(MENAFN) A previous Facebook worker has said to American officials the firm’s hard works to eliminate child abuse content from the site were "inadequate" and "under-resourced".
The assumptions are involved in files viewed by BBC News and sent to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) before two weeks.
The unidentified whistleblower reports mediators are "not sufficiently trained and are ill prepared".
Social media company Facebook wrote in a report: “We have no tolerance for this abhorrent abuse of children and use sophisticated technologies to combat it.” Adding, “We've funded and helped build the tools used by industry to investigate this terrible crime, rescue children and bring justice to victims.”
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Telangana Director General of Police Anurag Sharma on Thursday said that the crime rate has gone down in the state since the state formation.
Speaking at the annual review meeting of the police department here, Anurag Sharma said that cyber crimes in the state have considerably gone down. He said that the department was imparting training to the police personnel to imbibe confidence.
The police chief said that as many as 210 cases have been cracked through community CCTV surveillance. He said that about 221 She Teams were working in the state bringing crimes against women considerably down. As many as 2,733 people were counseled in 371 cases by She Teams.
The DGP said that as many as 49 cases of counterfeit currency were reported this year as against 38 last year.
Anurag Sharma said that the women were being provided 33 % quota in the police recruitment. He said that the police recruitment was being done based on the new exam pattern.
The DGP assured that the issues of Home Guards would be solved soon. The DGP said that the government was giving Rs 20 lakh to the police personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty. He said that Hawk Eye police app has received national awards for better policing methods. (INN)


Attorney General for Pakistan Khalid Jawed Khan’s driver was killed on Thursday outside the AGP’s house in Defence Housing Authority neighbourhood.
SSP South Zubair Nazir Shaikh told reporters that the driver, who was present in a security camp outside the house — located on Khayaban-e-Shahbaz — died after a car rammed into it. He added that three others, including two policemen, were injured in the accident.
The SSP said that the man driving the car was also wounded in the accident and that all the injured have been shifted to a private hospital.
Shaikh said that the car has been impounded that the accident had taken place due to over-speeding.
Soon after the accident, AGP Jawed arrived at the hospital and confirmed that one of employees had died in the accident.He said that the two others injured in the accident are being treated.


Perham hospital prepares for move
After breaking ground more than two years ago, the new Perham Health will see its first patients on Monday, Jan. 9, 2012.
Located at 1000 Coney Street West, Perham, the transition to the new facility will occur over the course of four days, starting Friday, Jan. 6, and ending Monday, Jan. 9.
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On behalf of the people and Government of Papua New Guinea, the Prime Minister extended condolences to the families of people who have lost their lives in the attacks.
“The senseless violence that has occurred in Jakarta is disturbing,” the Prime Minister said.
“These disgraceful attacks against innocent people, members of the public who were simply going about their business and police on duty, are an outrage.
“Papua New Guinea offers sincere condolences to the families of two people who have been murdered.
“We hope that the people behind these attacks are promptly brought to justice.
“Too often the world is confronted by violent attacks of this nature, and as a global community we stand united against violence.
“Indonesia is a close friend of Papua New Guinea and we look to continue working together to deal with these issues in international forums.”


Arizona's conservative Goldwater Institute is expected to sue the state today over its new law that would greatly expand Medicare eligibility.
AZCentral.com reports that the lawsuit would be against Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, among others. Brewer pushed hard for the expansion during the most recent legislative session. Get the full story here.


'Will make education a mass movement': Manish Sisodia announces 'Deshbhakti' curriculum in Delhi budget
Deputy chief Manish Sisodia on Tuesday presented Delhi Budget 2021 where he announced that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government will introduce 'Deshbhakti' curriculum in its schools this year.
Sisodia, who also holds the portfolio of finance, said that at least one period per day in schools will be based on the new 'Deshbhakti' curriculum.
"We will ensure that every child is proud if his/her country, its systems, its people and respects the it," said Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio. "We will train our children in such a manner that when they become government officials, they think twice before even jumping a red light or thinking about breaking the rules of the system," said the deputy chief minister as he presented Delhi's first paperless budget.
Sisodia further said that many great leaders of the country wanted their people to have access to quality education. "We will make education a mass movement," said the AAP leader.
Elaborating on the government's plan, Sisodia said that the they will start a voluntary mentorship programme. "We will prepare students who have successfully completed their education and have good jobs to help those students who are struggling in the absence of resources and information," he said, adding that the programme will be called 'Youth for Education'.
Sisodia also presented a proposal to set up a Sainik school and an armed forces preparatory school in the national capital in his budget for 2021-22.
Sisodia further said that the apart from these, the AAP government will also take three major steps in the field of education: new syllabus from nursery to Class 8, setting up of Delhi's own school education board and starting 100 schools of excellence in the national capital. The new school education board was recently cleared by Delhi government's cabinet.
"The idea behind the board and the new curriculum is that we want to prepare staunch patriots who take responsibilities for the country, be good human beings, and become job creators. These are the main goals behind creating Delhi's own board," said Sisodia.
The new syllabus will be in line with the New Education Policy (NEP) announced by the Centre recently which stresses on putting primary education in the mainstream.
Education is one sector in which the AAP government has made major strides. From setting up new schools, to starting parent-teacher meetings (PTMs), the AAP government has done a lot for the sector. It has also instituted a mechanism where private schools built on DDA land have to seek the government’s nod before hiking annual fees.


(MENAFN- UkrinForm) As of 07:30 a.m., October 4, 2023, two Russian missile carriers were on combat duty in the Sea of Azov.
The relevant statement was made by the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook , an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
“In the Sea of Azov, there are two Russian warships. Both of them are Kalibr-type missile carriers with a total volley of up to eight missiles,” the report states.
In the Black Sea, four Russian warships are remaining on combat duty. No missile carriers were spotted among them.
In the Mediterranean Sea, there is one Russian warship on combat duty.
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Brahm Mohindra, Health and Family Welfare Minister today strongly lashed out at the unscrupulous elements spreading misinformation against the MR Campaign on the social media by saying that appropriate legal action be taken against such anti social elements.The Health Minister in a press communiqué released here today said that instructions has been given to the cyber crime cell to identify the persons who are generating false and misleading information against the measles rubella campaign being launched by the state government from Faridkot yesterday. The Minister also mocked at the misinformation being spread on the social media that the vaccine could cause impotency in the children and asked the rumormongers to come out with the facts that how many people have become impotent after getting Measles and MMR vaccine during last so many years. Commenting on the media reports regarding the fainting of children after vaccination at some place of the state, the Minister informed that it was all due to anxiety as no other side effects were observed in these children.
All these children were kept for observation for some time at they were discharged soon.Mr. Brahm Mohindra said that Department of Health and Family Welfare, Punjab initiated the Measles Rubella Vaccination campaign yesterday and 2, 36,043 children were vaccinated on first day. He said that this is very disconcerting that some unscrupulous and anti social elements were trying to derail the MR Campaign propagating false and malicious information about the vaccine. He said that Measles vaccine was being given to children since 1985 in the national immunization programme while Rubella was part of MMR vaccine given in the private sector at a huge cost since more than 20 years. He said that now when the government has decided to introduce Rubella into the national programme, the false propaganda has been started. “The same vaccine was being used all over the world with all success” said the Health Minister.Mr. Brahm Mohindra at the same time appealed the public especially the parents to come forward and get their children vaccinated without any fear.


