Wednesday, May 9, 2007

An Afghan doctor, Rahmatullah Hanefi, who works for the Italian non-governmental organization (NGO), Emergency, will go on trial in Afghanistan for his alleged role in the March, 2007 slaying of Afghan interpreter and reporter, Adjmal Nashbandi.

Italian journalist, Daniele Mastrogiacomo, his driver and interpreter were kidnapped by the Taliban in Helmond Province, Afghanistan on March 5, 2007. During the ensuing negotiations for Mastrogiacomo’s release, his driver, Sayed Agha, was killed by their Taliban captors. Mastrogiacomo’s interpreter, Adjmal Nashbandi, was later executed by the Taliban. The release of Mastrogiacomo was controversial and criticized at the time for the exchange of five Taliban prisoners in return. Hanefi mediated negotiations, reportedly, with the Taliban for the release of Mastrogiacomo.

Afghanistan’s ambassador in Rome said Tuesday that Hanefi would be put on trial “soon”. It was not revealed what the specific charges against Hanefi are, but it has been suggested that the offence may be accessory to murder in the death of Nashbandi. “Hanefi’s case will come to trial soon, maybe in a week, and a lawyer will be nominated to assist him,” said Musa Maroufi, Afghanistan’s ambassador to Italy. He added that “no execution will be carried out” against Hanefi.

In April, Emergency closed the three hospitals it operates in Afghanistan. The NGO has denied that Hanefi had anything to do with Nashbandi’s death. In a news update on its U.S. website Monday, Emergency suggested that their international staff were forcibly removed from the hospitals by Afghan authorities.

“Continuing under a pretense of normalcy in this situation would provide services so inadequate as to endanger our patients,” said Emergency in the news update. They have decided “to suspend all activity until conditions allowed for the return of… international staff” and suggested a clarification was required from the Afghan government “concerning intimidating threats” allegedly made by the government.

Emergency is pressing for the release of Hanefi.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Australian opposition leader Tony Abbott has pledged private school relief if the Liberal/National coalition wins the upcoming federal election. The pledge came in response to the Australian Labor Party leader, and current Prime Minister, Julia Gillard proposing a uniform and school equipment tax break expansion.

Abbott’s proposal includes an offer of tax rebates for sending a child to a private school. For students in primary school, prep to grade 6, the rebate will rise to $500 Australian a year per student and families will be then able to claim 50% rebate up to $1000.

“We are expanding the rebate so it can be claimed for school fees and also for other educational costs such as tuition and special educational costs for children with, for instance, dyslexia,” Abbott said at a press conference in Brisbane.

Before the election was called, Gillard had aimed to pledge $220 million over four years to expand the current tax breaks to cover refunds each worth $390 for primary school uniforms and $779 for high school uniforms, as well as refunds for other school equipment like texts books and computers.

“We all know that uniforms can be an expensive part of sending kids to school, but this change, along with the existing refund for textbooks and computers, will help families with that cost,” stated Gillard.

An opposition spokesperson claimed that the “obvious flaw in Labor’s policy is that it only applies to stationery, computer expenses and uniforms […] You know as a parent that you need help for a whole range of expenses. Extra teachers for children with dyslexia or the costs of doing music and all the other expenses like excursions and so forth.”

The expansion is expected to cost $760 million in total and one that Abbott claims needs to happen as “cost of living pressures tend to be greatest when your kids are at school”.

Saturday, November 4, 2017

Yesterday, Spanish tennis player and world number 1 ranked Rafael Nadal withdrew from the ATP Paris Masters suffering from a knee injury.

Nadal decided to leave the tournament in Paris for a flare-up of a right knee injury during the third round match against Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas in the Paris tournament. Nadal, who played the third set wearing a knee strap, said “the pain during the match was too much.”

The “King of Clay” said he would consult a doctor. Last year, Nadal withdrew from French Open suffering from a wrist injury. He missed significant time from the tennis season last year, but this year, Nadal became the first person to win a particular Grand Slam on ten occasions in the open era, winning the French Open for a record tenth time. He also won the US Open, his sixteenth grand slam title, but lost to Roger Federer in the ATP Shanghai Masters, last month.

The Spaniard said he would “do his best” for the upcoming London tournament scheduled from November 12 to 19. Nadal said, “For me it’s not about London. For me it’s about the longer term[…] And longer term, I’m going to do the treatment I believe that is going to be more safe and more important to keep playing tennis as long as possible.”

