic State's activities are bringing a bad name to the community. The fear of radicalisation of Muslim youth because of Islamic State's strong presence online was brought home when four Kalyan youngsters -- Arif Majeed, Fahad Shaikh, Aman Tandel, and Saheen Tanki --joined the Islamic State last year. While Arif has since returned and has been charged with conspiring to commit a terrorist act and waging a war against the nation, there have been reports of Saheen's death in a gun fight. According to a Union Home Ministry report, 23 Indians, including the four boys from Kalyan, joined Islamic State in 2015.
"What ISIS is doing is un-Islamic as well as inhuman. But in all this, it is the Muslim community that is suffering," said Suhail Khandwani, trustee of the Mahim Dargah. He said the sole agenda of Friday's meeting would be to convey that Muslims are against ISIS.
He said that while the community has been discussing the impact of Islamic State's activities on its image for some time now, the Paris attacks have brought a new urgency to this dialogue. Community leaders are now convinced there is a need to counter the Islamic State's propaganda with their own aggressive outreach. "ISIS is using the internet to target the youth. We have to counter them with using the internet to reach out to our youth and spread the real meaning of Islam," said Mufti Manzur Ziyaee of the Raza Academy.
Ziyaee, who is also the Islamic advisor to the Mahim Dargah, said that the Raza Academy's IT department is already active on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. "They are in the process of maximizing the reach," said Ziyaee, adding that messages like "ISIS will not lead you to jannat" and "a terrorist has no religion" are being spread out in the web space."
'via Blog this'
Thursday, December 3, 2015
What No One Is Telling You About Mark Zuckerberg Donating 99% Of His Fortune To "Charity"
What No One Is Telling You About Mark Zuckerberg Donating 99% Of His Fortune To "Charity": "The vehicle for his beneficence will be the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative LLC, a family-run foundation that he controls and through which he will maintain control of Facebook for "the foreseeable future."
Which basically means:
Mark Zuckerberg will transfer ownership of his Facebook stock without paying capital gains taxes. He will also benefit from the possibility that his foundation will live beyond him, with his heirs and their heirs at the helm, untouched by estate taxes."
'via Blog this'
Which basically means:
Mark Zuckerberg will transfer ownership of his Facebook stock without paying capital gains taxes. He will also benefit from the possibility that his foundation will live beyond him, with his heirs and their heirs at the helm, untouched by estate taxes."
'via Blog this'
Chennai rain: Army battles deadly flooding to rescue survivors - The Times of India
Chennai rain: Army battles deadly flooding to rescue survivors - The Times of India: "The floods that have killed 269 people in Tamil Nadu began to recede on Thursday, giving rescue teams a chance to evacuate thousands of residents stranded by the heaviest cloudburst in the city of Chennai in over a century.
Floods and incessant rainfall cut off more than three million people from basic services and hampered rescue efforts by the Army, which has so far evacuated 18,000 people from rooftops and outlying villages.
City authorities were deploying bulldozers and bags of concrete to repair collapsed roads, while several bridges were under water as urban lakes in the low-lying coastal city of six million overflowed.
Train services and flights to Chennai remain cancelled and the Navy has pressed fishing boats into service to evacuate people from the worst-hit suburbs to temples, schools and wedding halls.
READ ALSO:
Chennai marooned, flights to land at Naval base
A senior federal official said more than 700 people had been critically injured and were rushed to government hospitals by paramilitary forces.
"We want to do everything but the problem is beyond our control. The airport is flooded, train networks have collapsed and the weather is still not conducive," home ministry spokesman KS Dhatwalia said in New Delhi.
Dhatwalia said the priority was to repair phone networks, distribute drinking water, medicines, food for infants and prevent the spread of water-borne diseases. Many firefighters from around Tamil Nadu have been pressed into service.
But new flooding problems continue to remain a concern with additional rainfall of 100-200 mm (4-8 inches) predicted from Thursday through Sunday.
In a 24-hour burst - the strongest in more than a century - 345 mm (14 inches) fell on parts of Chennai. As ground floor dwellings were flooded, residents sought shelter with upstairs neighbours."
'via Blog this'
Floods and incessant rainfall cut off more than three million people from basic services and hampered rescue efforts by the Army, which has so far evacuated 18,000 people from rooftops and outlying villages.
