[Iraq Sun] PHOENIX, Arizona - An attack on a Catholic church in Phoenix killed a 28-year-old priest and injured another after suspected burglars shot up them, police said Thursday.
The burglary at the Mater Misericordiae (Mother of Mercy) Mission near 16th Avenue and Monroe Street was reported Wednesday evening when police received a 911 call apparently by the priest who was injured.
Phoenix Police Department front man Steve Martos said one of the priests suffered gunshot wounds and later died in hospital
The Diocese of Phoenix in a statement Thursday identified the slain priest as Father Kenneth Walker, who is listed as associate pastor at the mission, established by Bishop Thomas Olmstead in 2005 to provide Latin Mass to the faithful in Arizona.
"We are stunned and deeply saddened to learn of the tragic assault perpetrated last night against Fr. Joseph Terra and Fr. Kenneth Walker, two religious order priests who belong to the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter," the statement said.
Father Joseph Terra, the pastor, was identified as the priest who survived. He remains in critical but stable condition, according to the statement.
Police said Terra, 56, was "physically harmed" but not stabbed or shot.
Martos said on Twitter that Phoenix police were "investigating a homicide at (the) church property".
"We are hoping to be able to have some conversation with the injured priest at some point, hopefully later today, to gather some more of that information," Martos told news hounds at the scene.
Burglars had apparently stolen a car from the church property. The vehicle was later found unoccupied at 17th Avenue and Taylor Street, about four blocks north of the church, Martos said.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/14/2014 00:00 ||
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[11124 views]
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#1
As basic human decency devolves into, well, basic human norms.
I'm not a Catholic, but still respect the sanctity of (lawful and peaceful) sanctuary. Doubt that my Lib associates will make the connection between front-end "Tolerance" and the back end results of desperation (whether real or contrived) sans morality of which I believe this is an example.
Mrs. Phester sez I'm not allowed to discuss this kind of thing with family (might not get a Fathers day card, etc.), so the population of Rantburg becomes my kindred-spirits.
[DAILYCALLER] A St. Louis couple is likely thankful to have guns in their home after they were forced to use them to defend their daughter against two men Monday night.
The men, one of whom had an extensive rap sheet, confronted the couples' 17-year-old daughter after she stepped outside of the house to go to her car, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Cortez McClinton, 33, and Terrell Johnson, 31, held a gun to the girl's head and used her as a shield as they entered the family home, where a five-year old child was also present.
The girl's father and mother witnessed the abduction, and both retrieved their guns. When McClinton and Johnson entered, the father fired several shots, hitting both men. The girl's mother fired one shot but missed.
Johnson died at the scene. McClinton was wounded but was able to scramble off. He had his brother take him to the hospital.
In 2010, McClinton was charged with shooting another man. Charges were eventually dropped due to lack of witness participation. He also had drug possession and distribution charges against him.
McClinton is charged with second-degree murder, kidnapping, burglary and criminal armed action and is being held on $1 million bond.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/14/2014 00:00 ||
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[11128 views]
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#1
This has absolutely got to stop. The inability for the girls mother to hit the target clearly indicates she is not spending enough time at the range.
#3
We may have done, g(r)omgoru. Though if a story is from a different site, it doesn't register as a duplicate to trigger deletion before publishing, requiring the sharp eyes and copious memory of a dedicated reader (thanks for being that one for us again today!!) And Fred doesn't nave time to consult the archives in the middle of maintaining the site for us, but posts 'em as he finds 'em.
#6
I took it as being helpful, g(r)omgoru. Seriously, thank you for being part of making Rantburg what it is. I find myself quoting "an Israeli physicist I know" as well as the rest of you an awful lot these days. The internet is a wonderful thing -- I've come to know such interesting people here, and eagerly absorb, to the extent I'm capable, the knowledge y'all so generously share. I quite startle my analog friends, on occasion, with the things I know, thanks to you all. Though formerly part time daughter last night still smiled at something I said, as showing an incorrigible innocence of human nature.
Posted by: John Frum ||
06/14/2014 8:56 Comments ||
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#5
Flying your own plane requires a total commitment to keeping current and especially IFR current and practice.
I do not know the entire story behind this accident, and it will take a year on so before NTSB completes its investigation and issues its report.
If you are wealthy you can afford the top of the line aircraft, but training is a must, and if you do not commit to staying current and sharp, you can easily run out altitude, airspeed, and ideas all at once.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
06/14/2014 12:29 Comments ||
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#8
A nice Bilderburgerer/Illuminati funeral pyre (low carbon release) is in order
Posted by: Frank G ||
06/14/2014 20:21 Comments ||
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#9
Like Alaska Paul said, and also the insurance company(-ies) underwriting Mr. Rockefellers life would undoubtedly have an interest in documented competencies beyond Federal Aviation Administration requirements.
