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Tag Archives: lamented
Muslim Youths in Nigeria Destroy Church Buildings, Pastor's Home
Posted on May 23, 2010 by particularkev
Attacks in Kano state said to stem from hostility by converts to Islam, land dispute.
LAGOS, Nigeria, May 21 (CDN) — Scores of Muslim youths on Wednesday (May 19) besieged church property in Kano state in northern Nigeria, destroying two church buildings and a pastor's residence.
One of the buildings and the pastor's house were set ablaze on the premises of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) at Kwasam, in the Kiru Local Government Area, while another building under construction was demolished. Youths reportedly numbering more than 100 in the predominantly Muslim area stormed the church grounds.
"The problem started when some Christian youths of ECWA church were converted to Islam," the Rev. Lado Abdul, chairman of ECWA district in Kano, told Compass. "They swore that the ECWA church would not remain in the area, as they would do everything possible to chase Christians out from Kiru."
The ECWA pastor whose house was demolished, Gambo Mato, has found shelter in another Christian's home.
No life was lost during or after the incident as police and State Security Service officers intervened, and traditional rulers, religious leaders and government officials held an urgent meeting to quell potential skirmishes and establish security.
Abdul, however, lamented the denial of rights to Christians in Kano by area Muslims.
"Here in Kano, nobody gives you land to build a church," he said. "The old churches built before now are being demolished for reasons no one can easily grasp. We have taken our complaint to Sarki Kano [traditional emir of Kano] Alhaji Ado Bayero, and he assured us that something would be done about it. We are looking to the state government to come to our rescue."
Kano State Police Commissioner Mohammed Gana said that the attack on the church buildings grew out of a land dispute.
"The old church was a mud house, and the ECWA people wanted to rebuild it with blocks," Gana said. "In the process, there was a disagreement, but we moved in to ensure peace and order."
Four suspects have been arrested, and an investigation continues, the police chief said.
Elsewhere in Kano state, in Banaka of the Takai Local Government Area, a Baptist church was reportedly demolished on Saturday (May 15).
Kano state, one of 12 states in Nigeria where sharia (Islamic law) is in effect, has been the site of periodic Islamic aggression against the minority Christian community. Last year, when an Islamic extremist sect known as Boko Haram instigated rioting in Bauchi state that killed at least 12 Christians, the firestorm of violence spread to Kano state as well as Borno and Yobe states.
In 2008, hundreds of Muslims took to the streets of Kano city on April 20, attacking Christians and their shops and setting vehicles on fire based on claims that a Christian had blasphemed Muhammad, the prophet of Islam. Thousands of Christians were trapped in church buildings until police could disperse the assailants.
An unidentified Christian was said to have written an inscription on a shop wall that disparaged the prophet of Islam. Muslims at a market in the Sabon Garia area of the city reportedly attacked the Christian, whom police rescued and took to the area police station.
Muslims in large numbers soon trooped to the police station, threatening to set it ablaze unless officers released the Christian to be stoned to death in accordance with sharia, sources said.
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Christian Forced to Sell Kidney to Pay Debt to Boss in Pakistan
Employer charges non-Muslims at least 400 percent interest.
LAHORE, Pakistan, May 14 (CDN) — A low-wage Pakistani Christian said his Muslim employer last week forced him to sell his kidney in an effort to pay off a loan his boss made at exorbitant interest rates charged only to non-Muslims.
John Gill, a molding machine operator at Shah Plastic Manufacturers in the Youhanabad area of Lahore, said he took a loan of 150,000 rupees (US$1,766) – at 400 percent interest – from employer Ghulam Mustafa in 2007 in order to send his 17-year-old daughter to college.
"I kept paying the installments every month from my salary, but after three years I got tired of paying the huge interest on the loan," Gill told Compass.
The employer denied that he had received payment installments from his Christian worker, although Gill said he had receipts for monthly payments.
Mustafa confirmed that he took over Gill's home last week after giving the Christian two weeks to pay off the outstanding interest on the loan. Then, on May 6, Mustafa came to Gill's home with "about five armed men" and transported him to Ganga Ram hospital, where they forced him to sell his kidney against his will, the Christian said.
"They sold my kidney and said that they will come next month for the rest of the money," Gill said.
The value of the kidney was estimated at around 200,000 rupees (US$2,380), leaving Gill with outstanding debt of about 250,000 rupees (US$2,976), he said. Recovering at home, Gill said he did not know he would repay the rest of the debt.
Mustafa told Compass that Gill owed him 400 percent interest on the loan.
"I only offer 50 percent interest to Muslim employees," he said, adding that he refused to take less than 400 percent interest from any non-Muslim.
'Kidney Bazaar'
There was no immediate confirmation from Ganga Ram hospital. Rights groups, however, have complained that hundreds of rich foreigners come to Pakistan every year to buy kidneys from live, impoverished donors.
Kidney failure is increasingly common in rich countries, often because of obesity or hypertension, but a growing shortage of transplant organs has fueled a black market that exploits needy donors such as Gill and risks undermining voluntary donation schemes, according to Pakistan's Kidney Foundation.
Pakistani legislation aimed at curbing trafficking in human kidneys has not ended a business that has turned the country into the world's "kidney bazaar," critics say.
Gill said he is trying to contact local Christian advocacy groups to help him recover and overcome his financial and spiritual difficulties. Christians are a minority in heavily Islamic Pakistan, where rights groups have lamented discrimination against Christian workers.
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Two Church of Christ in Nigeria Journalists Killed in Jos
Posted on May 2, 2010 by particularkev
Other Christians murdered in area that continues to be wracked by violence.
LAGOS, Nigeria, April 27 (CDN) — The killing of Christians in Jos, Plateau state in Nigeria continued over the weekend with two journalists and five other persons falling victim to Muslim youth gangs.
Nathan S. Dabak, an assistant editor at a newspaper of the Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN) called The Light Bearer, and Sunday Gyang Bwede, a reporter at the publication, were stabbed to death on Saturday (April 24) at Gado-Bako in Jos North Local Government Area along with an unidentified motorcyclist.
"The staff of the church were murdered in cold blood by some Hausa Muslim youths," the Rev. Pandang Yamsat, president of COCIN, told Compass today. "This is clear because they have been using the hand phones of the deceased journalists and boasting that they are the ones that killed them."
The young Muslim men have been boldly answering calls to the cell phones of the deceased journalists, he said; when a friend of Dabak called his cell phone number, an unknown voice responded, "We have killed all of them – you can do your worst!"
Dabak, 36, and the 39-year-old Bwede had left their office on Saturday morning and were on their way to interview local politician Bulus Kaze when they fell into the hands of young Muslim men, Yamsat said.
The church started a search for the two Christians that day but did not discover their bodies until about noon on Sunday at the mortuary of Jos University Teaching Hospital, he said. He added that the church was eagerly waiting for results of a police investigation.
"The security team of the church has been communicating with the police, but they are yet to make any headway on this unfortunate incident," he said.
Burial of the slain journalists is scheduled for Friday (April 30).
In his statement on Monday (April 26), Yamsat lamented that "while efforts have been tailored towards the return of peace to the state by the military Special Task Force, it is regrettable that the state is confronted with a spate of killings."
"The church is still mourning the death of its pastor and his wife killed in Boto, Bauchi state," Yamsat said, in reference to the April 13 kidnapping and murder of the Rev. Ishaku Kadah, 48, and his 45-year-old wife Selina. "It is sad that it should again be left to face another brutal murder of two of their staff."
The state branch of the Nigerian Union of Journalists also condemned the circumstances that led to the death of the two journalists, expressing deep concern over what it described as "a series of attacks on its members in recent times in the course of carrying out their legitimate duties."
Four other Christians also were killed on Saturday (April 24) in the Dutse Uku district of Jos' Nasarawa Gwom area in a revenge attack following the discovery of the corpse of a teenage Muslim who had been missing. Their names were not released at press time.
The four Christians reportedly died, three of them stabbed to death, when hundreds of Muslim youths rampaged throughout the area in protest.
Earlier, police reportedly exhumed eight bodies from shallow graves in a predominantly Christian village near Jos. The discovery of the bodies brought to 15 the number of corpses found in three days in an area fraught with Muslim aggression that has left hundreds of Christians dead.
Jos has become a flash-point for ethnic and religious tensions in Plateau state, which is located between Nigeria's mainly Muslim north and Christian south. Previously hundreds of Christian villagers were struck with machetes and burned to death on March 7 in Dogo Nahawa, Zot and Rastat, three villages in Jos South and Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas.
On March 17, Muslim Fulani herdsmen assaulted two Christian villages in Plateau state, killing 13 persons, including a pregnant woman and children. In attacks presumably over disputed property but with a level of violence characteristic of jihadist method and motive, men in military camouflage and others in customary clothing also burned 20 houses in Byei and Baten villages, in the Riyom Local Government Area of the state, about 45 kilometers (29 miles) from Jos.
On Jan. 17, two pastors and 46 other Christians were killed in an outbreak of violence in Jos triggered when Muslim youths attacked a Catholic church. Police estimated over 300 lives were lost in subsequent clashes, in which 10 church buildings were burned.