City authorities were deploying bulldozers and bags of concrete to repair collapsed roads, while several bridges were under water as urban lakes in the low-lying coastal city of six million overflowed.
Train services and flights to Chennai remain cancelled and the Navy has pressed fishing boats into service to evacuate people from the worst-hit suburbs to temples, schools and wedding halls.
READ ALSO:
Chennai marooned, flights to land at Naval base
A senior federal official said more than 700 people had been critically injured and were rushed to government hospitals by paramilitary forces.
"We want to do everything but the problem is beyond our control. The airport is flooded, train networks have collapsed and the weather is still not conducive," home ministry spokesman KS Dhatwalia said in New Delhi.
Dhatwalia said the priority was to repair phone networks, distribute drinking water, medicines, food for infants and prevent the spread of water-borne diseases. Many firefighters from around Tamil Nadu have been pressed into service.
But new flooding problems continue to remain a concern with additional rainfall of 100-200 mm (4-8 inches) predicted from Thursday through Sunday.
In a 24-hour burst - the strongest in more than a century - 345 mm (14 inches) fell on parts of Chennai. As ground floor dwellings were flooded, residents sought shelter with upstairs neighbours."
'via Blog this'
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Deluged Chennai cries for help as airport flooded, trains stop, phones out - The Times of India
Deluged Chennai cries for help as airport flooded, trains stop, phones out - The Times of India: "CHENNAI: There was no let up to the rain fury in the city and several coastal parts of Tamil Nadu. The city received 34.5cm rain in the past 24 hours. Met officials said the state hasn't been lashed by such a downpour in 100 years. Road and and rail links are down and the airport is flooded.
Complaints of patchy to poor mobile phone service have been coming in making it even more difficult for people elsewhere to get in touch with their near ones."
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Complaints of patchy to poor mobile phone service have been coming in making it even more difficult for people elsewhere to get in touch with their near ones."
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San Bernardino shooting: 14 killed; 1 suspect killed - CNN.com
San Bernardino shooting: 14 killed; 1 suspect killed - CNN.com: "San Bernardino, California (CNN)Hundreds of police officers swarmed a six-block area of San Bernardino in pursuit of as many as three suspects who authorities say gunned down 14 people at a center for people with developmental disabilities.
Witnesses said the gunmen fled the scene of the shooting at the Inland Regional Center in a black SUV. Hours later, aerial images from CNN affiliates showed two armored trucks approaching a black SUV riddled with bullet holes. A person could be seen on the ground not moving, with a long gun by his side.
Law enforcement officials told CNN that two suspects were in the SUV armed with AR-15-type weapons and threw what are believed to be pipe bombs out the windows as police closed in.
'Pray for us' says a text from California shooting scene
At least one suspect was killed in an exchange of gunfire with police, a law enforcement official said. A police officer was also hurt, but the injury is not life-threatening, police Sgt. Vicki Cervantes said.
A third suspect could still be on the loose, officials said."
'via Blog this'
Witnesses said the gunmen fled the scene of the shooting at the Inland Regional Center in a black SUV. Hours later, aerial images from CNN affiliates showed two armored trucks approaching a black SUV riddled with bullet holes. A person could be seen on the ground not moving, with a long gun by his side.
Law enforcement officials told CNN that two suspects were in the SUV armed with AR-15-type weapons and threw what are believed to be pipe bombs out the windows as police closed in.
'Pray for us' says a text from California shooting scene
At least one suspect was killed in an exchange of gunfire with police, a law enforcement official said. A police officer was also hurt, but the injury is not life-threatening, police Sgt. Vicki Cervantes said.
A third suspect could still be on the loose, officials said."