Nadal has never won the Paris Masters tournament, and finished second only when he made his debut in the Paris Masters in 2007. However, Nadal has secured enough points to finish the season as the number 1, for the first time since 2013.

Saturday, May 19, 2012

A total of fifteen players have left Bolton Wanderers F.C. after the club was relegated from England’s Premier League at the end of the season. Eleven of the players were released after their contracts expired while Nigel Reo-Coker activated a clause in his contract that allowed him to leave the club. A further three players ended their loan spells and returned to their parent clubs.

The players who have been released from the club are Ivan Klasnic, Gretar Steinsson, Ricardo Gardner, Paul Robinson, Robbie Blake, Tope Obadeyi, Sean Davis, Mark Connolly, Rhys Bennett, Dino Fazlic, and Tom Eckersley.

Striker Ivan Klasnic had one of the higher wages at the club and his departure was expected regardless of whether the club was relegated or not. He said on his website “I hope they get promoted next year to the Premier League because this team belong to the Premiership. I’ll leave the club but want to say thank you for three years. I’ll keep Bolton in my heart.”

Jamaican Ricardo Gardner, on the list of released players, had been with the club for fourteen years and manager Owen Coyle commented personally on his release. He said “One of those [players released] is Ricardo Gardner, who has been with the football club for 14 years. He has offered incredible service to Bolton Wanderers and I’d like to personally thank him for all of his efforts, particularly during the time I have worked with him.”

Nigel Reo-Coker left the club on his own accord after activating a release clause in his contract. Coyle said “I was clear with Nigel. I asked him straight away whether he wanted to be a part of what we are going to do next season. He was honest and up front with us, because that is the type of man he is, and said that he wanted to exercise the clause in his contract, and so we wish him well.”

The other three players to leave Wanderers are Tuncay, Ryo Miyachi, and Dedryck Boyata who all spent time with Bolton under loan agreements. The three players have returned to their parent clubs.

However, striker Kevin Davies has a new contract for one year, while defender Sam Ricketts added a two year extension to his contract. Veteran goal keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen and Zat Knight are still currently in contract negotiations.

Coyle said in a statement on behalf of the club that “I would also like to thank the players that are leaving the club for their work at Bolton Wanderers. We wish them all well.”

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

American celebutante and businesswoman Paris Hilton has bashed a recent presidential campaign ad by 2008 U.S. presidential hopeful John McCain in which he compared his rival Barack Obama to celebrities such as Hilton and Britney Spears. In McCain’s TV ad, it was stated that Obama was “the biggest celebrity in the world.”

Hilton recorded and uploaded a video to comedy website Funny or Die, in which she mocked McCain by calling him a “wrinkly white-haired guy.”

“Hey America. I am Paris Hilton, and I am a celebrity too,” she states at the beginning of the video, but not before images of the Star Wars character Yoda and the cast of The Golden Girls are paraded across the screen apparently comparing the characters to McCain.

“Only I am not from the olden days, and I am not promising change like ‘that other guy’. I’m just hot,” remarked Hilton, adding, “I guess I am running for president,” since McCain’s TV ad showed her.

McCain’s advertisement, released early this week, states, “Is the biggest celebrity in the world ready to help your family?” According to the Boston Globe and video displayed on its website, the narrator then points out that “the real Obama promises higher taxes, more government spending. So, fewer jobs.”

Bill Burton, a spokesman for Obama, responded to the ad: “Is the biggest proponent of George Bush’s tired, failed policies ready to bring about change? Another day brings another dishonest attack from John McCain. While Senator McCain knows that Senator Obama has proposed cutting taxes for 95% of American families, what he’s not telling us is that he wants to give $4 billion in tax breaks to the oil companies, continue giving tax breaks to corporations that ship our job overseas, and provide no direct tax relief for more than 100 million middle-class families.”

Hilton appears in good spirits in her video and even thanks McCain for endorsing her. “So thanks for the endorsement white-haired dude. And I want America to know, that I am like totally ready to lead.”

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

As gas prices have risen in the United States, the regional transport authority for southeastern Pennsylvania, SEPTA, has seen a sharp increase in ridership, which has caused overcrowding on the trains.

“As fuel prices have continued to rise, SEPTA ridership has steadily increased and is the highest in 18 years,” said SEPTA General Manager Joseph Casey. Monthly ridership was 22 percent higher last month than a year ago.

“They have crushed loads on their rail lines, already where people are standing, and there’s not enough seats,” said Rich Bickel, the director of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission.