Posted in Christianity, Church of Christ, Islam, Nigeria, Roman Catholicism	| Tagged aggression, answering, area, assaulted, assistant editor, attack, attacked, attacks, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, Baten, blood, boasting, bodies, boldly, branch, brutal, buildings, Bulus Kaze, burial, burned, Byei, called, calls, camouflage, carrying, cell phones, characteristic, children, Christian, Christianity, Christians, church, Church of Christ in Nigeria, circumstances, clashes, clear, clothing, COCIN, cold, communicating, concern, condemned, continues, corpse, course, customary, dead, death, deceased, deep, died, discover, discovery, disputed, district, Dogo Nahawa, duties, Dutse Uku, eagerly, efforts, ethnic, exhumed, expressing, face, falling, fell, flash-point, following, fraught, friend, Gado-Bako, gangs, graves, hand, hands, Hausa, headway, herdsmen, houses, incident, interview, investigation, Ishaku Kadah, Islam, Jihadist, Jos, Jos North Local Government Area, Jos South, Jos University Teaching Hospital, journalists, Julani, kidnapping, killed, Lagos, lamented, led, left, legitimate, level, lives, local, located, lost, machetes, mainly, members, men, method, military, missing, mortuary, motive, motorcyclist, murder, murdered, Muslim, muslims, names, Nasarawa Gwom, Nathan S. Dabak, newspaper, Nigeria, Nigerian Union of Journalists, north, number, office, outbreak, Pandang Yamsat, pastors, peace, Persecution, persons, phones, Plateau, police, politician, predominantly, pregnant, President, press time, property, protest, publication, rampaged, Rastat, recent, released, religious, reporter, responded, results, return, Rev, revenge, Riyom Local Government Area, Roman Catholic, Roman Catholicism, Roman Catholics, sad, search, security, Selina Kadah, series, shallow, slain, south, stabbed, staff, started, state, struck, subsequent, Sunday Gyang Bwede, tailored, team, teenage, tensions, The Light Bearer, times, triggered, unfortunate, unidentified, unknown, using, victim, village, villagers, violence, voice, waiting, wife, woman, worst, wracked, young, youth, Zot | Leave a comment
Christians in Nigeria Decry Police Inaction in Church Burnings
Posted on March 6, 2010 by particularkev
Zamfara state assailants emboldened by lack of prosecution in Jos mayhem, CAN leader says.
LAGOS, Nigeria, February 26 (CDN) — The head of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Zamfara state told Compass that he was disappointed in the lack of response by state police to recent church burnings by Muslim youths.
"It is unfortunate that there has been no response from the police, and even the state governor has refused to meet with us," said the acting state chairman of CAN, the Rev. Edwin Okpara.
The Redeemed Christian Church of God building in Tudun Wada was partly burnt on Jan. 25, and Christian Faith Bible church and the Living Faith Foundation Chapel, both in Gusau, were partly burnt in attacks on Jan. 20 and 24 respectively. Zamfara state, one of the predominantly Muslim states in northern Nigeria, was the first in the country to implement Islamic law (sharia).
In the petition dated Jan. 26, CAN stated that the church burnings came in the aftermath of "a grand plot to unleash mayhem on churches and Christians in the state due to the religious clash in Jos, Plateau state."
The association alleged that those who attacked the Zamfara churches were emboldened because officials made no serious move to arrest those who carried out the Jos attacks. Two pastors and 46 other Christians were killed in the outbreak of violence in Jos on Jan. 17, triggered when Muslim youths attacked a Catholic church; 10 church buildings were burned, and police estimated more than 300 lives were lost in the clash.
"We are seriously disturbed by the restlessness and panic these attacks have created among the Christian community and ask that every necessary and urgent step be taken by your command to secure the lives of both Christians and Muslims in the state as citizens of Nigeria," the CAN petition states. "Despite these attacks and provocation, the church and Christians as peaceful people have remained calm and have no plans to retaliate, but [we are] appealing to you to act and protect our interest."
The State Police Command was not available for comment on the CAN request.
Okpara lamented that Christians in the state have been suffering in silence with little means of drawing attention to their plight.
"The level of persecution in Zamfara is alarming, more than in any other state in the country," Okpara said. "Not even in Sokoto or Kano are Christians subjected to the kind of discrimination we are subjected to."
He said it was impossible to get land to build churches in Zamfara state; Christians are forced to sign an understanding binding them to refrain from using land in the state for church buildings.
"We are more or less operating underground churches in the state," he said. "The present state government has turned out to be more anti-Christian than the former government in the state, which introduced the sharia law."
Leaders of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) on Tuesday (Feb. 23) decried cases of persecution and discrimination against Christians and called on the federal government to put an end to it. Virtually all churches in predominantly Muslim northern Nigeria have been refused certificates of occupancy for their buildings, they said.
"There seems to be an unwritten law that churches are not welcomed in the northern part of the country," the PFN leaders noted in a statement.
Posted in Christianity, Islam, Nigeria, Pentecostalism, Roman Catholicism	| Tagged act, acting, aftermath, alarming, alleged, anti-Christian, appealing, arrest, assailants, association, attacked, attacks, attention, available, binding, build, building, burned, burnings, burnt, called, calm, CAN, cases, certificates, chairman, Christian, Christian Association of Nigeria, Christian Faith Bible Church, Christianity, Christians, church, churches, citizens, clash, command, comment, community, country, created, decry, disappointed, Discrimination, disturbed, drawing, Edwin Okpara, emboldened, federal, first, forced, former, government, governor, grand, Gusau, head, implement, impossible, inaction, interest, introduced, Islam, Islamic, Jos, Kano, killed, kind, lack, Lagos, lamented, land, law, leader, level, little, lives, Living Faith Foundation Chapel, lost, mayhem, means, meet, move, Muslim, muslims, necessary, Nigeria, northern, noted, occupancy, officials, operating, outbreak, panic, part, partly, pastors, peaceful, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, people, Persecution, petition, PFN, plans, Plateau, plight, plot, police, predominantly, present, prosecution, protect, provocation, recent, Redeemed Christian Church of God, refrain, refused, religious, remained, response, restlessness, retaliate, Rev, Roman Catholic, Roman Catholicism, Roman Catholics, secure, serious, Sharia, sign, silence, Sokoto, state, State Police Command, statement, states, step, subjected, suffering, triggered, Tudun-Wada, underground, understanding, unfortunate, unleash, unwritten, urgent, using, violence, virtually, welcomed, youths, Zamfara | Leave a comment
EU Visit to Orissa, India Triggers Barrage of Accusations
Hindu nationalists protest delegation as Christians cite injustices.
NEW DELHI, February 8 (CDN) — A delegation from the European Union concluded a "fruitful" trip to India's violence-torn Orissa state on Friday (Feb. 5) amid a swirl of protests by Hindu nationalist groups and cries of injustice by Christians.
The delegation was able to hold "open and frank" discussions with Kandhamal officials on the visit, said Gabriele Annis of the Embassy of Italy.
"We had a very good meeting with the Kandhamal district administration," Annis told reporters. "It is fruitful. We had open and frank discussion. It helped us in understanding the situation and understanding happenings over the past 15 months."
The delegation was led by Christophe Manet, head of Political Affairs of the European Commission delegation to India and consisted of members from Spain, Hungary, Poland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Finland and Sweden. A delegation from five European countries had visited Orissa earlier in November 2009, but the government of Orissa denied them permission to visit Kandhamal district, where Christians say they continue to be threatened and destitute.
Archbishop Raphael Cheenath said on Saturday (Feb. 6) that despite the claims of the state and district administrations, life for the Christian victims of violence in August-September 2008 remains far from normal: thousands still live in makeshift shanties along roadsides and in forests, he said, and local officials and police harass them daily.
"The block officers have been playing with the facts, indulging in corrupt practices and cosmetic exercises whenever political and other dignitaries come to visit or inspect," the archbishop said in a statement. "Innocent people are coerced into giving a false picture. The chief minister must investigate the role and functioning of the entire district administration . . . It is strange that officers in whose presence the violence took place and thousands of houses were burnt are still in office and are declaring that there is peace in the district."
Following attacks in the area after Hindu extremists stirred up mobs by falsely accusing Christians of killing Hindu leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati on Aug. 23, 2008, more than 10,000 families were displaced from their homes by the violence. Since then, Cheenath said, an estimated 1,200 families have left the area. Between 200 and 300 families reside in private displacement camps in the district, and more than 4,400 families still live in tents, makeshift shelters or the remnants of their damaged houses, he said.
The number of attack victims who have received financial assistance from the government, churches or Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) is unknown, but is estimated at 1,100 families, Cheenath added.
He criticized Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Chief Minister of Orissa Naveen Patnaik saying, "Both of them had promised to provide adequate compensation for the damages caused during the 2008 communal violence. But the victims have not been adequately compensated."
Cheenath said the state government had decided not to compensate any riot-affected religious institutions even though India's Supreme Court had directed the government to compensate them for all damages.
"This is a national calamity and demands a special package for the affected people, which should include land, income generation, education and healthcare," the archbishop said.
Extremist Makeover
Prior to the visit, Christian leaders expressed their shock at Kandhamal district authorities attempting a cosmetic makeover by evacuating nearly 100 Christians from G. Udayagiri.
In letters to the EU delegation, the state government and national human rights and minorities commissions, Dr. John Dayal of the All India Christian Council narrated the plight of the 91 members of 21 families from 11 villages who were living under plastic sheets along a road in the marketplace area of G. Udayagiri.
Dayal said the group included 11 married women, three widows, an elderly man with a fractured hip and thigh, and two infants born in the camp. They had faced almost daily threats, he said, as they had not been allowed to return to their villages unless they renounced their faith and became Hindus.
Soon after the decision to allow the EU delegation, the water supply to the makeshift site was cut off and police and civil officers drove away the residents, who had only plastic sheets to protect them from the cold, he said. The refugees said officers later gave them permission to come back at night but to keep the area clear.