Arab League condemns attack in Jendouba, Tunisia
(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) CAIRO, July 9 (KUNA) -- Arab League on Monday strongly condemned the terrorist attack on a patrol for the Tunisian National Guard officers in Jendouba city, stressing support for Tunisia to eradicate the serious scourge of terrorism.
Arab League stressed in a statement that these criminal acts would not deter Tunisia from moving forward.
The statement expressed its condolences and wishes recovery to the Tunisian President, government and people of Tunisia.
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Panaji: Agreeing with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks on ‘Andolan Jivi’, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday said that the coastal state has also suffered from a similar design.
Sawant tweeted “A new FDI has come into fray. The country has to be saved from this new FDI. This new FDI is #ForeignDestructiveIdeology #PMinRajyaSabha. The PM Shri @NarendraModi ji has correctly said that we need to be aware of the #andolanjivi and be cautioned about the new #FDI.”
“Goa has also suffered from a similar design,” he further tweeted.
Sawant was apparently referring to the ongoing agitation against the linear projects in the state including double tracking of the Railway line, widening of National Highway and Power Transmission Line.
PM on Monday said in the Parliament that a new community has come up in the country – andolan jivi – who can be spotted in every protest and are parasite for the nation.


Randorf promoted to FCC vice president of advertising
Forum News Service
FARGO — Forum Communications Co. has announced that Roz Randorf has been promoted to vice president of advertising.
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In a letter to Gary Horan, president and CEO of Trinitas, Jackie Cornell, the health department’s principal deputy commissioner, said that the department considered the CN application, responses to completeness questions, written comments, department staff recommendations, public testimony and the state health planning board recommendations.
Cornell said that Trinitas’ attempt to secure data to demonstrate need was unsuccessful.
Horan said that he is disappointed and surprised by the decision.
“It’s the first time that the health department overturned a decision by the health planning board. The primary premise of the letter from the health department is unsubstantiated and untrue.”
“The report is flawed and there are other issues that need to be examined and explored.”
Horan said that Trinitas intends go through the appeal process and avail itself to all remedies.
Trinitas has been making the case that it meets the criteria for Level II status because it is one of the busiest emergency departments in the state and meets the trauma criteria, which includes gunshot, stab wounds, and automobile accidents.


Edinburg Police Pinning Ceremony – Texas Border Business
Texas Border Business
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EDINBURG, Texas – Thirteen new officers were sworn into the Edinburg Police Department, and one officer, Zachary Achilles Saenz, was promoted to sergeant. Their commitment to the community has not gone unnoticed, and we look forward to them serving in the City of Edinburg.


ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Asad Umar on Monday said that Pakistan’s economy has come out of crisis phase.
“Pakistan’s economy had faced the critical phase now it is in the transition phase and gaining stability,” he said while addressing a ceremony in Islamabad.
Asad Umar said that the country has entered into the stabilization stage after facing severe challenges.
He claimed that at the end of the completion of a five-year term of PTI government the country’s economic growth rate would reach the highest in 15 years.
Finance minister said that the government was working on improving ease of doing business and had set a target to bring the country among the top 70 countries.
Asad Umar said Pakistan’s talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) were in its final stage.


(MENAFN) Brunei registered no new infections of coronavirus on Saturday with the nationwide count of infections reaching 141.
It arrived at the 72nd consecutive day without new infections since May 7.
No active infections are being cured at the National Isolation Center, according to Brunei's Ministry of Health.
In the meantime, presently there are 477 persons who are going through an obligatory separation at the watching centers given by the government, who have arrived in the country after voyaging overseas.
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.


(MENAFN) The import and export of goods in the ports of Iran surged by 9 percent in the opening 10 months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2022-January 20, 2023), in comparison with the same span of time in the last year.
As the nation’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) mentioned in a report, 181,055,811 tons of goods were imported and exported in the ports throughout the 10 months time span.
Throughout the stated time span, export and import operations in the container industry amounted to 2,100,506 TEUs, which stood at 12 percent over the 1,870,370 TEUs in the opening 10 months of the last year.
According to the figures earlier issued by Transport and Urban Development Ministry, the export and import of commodities in the ports of Iran increased 17 percent throughout the prior Iranian calendar year 1400 (closed on March 20, 2022), in comparison with the last year.
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(MENAFN- UkrinForm) The first Leopard 2 main battle tank that Canada has donated to Ukraine has arrived in Poland.
The relevant statement was made by Canadian National Defence Minister Anita Anand on twitter , an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
“The first Canadian Leopard 2 main battle tank that we've donated to Ukraine has now arrived in Poland. Alongside our allies, we'll soon be training the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the use of this equipment,” Anand wrote.
In her words, Canada will continue to stand with Ukraine.
A reminder that last week Canada announced it would join an international 'tank coalition' and transfer four Leopard 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine. Canada also agreed to buy the NASAMS air defense system and 200 armored vehicles for Ukraine.
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.


A good next step: separate accounts
Right now, there are a lot of people who still have Wadena's tornado tragedy on their minds and want to give.
Let's face it, both of those conditions are temporary.
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The network also asked the government to allocate enough financial resources to facilitate the implementation of gender issues in the development plan.
TGNP board chairperson Assey Muro remarked that to have sustainable development in the country, everyone needs to fully take part.
She was speaking during a special training on how to include gender issues in plans and budget organized for planning officers from local councils in the country.
The training is supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).
Muro said the trainees will study guidelines on involving gender issues in the national plan and development which have been prepared by TGNP.
Muro challenged the officers to convert their perspectives in their daily working by including gender issues in implementing development plans.
“The nation has resolved to develop all the people, regardless their gender; therefore this is the right time to implement the resolve.”
Speaking about the prepared guidelines, the chairperson said they give the real picture about where the country reached in development and the importance of engaging women in development plans.
Also the guidelines describe the steps to follow in order to fully engage women in development issues to enable the country achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
TGNP has decided to train planning officers because they are the key people in planning and development in their areas and they also meet community members directly.
“Planning officers have a great opportunity to implement development plans in the councils,” she said, challenging them not to forget including women in their plans and the budget.


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SOCHI, Russia Marcia Lehman introduced herself to Jeff Klaiber at the Pettit National Ice Center and pointed to her 14-year-old son, who was flying around the 400-meter oval, his speedskating technique a mess but his talent undeniable. "She said, 'There'...


Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that the war against terrorism in Afghanistan has engulfed Pakistan, Dawn News reported.
The JUI-F chief further stated that the sitiuation in Balochistan and Karachi is very serious, where bodies are falling everywhere.
Speaking in Islamabad at the last session on the first day of a two day International Islamic Conference, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that the leaders of Muslim countries do not properly reflect the views of the Muslim world.
He said that that the leaders of Muslim countries have adopted the war on terrorism as their own, whereas the masses view it as America’s war.
The JUI-F chief said that after the rule of the British, the people have now been told to serve the United States.
When speaking about Balochistan, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that there has been a failure to solve the situation in the province.
On Karachi he said that death is prevalent in the metropolis, which leaves the question as to which court will the people be able to take their grievances.
The JUI-F chief also said that it is a crime to implement Shariah at the point of a gun.


Maprik District Administrator, Joseph Himina and team supported the police with K5700 worth of food for the operation in Maprik district and also assisted them with K30,000 worth of fuel for their operation.
East Sepik Provincial Police Commander, Albert Beli said the support from the government and the business houses show that the community and the police are working together to fight crime in the district and hopes to see a peaceful celebration all the way into the new year.
PPC Beli said Maprik town is one of the busiest town apart from Wewak and need continuous police presence. He said the support that they receive from the district will help the police officers in their operation.
He also called on leaders from other districts to support their local police, so that they can respond to the people when they need police service.
PPC Beli said Maprik also celebrated the Christmas period peacefully. He said the police officers also uprooted marijuana plants from certain villages and confiscated homebrew making equipment during their operation.
“If you want to celebrate peacefully you must report to the police about illegal activities happening in your respective areas. If you don’t report those producing and consuming homebrew or taking in marijuana will disturb you from celebrating peacefully.”
PPC Beli said the police operation in Maprik would extend into Wosera Gawi and Yangoru to make sure that people travelling along the Sepik Highway travel freely.
(Food donation from Maprik DDA to the police for their festive season operation. Picture supplied.)