Last week's murder of two Las Vegas cops was likely fueled by chemicals of some kind, likely methamphetamine, but more likely marijuana. I won't get into an exchange about how marijuana makes you too lethargic to murder in cold blood two police officers having lunch. Your mileage, and probably Jerad and Amanda Miller's mileage varied. Suffice it to say that despite all evidence pointing to the fact that this was a crazy man and the even crazier woman he married is stashed safely in the background as our own homegrown fascists focus on the availability of guns and the at best tenuous connection between these two killers and the Bundy Ranch Incident, and the Patriots and Threepers thereto. It should be noted for future reference that the Millers were virtually run off from the Bundy Ranch. The connection between them and those who actually were at the ranch is a fevered fantasy in the minds of the left.
If you are interested in reading the full party line on the Millers, their political views and how those views can be applied to conservatives, this Rooters article has it all. The article itself is an exemplar of the type of "news" reporting we can expect in the future.
If you shoot an AR-15 rifle and are using steel cased ammunition, this replacement part can help preserve your AR. I know, however, that most indoor ranges refuse to allow steel cased ammunition even if it is copper washed lead core. According to the stories I have heard, insurance companies say that indoor gun ranges are subject to fire from the firing of steel core ammunition, and range masters carry a magnet to check for steel. If it sticks, you have to fire brass ammunition.
Loads.
Rantburg's summary for arms and ammunition:
Prices for pistol ammunition were steady while rifle ammunition prices were mixed.
Prices for both used rifles and used pistols were mostly lower. Prices for used AR-10 pattern rifles nationwide appear to have completely collapsed.
Pistol Ammo
.45 Caliber, 230 grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (5 weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Munire USA, Tulammo, steel cased, .30 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: Munire USA, Tulammo, steel cased, .29 per round (From last week: Unchanged)
.40 Caliber Smith & Wesson, 180 grain, From Last Week: Unchanged
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Munire USA, Ultramax, CNL, reloaded, .28 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: LAX Ammunition, Store Brand, reloaded, .25 per round (From Last week: Unchanged)
9mm Parabellum, 115 grain From Last Week: Unchanged (3 Weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Able's, Tulammo, steel cased, .22 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: I.Q. Metals, HSM, Factory Seconds, RNL, .21 per round (From Last Week: -.01 Each)
.357 Magnum, 158 grain, From Last Week: Unchanged
Cheapest, 50 rounds: LAX Ammunition, CCI Blazer, JHP, .42 per round
Cheapest Bulk: 250 Rounds: LAX Ammunition, CCI Blazer, JHP, .36 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged)
Rifle Ammunition
.223 Caliber/5.56mm 55 grain, From Last Week: -.01 Each (After Unchanged (2 weeks))
Cheapest, 20 rounds: LV Ammo, Wartak, steel cased, .24 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: Lee's Mags, Tulammo, steel cased, .24 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (2 Weeks))
.308 NATO 145 grain, From Last Week: -.07 (!)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: SG Ammo, Silver Bear, steel cased, .50 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: SG Ammo, Silver Bear, steel cased, .45 per round (From Last week: -.07 Each (!))
7.62x39 AK 123 Grain, From Last Week: +.01 each
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Ammunition Depot, Wolf, steel case, .21 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: Bulk Ammo, Wolf, steel case, .21 per round (From Last week: Unchanged (9 Weeks))
.22 LR 40 Grain, From Last Week: +.02 each
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Ammunition to Go, Fiocchi, .10 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 325 rounds: Trop Gun Shop, Federal Champion, .11 per round
Guns for Private Sale
Rifles
.223/5.56mm (AR Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $610 Last Week Avg: $645 (+)
California (209): Palmetto State Armory: $525 (!)
Texas (318): Mixed Build: $775
Pennsylvania (170): Bushmaster: $600
Virgina (214): Mixed Build: $600
Florida (393): Smith & Wesson: $549 (!)
.308 NATO (AR-10 Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $1,040 Last Week Avg: $1,190(-)
California (47): DPMS: $1,100
Texas (61): Bushmaster BR-308: $1,000
Pennsylvania (28): Winchester: $1,000
Virginia (44): DPMS LR-308: $1,000
Florida (86): DPMS: $1,099
7.62x39mm (AK Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $550 Last Week Avg: $585 (-)
California (51): Saiga: $499 (!)