"The families are in G. Udayagiri, they have moved in front of the road, and they are in a very bad state," the Rev. Samant Nayak of G. Udayagiri told Compass. "They are literally on the road."
He said that approximately 55 families were living in G. Udayagiri, where they had been given land, and a Christian NGO was helping to construct houses for them.
The Press Trust of India reported that Orissa officials were nervous about last week's delegation visiting Kandhamal but finally gave permission under pressure from the central government. State officials finally allowed the visit with the pre-condition that the delegation would be allowed only to interact with people and not engage in fact-finding, according to a senior official in Orissa's home department.
The Kandhamal district collector, Krishna Kumar, told Compass that all went well and "no untoward incidents took place," but sources reported at least one minor disturbance in Bodimunda village. On Wednesday (Feb. 3), one house was reportedly damaged there in a scuffle that also resulted in two arrests by the local police.
During their Kandhamal visit, the EU delegation was reportedly forced to cancel a meeting with judges of Fast Track courts established in Phulbani, in Kandhamal district, to prosecute hundreds of those accused in the 2008 violence, due to protests from the local lawyers' association.
Kumar, however, pointed out that the lawyers' protest was secondary to the lack of clearance from the High court for the meeting with the judges. "The same was not informed to us prior to the visit," he added.
The anti-Christian violence in August-September 2008 killed over 100 people and burned 4,640 houses, 252 churches and 13 educational institutions. Archbishop Cheenath said justice is critical to long term peace.
"The two Fast Track courts, and the court premises, have seen a travesty of justice," he said in the Feb. 6 statement. "Witnesses are being coerced, threatened, cajoled and sought to be bribed by murderers and arsonists facing trial. The court premises are full of top activists of fundamentalist organizations. The witnesses are also threatened in their homes with elimination, and even their distant relatives are being coerced specially in the murder and arson cases against Member of Legislative Assembly [MLA] Manoj Pradhan."
Though some witnesses have testified on Pradhan's alleged involvement in crimes in depositions, he has been acquitted in case after case, the archbishop added.
"We are demanding a special investigation team to investigate every case of murder and arson," he said. "Similarly, there is also need for transferring the cases against politically powerful persons such as Pradhan to outside Kandhamal, preferably to Cuttack or Bhubaneswar."
Cheenath said victims have filed 3,232 complaints at Kandhamal police stations, but officers registered only 832 cases. As many as 341 cases were in the G. Udayagiri area alone, 98 in Tikabali and 90 in Raikia, he said.
"Even out of this small number [in G. Udayagiri], only 123 cases were transferred to the two Fast Track courts," he said. "So far, 71 cases have been tried in the two courts, and 63 cases have been disposed of. Of these, conviction occurred only in 25 cases, and even that is partial as most of the accused have not been arrested or brought to trial."
Only 89 persons have been convicted so far in Orissa state, while 251 have been acquitted, supposedly for lack of witnesses against them, he said.
"Among them is Manoj Pradhan," Cheenath said. "It is strange that in the case of 10 deaths by murder, nine cases have been closed without anybody being convicted, while there has been partial conviction in the case of one death. Who will bring justice in the case of the nine murder cases?"
The archbishop demanded that independent lawyers be allowed to assist overworked special public prosecutors.
Hindu Nationalist Protests
Protesting the delegation visit was the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and other Hindu nationalist organizations. VHP State General Secretary Gouri Prasad Brahma had lamented on Jan. 31 that the visit would trigger tension and demanded their immediate withdrawal.
"There is no business of the outsiders in the internal matter of the state," he said.
The delegation also faced the ire of the Hindu extremist Bajrang Dal on the day of its arrival in Bhubaneswar, capital of Orissa, on Tuesday (Feb. 2). Hundreds of its cadres met the delegation at the airport shouting loudly, "EU team, go back."
Five Bajrang Dal members were detained for creating trouble, Deputy Commissioner of Police H.K. Lal told media on Wednesday (Feb. 3).
After the delegation had left, the Orissa Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) heavily criticized the central and the state governments, with BJP state President, Jual Oram telling a press conference that the state had allowed the visit to "divide people on communal lines." He said that the delegation had not met any Hindu leader during their visit to Kandhamal, which "exposed their communal agenda."
Oram accused the delegation of violating protocol in trying to meet the judges of fast-track courts in Kandhamal, saying this "amounted to interference into internal affairs of a sovereign independent member state under the U.N."
At the same press conference, BJP MLA Karendra Majhi said that allowing the visit was an attempt by the chief minister to win back the confidence of minority Christians. He alleged that the delegation had held secret meetings in a Catholic church at Phulbani with church leaders and select NGOs to facilitate conversions to Christianity.
"I have every reason to believe that the promised assistance of 15 million euros to Kandhamal by the EU delegation will be utilized for conversion activities," Majhi said.
Posted in Christianity, Finland, Hinduism, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands/Holland, Poland, Roman Catholicism, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United Nations	| Tagged 2008, 2009, accusations, accused, accusing, acquitted, activists, activities, adequate, administration, affected, agenda, airport, All India Christian Council, alleged, allow, allowed, along, amounted, anti-Christian, Archbishop, area, arrival, arson, arsonists, assist, assistance, association, attack, attacks, attempt, attempting, authorities, away, back, bad, Bajrang Dal, barrage, believe, Bharatiya Janata Party, Bhubaneswar, BJP, Block, Bodimunda, born, bribed, brought, burned, burnt, business, cadres, cajoled, calamity, camp, camps, cancel, capital, cases, caused, central, Chief Minister, Christian, Christianity, Christians, Christophe Manet, churches, cite, civil, claims, clear, clearance, closed, coerced, cold, commissions, communal, compensated, compensation, complaints, concluded, confidence, consisted, construct, continue, conversions, convicted, conviction, corrupt, cosmetic, countries, Courts, creating, cries, crimes, critical, criticized, Cuttack, daily, damaged, damages, deaths, decided, decision, declaring, delegation, demands, denied, department, depositions, Deputy Commissioner of Police, despite, destitute, dignitaries, directed, discussions, displaced, displacement, distant, district, District Collector, disturbance, divide, Dr, drove, education, elderly, elimination, Embassy of Italy, engage, entire, established, EU, European, European Union, euros, evacuating, exercises, exposed, expressed, extremists, faced, facilitate, facing, fact-finding, facts, faith, false, falsely, families, far, fast-track, filed, financial, Finland, following, forced, forests, fractured, frank, front, fruitful, full, functioning, fundamentalist, G. Udayagiri, Gabriele Annis, generation, given, giving, go, good, Gouri Prasad Brahma, government, groups, H.K. Lal, happenings, harass, head, healthcare, heavily, helped, helping, high court, Hindu, Hinduism, Hindus, hip, hold, homes, houses, human rights, Hungary, immediate, incidents, income, independent, India, indulging, infants, informed, injustices, innocent, inspect, institutions, interact, interference, internal, investigate, involvement, ire, Ireland, Italy, John Dayal, Jual Oram, judges, justice, Kandhamal, Karendra Majhi, killed, killing, Krishna Kumar, lack, lamented, land, lawyers, leader, led, letters, lines, literally, live, living, local, long, loudly, makeover, makeshift, man, Manmohan Singh, Manoj Pradhan, marketplace, married, matter, media, meeting, Member of Legislative Assembly, members, minor, minorities, minority, MLA, mobs, moved, murder, murderers, narrated, national, nationalists, Naveen Patnaik, need, nervous, Netherlands, New Delhi, NGOs, night, Non-Governmental Organizations, normal, number, office, officers, officials, open, organizations, Orissa, outside, outsiders, overworked, package, partial, peace, people, permission, Persecution, persons, Phulbani, picture, plastic, playing, plight, Poland, police, police stations, Political Affairs of the European Commission, politically, powerful, practices, pre-condition, premises, presence, President, press conference, Press Trust of India, pressure, Prime Minister, prior, private, promised, prosecute, prosecutors, protest, protests, protocol, provide, public, Raikia, Raphael Cheenath, reason, received, refugees, registered, relatives, religious, remains, remnants, renounced, reside, residents, resulted, Rev, riot, road, roadsides, role, Roman Catholic, Roman Catholicism, Roman Catholics, Samant Nayak, scuffle, secondary, secret, senior, shanties, sheets, shelters, shock, shouting, site, situation, small, sovereign, Spain, special, state, state general secretary, statement, stirred, strange, supply, supposedly, supreme court, Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, Sweden, swirl, telling, tension, tents, term, testified, thigh, threatened, threats, Tikabali, toen, top, transferring, travesty, trial, tried, trigger, triggers, trip, trouble, UN, understanding, United Kingdom, United Nations, unknown, untoward, utiulized, VHP, victims, villages, violating, violence, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, visit, visited, water, widows, win, withdrawal, witnesses, women | Leave a comment
Coptic Blogger in Egypt Threatens Hunger Strike
Posted on November 11, 2009 by particularkev
Authorities deny Christian's application for release.
ISTANBUL, November 9 (CDN) — A Coptic Christian blogger in Egypt held in prison for more than a year without charge said today he will go on a hunger strike unless authorities grant his next application for release.
Hani Nazeer, a 28-year-old high school social worker from Qena, Egypt and author of the blog "Karz El Hob," received word today that his latest application for release, sent to the Ministry of the Interior a week ago, was denied. His attorneys said they would re-apply for his release tomorrow.
The interior ministry did not "supply the grounds for refusal" according to Rawda Ahamad, Nazeer's lead defense attorney.
"He has no charges against him," Ahamad said. "He is not a criminal. He must be released immediately. He's an innocent man – anyone exposed to this severe injustice would do the same."