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Sonal Brass Industries
Manufacturer of Brass Precision components for Electrical, Electronics & Fasteners. Brass Connector, Terminal, Screw, Spacer, Pin, Socket, Nut-Bolt, Washer, Sheet Metal Components.
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Story | Jan 14, 2012 | 9:33 PMThe feel-good Tim Tebow story is meeting its ending in New England. The Denver Broncos went three and out on their first second-half possession, and the ensuing punt was returned across midfield into Denver territory with the Patriots leading 35-7...


The Frontline Socialist Party has been accused of instigating the protests against the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM).
Higher Education Minister Lakshman Kiriella said that the Frontline Socialist Party is spreading fear among the university students and forcing them to protest against SAITM.
Kiriella urged the university students protesting against SAITM to suspend their protests and return to their classes.
He said that if the students suspend their protests the Government is ready to discuss the charges against those involved in the protests and reduce the charges.
The Minister said that SAITM cannot be closed as there is a court order in support of SAITM.
He said SAITM was given approval by the former Government and now they are joining protests against it for political reasons. (Colombo Gazette)


As part of his visit to Chennai, India, President Mohamed Nasheed has met with Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Dr. Kalaignar M Karunanidhi.
Speaking at the meeting, President Nasheed thanked Chief Minster, State of Tamil Nadu and the friendly people of Tamil Nadu, for the warm welcome and generous hospitality that was accorded to him and to the members of his delegation in Chennai.
He also noted the assistance that the State Government had extended to Maldivians visiting Chennai, and said that strong historical ties existed between the Maldives and Tamil Nadu.
The President further highlighted the importance of strengthening cultural relations between the Maldives and Tamil Nadu.
Chief Minister said that many Maldivians were studying in Chennai’s educational institutions, and said that Chennai would welcome all Maldivian students coming to Chennai to pursue further studies.
Noting the close friendly relations between the Maldives and Malaysia, the Prime Minister said
He also briefed the President on Malaysia’s economic situation and the steps the Malaysian government was taking to keep the economy growing.
The two leaders also discussed investment opportunities available in the Maldives.
Separately the President also met with the Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Mr Thiru M K Stalin.
Also, the President and his delegation, on Friday evening, attended a dinner hosted by Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry, in honour of visiting dignitaries to participate in the Partnership Summit.


Prime Minister Imran Khan called on famous religious scholar Maulana Tariq Jamil at the Prime Minister house Islamabad.
According to the details, the Prime minister has appreciated the efforts of Maulana Tariq Jamil related to public awareness campaign to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Imran Khan has also urged the religious scholars’ (Ulema) to cooperate to contain the spread of coronavirus adding that he would soon meet with delegation of Ulema from all schools of thoughts in that regard.
He said the religious scholars had always guided the government in every difficult time.
The Prime Minister added that the government in consultation with Ulema-e-Kiram would formulate guidelines for the month of Ramadan.
Earlier, federal Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri has said that a unanimous policy will be formulated regarding the Taraweeh and other prayers in mosques during the Ramadan.
During a press briefing with Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser and others in Islamabad, Noorul Haq Qadri said that in Ramadan we will set up a joint strategy to prevent the coronavirus.
He said that Speaker Asad Qaiser Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Siraj-ul-Haq, Sajid Mir and Sajid Naqvi will contact the leadership of all the religious parties.
The Federal Minister added that there have been some unpleasant incidents occurred on the issue of Namaz which is unfortunate.
He said unnecessary debate had begun that pilgrims and the Tablighi Jamaat were responsible to the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Noorulhaq Qadri also said that the debate that started with the Coronavirus was noxious and discrimination has begun to diminish with collective efforts.


Area legislators support tax bill
Area legislators ultimately supported legislation to cut taxes for more than one million middle class families and repeal business-to-business taxes. Following are their comments:
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Minister of Petroleum Resources Development Chandima Weerakkody said that the matter was discussed at the cabinet meeting today.
He also said that there was no rift in the Government over the Hambantota port.
“There is no issue. The next step will be decided on the proposals put forward by the sub-committee,” he said. (Colombo Gazette)


UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the new friendship between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his political nemesis Raila Odinga.
Mr Guterres, in a statement, also endorsed the two leaders’ commitment to work together for sake of national unity.
Mr Guterres said the move by the hitherto political adversaries showed their commitment to strengthen the country for the benefit of all Kenyans.
“Secretary-General reiterates the United Nations support to continue working with the government and the people of Kenya towards consolidating peace, stability and development in the country,” Mr Guterres said in a statement posts on UN website.
Mr Odinga and President Kenyatta last week agreed to work together— putting to an end seven months of endless political bickering that had put the economy on the cliff and resulted in several deaths.


NAN reports that the Deputy Governor of Lagos state, Dr Obafemi Hamzat has stated that the construction of the 4th mainland bridge in Lagos will begin early 2021. He also noted that the construction of the 4th mainland bridge was important to their administration and will ensure that it is completed to ease traffic gridlock in the state.
He said: “The project is key for our administration and we flagged the construction of regional roads within VGC two days ago, the project has been awarded to Hi-Tech Company.
“First Quarter of next year (2021), we will be able to start. Early next year, construction will start on the 4th Mainland Bridge.
“Regional Road is to be done for the survival of the Fourth Mainland Bridge to help us break away traffic from the Lekki-Epe Expressway. Regional road will increase the viability of the 4th Mainland Bridge.”
According to him, that there is hope that by November or December, plans will have been concluded for work to begin.
According to him, 32 Consultiums put in interest in the bid and the government had been able to reduce them to nine.
He described the project as huge, which would involve a lot of money, adding that the government was looking for partnerships with private organisations.
Hamzat, who noted that the government had been funding aggressively road infrastructure, said that the Lagos -Badagry Expressway would unlock the tourism potential in Badagry.
He assured that the administration will continue to grow better, especially in terms of infrastructure while also dealing with deficits.
Speaking on the management of traffic in the state, the deputy governor said that the administration had been able to reduce traffic lockjam by 15 per cent to 20 per cent.
“In order to expand roads and give room for free vehicular movements, we have been able to remove some of the roundabouts which include Allen Roundabout, Ikotun Roundabout, Lekki, Abraham Adesanya Roundabouts are all gone.
“We are fixing major roads and reducing traffic congestion and making sure that drainages are cleared,” he said.
Hamzat said that the government was committed to mass transportation, saying that Oshodi-Abule Egba, BRT corridor would soon commence for mass movement along the corridor.
According to him, the government is also “funding aggressively” the Blue Line Rail for mass movement of people.
He said that 600 buses procured by the government had been cleared at the port, saying that the government was also procuring small buses for its ‘Last Mile’ transport programme.
Hamzat said that the government was working to have the buses manufactured in the state to create employment for the residents.
On water transportation, Hamzat said that the government had procured ferries to move people along the waterways.
The deputy governor said that the Okada ban had not only reduced Okada-related accidents from about 21 monthly to one, but had also reduced crime rates in the state.
“Before the ban, on the average of 21 lives were lost monthly to due to Okada accident but after the ban it has reduced drastically to one.
“Crime has also reduced in the state, the NDLEA (The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency) report says that narcotics are transported through the use of Okada as a means of transportation.
“There was need to ban Okada, especially at this period with the outbreak of COVID-19. There is no way one can maintain social distancing on Okada,” he said.


Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has condemned the assault on Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, Ibrahim Ansar.
The Premier had condemned the incident while addressing Parliament today.
Meanwhile, five suspects who were arrested in connection with the incident have been remanded till tomorrow.
“At the moment, we have identified at least four more suspects who we believe were involved in the commotion. A manhunt has since been launched,” Selangor police chief was reported to have said.
Ansar was reportedly assaulted by a group at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport last Sunday (4).