Texas (55): WASR: $625
Pennsylvania (57): Saiga: $500 (Same Gun)
Virginia (72): Czech VZ58 : $525
Florida (121): Saiga: $600 (Same Gun)
7.62x54mm (Dragunov Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $1,300 Last Week Avg: $1,100 (+)
California (0): None Available
Texas (0): None Available
Pennsylvania (2): Romak PSL: $1,400 (Same Gun)
Virginia (0): None Available
Florida(6): Romak PSL: $1,200 (!)
Pistols
.45 caliber ACP (M1911 Pattern Semiautomatic Pistol) Average Price: $415 Last Week Avg: $424 (-)
California (154): Rock Island Armory M1911A1: $425
Texas (212): Girsan 1911: $450
Pennsylvania (190): Tisas: $350
Virginia (167): Metro Arms: $400
Florida (378): Taurus PT1911: $450
9mm Beretta 92FS or other Semiautomatic Average Price: $433 Last Week Avg: $449 (-)
California (144): Glock 19: $400 (!)
Texas (330): Glock 17: $440
Pennsylvania (205): Beretta 92: $450
Virginia (247): Smith & Wesson Model 539: $425
Florida (496): Glock 19: $450
.40 caliber S&W (Glock and other semiautomatic) Average Price: $435 Last Week Avg: $415 (+)
California (92): Glock 22: $425
Texas (145): Glock 27: $450
Pennsylvania (114): Smith & Wesson M&P40: $450
Virginia (121): Glock 22: $400
Florida (208):Glock 27: $450
#1
There was a headline on the front page of our local newspaper this a.m. entitled: "Sheriff: Hawkins [Co.] boys had big plans." The article goes on to say that several boys in Hawkins Co. had plans, which were well underway, to surpass Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold in 1999. The article said the Hawkins Co. boys studied the mistakes of the Columbine psychos to try to build to increase the anticipated body count. The article said: the boys were not discipline problems, had not been bullied , were not bad students; they really didn't stand out in any way, good or bad according to authorities. That is the crux of their problem, they did not stand out and they wanted to become famous by becoming the most notorious mass murderers of all time. This plot was halted by one of the parents who came upon the plot, took their son to a mental health center, and a mental health worker tipped off the cops. They had guns and explosives according to the police.
Fortunately, these juvenile wannabees were caught. The newspaper article did not also go nuts by wringing their hands and calling for widespread gun-grabbing which would have solved absolutely nothing. It was already illegal for these kids to have firearms and explosives.
#2
I've a friend who made a bit of a study of the subject. Being as she is quite knowledgeable and insightful about patterns in human personality, I share them herewith, along with my own conclusions.
Sociopaths -- which includes what used to be called psychopaths not so long ago -- are often very likable people, without visible kinks when they were young, in many cases. Later in life a pattern can be discovered of a sense of entitlement, a willingness to acquire whatever is desired by charm, manipulation, and lies, a consistent need for self-aggrandizement, no sense that risky behaviour is risky for him, as it naturally is for others...
That lad in Catch Me If You Can who was able to fake the key identification signs for mastery of his chosen claimed employment of the moment, in order to enjoy the perks thereof, seems a perfect example.
Only a few turn to crime in general, or murder in particular, though a great many are cuttingly cruel to those who love and/or work for them.
It is not that they are particularly clever about manipulating those around them, as is generally claimed. Rather, they use the Saleman's Technique: keep trying, and eventually a susceptible will reveal him- or herself. And as they only learn from success, failure being a sign merely to try even more people...
But it seems the home environment is key to the life outcome of sociopaths. They have the usual range of intelligence and talents, but if they are reared in a loving and structured environment, they learn to choose to accept society's rules as being one of the tools for accomplishing what they want. This came out when an eminent brain doctor -- whose name and recently published book escape me at the moment -- compared his brain scan to those of a number of known criminal sociopaths in the course of a consultation, and was shocked to discover that his contained the same features. An examination of his family history revealed a number of egregiously nasty criminals, and discussions with friends and family revealed behaviour patterns of which he had been completely unaware. Based on what he discovered, he began acting more thoughtfully to his loving and patient wife of many years, and began being less entirely the "fun" father to his children and "that fun guy, OMG you wouldn't believe what he talked me into doing last weekend" with his friends. I have only read the kindle sample of the book, so don't know if he drew conclusions about what differed in his upbringing to make him a domesticated sociopath, if you will, rather than a feral one like JohnQC's lot.