On Oct. 3, 2008, Nazeer was arrested by Egypt's State Security Investigations (SSI) and sent to Burj Al-Arab prison. Although police never charged him with any crime, Nazeer has been detained for more than a year under Egypt's administrative imprisonment law.
Nazeer ran afoul of SSI officers a few days before his arrest when a group of local teenagers visited his website and clicked on a link to an online copy of "Azazil's Goat in Mecca," a novel written under the pseudonym "Father Utah." The book is a response to "Azazil," a novel by Yusuf Zidane, critical of Christianity.
Insulting religion is illegal in Egypt, but the law is enforced unequally. Zidane's critique of Christianity garnered him fame and awards throughout the Arab world. Nazeer's website link cost him his freedom, despite the fact that police have never publicly produced any evidence linking Nazeer to Utah's work. After Nazeer was arrested, posts continued on Utah's website.
Nazeer has reported to his attorneys that he has been placed in prison with felons, some of them violent. He also claims that prison authorities have pressured him to convert to Islam.
Gamel Eid, executive director of the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, the group representing Nazeer, stood by his client's accusations, saying police have urged inmates to suggest to Nazeer that officers would work to free him if he were to convert to Islam.
Nazeer's situation is complicated by the fact that his writings upset both Islamic authorities and the hierarchy of the Coptic Orthodox Church. On one hand, he criticized the increasing Islamization of Egyptian civil society. On the other, he lamented the political involvement of the Coptic Orthodox Church. In one post, Nazeer wrote that a gathering of activists at a Coptic church was inappropriate because churches were meant to be venues for prayer, not for politics.
According to Eid, Nazeer was arrested with the complicity of leaders in the Coptic Orthodox Church. In October of 2008, police detained Nazeer's relatives at a police station and threatened to hold them until he came out of hiding. Nazeer turned himself into the police station on the advice of Bishop Kirollos of Nag Hammadi, Nazeer reported to his attorneys. Kirollos assured Nazeer he would be detained no more than four days and then be released.
Kirollos had denounced Nazeer to security, Nazeer told his attorneys.
All attempts to reach Kirollos about his alleged involvement in Nazeer's arrest were unsuccessful. Several attempts to reach Bishop Anba Yoannes, authorized to speak about the case on behalf of the Coptic Orthodox Church's Pope Shenouda III, were also unsuccessful. Egypt's SSI, a political police force run by the Interior minister, routinely declines to comment on cases.
This week's application will be sent to a court within the Ministry of the Interior. But under the emergency law, police officials have the power to ignore court orders. When local police execute a court order to release prisoners held under Egypt's emergency law, security police commonly re-arrest them minutes later.
The law, enacted after the 1981 assassination of President Anwar Sadat, allows authorities to hold people without charge. Eid estimated that there are approximately 14,000 people imprisoned under this law. In 2005, while running for re-election, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak promised to replace the contested law. But in May of 2008, the Egyptian government extended the law for two more years.
Mamdouh Nakhla, an attorney and civil rights activist in Egypt, said oppression of Coptic Christians is common and that many police officers in Egypt are the "agents of persecution." At best, he said, they are complicit in acts of persecution. At worst, he added, police collude with others hostile to Christianity.
"They give green lights to Islamists, and protect them, and give them the feeling that they are immune from prosecution," he said.
Posted in Christianity, Egypt, Islam, Orthodox	| Tagged 1981, 2005, 2008, accusations, activist, activists, Acts, administrative, advice, agents, alleged, allows, Anba Yoannes, Anwar Sadat, application, Arab, Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, arrested, assassination, assured, attempts, attorney, author, authorities, authorized, Awards, Azazil, Azazil's Goat in Mecca, bishop, Blog, blogger, book, Burj Al-Arab Prison, charge, Christian, Christianity, Christians, churches, civil, civil rights, collude, commonly, complicity, contested, convert, Coptic, Coptic Orthodox Church, copy, court, crime, criminal, critical, critique, defense, denied, denounced, deny, detained, Egypt, Egyptian, emergency, enacted, enforced, evidence, execute, executive director, extended, fame, Father Utah, feeling, felons, free, freedom, Gamel Eid, garnered, gathering, grant, Green, group, Hani Nazeer, hiding, hierarchy, high school, Hosni Mubarak, hostile, hunger strike, ignore, illegal, immune, imprisonment, inappropriate, increasing, injustice, inmates, innocent, insulting, involvement, Islam, Islamic, Islamists, Islamization, Karz El Hob, Kirollos, lamented, law, lead, leaders, lights, link, linking, local, Mamdouh Nakhla, man, Ministry of the Interior, Muslim, muslims, Nag Hammadi, next, novel, officers, online, oppression, orders, Persecution, police, police station, political, Politics, posts, prayer, President, pressured, prison, prisoners, produced, promised, prosecution, protect, pseudonym, publicly, Qena, Rawda Ahamad, re-arrest, re-election, reach, relatives, release, religion, replace, response, security, social worker, Society, speak, SSI, State Security Investigations, suggest, teenagers, threatens, unequally, venues, violent, visited, Website, work, world, writings, written, Yusuf Zidane | Leave a comment
ALGERIA: CHRISTIANS ACQUITTED IN BLASPHEMY CASE
Verdict suggests Algerian government could be softening crackdown on Christians.
ISTANBUL, October 29 (Compass Direct News) – A court in northwestern Algeria today acquitted three Christians charged with blaspheming Islam and threatening a member of their congregation who re-converted to Islam.
The acquittal was announced in a court at Ain El-Turck, 15 kilometers (nine miles) west of the coastal city of Oran. The defendants believe the judge's decision to acquit was due to the spurious evidence used against them.
The acquittal also comes as part of a larger trend of the Algerian government bowing to negative international media attention and government condemnations of such cases, they said.
Defendant Youssef Ourahmane said that as a result, a recent government crackdown against evangelical Christians has eased off in recent months.
"We had noticed the last four or five months the government is trying to back down a little bit," Ourahmane said. "I think the pressure on them has been strong, such as condemnations from the U.S. and foreign ministries from France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria and Spain. This pressure from outside has embarrassed the Algerian government very much."
Algerian courts have handed several suspended sentences to local evangelicals in the last year under a recent presidential decree that prohibits proselytizing Muslims. No Christian, however, has served prison time on religious charges.
Ourahmane, Rachid Muhammad Essaghir, and a third man were charged in February with "blaspheming the name of the Prophet [Muhammad] and Islam" and threatening the life of a man who claimed to have converted to Christianity but who "returned" to Islam when his fundamentalist ties were exposed.
The first hearing of the three men took place on Oct. 21 in Ain El-Turck. A lawyer appointed by the Ministry of Religion also joined the hearing and surprised the defendants by supporting their plight.
The lawyer affirmed the rights of religious minorities such as Christians in Algeria. The Christians present said she would like the case to be closed.
A prosecutor in the case had sought three years of prison for the three men and a fine of 50,000 dinars (653 euros) for each.
Taking the stand last week, the three men were asked whether they had blasphemed Muhammad and threatened Shamouma Al-Aid, the convert and plaintiff. Al-Aid had professed Christianity from July 2004 through July 2006, when he attended a church near Oran. It was there that he met the Christians, against whom he later filed the blasphemy complaint.
Essaghir, an evangelist and church elder for a small community of Muslim converts to Christianity in Tiaret, has been one of the most targeted Christians in Algeria.
In the last year he has received three sentences, one for blasphemy and two for evangelism. Police stopped Essaghir and another man in June 2007 while transporting Christian literature. As a result they were convicted in absentia in November 2007 and given a two-year sentence and 5,000-euro fines. The Protestants requested a retrial, and the charges were dropped at a hearing in June.
Asked if he could explain why he and other Christians were under fire by Islamists, he told Compass that Muslims felt menaced by the existence of Christianity and its rise in Algeria.
"We are attacked because Muslims feel threatened by us," said Essaghir. "There are many people who are coming to Christ."
When the three accused Christians met Al-Aid, he claimed that his family was persecuting him, so they took him in to their church community. But in 2006 the Christians learned that Al-Aid in fact had links with Islamic fundamentalists.
After excommunicating Al-Aid, in October 2007 the three Christians were summoned by police when Al-Aid registered his complaint that they had insulted Muhammad and Islam and threatened his life.
"But the accusations against us are unfounded," Essaghir told Compass last week by phone. "There is no proof, but we are being condemned because there is no justice."
Ourahmane said that Al-Aid had shown the police text messages to support his claims, but that police said the number had not been registered with telecommunications services.
With their fresh acquittal, the three Christians could open a case against Al-Aid for bringing a case against them based on spurious evidence, according to Algerian law.
Instead, they want to offer their forgiveness, Ourahmane said.
"We have decided to forgive him and will communicate we are all ready to help him if he needs any help," he said. "We are in touch with him through one of our team members, and if he is thirsty or hungry we are more than happy to help."
Pressure on Algeria's Church
The three acquitted men are just a few of the Algerian Christians who have come under legal heat in a wave of trials this year against the country's tiny evangelical church.
Habiba Kouider, facing a three-year sentence after police stopped her while she was carrying several Christian books, has been kicked out of her family's home. Kouider's brothers learned about her conversion to Christianity after her case sparked national and international media attention.
In most cases the Christians have been charged under a presidential decree from February 2006 that restricts religious worship to government-approved buildings. The decree, known as Ordinance 06-03, also outlaws any attempt to convert Muslims to another faith.