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Give support to elected representatives to the assemblies
The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Asante-Akim South, Mr. De-graft Fokuo, has rallied people in the area to give more support to their elected assembly members to enable them to perform.
They should cooperate and stand solidly with them every step of the way to speed up the development of the communities.
Mr. Fokuo made the call when he joined the chiefs and people of Morso to cut the grass on the shoulders of the eight-kilometre road leading to the town.
The exercise lasted for more than three hours.
The DCE asked that nobody sat on the sidelines, saying, they needed to work together to make things happen – transform their living conditions.
He commended the people for their self-help spirit and said, that needed to be sustained.
He gave the assurance that the assembly would assist communities that took the initiative to tackle the development challenges facing them with the necessary resources – technical, material and financial.
Mr. Eric Darkwa, a youth Leader, who led the people to undertake the exercise, said they were encouraged by the DCE’s presence and pledged to continue to take steps to address the felt needs of the community.


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Islamabad, September 27, 2021 (PPI-OT):Director General FIA Sanaullah Abbasi has said that crackdown has been launched against the individuals involved in issuance of fake COVID-19 vaccination certificates. Briefing the media persons in Islamabad on Monday, he said forty-one people involved in this illegal and immoral activity have been apprehended over the last two months, and FIRs registered against them. The DG FIA said action is also being taken as per the law against those who acquired the fake certificates.
For more information, contact:
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Government of Pakistan
4th Floor, Cabinet Block, Pak. Secretariat, Islamabad, Pakistan


The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Malawi says it is concerned with the tendency by political leaders who hold press briefings in the presence of party supporters.
MISA- Malawi chairperson, Teresa Ndanga said that major political parties have not taken heed of their calls to keep to the confines of a press briefing from party supporters.
“MISA-Malawi commends political leaders who have been open to the media by among others calling for press conferences,” Ndanga said in a statement released on January 31, 2019.
However, MISA-Malawi said it is concerned that political parties including the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and United Transformation Movement (UTM) have not taken into consideration their demand.
According to MISA Malawi, the said parties have continued to hold press conferences in the presence of party supporters which creates a hostile environment for journalists.
The media body has since recommended that press conferences should be limited to relevant officials and people directly responsible for the presser.
“MISA Malawi shall in future advise its membership to boycott such press briefings to ensure safety of its members,” the statement reads.


UK pledges £9mln for Jordan's emergency social protection programme
(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)
Amman, Dec 7 (Petra) -- The UK Monday pledged £9 million for the National Aid Fund (NAF) social protection programme 'Takaful 3,' as British support for the programme since the start of the pandemic totals £34 million.
In a meeting with the British envoy in Amman, Ayman Mifleh, the social development minister, praised the UK for its support for NAF's emergency programme.
For her part, British ambassador Bridget Brind commended NAF for its 'vital' role in supporting families that have been hit hard by the economic ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Brind emphasised the UK is committed to supporting Jordan to buttress its social protection system that would contribute to cushioning the blow of the COVID-19 pandemic on vulnerable groups.
Barq Dmour, NAF's acting director-general, briefed the ambassador about the services of NAF, highlighting the Fund's strategy is to introduce medium- and long-term social protection programmes that would tackle the social and economic fallout of the pandemic.
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Leaving everyone in a shock, US President said that he will help India to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. But the sad reality in the US is that the country is witnessing more and more deaths of the novel coronavirus and 10,000 fresh cases were reported on a single taking the positive cases to more than 55,000.
Mr. Trump went on to say that they are ready to provide medical help for India and added that Iran is not ready to take their helping hand even though they are willing to help the country.
Looking at the situation in the US, 1,000 deaths were reported on Wednesday night as the deadly virus has spread across the country.
The Senate came to a deal Wednesday on a $2 trillion aid package that includes $150 billion for hospitals and medical centers to handle the surging caseloads.


Farooq Abdullah said hold local body elections
Veteran leader from Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah said that his party will boycott the general elections and state elections if the centre doesn’t make its stand on the controversial Article 35A in Jammu and Kashmir clear
Article 35A, that bars outsiders from owning property in Jammu and Kashmir, has been challenged in the Supreme Court. Last week, Supreme Court deferred the hearing to January after the state authorities cited possible law and order problems in holding municipal and Panchayat elections.
Lashing out at the centre, Mr Abdullah said the role of the central government and the present dispensation in Jammu and Kashmir before the Supreme Court goes clearly against the wishes and aspirations of the people of the state


(MENAFN- IANS) Madrid (Spain), May 26 (IANS) The girlfriend of Valencia's Dutch winger Justin Kluivert was mildly injured during a burglary at their residence, as confirmed by police.
Three masked individuals infiltrated the home in the Valencia suburb of Betera on Thursday. They assaulted Kluivert's girlfriend and a friend who was accompanying her, while the winger was with his teammates preparing for Thursday's La Liga match in Mallorca.
The victims sustained minor injuries before the culprits fled with watches and jewels, reported by the media to be worth approximately 150,000 euros, reports Xinhua.
In recent years, several footballers in Spain have fallen prey to criminal syndicates. Former Barcelona forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and his wife were confronted by burglars at their residence outside of Barcelona.
Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema's home was burglarized at the onset of January 2022, while his teammate Rodrygo Goes also experienced a burglary earlier this month when he was away for a match.
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.


Blast Hits Afghanistan's Capital Kabul
(MENAFN- Saudi Press Agency) KABUL, August 05, 2022, SPA -- An explosion in a residential area in Afghanistan's capital city Kabul on Friday killed at least two people and left three wounded, police said, according to Reuters.
'The explosion happened in a crowded place,' said Khalid Zadran, the city's police spokesman.
22:02 LOCAL TIME 19:02 GMT
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Islamabad, Pakistan on Friday added 3,480 new COVID-19 cases and 82 more deaths in its overall tallies, the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) said.
The NCOC, the country’s department leading the campaign against the pandemic, said that the country’s number of overall confirmed cases had risen to 1,201,367, including 1,082,988 recoveries.
The number of active cases has increased to 91,717 who are under treatment across the country, including 5,373 in critical conditions.
According to the NCOC, the pandemic killed 82 people on Friday, increasing the total death toll to 26,662.
Pakistan’s southern Sindh province is the most affected region of the country in terms of the number of cases with 443,521 infections followed by the eastern Punjab province which has reported 411,808 cases so far.


The Indiana Department of Correction says it’s trying to be as transparent as possible when it comes to the COVID-19 outbreak at the Westville Correctional Facility, but there’s still a lot that remains unknown.
The facility has reported that 123 offenders have tested positive as of Monday, and one offender has died. But when it comes to how many more individuals may have been tested due to coronavirus concerns, IDOC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kristen Dauss says they’re still refining that figure.
“We definitely know who’s positive. We do know who’s negative,” Dauss said during state officials COVID-19 press conference Monday. “The toughest part is with staff because sometimes they go to their primary care doctor. There are also HIPPA issues there that we can’t infringe on.”
Dauss said that the Indiana State Department of Health has been sending its strike team to help with testing and infection control practices.


Abuja boils: Shiites invade National Assembly, Police open fire on protesters
The Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, was on Tuesday thrown into mayhem when members of the Shiites, attempted to resist Police intervention over their attempt to invade the National Assembly in a mass protest.
National Daily learned that the Police opened fire on the protesters who were demanding the freedom of their leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, who is being detained by the Federal Government of Nigeria over the years.
National Daily also learned that the protesting Muslims reportedly inflicted injury on five police officers on duty at the entrance gate in their struggle to gain access to the National Assembly complex.
The Shi’ite protesters were said to have reinforced to overwhelm the Police and other security operatives on duty at the entrance gate; vandalizing over 50 vehicles.
National Daily learned that the security operatives had intervened to prevent the Shi’ite Muslims from jumping the fence into the National Assembly complex in their intention to invade the legislative chambers. Anti-riot policemen, however, repelled the protesters who were said to be few meters from the chambers, shooting into the air.
National Daily also learned that two protesters were reportedly shot dead, and some unidentifiable other injured. The mayhem was said to have obstructed legislative sessions on Tuesday while the Police battled to restorer normalcy.