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Tuesday, December 1, 2015
HGTV's Flip or Flop stars Tarek and Christina El Moussa cancel events in Oregon | Daily Mail Online
HGTV's Flip or Flop stars Tarek and Christina El Moussa cancel events in Oregon | Daily Mail Online: "Stars of HGTV house-flipping series cancel events in Portland after angry residents claim seminars will only worsen the city's 'rental crisis'
California couple Tarek and Christina El Moussa are the stars of HGTV's Flip or Flop and remodel houses for a profit professionally
They were set to host live seminars in Portland this week but canceled
Locals condemned the events as contributing to the current shortage of available and affordable housing in the city
The Community Alliance of Tenants announced a Renter State of Emergency in Portland in September"
'via Blog this'
California couple Tarek and Christina El Moussa are the stars of HGTV's Flip or Flop and remodel houses for a profit professionally
They were set to host live seminars in Portland this week but canceled
Locals condemned the events as contributing to the current shortage of available and affordable housing in the city
The Community Alliance of Tenants announced a Renter State of Emergency in Portland in September"
'via Blog this'
Inside the horrific unregulated sweatshops of Bangladesh | Daily Mail Online
Inside the horrific unregulated sweatshops of Bangladesh | Daily Mail Online: "Crammed into squalid factories to produce clothes for the West on just 20p a day, the children forced to work in horrific unregulated workshops of Bangladesh
Photographer Claudio Montesano Casillas went inside sweatshops in Keraniganj, Dhaka
Due to workload kids eat, shower and sleep inside the factories with just half a day off a week
Estimated 7,000 informal factories in Bangladesh are not subject to safety controls
Photographs show buildings without emergency exits, fire safety plans or extinguishers
Nearby Rana Plaza factory burned down in 2013 killing 1,100 people"
'via Blog this'
Photographer Claudio Montesano Casillas went inside sweatshops in Keraniganj, Dhaka
Due to workload kids eat, shower and sleep inside the factories with just half a day off a week
Estimated 7,000 informal factories in Bangladesh are not subject to safety controls
Photographs show buildings without emergency exits, fire safety plans or extinguishers
Nearby Rana Plaza factory burned down in 2013 killing 1,100 people"
'via Blog this'
CBS News finds Peace Corps volunteers blamed, punished for reporting sexual assault - CBS News
CBS News finds Peace Corps volunteers blamed, punished for reporting sexual assault - CBS News: "Nearly 7,000 Peace Corps currently serve in about 65 countries. Roughly one in five of them is sexually assaulted during that service, according to the results of a recent anonymous Peace Corps safety questionnaire, obtained exclusively by CBS News.
The report also shows that nearly half don't report the assaults.
Pressure to change a culture of victim-blaming goes back years, but some survivors still claim they are blamed or punished. One volunteer wrote that in reporting an assault, "I made myself a target.""
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The report also shows that nearly half don't report the assaults.
Pressure to change a culture of victim-blaming goes back years, but some survivors still claim they are blamed or punished. One volunteer wrote that in reporting an assault, "I made myself a target.""
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Passports Required For Domestic Travel In 2016, But IRS Can Revoke Passports For Taxes - Forbes
Passports Required For Domestic Travel In 2016, But IRS Can Revoke Passports For Taxes - Forbes: "Think you only need a passport to board an international flight? In 2016, some fliers better have one to fly domestic, which means they had better be paying their taxes. It now looks as though your passport could be cancelled if you owe the IRS. The Real ID Act created a national standard for state-issued IDs. It hits air travel in 2016. Some states initially refused to comply, fearing that the feds would make a national database of citizens. Others cited high administrative costs and a 50% increase in fees for drivers. Most states are OK, but millions in Louisiana, Minnesota, New Hampshire and New York may have to start using a passport to fly domestically.
Those states skipped the stricter standards for state-issued IDs. As a result, the TSA could insist on passports rather than driver’s licenses to board flights. The TSA will accept $55 passport cards and $135 passport books as valid identification. But some advice says that people in Minnesota should get passports by January 2016 to fly domestically. New York has been granted a waiver, so any driver’s license should still work. Louisiana has a waiver until Oct. 10, 2016, meaning that existing driver’s licenses work there too. Ditto for New Hampshire which has a waiver until June 1, 2016. "
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Those states skipped the stricter standards for state-issued IDs. As a result, the TSA could insist on passports rather than driver’s licenses to board flights. The TSA will accept $55 passport cards and $135 passport books as valid identification. But some advice says that people in Minnesota should get passports by January 2016 to fly domestically. New York has been granted a waiver, so any driver’s license should still work. Louisiana has a waiver until Oct. 10, 2016, meaning that existing driver’s licenses work there too. Ditto for New Hampshire which has a waiver until June 1, 2016. "
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