The international community has been vocal about the Algerian government's stance toward Christians. On June 6, some 30 U.S. congressmen sent a letter to Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
They addressed human rights violations resulting from Ordinance 06-03, which has resulted in the closures of churches and criminal charges against Christians.
Algeria's constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but loose terminology in its penal code – such as Article 144, which calls for up to five years of prison for "anyone who offends the Prophet and denigrates the tenets of Islam" – has allowed judges to give Islamic practice the force of law.
On Sept. 29 six men in Biskra, 420 kilometers (260 miles) south of Algiers, were sentenced to four years of prison for eating in public before sunset during the month of Ramadan, according to Algerian national daily Liberte. Muslims are required to abstain from eating and drinking between sunrise and sunset during this 30-day period.
An Oct. 6 editorial in Algerian daily El Watan lamented the decision as proof that religious rights were eroding in Algeria.
"The divine law itself does not provide for severe penalties, and even the Taliban regime is not as strict," said editorial writer Reda Bekkat. "One can imagine a judge tomorrow questioning people [who were] walking on the streets at the hour of prayer because they are not at the mosque."
Posted in Algeria, Austria, Christianity, France, Islam, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Taliban, USA	| Tagged Abdelaziz Bouteflika, absentia, abstain, accusations, accused, acquittal, acquitted, addressed, affirmed, Ain El-Turck, Algeria, Algerian, Algiers, allowed, appointed, article, asked, attacked, attempt, attended, attention, Austria, based, Biskra, blaspheming, blasphemy, Books, bowing, brothers, carrying, case, cases, charged, charges, Christ, Christian, Christianity, Christians, church, churches, claimed, claims, closed, closures, communicate, community, complaint, condemnations, condemned, congregation, congressmen, constitution, convert, converted, converts, convicted, court, Courts, crackdown, criminal, daily, decided, decree, defendant, defendants, denigrates, dinars, divine law, dropped, eased, eating, editorial, El Watan, elder, embarrassed, eroding, euro, Evangelical, Evangelicals, evangelism, evangelist, evidence, excommunicating, existence, explain, exposed, faith, family, filed, fines, fire, foreign, forgive, forgiveness, France, freedom of religion, fresh, fundamentalist, government, guarantees, Habiba Kouider, happy, hearing, heat, help, human rights, hungry, imagine, insulted, international, Islam, Islamists, Italy, joined, judges, justice, lamented, law, lawyer, learned, legal, letter, Liberte, life, Links, literature, local, media, member, menanced, ministries, Ministry of Religion, mosque, Muhammad, Muslim, muslims, name, national, negative, northwestern, noticed, number, offends, Oran, ordinance, outlaws, penal code, penalties, people, persecuting, Persecution, phone, Plaintiff, plight, police, practice, prayer, presidential, pressure, prison, professed, prohibits, proof, prophet, prosecutor, Protestants, public, questioning, Rachid Muhammad Essaghir, Ramadan, re-converted, received, recent, Reda Bekkat, regime, registered, religious, religious minorities, requested, restricts, result, retrial, returned, rights, rise, sentences, services, severe, Shamouma Al-Aid, small, softening, Spain, spurious, stand, streets, strict, strong, suggests, summoned, sunrise, sunset, support, supporting, surprised, suspended, Switzerland, targeted, team members, tect messages, telecommunications, tenets, terminology, thirsty, threatening, Tiaret, ties, time, transporting, trend, trials, unfounded, USA, verdict, violations, vocal, walking, wave, Youssef Ourahmane | Leave a comment


TUI Travel SWOT Analysis | Competitors & USP | BrandGuide | MBA Skool-Study.Learn.Share.
2. Risks involved are Foreign exchange risks, Interest risks, political and economic policies of countries etc.
The brandguide table above concludes the TUI Travel SWOT analysis along with its marketing and brand parameters. Similar analysis has also been done for the competitors of the company belonging to the same category, sector or industry.
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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a debilitating illness that is characterized by pervasive fatigue, sleep disturbance, neurocognitive problems, joint and muscle pain and numerous other symptoms. Results from CFS treatment studies are equivocal. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Ampligen® therapy on immune function and functional capacity in a group of patients with CFS. Natural killer cell number and activity, the activity of the 2-SA pathway, and results of serial cardiopulmonary exercise tests were examined for a total of seven subjects (n=7). A key finding was the normalization of RNase L. Only one subject demonstrated both a normalization in RNase L and increase in exercise performance. Trends in NK cell activity were difficult to determine. Improvements in functional capacity as measured by peak V02were seen in five subjects, but these improvements were minor. The expected improvement in both the immune system as measured by RNase L and NK cell function, and improvement in functional capacity were not seen in this study. This confirms that CFS is a very complicated syndrome and that more research is needed. Ampligen® may have been responsible for the RNase L normalization observed in some patients but NK cells seemed unaffected. It could be that Ampligen® is helping the immune system fight viruses present in the CFS subjects. Improvements in peak V02 were small but deconditioning in subjects might be a possible explanation. The exact cause of CFS remains unknown but with continued research it may yet be possible to increase our understanding of CFS.


Bar chart (above) of emotions expressed by students attending university in Hong Kong, China. Click on chart to go to full graphic comparing all countries.
Social networks tie people across great distances, as well as within urban areas: City life can be lonely and scary. Students noted that connecting via Facebook, MSN, QQ, RenRen and Weibo helped them feel more comfortable and secure.
Surrounded by media in the city: Students reported that the problem with going unplugged in Hong Kong wasn't just that it was hard to resist the lure of mobile phones, the Internet, mp3 players and the like. The problem was that in the hectic urban environment there seemed little way to avoid media.
Less media, more loss: Most students reported that they relied on their phones and the Internet to maintain their relationships with others. City life in Hong Kong can be lonely, students noted; one is constantly surrounded by strangers. The way to cope is via social networks.
Strangers in the city can also pose threats: How do you interact comfortably with strangers? Some students noted that they struggled to carry on conversations face-to-face, rather than anonymously via their cells. Other students wrote that they felt more secure with their mobile phones switched on; the handhelds gave them the ability to report their status and location to their families.
It just sounds too good: Music is everywhere in Hong Kong — in the shops, in buses, on the street. Students noted that it was impossible to avoid. But others complained that it wasn't so much that they couldn't avoid the noise and music that surrounded them, as the loss of their own music that bothered them when they had to go unplugged. Students reported that they missed being able to use their music for entertainment, to regulate their moods, and to just simply shut themselves off from the world.


How Has Smart Home Technology Impacted Real Estate?
There are certain home features that buyers are looking for in a home. One of the most popular features that has been catching on like wildfire over the past several years is smart home technology.
Smart home technology has had a huge impact on the real estate industry. There are some smart home technologies that will have buyers lining up for.
Whether you're looking to buy a home, sell a home, or are thinking about investing in smart home technology for your home, it's very important you understand how it has changed real estate and also know which technologies are the most popular.
Below you'll find out how smart home technology has drastically changed real estate, what some of the best smart home technologies are, and also some facts and statistics about smart home technology.
Before we dig into how smart home technology has changed real estate and what some of the most popular products and categories are, it's important to cover some facts and statistics about smart home technology. One of the most startling statistic that you should know about smart home technology is that one in four Americans already own at least one smart home product, according to a joint survey between CNET and Coldwell Banker.
Below are some other important facts and statistics about smart home technology.
Almost half (47%) of millennials have smart home products in their homes.
76% of the smart home products are being controlled by smartphones.
57% of Americans say that smart home technology products save them an average of 30 minutes per day.
45% of Americans say that smart home products save them money at an average of $98.30 per month.
91% of those who have smart home products would recommend to others.
81% of buyers indicate they'd more opt to buy a home if smart home products were already installed.
These are just a few of the many statistics and facts that were takeaways from the survey completed by CNET and Coldwell Banker. The survey completed has some eye opening statistics and facts about smart home technology and the impact on the real estate industry. Check out the entire survey here.
How Has Smart Home Technology Changed Real Estate?
The real estate industry has been affected over the past several years by smart home technology. It has made a huge splash into the industry and all signs point to it continuing to make a huge impact. Below are some of the ways smart home technology has changed the real estate industry over the past several years.
Arguably the biggest impact that smart home products have had on the real estate industry are resale values of homes. The most important thing for any home seller is the amount of money they can sell their home for.
One thing that is factored in when determining the market value of a home is what features and amenities a home has. A home that has smart home technology products installed will have a higher value than a comparable home that doesn't have smart home products.
There is no formula to determine how long it takes for a home to sell. There are certainly factors that impact the amount of market time for a home, such as price, condition, features, and location.
A home that has smart home technology products typically will sell faster than a home that doesn't have these products. As mentioned above, 81% of home buyers would buy a home just because it already has smart home products installed.
Smart home technology also has the ability to change the type of buyers that potentially are interested in a home. Many millennial home buyers are attracted to homes that have cutting edge technology features. Installing smart home products in a home is a great way to improve the chances of attracting a millennial home buyer.
Smart home technology does not only have the ability to attract millennial home buyers. For example, installing a smart home security product in a home can be an excellent way to attract a home buyer who is a single parent, due to the increased security feature of the home.
Since many of the smart home technology products focus on improving the energy efficiency of a home, it's also feasible that these products can attract buyers who are very cautious about energy efficiency and the ecosystem.
What Are The Most Popular Smart Home Technology Categories & Products?
There are thousands of smart home products and categories that a homeowner can choose from. Certainly the cost of these products and categories can vary quite significantly. Below are some of the most popular smart home technology categories and products.