Peace in Afghanistan top priority, says PM Khan
Speaking at the two-day seminar between Pakistan and Afghanistan to increase bilateral trade and engage the business community from both sides in Islamabad on Monday, PM Imran Khan said that Pakistan is on the side of peace regardless of whoever comes into government in Afghanistan.
He said that Pakistan stands with the people of Afghanistan and will continue to work towards ensuring that the country remains peaceful and Afghans can leave this conflict behind.
“After Afghanistan, Pakistan has suffered the most due to the conflict,” he said that we can all learn from the past and make sure we don’t repeat such mistakes ever again.
“What history has shown us is that foreign interference has never been successful in Afghanistan; the people need to make their own decisions. Pakistan will work with the Afghanistan government and will keep the relationship strong,” he added.
A 17-member Afghan parliamentary delegation was also invited to the moot which was led by Speaker of Wolsey Jirga Mr Rahmani.
The seminar, titled Pakistan-Afghanistan Trade and Investment Forum 2020 discussed in detail at length the potential between the two neighbours to increase bilateral trade and cooperation.
The seminar also aims to reduce the miscommunication between the two countries and move towards a trade-oriented relationship.
The seminar is unique and historic keeping in view the government’s vibrant policies aimed at promoting regional connectivity and creating an environment of shared development and prosperity, the organisers of the event said in a press release.
Pakistan, despite its tensions on the eastern border, has allowed Afghanistan to send goods to India through its land routes under the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement.
Pakistan has said that it will continue to support Afghanistan peace regardless of whoever comes into power.


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Justice Minister George Savvides on Sunday renewed his call for anyone with information about match-fixing to relay it to the authorities so the state can proceed with stamping out the issue.
“The government, as the president himself has said, is determined to get where any information will go,” he said. “The point is where the information is going to reach and it’s not easy to sort out such crimes”.
He also said he was satisfied that recent meetings had seen movement on the issue. One such meeting was held at police headquarters for many hours on Saturday morning, the minister said, after which the police chief said many pieces of information had been received on the issue.
“It seems the public is finally starting to realise it is the will of the state to move to cleanse the game,” the minister said. Even the smallest, or anonymous, piece of information can be crucial, he added.
He said there has been an increased flow of information and the team looking into the claims has investigated “very many”, he said.
He also reiterated that the government is willing to protect those who come forward with information but fear the consequences.


Russia responds to allegations about gas deliveries
(MENAFN) Russia has built a reputation as a dependable energy provider that "strictly fulfills all of its responsibilities," according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Thursday.
He was replying to Germany's accusation that the Nord Stream pipeline's decrease in natural gas supply is a "economic war" on Europe.
According to Peskov, Berlin was notified about the "service cycles" of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, which is scheduled for yearly maintenance from July 11 to July 21.
Peskov stated amid a daily meeting call with journalists, noting that the German side was conscious of all the details, “There is a certain maintenance schedule… It is better to receive information regarding this directly from Gazprom. But I repeat once again: Russia has been and remains a very, very reliable supplier of energy to Europe.”
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Story | Dec 14, 2012 | 4:24 PMGood Friday Morning, Fellow Seekers. Several departing state lawmakers, including the former top Republican on the Senate Education Committee, are in line for six-figure, taxpayer-funded payoffs as they head into retirement. State Sen. Jeff Piccola, R-Dauphin,


UND job closed
UND’s search for its next football coach intensifies beginning today now that the application deadline has closed.
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(MENAFN) On Tuesday, Sony, the Japanese multinational technology conglomerate, disclosed its plans to reduce its workforce within the PlayStation division by approximately 8 percent, equating to around 900 employees.
"We need to deliver on expectations from developers and gamers and continue to propel future technology in gaming, so we took a step back to ensure we are set up to continue bringing the best gaming experiences to the community," it stated in a release.
"PlayStation Studios’ London Studio will close in its entirety," it further mentioned.
Liverpool-based Firesprite and Amsterdam-based Guerrilla Games, both first-party developers for PlayStation Studios, are also expected to undergo reductions as part of the restructuring efforts.
Moreover, the decision will impact various US-based studios and groups, including Insomniac Games, Naughty Dog, as well as Sony's technology, creative, and support teams. The affected employees in the US will receive notifications regarding the move later on Tuesday, as confirmed by the company.
This move comes amidst a broader trend in the US technology sector, where numerous companies have been implementing job cuts since the final quarter of the previous year.
Challenges such as decreased income and declining advertising revenue have prompted organizations like Expedia, DocuSign, Snap, Uber, Reddit, Disney, 3M, Amazon, Yahoo, Affirm, Zoom, Dell, IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, PayPal, and Google's parent company, Alphabet, to lay off thousands of workers.
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.


Airport Road closed due to flooding
Because of water running over the road, Airport Road (the back road to Walmart) from Menard Drive to Longview Drive has been closed by the City of Detroit Lakes until further notice.
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KOTA KINABALU: Inanam will be promoted as a tourism destination with the introduction of tourism products, sites and sights.
Inanam State Assemblyman Kenny Chua said he will look into specific promotions for the area besides the sites that are already available.
He said there are many areas of Inanam that can be promoted as tourism destinations that will allow revenue for the community and the businesses that resides within the area.
According to him, there are some interesting sites such as the Kionsom Waterfall and the Kokol area that are available for tourists presently; while a traditional ‘village’ Mari Mari is also doing well as a destination in Inanam.
“There are however many other areas that we can look at to develop as tourism products,” he said adding that the establishment of a few hotels, including IBIS in Inanam township augurs well for the industry and he hoped that more accommodations will be established there in future.
Chua who is also Assistant Finance Minister said that the community hall in Inanam township will be constructed to ensure that the people had a venue for functions and social gatherings in that area. Presently, the community hall in Menggatal is used for such events.-BNN


That's from the province's police boss, Tep Puri today.
Puri said the riots in Kiunga resulted from a fight between locals which started on Wednesday.
He said police were called in to stop the fight and one officer fired warning shots to disperse the crowd.
"Pellets from the officer's gun hit two people. Both were taken to hospital and one has since been discharged," Puri said.
He said the officer that fired the warning shot has been arrested and his weapon confiscated for further investigation.


Cairo – US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged on Saturday the need for the international community to help the Libyan people find local solutions to allow their government to carry out its duties.
He vowed that Washington will help Tripoli “restore unity in Libya.”
Tillerson made his remarks before US diplomats in London after a ministerial meeting that was held there to discuss Libya.
Spokesman for the Egyptian Foreign Ministry Ahmed Abou Zeid said that the gatherers in London had expressed their relief with the drop in terrorist activity in the North African country.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri attributed the drop to the reduction of terrorism financing in recent months.
Abou Zeid added in a statement that United Nations envoy to Libya Ghassan Salameh had studied the latest Libyan security and political developments. He had also presented his vision over the upcoming meeting on the crisis that will be held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
The Assembly will convene in New York on Wednesday.
Abou Zeid added that the gatherers at the London meeting were agreed on the importance of Salameh’s efforts to resolve the Libyan crisis.
Shoukri meanwhile stressed that Egypt will continue to attempt to bridge the divide between the Libya leaderships on the civil and military levels.
Cairo supports reaching a consensus agreement that would ensure that a political settlement is reached based on the Skheirat deal, said the FM.
The deal was reached in Morocco two years ago under UN sponsorship.