“At peak times some railcars are standing room only and commuter parking lots are nearly full. All Regional Rail lines are running near full capacity and the train station parking lots are at about 90 percent capacity or more,” SEPTA spokesperson Felipe Suarez said.

While SEPTA awaits new Silverliner V trains from Hyundai Rotem, which begin arriving in 2009, it had hoped to lease eight rail cars from New Jersey Transit, at an agreed-upon rate of US$10,000 per month. However, due to problems with insurance and liability indemnification, the deal fell through, according to Casey.

SEPTA has entered a new agreement to purchase the eight rail cars from NJ Transit. The transit authority will pay US$670,000 for the cars and assorted supplies plus one additional inoperative car which will be used for spare parts. The rail cars will be operated using a SEPTA provided locomotive as they are not self-propelled.

The cars are being disposed of by NJ Transit because it has switched from single-floor cars to double-decker cars.

SEPTA is expecting to raise US$3.1 million by selling rail that has been out of service since 1981 at auction.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Relations between Iceland and the United Kingdom are deteriorating after the two nations fell out over the current financial crisis. When Iceland nationalised first Landsbanki and then Kaupthing Bank the Financial Services Authority only took on domestic assets, leaving British customers with subsidiary banks out of pocket. While Britain feels Iceland should also pay out to their citizens, Iceland blame the UK for triggering the crisis by using the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 to freeze the UK assets of Icelandic banks.

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown says Iceland should pay out up to €20,887 (£16,448) of UK investors’ money in the banks, particularly Icesave, an online company owned by Landsbanki which had around 300,000 accounts owned by UK customers. It will cost an estimated 2.4 billion pounds to compensate them, and it looks likely the UK will foot that bill.

Alistair Darling, the U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer, has said that individuals with accounts will see their money again but other accounts are not guaranteed – leaving governmental, corporate and charitable deposits at risk of being lost. UK local authorities could lose £799 million.

“The prime minister made clear the behavior of the Icelandic authorities had been unacceptable, and we had found it very difficult to get information from them,” said Michael Ellam, a spokesperson for Brown. A delegation has been sent to Reykjavik from the UK to try and solve the dispute amicably.

However, fears that the crisis may escalate have led to the pound becoming heavily devalued. The pound hit its lowest level for five years versus the US dollar after Brown threatened to freeze the assets of all Icelandic companies in the UK, which employ around 100,000 people.

The last time the two nations had a dispute, dubbed the Cod Wars, was in the 1970s. Iceland declared an exclusive fishing zone and began to cut the nets of British trawlers entering the area. That dispute came to a head in 1976 when a UK naval vessel with nuclear arms rammed an Icelandic ship that had been cutting nets. After this a compromise was reached to allow a limited number of British ships in the area.

Friday, December 21, 2007

A judge has issued a ruling in the 1998 bombing in the Northern Ireland town of Omagh. Defendant Sean Hoey, who faced 56 charges relating to a car bomb that killed 29 people and injured more than 200, has been found not guilty.

A stunned silence in the public gallery of Belfast Crown Court greeted the verdict in the worst bombing during three decades of so-called troubles in Northern Ireland. Electrician Sean Hoey, 38, was accused of being the principle bomb-maker in a group of conspirators. Only one other person was charged in the case and he is awaiting retrial after having his conviction overturned.

Hoey was said to have been among those who broke away from the Irish Republican Army months after the Good Friday Peace Agreement was negotiated.

In summing up, Judge Reginald Weir said he was critical of forensic evidence presented by the prosecution that relied heavily on a new kind of DNA testing. He also criticized the police for how they handled and stored the evidence, with possible cross-contamination. The judge also singled out two police officers who he said had exaggerated in order to gain a conviction.

For families of the victims, it was a disappointment after waiting nearly a decade for justice. Lawrence Rush lost his wife in the blast. He was in the courthouse when the decision was announced.

“It is devastating,” he said. “It is a disaster the way that this investigation was held, and I can say no more about it. All I know is that I am tired, you know, and I am exhausted. It has been a long corridor, 10 years of pain and hope.

“The legal system is here to protect human rights,” said Victor Barker, who lost his son in the attack. “It is here to protect Sean Hoey’s human rights. I am a lawyer, I believe in the system. Sometimes I find it hard to live with, but I must stand by it because that is the system of justice which ordinary decent people in this country live by. It is only a great shame that my son and the 29 people that died in Omagh had no human right at all.”

Families of those killed are now calling for a full public inquiry into the bombing. It is also possible that a civil case may be pursued next year.