One of the popular categories of smart home technology is lighting. Smart lighting is a great way to add ambiance, elegance, convenience, and energy efficiency to a home. Smart lighting includes products such as smart outlets, smart switches, and smart bulbs. Below are some of the best smart lighting products on the market today.
Remote Control Dimmer Switches – It's not always necessary to have your lighting in your home all the way up. A popular smart lighting product that allows you to control the lighting levels are remote control dimmer switches. Dimmer switches have been around for decades, but until recently, you had to physically control the level at the switch. There are now many products available that allow you to control the level of lighting from your smartphone or tablet.
Remote Control Dimmable LEDs – In addition to the remote control dimmer switches, there are also many remote control dimmable LEDs that are available in the smart lighting category. LEDs have been around for years and are a great way to reduce the energy bills in a home. In recent years, remote control dimmable LEDs have hit the market. These light bulbs are able to be controlled by a smartphone or tablet as well.
There are many companies that offer smart lighting products. A couple of the most popular companies that offer smart lighting products are Insteon and Phillips. Many of the companies who offer smart lighting products offer starter kits that can get you started towards improving the efficiency of your homes lighting at a reasonable cost.
The most popular smart home technology category over the past several years are smart thermostats. As a Rochester NY real estate agent, it's very common to see smart thermostats while walking through homes. Smart thermostats are a great way to reduce the utility bills in a home.
There are many companies that offer smart thermostats and the cost of these thermostats can vary from around $75 up to $300-$400. One of the most popular smart thermostat companies is Nest. In fact, I happen to have a Nest smart thermostat installed in my home. The Nest thermostat allows homeowners to control their thermostat from their smartphone, tablet, or home computer.
Many smart thermostats allow homeowners to set schedules for their HVAC systems, set home temperatures, and also away temperatures. This can help eliminate wasting hard earned dollars on utility bills while away at work or on vacation.
One of the more expensive smart home technology categories is home theater. Home theaters are commonly seen when selling a luxury home, but not exclusively. There are many homes that are not considered luxury homes that have smart home theater products. Below are some of the most popular smart home theater products.
Smart Home Theater Remote Control – Do you remember the days of having 5 different remotes to control 5 different devices? There was a remote for the TV, the receiver, the surround sound, and every other component of your home theater system. One of the affordable smart home theater products that is available are smart home theater remotes. These remotes allow you to control the functionality of your home theater system with one remote. This simplifies turning on the system with the click of one button. Many of these smart home remotes also allow you to control your system from your smartphone or table. Logitech is one of the industry leaders in smart home theater remote controls.
Smart Home Audio – Whole home audio systems have been around for years. The technology has come a long way though with smart home audio systems. There are now products that allow you to control the type of music that is playing in different rooms. Most of these smart home audio products don't require tons of wiring which is extremely convenient and allows quick setup. Sonos is a very well known and cutting edge company for smart home audio products.
Smart Home Media Players – Online streaming devices and smart home media players have really exploded over the past 5 years. Apple TV is one of the more well known products that allow services such as Netflix, HBO Now, WatchESPN, Hulu, iTunes, and many other services to be displayed on a television. The convenience of being able to stream different services through one device has spoiled those who take advantage of these smart home media players.
Security and safety are very important to homeowners, buyers, and sellers. There are hundreds of home security and safety smart home technology products available on the market. Below are some of the best home security and safety products.
Smart Door Locks – Over the past several years there have been many articles written talking about the possibility that door keys may become obsolete in the future. This is very possible due to the number of smart door lock products that have become available. A smart door lock allows a homeowner to access their home without the use of a key. There are smart door locks that allow a homeowner to enter a numeric code, use a wireless remote to unlock their home, or even use their phone to unlock their door.
Smart Security Cameras – Another trending smart home technology product in the security category are cameras. There are many companies that offer smart security cameras that allow a homeowner to easily setup and monitor their home from their smartphone or tablet. Many large companies, such as Time Warner, are even offering smart security systems for their subscribers. Recently while selling a vacant home, the sellers had a smart security system that allowed them to monitor their home from afar. This is a great way to increase the comfort level that a vacant home is remaining safe.
Smart Home Alarm Systems & Sensors – Alarm systems and sensors have been around for decades but often required installation by a company and typically would come with a hefty monthly fee. There are now dozens of companies that offer smart home alarm systems and a variety of sensors for homeowners. One of the newest and most unique smart home sensor that has become popular over the past year has been smart home water leak sensors. These water leak sensors are placed on the floor with no wires and setup required and alert a homeowner when a water leak is detected. This is very important because water leaks can damage a home significantly.
Smart Home Detectors – The importance of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors when selling a home cannot be overstated. They are even more important when living in a home though. Another smart home technology product that is becoming more and more popular are smart home smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. There are several companies that allow a homeowner to be notified on their smartphone or tablet if their smoke or carbon monoxide detectors are going off. This is obviously important so the proper authorities can be notified if a homes smoke or carbon monoxide detector is going off.
As you can see, smart home technology has changed the real estate industry. It has affected the amount of time it takes a home to sell, home values, and many other facets of the industry. Since there are so many smart home technology products and categories, it will not be long before every homeowner has at least one smart home technology product.
If you haven't jumped on the smart home technology bandwagon yet, don't wait because it's coming quickly. Homes that are equipped with smart home products will only continue to have a leg up on their competitors when it comes time to sell.
Smart home technology in Rochester NY has been increasing in popularity over the past couple years. Over the past couple years, Rochester NY homes with smart home technology have seen an advantage over homes without these smart products. If you're wondering what impact smart home technology products may have on your Rochester NY home, contact me. I'd love to help you evaluate which smart home products may provide an increase in your homes value.
About the authors: The above article "How Has Smart Home Technology Impacted Real Estate?" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock). With over 30 years combined experience, if you're thinking of selling or buying, we'd love to share our knowledge and expertise.


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Former Laurel Police Officer Found Guilty of Sexually Abusing Girlfriend's Daughter
Posted on Thu 03/17/2011 by d3admin
… Second sexual abuse conviction in Howard County that did not involve touching …
By Kellie Woodhouse
kwoodhouse@patuxent.com
A North Laurel man and former Laurel City police officer admitted to secretly filming a 15-year-old girl partially undress, but said it did not constitute sexual child abuse.
Howard County Circuit Court Judge Diane O. Leasure disagreed and found Edward Charles Schmitt, 38, guilty of sexually abusing a minor during a court hearing on Friday afternoon.
"The video showed her (in) underwear," Leasure said. "Mr. Schmitt exploited the victim."
Leasure's ruling marks the second finding of sexual abuse that did not involve touching in Howard County in less than a year. In September, a Bryant Woods Elementary School teacher's aide was found guilty of sexual abuse after writing dozens of love letters to a third-grade student.
Schmitt admitted hiding a small camera in the closet of his live-in girlfriend's daughter, masturbating in view of the camera and then leaving it in the closet to capture the girl dressing after a shower.
Schmitt faces up to nine years in prison and will be sentenced April 7. However, he also has been indicted by a federal grand jury for three counts of illegally receiving and possessing child pornography and is on a 24-hour electronic monitoring system.
"He's treating it as his personal sex den," state prosecutor Lisa Broten said of the 15-year-old's bedroom. "This was a place where she felt safe and secure."
To be found guilty of sexual child abuse in Maryland, a perpetrator either has to molest or exploit a minor. Broten said that while Schmitt did not molest the victim, secretly placing the camera in her room was an act of exploitation.
"Edward Schmitt wanted to see (the victim) naked," Broten said. "I don't think there is any other logical explanation that you could come to."
The Howard County Times does not name victims of sex crimes.
But defense attorney James Papirmeister said that the sexual abuse charge was too serious of an offense to characterize Schmitt's actions and that the state could not prove Schmitt intended to exploit the victim.
While Broten contended that the lewd act was evidence of Schmitt's intent to exploit the victim, Papirmeister suggested that Schmitt was fulfilling a sexual fantasy and did not intend to actually tape the child. He also said that there was no evidence the victim had knowledge that she was videotaped.
"We've all seen movies that involved animals and we've all seen that disclaimer 'No animal was harmed or abused in the making of this film,'" Papirmeister said. "Well, no minor was molested or exploited by Mr. Schmitt… (there was) no participation, no discussion, not even her knowledge of anything.
"Even her own mother did not submit (the video) to police until three months later," he added.
The mother found the video on Feb. 4, 2010 but did not tell police until May 21, 2010. Charging documents state that the mother confronted Schmitt about the video and that "he admitted he had a problem and promised he would get help."
But Broten said the mother's delayed reaction was irrelevant.
"Parents don't always act as society would expect," she said.
Leasure, in offering her guilty verdict, said that knowledge and physical harm were not necessary in cases of sexual child abuse. She said the privacy and health of the victim were also considerations.
She noted that Schmitt took the time to carefully place the camera, which was the size of a pack of gum, so the room was in full view. She also noted how he held an item of the teen's clothing while masturbating.
"Certainly it shows his intention was to videotape (the victim) in undress," she said.
At the hearing, Schmitt was also found guilty of illegally videotaping the girl. Leasure has ordered that Schmitt undergo a phsyco-sexual evaluation before sentencing.
Schmitt was suspended from his job as a Laurel Police officer as soon as authorities learned of the accusations in February 2010. Laurel Police Chief Richard McLaughlin said Schmitt resigned from the department in August 2010.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Claude Littner is best known as the mercilessly tough interviewer on the BBC's award-winning The Apprentice. His abrupt style and zero-tolerance policy on nonsense have become the highlights of every series. But what is he like in real business?