Kenya receives 2,000 Ethiopian refugees following shootout
(MENAFN) The Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) confirmed the arrival of around 2,000 Ethiopian refugees after a shootout at the common frontier.
Ethiopian forces have reportedly thought members of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) were close to the Kenyan border town of Moyale when they attacked them before realizing they were civilians, leading to nine deaths.
The KRCS announced four centers to have received the Ethiopian displaced asylum seekers.
The agency declared in its statement "the KRCS immediately released family kits (tarpaulins, kitchen sets, Mosquito nets, bar soaps, thermal blankets and jerrycans), which were distributed among the displaced families."
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(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Iran will build an oil refinery in Syria, the head of downstream technologies at Iran's Research Institute of the Petroleum Industry was quoted by Fars news agency as saying on Tuesday.
The refinery, to be built near the city of Homs, will have a production capacity of 140,000 barrels per day, Akbar Zamanian reportedly said.
The refinery project is one of a series of business deals the Islamic Republic has announced that point to a deepening economic role after years of fighting in the Syrian conflict.
Syrian light and heavy crude will be processed at the plant.
"This refinery will be built as a consortium with the participation of Iran, Venezuela and Syria," Zamanian said, according to Fars.
The plant will be constructed after the conflict in Syria ends, Zamanian was quoted as saying. Iran will also rebuild two existing refineries.
In mid-September, Iran signed deals with Damascus to repair Syria's power grid. A memorandum of understanding was inked which included building a power plant in the coastal province of Latakia with a capacity of 540 megawatts, Syrian state news agency SANA said.
The agreement also involves restoring the main control centre for Syria's electricity grid in Damascus, it said.
The electricity deals could be worth millions of euros, Iranian state media reported at the time.
Iran will also rehabilitate a 90-megawatt power station in Deir al-Zor province, where the Syrian army and allied forces have made recent advances against Islamic State, as part of the agreement.
Two contracts were also signed, including for Iran to supply power to Aleppo city, which the Syrian military and its allies fully regained last year in a major blow to rebels, SANA said.
In January, Iran's government and entities close to the country's elite Revolutionary Guards signed major telecommunications and mining deals with Damascus.
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(MENAFN- Morocco World News) Rabat – Approximately 41,24 enterprises were created in Morocco in 2017, up 3 percent from 2016, according to data from the Trade Registry.
The Moroccan Office of Industrial and Commercial Property recorded a growth rate of +3 percent, having issued 73,451 business applications in 2017. These requests were chiefly recorded in three sectors, namely services, trade, and construction.
The limited liability company remains the predominant business structure at 50.5 percent, followed by single-partner limited liability companies at 47.8 percent of the total number of business start-ups created last year.
In terms of the regional company distribution, the Casablanca-Settat region maintained its first place ranking for the attractive and favorable business region at 36 percent.
Rabat-Salé-Kenitra trailed at 15 percent, while the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region and Marrakech-Safi both recorded 11 percent.
The rate of sole proprietorships, the simplest business model, also increased by more than 8 percent compared to 2016.
38,065 individual companies were registered against 35,118 in 2016, with the highest rate recorded in f Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima at 21 percent, followed by the Oriental region at 16 percent and Casablanca-Settat at 10 percent.
Many of these Moroccan enterprises are not limited toMorocco, as their presence has seen an exponential increase in other African markets.
According to a joint statement by the Moroccan Association of Exporters (ASMEX) and the American consultancy firm Bearing Point issued in late 2016, Moroccan enterprises are making their mark in Cameroon, the Ivory Coast, Mali, and Senegal.
According to the same statement, just five years ago 'for 86 percent of Moroccan companies surveyed, Africa accounted for less than 5 percent of their turnover.' This year's data shows that nearly 20 percent of the surveyed Moroccan companies 'estimate that Africa will account for more than 50 percent of their total turnover in the next five years.'
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Secretary Information Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians, Shazia Atta Marri MNA has said that the selected federal government has totally failed to give any relief to the people instead increasing the troubles of the common citizens.
Addressing a press conference flanked by Deputy Chairman Senate Saleem Mandviwala in Islamabad on Wednesday, she said that the government has increased power tariff about 15 times since it has been imposed on the people of Pakistan. She said that the government has succumbed before the IMF and accepting every condition by the IMF.
Shazia Marri said that the people are not in a mood to give any more time to this selected government. She condemned torture on students in Lahore and initiation of cases against 500 students.


Indians attacked in Australia: Govt seeks details
The consulate in Melbourne has been asked to give a report on the alleged incident in which three Indian youth were badly thrashed in an apparent racist attack, official sources said.
India, which has been concerned over the attacks, has been assured by the Australian government at the highest level that it would take steps to ensure safety and security of Indian nationals in that country.
The Australian government has taken steps, like increasing police patrolling, to prevent the attacks, the sources said, adding that more needs to be done.
India will continue to monitor closely the developments, they said.


Story | Feb 20, 2014 | 9:45 AM
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Story | Feb 20, 2014 | 10:34 AMEditor:
Story | Feb 19, 2014 | 5:23 AM
Story | Feb 13, 2014 | 11:51 AM
Story | Feb 12, 2014 | 3:15 AM
The economy, jobs creation, and unemployment continue to be in the national and state news these days. Locally, the business and economic climate has changed in the last few years. To be certain, change has been a constant dynamic in the local economy...


Govt backtracking on its commitment about caretaker PM: Khurshid Shah
ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Khurshid Shah on Wednesday said that the government was backtracking on its earlier commitment regarding the appointment of caretaker prime minister.
While speaking to media persons, Khurshid Shah said that at this point, it was appearing that the matter regarding the appointment of caretaker prime minister will be settled through a parliamentary committee as the government was backtracking on its earlier commitment.
He said that Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has no authority to reject their nominees for the caretaker prime minister. He said that final meeting regarding the caretaker prime minister with PM Abbasi will be held tomorrow.
Earlier, the opposition leader and PM Abbasi have met five times but no consensus has been reached on the name for the position of caretaker premier.


Story | Jun 7, 2014 | 9:00 AM
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Story | Apr 2, 2015 | 5:05 PMWASHINGTON Two former House Democrats ousted in 2014 announced Thursday they're giving it another go.
Story | Mar 5, 2013 | 2:35 PM


The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) has said that Pak-Russia joint counter terrorism exercise DRUZHBA-V has been started.
According to ISPR, the Opening ceremony was held at Tarbela on Sunday and the Pak-Russian Federation Special Forces are participating in two weeks long exercise.
The ISPR has said that the National anthems of both countries were played at the start of the ceremony.
Senior officials of Pakistan Army and Russian Federation were present on the occasion.
Russian Ambassador to Pakistan, Danila Ganich has also attended the ceremony.


Naif Arab University Organizes Workshop On Dangers Of 'Drones In Important Locations”, In South Korea
(MENAFN- Saudi Press Agency) Cheonan, May 16, 2022, SPA-- Naif Arab University for Security Sciences (NAUSS), in cooperation with the Korean National Police University and the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), organized today a workshop in the city of Cheonan, South Korea, themed 'Methods and Strategies to Confront the Dangers of 'Drones' in Important Locations', to keep pace with technical developments of security dangers and challenges, including dangers of drones.
This comes within the NAUSS's annual programs aimed at developing international cooperation and strategic partnerships, which aim to transform the interest in combating terrorism into a tangible reality that contributes to strengthening international efforts to address these crimes.
19:15 LOCAL TIME 16:15 GMT
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Spokesperson of Pakistan Muslim League-N and Federal Minister Maryam Aurangzeb says that a meeting of the young leaders of the party across Punjab will be held today in Model Town Lahore in which suggestions will be taken on the preparation of the Youth Charter.
In a statement, Maryam Aurangzeb says that the senior vice president and chief organizer of the party Maryam Nawaz will preside over the meeting, the organizational structure of the youth will be reviewed in the meeting.
He said that proposals related to youth development, employment and business will be considered in the meeting.
Maryam Aurangzeb further said that in this meeting the social media role of the youth and performance at the party level will be considered.
The spokesperson of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Federal Minister also said that Maryam Nawaz will express her opinion on the youth development policy of the party.


Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party on Monday held anti-Pakistan protests over shelling from across the border and demanded that the state government pay adequate compensation to the affected people.
The Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party on Sunday alleged that the state government headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has failed in carrying out the relief and rehabilitation work for the flood hit people of the state.
Calling for immediate dismissal of Omar Abdullah government over its alleged failure on all fronts, Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party on Thursday claimed that year 2013 has been the darkest era of governance in the state.
The Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) today lashed out at the Omar Abdullah government, alleging that it has failed on the security front leading to increased number of militant and terror attacks.
Several political, social and religious organisations o n Friday held demonstrations and rallies in protest against the twin attacks by militants in which ten people, including an army officer, were killed.


The Ministry of Education has denied rumours claiming that it intends on ending the academic year.
In a statement released on its official Twitter account, the ministry also denied the extension of the distance learning initiative.
Officials have described the information currently circulating on social media platforms and some news websites as baseless.
They also clarified that the information was not released by the ministry and are urging people to seek facts from trusted sources.
The Ministry of Education termed what is being circulated on social media and across media outlets about its intention to end the academic year and continue the distance e-learning system till the end of the school year as ''inaccurate''. pic.twitter.com/EVaDYKwc2V— وزارة التربية (@MOEducationUAE) March 11, 2020


By KASAMAKORN CHANWANPEN
THE SUNDAY NATION
The law has 11 sections covering 152 articles. It is the third of the 10 organic laws that have received royal endorsement so far. The first two were the laws concerning the Election Commission and criminal procedures against political office holders.
It is unclear when the junta will lift the ban on political gatherings and political activities. Many people have concerns that the political parties law lays out so many new rules that parties may require some time to meet them before the election.
The new stipulations include the primary voting system in which the selection of MP candidates will be done through internal voting within parties. Previously, the party’s board had nearly absolute power to pick candidates to run in an election.
Although some people view the practice as democratic, allowing more participation, political parties have expressed concern that it will create a financial burden for them. Smaller parties might not have the capability to carry out internal polls.
Other controversies came after it was revealed that the law includes the collection of the annual membership fee and the setting up of branches across the country. Political parties argued that these could be very challenging, even impractical, especially when they had limited time to prepare for the election.
Involved agencies such as the Electoral Commission, however, have insisted that the new rules were necessary to bring about change and reform.
The political parties law is one of the four organic laws crucial for holding an election. Besides the EC law that has also already been promulgated, the other two necessary laws for an election are the MPs and Senate laws.


Public health authorities said that 6,452 adverse reactions had been reported among those who received the vaccines by Thursday morning.
Meanwhile, a total of 10,132 doses have been wasted in the rollout, according to the Polish health ministry.
As of Thursday, Poland had injected over 7 million first doses, while more than 2.4 million people have received a second shot, health ministry data showed.
Poland on Thursday reported 12,762 new coronavirus infections and 694 more deaths, bringing the country's total number of cases during the pandemic to 2,731,256 and fatalities to 64,168.
Source: IAR, gov.pl


(MENAFN- The Peninsula) GAZA CITY, Palestine:Three hospitals and ten medical centers have suspended services over an acute fuel shortage in the Gaza Strip, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
In a statement, Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said emergency generators had stopped at three medical centers on Sunday, taking the total number of medical centers suspending services to ten.
The spokesman warned of grave health consequences of the fuel crisis on the lives of patients in the blockaded Palestinian territory.
Home to nearly two million people, the Gaza Strip boasts a total of 13 Ministry-run hospitals and 54 primary health care centers that account for roughly 95 percent of all health services in the coastal enclave.
Gaza, which continues to groan under a decade-long Israeli siege, has struggled with severe electricity shortages since 2006.
Although the territory requires an estimated 600 megawatts of electricity, it currently receives only 120 megawatts from Israel and another 32 megawatts from Egypt.
Gaza & #39;s sole functioning power plant, meanwhile, is only able to generate 60 megawatts of electricity, according to the Palestinian Energy Authority.
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Economist wants more north Qld pollies
A north Queensland economist says the region deserves to have more representation in Federal Parliament.
Colin Dwyer says the area north of Rockhampton is losing out because there are too few politicians representing too many people.
He says it is time the Australian Electoral Commission took a closer look at increasing the number of senators and Lower House members.
"I think that it's an important factor that we put forward these suggestions and we discuss them as a community and we have some positive way forward for the community to be able to demonstrate that we deserve more than we are currently getting," he said.
Mr Dwyer says there are a million people across the region and only three senators and five Lower House members.
He says compared to state's like Tasmania, north Queensland is severely under-represented.
"As an example, the upgrade of the Bruce Highway, you have more people that are talking to the other 150 members in the Lower House and the 76 odd senators talking about those issues so that they get put out there on the table and they get discussed and the more people that we have to do that the better off that we are going to be," he said.


PTI government hints at amending NAB laws to make it more potent
ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Media lftikhar Durrani Tuesday said the government was ready to improve and amend the law of National Accountability Bureau and make it more effective and strong against corruption and corrupt people.
He held responsible the past regimes of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples Party for not amending the accountability law and the leaders of the opposition parties were making a hue and cry in the National Assembly over non-issues and trying to escape from accountability.
Talking to a private news channel, he said the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) were not serious to talk about the public issues in parliament, rather they were trying to pressurize the government to stop investigation of corruption cases against their leaders.
The leaders of both the parties, he said, were trying to escape from accountability by using derogatory language in the parliament, however, the PTI government would not succumb to such tactics and cases against the corrupt would be pursued till their logical end.
He said the government was taking all steps to put the looters behind the bars.
Durrani suggested that the political parties should come forward and support the government in legislation process so that effective work could be done for the betterment of people.
He said the country was moving forward on the path of progress and prosperity and in coming few months a huge foreign investment would have been made in the country, which would help boost the national economy, besides bring revolutionary development in every sector. lftikhar Durrani said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government was in consultation with other political parties to make the accountability bureau more powerful to deal with the menace of corruption strongly.
Responding to a question about accountability, he said other than Prime Minister Imran Khan there was not a single leader or head of political party who had given the detail of their properties.


Durkan welcomes lifting of unwarranted death threats against Derry wardens
SDLP Foyle MP Mark Durkan has welcomed the news that death threats from dissident republicans against Derry City Council community safety wardens have now been lifted.
Mr Durkan said: “The public support for the wardens shows that their work is valued and wanted – whereas those who have made these threats are not wanted.
“I want to commend the good work of the Trade Union movement in asserting the rights of staff who are serving real needs in the community.
“I hope that the city’s community safety wardens and their families can take full relief from the fact that this misdirected and unwarranted threat has now been lifted.
“I also hope that they can take every encouragement from the strong public support and appreciation which has been expressed by people throughout this city for their good work.”