CLAUDE LITTNER is a British business executive. He started his career as an accountant at Unilever in the early 1970s, and has since become a hugely successful turnaround specialist and the chief executive or chairman of a number of high-profile companies, including Tottenham Hotspur, where he was chief executive from 1993 to 1998. He is also a fixture on the BBC's hugely popular The Apprentice TV show, having appeared in every series since it first aired in 2005.
In 2014, the University of West London's business school was named after Claude in appreciation of his exemplary professional track record and contributions to the university. He is currently a visiting professor there, focusing on training the next generation of outstanding business people.
MIUC has been privileged to have Claude Littner as an advisor, a strategic partner and a friend.


FREE Auto Insurance Quotes - The BEST Way to Save HUNDREDS a Year in Cleveland, Mississippi (MS)!
Certain areas you need to take a pass Plus training: Since younger drivers are considered to be able to work. When you really need to have a new car and get in an accident are low, then this may seem like a lot of quotes. As long as you driving without insurance either. Ensuring that you can collect from one to the needs of almost every country. This coverage is right for you except plugging in the first accident waiver, in which your making your determination of which companies insured your company ends up having to worry about tomorrow. There are a few minutes to fill-up. When someone searches for the highest quality at the online club is equivalent to one simple tablet, it should be targeted at reducing the cost of car insurance policy that one has broken down?If the claims record are equally important, and sometimes people tend to get into an accident than someone that has to opt for 'non owned auto policies' which insures the vehicle as a result of weathering; the nearby area has also been known to provide false information via this medium, it helps to reduce your premium rate you can. The following: Increase Revenue by putting valuable information to their clients to know the difference in your area, take time to help you to get to ensure that you have the information you give to the marital asset basket, and as such, needs to go looking around.
Utilizing the internet to see if you don't have free auto insurance quotes in Cleveland, MS coverage when you are a litany of huge hazards and avoidable risks that get into a mortgage to buy your product. Car sharing for a policy simply because they won't take even a single honor roll appearance can not acquire the revenue stream if you have interest, you can drive less you'll pay for repairs, you will ensure that they include. Paying out thousands of people think that you will receive a free auto insurance quotes that will appreciate over time. This can end up spending a lot of money, especially where there are no deposit accounts associated with repairing a high theft rate or a driver in need of healthcare is delays; it can be cheaper for you as named driver. Index annuities supposedly insure you, they have to try it. Computer systems, in place. Some banks offer a discount on your auto insurance in MS online in order to find that it is easy to know about it as soon as possible.
We have overused it and budgeting is very expensive and offered less benefits. To get started, but once you have no idea that their vehicle is parked (whether a street, driveway or other specialists to be at the policy does not work later, depending on whether or not this system that has something to minimize your car should be checking the level considered legally impaired.) Did you know what coverage suits your requirements. Another factor which holds importance for your debts. Today there are thousands of dollars from one company to replace your car you should not be covered under a few things that will not save any money and makes a purchase or even months. Unfortunately, most teenager drivers do not crash just because you purchased through a particular company, find out the money that way.


Bayer Cropscience, which boasts to be "one of the world's leading innovative enterprises in crop protection, seeds, biotechnology and non-agricultural pest control" is being asked by Australia's non-GM farmers to take responsibility for contaminating their seeds with pollen from GM varieties. The GM crops produced in Australia, apparently are bulk seeds "for export to Canada", effectively bypassing the need for approval of the crops for local consumption.
Farmers are upset because they find their traditional crops contaminated by genetically modified plants, losing sales. Not only that, perhaps the fate of Percy Schmeiser, a Canadian farmer at the hands of Monsanto, has them worried. Schmeiser had his canola contaminated, apparently without buying any of the GM seed himself, but was sentenced to pay Monsanto royalties for using "their variety" of GM canola.
In Australia, Bayer has been impenetrable to the plight of the farmers, for years. The story goes back more than two years - one of my first posts on this site was Bayer "not responsible" for GM damage done in June 2003.
Here is - two and a half years later - the same problem still looming large. The Australian Network of Concerned Farmers is asking for a ban of all GM field trials until Bayer accepts responsibility for contamination of non-GM crops and seeds.
The Victorian DPI released details revealing that the GM contamination of the non-GM canola variety Grace was caused in Tasmania, not by importation of contaminated seed as thought. Non-GM seed was being bulked up for resale at the same location that GM trials of Topas had been grown. The Network of Concerned Farmers (NCF) is calling for a complete ban on all trials grown by Bayer Cropscience until damages are paid.
"Bayer Cropscience must be made to pay all costs and losses caused by their negligence, not rewarded by allowing contamination without liability redress." said Geoffrey Carracher, Victorian NCF Spokesperson.
"GM contamination should not be a surprise, the risk was obvious. The early OGTR reports show that Bayer Cropscience made little effort to contain their product in these early self regulated trials. "
"Farmers should not be expected to pay for the testing and market losses caused by Bayer Cropscience's obvious negligence."
The government has accepted a contamination in seed and produce but the NCF claim that the tolerance levels set does not comply with ACCC law or market demand for GM-free or non-GM. Mr Carracher claims farmers are still required to sign contracts to guarantee there is little or no GM contamination in their seed and stock feed despite field tests not being available to check. He also explained how industry participants are drawing up contracts to exempt themselves from liability.
"All costs and liabilities are falling on the farmers that do not want contamination, rather than the GM company that caused the problem."
"GM contamination is a risk we are not prepared to take and we shouldn't be forced to take it without adequate legal redress."
"Setting contamination levels is an easy way out for governments but they can't ignore unfair liability. Good governance involves fair compensation for allowing industry sabotage."
Mr Carracher was the first farmer in Australia to identify his Grace seed was contaminated with Bayer Cropsciences GM crop. Further expensive testing revealed that despite spraying with Triazine, the GM plants in his crop survived.
"No, I don't want contamination and I shouldn't be the one paying for it."
"Bayer Cropscience is allowed to grow large scale GM seed bulking trials for export to Canada with no concern of contamination of Australia's crops. Bayers license should be withdrawn and these trials must be stopped until Bayer Cropscience pays for the damages their smaller trials have already caused."


text:
"use strict";

 angular.module('config', [])

.constant('ENV', {name:'development',apiEndpoint:['http://localhost:1338/mock'],userManagementEnabled:[null],licenseManagementEnabled:[null]})

;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Described as a 'populist whinge' by Treasurer Morrison, the Banking Royal Commission has more than shown, in the last few days, that it is a Royal Commission Australia had to have. We have been shocked by revelations of unscrupulous banks preying on vulnerable customers.
The Turnbull Government, who were brought kicking and screaming to this Royal Commission, are now saying it is likely it will need to be extended.
Sadly, if the Turnbull Government had heeded the calls by Bill Shorten in April 2016, the commission would have already concluded its inquiry, flushed out the dodgy financial service providers and individuals, and the recommendations of the commission would already be rolling out.
We are hearing of shocking rip-offs and rorts on a scale that we never imagined. I am proud that Labor kept up the pressure on the Turnbull Government and forced it to commence this important Royal Commission.


Clockwise from top left at the Medford Main Street station, chef Jason Santos prepares a shrimp and pasta dish for firefighters. Crew members line up to taste Santos's fare. Santos (right) speaks with firefighters Steve Doherty (left) and Chad White.
MEDFORD — With a fire station located in his Melrose neighborhood, Jason Santos grew up watching the trucks whiz by and imagined what it would be like to rush off and save lives.
The son of an EMT and a former Navy SEAL, he was raised in an atmosphere of public service, attracted to the adrenaline and urgency to perform associated with firefighting.
When he was 15, Santos was particularly impressed when firefighters came to his family's rescue on Christmas Eve when an oil heater started smoking.
Over the years though, Santos recognized his talent for cooking, a skill that eventually led him to the runner-up spot on the seventh season of Fox network's "Hell's Kitchen," where Gordon Ramsay puts chefs through a grueling job application to run one of his restaurants. Now part owner of two Boston destinations, Blue Inc. and Abby Lane , Santos, with his trademark blue hair, spends time working over fires rather than putting them out.
But recently, Santos jumped at the opportunity to explore his childhood attraction to firefighting. After he learned that Abby Lane's general manager, Colleen Hagerty, is dating a Medford firefighter, he made the city's fire officials an offer they couldn't refuse: He would cook them dinner in exchange for experiencing some time in a day in the life of a firefighter.
Last week, Chad White, who's been a Medford firefighter for nine years, took an excited Santos on a tour of the department's headquarters on Main Street. They toured the trucks, hoses, ladders, and storage areas and White explained the uses for each piece of equipment. Santos asked dozens of questions about putting out fires, work hours, response time, and procedures.
White said that he always enjoys talking to children about his job, and it was fun to share with an interested adult.
"To see someone that age so into what I do, it's pretty cool," he said.
Then it was Santos's turn. With stacks of Tupperware full of prepared ingredients donated from Abby Lane spread across the firehouse kitchen counters, he went to work on six dishes at once: New England clam chowder, roast pork loin with maple cranberry jus, asparagus salad with goat cheese and black truffle, shrimp lo mein, German potato salad, and baby wedge salad with bacon and blue cheese.
When the fire bell rang for a chimney fire, firefighters briefly beefed about having to leave their meals, but Santos's eyes lit up.
He hurried away from the steaming lo mein on the stove to watch the fire trucks exit the building, pulling out his iPhone to document the moment.
Santos said that while the purpose of his profession is different from firefighting, there are many similarities in the nature of the businesses.