There is no doubt that today’s economy has become a challenging and fast growing, which has necessitated the adoption of new strategies in line with the imposed by globalization and open markets.
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The move comes in response to the expansion witnessed by Suhaimi, as well as the diversity that the company is trying to achieve in their work. The company also is working to strengthen its presence in the Saudi market and increase its vital role in the development and support of the industrial sector in the Kingdom.
We here at Al Aushaimi Holding are committed to enrich a professional environment that supports creativity and caring for young people as the pillar upon which the development of the future and continue the achievements along with being part of one community and work toward better life.
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The New York Police Department has denied allegations of racial profiling and defended its “broken windows” practices, arguing that they make the city much safer. But the city also has begun to move away from making arrests for minor offenses . . .
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(MENAFN- Trend News Agency)
EU country leaders will discuss how to step up support for
Ukraine and their joint next steps to tame soaring energy prices
when they meet on Friday, reports citing .
'At our meeting we will discuss how to continue providing strong
economic, military, political and financial support to Ukraine for
as long as it takes,' said European Council President Charles
Michel, who chairs meetings of EU country leaders.
The EU leaders' gathering in Prague will also produce guidance
to Brussels on the next steps the EU should take to address soaring
energy prices, Michel said.
'Our primary objective is to ensure that we guarantee security
of supply and affordable energy for our households and businesses,
particularly as the winter cold approaches,' he said.
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MORIGAON, June 20 � ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa today sounded optimistic about the proposed peace talks with the Centre, and said that the talks would usher in peace and progress in the State.
Rajkhowa who was addressing a public meet to felicitate family members of martyrs at Boghora near Charon Beel, said that he had no information about the untraced ULFA leaders and cadres during the Bhutan operation of 2004. �Only the Centre would be able to disclose the information after the talks,� he added.
Rajkhowa further said that hectic correspondence was going on to include the outfit�s �c-in-c� Paresh Baruah in the dialogue. He expressed confidence that the anti-talk faction would also join the peace process.


The President David Granger administration has decided to ditched the plans by the previous government to construct a specialty hospital and instead use the funds that would have gone to that project to upgrade existing hospitals and health institutions across the country.
The decision was made at Tuesday’s cabinet meeting and announced earlier today by Minister of State Joe Harmon.
He said Guyana was already trying to recoup hundreds of millions of dollars that were lost in the project under the PPP government which made legal moves to recover the money after the contractor it hired failed to deliver on the project. Over US$4 Million was already spent on the project through a credit arrangement with India.
The new government is looking to use the remaining US$14 Million to develop and improve a number of the primary health care facilities across the country.
The APNU and AFC while in opposition had voted against the project and had warned the PPP government about the Surrendra company that it inked a deal with to build the hospital.
It was the same company that the PPP government was forced to take legal action against over the project.
Guyana’s new Minister of Health, Dr. George Norton has been visiting a number of hospitals and health clinics across the country for a first hand look at the conditions health care professionals and patients have to face.
He has described the situation as “shocking” at many of the health facilities that were visited because of the poor condition of the facilities.


(MENAFN- Daily News Egypt)
The Ivorian government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff have agreed on a climate change reform program backed by a $1 loan from the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF).
In a statement, the IMF highlighted Cote d'Ivoire's vulnerability to climate change, with rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, floods, rising sea levels, and coastal erosion posing significant risks to the country's economic growth and its pursuit of sustainability and inclusivity.
The agreement outlines steps to bolster the country's resilience and mitigate climate risks, focusing on key sectors like agriculture, transportation, infrastructure, and public financial management. However, the loan's final approval hinges on the consent of the IMF's Executive Board.
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.


Mt Kenya University has invested heavily in digital learning after the 2020 education calendar was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.
MKU Vice Chancellor Stanely Waudo says e-learning is the way to go adding that the institution has embraced the system going into the future to ensure continuity and enhance quality.
Speaking during the virtual orientation of an estimated 5000 new students for the virtual Sept-Dec semester Waudo said the University has been preparing for a new learning order since 2013 and is now ready.
The University has already received a go ahead from Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha on its preparedness for the resumption of the education calendar.
Waudo said preparations for the University’s 18th graduation are ongoing adding that the ceremony will be held virtually.
He congratulated the new students for their exemplary performance in last year’s KCSE examinations saying they have choose the best university to further their education.
Waudo said MKU has leveraged on technology to ensure learning continues even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Digital transformation in Kenya and across the Globe is trend that has redefined learning through creating inclusive learning experiences,” He said.
The VC said online learning can no longer be overlooked saying it’s self centered and encourages students to take charge of their own learning.
Waudo said, online learning places more responsibility on students and reduces dependency on teachers adding that discipline among learners is key in ensuring its success.
He said the University endeavors to train the new students to broaden their minds and impart skills and knowledge and values that will help them navigate through various environments.


Conrad Sangma on Republic Day address says government is running the state with accountability
Shillong, Jan 26: Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma said that his government is running the state with accountability.
Addressing a gathering at Polo Grounds on the occasion of India’s 73rd Republic Day, Sangma said that the government is monitoring each and every government schemes on a real time basis.
“This is the difference in the governance that we are trying to make. You have accountability,” the Chief Minister said.
According to him, at present there are 28,000 pregnant mothers in the state, and the government can exactly tell under which sub-centre, PHC, or which doctor is taking care of them, which Asha is taking care of them.
“We can actually tell you that 10-15 percent are high risk mothers, and we know their names, and we follow, we ensure the doctors visit them, the Ashas visit them special care is given to them and it is, this monitoring that has today helped us to ensure that our institutional deliveries have gone up from 50 percent to 85 percent,” he added.
He also said that the government is monitoring the implementation of PMGSY scheme.
Sangma also said that the government have program for farmers, who have been marginalized all these years.
The Chief Minister said that for the first time in the history of the State, the first welfare program for farmers has been taken up in the last 12 months.
He informed that in this last 12 months, a new program called FOCUS, which is to focus on the farmers has been taken up, where over Rs. 200 crores are going to be spent on four and a half lakh farmer families.
“Benefits will be given to them, and a direct benefit transfer is being done for the first time. With these funds, the farmers are actually able to meet their basic requirements that they need during difficult times,” Sangma added.
The Chief Minister also said that his government is focused on the self-help group movement where women needed to be made more active.
He said presently close to three and a half lakh women are part of the self-help group movement, where it was just 30,000 when this government had taken over in 2018.
Sangma said that it is this governance that was done in the last four years that
has seen over two lakh families who now receive water through pipe, touching almost 12 lakh individuals in the state.
In 2019, in the rural areas, there were only 4000 families or houses that had water through pipe connections.


Opposition Leader Dorji Wangdi expressed his concerns about the significant increase of the supplementary budget for fiscal year 2021-22 during its deliberation in the National Assembly yesterday.
The Parliament last year had passed a total national budget of Nu 80.483 billion (B) for the fiscal year, but the government allocated additional budget of almost Nu 3.867B.
The opposition leader said that although some changes in the budget figures were expected after adjustments, the additional allocations made to some agencies were significantly large.
“The government should adjust the changes in budget figures within the budget approved by Parliament as much as possible,” he said.
The opposition leader said that budgets for some agencies had tripled at the end of the fiscal year.
He cited the example of the Cabinet Secretariat budget, which increased from Nu 138.7 million (M) to Nu 453M.
This means that the government allocated Nu 324M to the Cabinet Secretariat in addition to the budget that was originally allocated and endorsed by Parliament.
Dorji Wangdi said the budget for the environment commission was also increased from Nu 348.9M to Nu 723M.
He said proper rules and regulations should be put in place to avoid such issues in the future.
However, Finance Minister Namgay Tshering said that the budgeting system should be flexible and that such changes in budget figures were expected after adjustments towards the end of the fiscal year.
“We don’t want our budgeting system to be statistic, which is why we are introducing a rolling budget system in the 13th Plan,” he said.
He said that the increase in the budget was due to the incorporation of externally funded projects including Covid-19 related activities.
Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering said that the budget had also increased as the government had given its priority to the health sector.
Citing an example, he said that 12 new endoscopy machines were procured and distributed to various dzongkhags, including Wangdue and Tsirang.
He said that the procurement of the machines helped the government detect breast and stomach cancers at an early stage and prevented cancer cases in a significant number of people.
The theme for the budget for the fiscal year 2021-2022 was ‘Sustained Economic Stability for a Resilient Economy’.
The Supplementary Budget Bill 2021-2022 will be voted today.