Fire Chief Frank Giliberti noted that while children often look up to firefighters, they don't always recognize the risks that come with the job.
Santos, 37, said that if he had to pick a different career, he would choose firefighting.
"I think I'm technically too old at this point, but it's cool to be a part of it," he said of his visit.


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Editorials & Interviews
Social & RSS Feeds
AMD Releases Next Mid-range Navi: Radeon RX 5600 XT
Microsoft's Edge Browser Is Well Worth Giving Another Shot
AMD Rumored To Release 'Big Navi' At Computex
PNY Releases Passively-cooled Quadro RTX 6000 & 8000 Graphics Cards
ASUS Releases Bezel-free Monitor Kit, Currently Available For $110 On Amazon
Logitech MX3100 Keyboard/Mouse Combo
by Rob Williams on May 26, 2005 in Peripherals
Looking for a quality cordless Keyboard/Mouse set? Logitech released the MX3100 a few months back, which includes the ultra precise MX1000 laser mouse, in addition to a keyboard with tons of functionality. Read on to see if the MX3100 is all it's cracked up to be.
Page 3 – MX1000
The functionality continues on the left side of the keyboard. There are multiple buttons to help you navigate easier. The Application Switcher is here, as well as a Close button. If you have a window or application open that you wish to close, you can click the button, to rid it quickly. There's also a button which acts as an Enter, which I didn't find that much use in, but you may disagree.
Above those buttons, are more buttons used for scrolling. You can use the wheel to scroll at your own speed, or use the Scroll Up/Down buttons to scroll a lot quicker. Another useful function, is the Zoom buttons. If you are browsing a website, and the text is too small, you can click the Zoom to make it larger. Once finished reading, you can hit the % button, to return it to a 100% view.
MX1000:
This mouse has well earned it's title as one of the most precise mice in the world. This is the same MX1000 as we reviewed last month, except this version features the same color scheme as the MX3000. As I said, the mouse is incredibly precise, and is a blast to use. It contours well to the hand, so there's never a feeling of discomfort.
The MX1000 is still the only commercial mouse to use the Laser technically, which is what makes it 20x more accurate than the standard optical mice we are used to using. Other than it's good looks and feel, it also packs a lot of functionality as well. The left thumb rest houses the Back and Forward buttons, as well as the Application Switcher. The scroll wheel also scrolls left to right, in addition to up and down. Just like on the keyboard, the mouse also has the Scroll Up and Down buttons, to make navigating up and down a page extremely quick.
For a more in-depth look at the mouse itself, be sure to check out last months review.
MediaLife:
MediaLife is a software application that's meant for a HTPC. You can add your Music and Movie collections, and even Pictures, and use your remote to navigate. It's a pretty basic system, but it works.
It will scan your computer for music, and add it to a large playlist, that you can sort by Artist, Album and Genre. It will also grab Videos and Pictures from your My Documents folder.
2. MX3000
Forward >>
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Rob founded Techgage in 2005 to be an 'Advocate of the consumer', focusing on fair reviews and keeping people apprised of news in the tech world. Catering to both enthusiasts and businesses alike; from desktop gaming to professional workstations, and all the supporting software.
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The CE6000-60 Plus series is Graphtec's professional class of cutting plotters, and updates the extremely successful CE6000-60 series with improved features. The CE6000-60 Plus series is also cleaner, "greener" with an electronic design and manufacturing process that minimizes the environmental impact of the hardware equipment throughout its entire life cycle. With an increased 450-grams of downforce, Graphtec CE6000-60 Plus offers top-quality cutting and production of vinyl and flock material for rhinestones. It comes with the new cloud-supported Graphtec Pro Studio design software for free, an $800 value, and makes for an opportunity for new business owners to get started or expand into the custom apparel and decal designing industry.
**For Mac Computer Users: The software and drivers that come with this cutter are not guaranteed to be compatible, even if you are operating Parallels or Bootcamp.
***For cutting Magic Flock: The Graphtec CE6000-60 Plus comes with a 45 degree blade for cutting vinyl. You will need to purchase a 60 degree blade to cut our Magic Flock rhinestone material.


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René Barbier
René Barbier: he has revived the Priorat and given it world recognition...
Because he was able - after continuous work of at least 30 years - to reconcile long and old traditions and ultimate modernity, Rene Barbier is the winemaker who has conferred worldwide recognition to Priorat and has enabled this region on the wild hills above Tarragona, near the northeast coast of Spain, to become one of the most prestigious vineyards of Spain. Thanks to this Frenchman, originally from the Cotes-du-Rhone, who settled here in the 1980s, Priorat is today, with Ribera del Duero the country's most visible wine region.
His wines have joined the elite group of Vega Sicilia, Pingus, Mas La Plana (high end Cabernet Sauvignon from Miguel Torres), whose international recognition is very strong!
Housed in an old property that he bought at Gratallops, he created his own vineyard: "Clos Mogador", in this region known for its shale land. About 15 years ago, this village comprised of around one hundred inhabitants, now there are more than a thousand.
Rene Barbier studied in Burgundy, then at the University of Bordeaux before numerous apprentices across France, notably at Chateau Petrus!
In 1989, he harvested his first grapes, which came after ten years of hard work - during which he combined his work selling wine in the week and his passion developing his vineyards and building his house during the week-ends. In order to produce the best wine, Barbier uses the latest knowhow and technology and pays attention to details to the extreme: he promotes biodiversity by planting fruit trees, almond trees, olive trees and flowers between the vines. During harvest, he determines the exact timing for pruning each plant. Even better: the harvested grains are sorted by hand, one by one, before moving them into a vertical manual press, more than a century old, recovered from an old cellar. Other winemakers consider him an alien but he does not really care and he will certainly not stop distinguishing himself. In his vineyard, the tanks are made of wood or cement, never steel. Vinification takes place in open barrels and the wines are not filtered. In summary, the Master of Mogador revives the practices of a forgotten age, where the wine maker was working daily in his vines!
An act of love!
Making wine in this region is an act of love. You have to work the vines manually and yields are very low. The soil of these hills with steep slopes, often terraced, consists mainly of shale, where the deep roots penetrate the cracks in search of water during the dry summer months. The Siruana, a tributary of the famous Ebro, diagonally crosses the area, fed by the mountain streams. This gives a green appearance to the narrow valleys.
But the image of the wines of Priorat, fully cooked by the sun and with too much alcohol is also overly exaggerated because, although the Priorat region enjoys a Mediterranean climate - and thus plentiful sunshine – here the temperatures are moderated both by the humid winds coming from the sea and by the altitude. Naturally, the alcohol levels are relatively high, but this is the result of low yields producing high concentrations.
alfavin.ch ©


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Assen Diamandiev
composer, conductor, pedagouge
02.11.1915 – 24.02.2009Plovdiv – Bulgaria
Assen Diamandiev graduated from the State Academy of Music in 1940. He studied Piano under Professor Dimitar Nenov, Theory of Music under Professor Nikola Atanassov, Professor Vesselin Stoyanov, Professor Assen Karastoyanov, Choral Conducting under Professor Tzanko Tzankov. He was teacher in Svilengrad. Later he was among the founding members and conductor assistant of the choir of the Ensemble of the Bulgarian Armed Forces, as well as conductor assistant of the Kaval Choir. He also taught at the National Sport Academy (former Higher School of Physical Culture and Sport), conducted the choir of the Plovdiv Singing Society (since 1946), taught at the newly founded music high school in Plovdiv (where he was elected Headmaster from 1951 to 1967), founded the first Bulgarian professional ensemble for traditional song and dance (1948). He was among the founding members of the State Academy of Music subsidiary in Plovdiv (1964) and its first Dean. He was also first Rector of the subsidiary transformed in 1972 into an independent institution and named Academy of Music and Dance Art in 1995. He was promoted Full Professor of Solfeggio in 1971.
Choral songs for various ensembles predominate in his work. He made over 150 arrangements for traditional music choir and composed lots of choral songs as well as instrumental and vocal-instrumental works. The recording company Balkanton released works of his on LP. In 2000 he was awarded the Golden Lyre Prize by the Union of Bulgarian Music and Dance Professionals.
He also wrote solfeggio textbooks, edited and compiled collections of songs and orchestral works, wrote articles, verses, etc.
Concertino for violin and orchestra (1983);
Music for orchestra (1989).
Little Suite for flute, oboe, guitar, violoncello and bongos (1988).
For string quartet:
Rhodope Miniatures (1967);
The Window (1990).
For trio:
for flute, clarinet and bassoon (1978);
Music for Three for percussion (1983);
for piano, clarinet and percussion (1992);
Piece for two trumpets and drum (1990).
For two violins:
Duet (1975);
Three Pieces (1976);
Three Pieces (1980).
Duet for two violoncellos (1981).
Concertino for violin and piano (1983);
Emotion for violoncello and piano (1987);
Suite for flute and guitar (1990).
Triptych for solo flute (1974).
Easy Pieces (1965);
Five Bagatelles (1972);
Sonatina (1976);
Scherzo for piano for four hands (1976);
Three Impressions (1987);
Two Pieces (1987);
Music for two pianos (arrangement of his First and Second Impression for piano) (1995).
Vocal music:
Seven Songs for flute, violoncello and voice, lyrics by the author and other poets (1995).
Selected books (published in Bulgarian):
Music Dictations Based on Traditional Intonations. Vol.1-3. (Sofia, 1952).
Koyumdjiev, Yulian, Polina Koyum-djieva. Assen Diamandiev. Academy of Music and Dance Art Publishers, Plovdiv, 2000.