Brain scans may become a standard part of the repertoire of future criminal proceeding, removing the therapeutic end of psychiatry from the question of competence. Sociopaths are competent, but as they don't learn from failure, will not stop killing merely because they are tried, convicted, and imprisoned. Only the death penalty will do. And those with mental illnesses, such as schizophrenics and those with bipolar disorder severe enough to lead them to kill -- whether only within the household as happened to my girlfriend, or a mass killing at a school or elsewhere -- need to be locked up in an insane asylum and medicated under supervision, for such people unfortunately cannot be allowed to live among us, where they become legally allowed to refuse treatment at about the same age that their psychosis blooms. Having thus removed the incorrigible from prison populations, perhaps they will become what they were hoped to be, way stations in which those who had done wrong learn how to become productive members of society. It does happen, after all, but given the number of failed sociopaths and the clinically insane behind bar these days, the environment that exists could not possibly be conducive to developing a different philosophy of life.
#4
Sociopaths -- which includes what used to be called psychopaths not so long ago -- are often very likable people, without visible kinks when they were young, in many cases. Later in life a pattern can be discovered of a sense of entitlement, a willingness to acquire whatever is desired by charm, manipulation, and lies, a consistent need for self-aggrandizement, no sense that risky behaviour is risky for him, as it naturally is for others..
Do they party with celebrities and golf a lot as well? Serial liars with narcissistic tendencies? Hmmmmm
Posted by: Frank G ||
06/14/2014 10:23 Comments ||
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[BBC] Egypt has asked YouTube to remove a video of a woman being sexually assaulted during a rally in Cairo's Tahrir Square supporting the country's newly elected president. Good idea. If it's not on YouTube it didn't happen.
A spokesman for President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi ...successor to Hosni Mubarak as president-for-life of Egypt. That was after he removed Mohammad al-Morsi as president-for-life by popular demand in one of the April showers of the Arab Spring.... said the request was made by the Egyptian embassy in Washington.
The woman asked for the video to be taken down when Mr Sisi visited her in hospital on Wednesday, he said.
YouTube has not yet responded to news of the request.
The graphic video, which apparently shows a woman being stripped naked and attacked in the capital's Tahrir Square, went viral earlier this week.
A string of assaults during the recent celebrations have caused uproar.
State-run television showed the president personally apologising to a victim, whose identity has been kept anonymous, at a military hospital in Cairo on Wednesday.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/14/2014 00:00 ||
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[11127 views]
Top|| File under: Arab Spring
Until the past few days, the crisis in Ukraine had seemed to be calming down. One week ago, U.S. President Barack Obama had a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin that left U.S. officials "optimistic" about de-escalation. That was then, this is now:
A video that made its way online Thursday showed a tank advancing toward Donetsk, the city in Ukraine where pro-Russian separatists have stirred angst and taken over government buildings.
Why shouldn't Putin escalate? What's Champ going to do?
#4
An olive branch I will buy all the idiots that think they need to die for Ukraine and the inbred EU Halle Berry outfits from the last boy scout cowboy hat also, a gun and send them on a low slow flying cargo plane over eastern Ukraine! Wake up who gives a fuck about Ukraine or their debt Iraq got almost invaded for debt to bankers! We don't need black sea gas the superior EU people do like they said about Iraq maybe they should use their own people resources and military and money for a change!
#7
Oh boy, let me guess, it's one of those Special Snowflakes who believes that everyone deserves to be sold out to their local Red Mafia franchisee (except for themselves, of course). Bah, humbug.
[Iran Press TV] Moscow says the Ukrainian army has violated its territory with one armored vehicle crossing Russia's border.
I think Poland violated Germany's border. Once...
According to Russia's Federal Security Service ... the successor to the KGB... (FSB), the Ukrainian armored personnel carrier was detected near the village of Millerovo in the Rostov region on Friday.
Vasily Malaev, the head of FSB's press department in the Rostov region, said that the vehicle was 150 meters inside the Russian territory without any crew inside it. He added that the crew later returned to the scene to take the vehicle. "That attempt was thwarted by border guards and the trespassers withdrew," the Interfax news agency quoted him as saying.
There are also some reports claiming that there have been two armored vehicles not one in the region.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/14/2014 00:00 ||
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#1
"3400 rubles each to drive across the border and park?"
-"That's what he says."
"How far?"
-"Maybe 100-150 meters."
"Then what?"
-"His cousin is having a party. We can hang out there(genially flicks under jaw). Whaddya say?
"Can we trust him?"
-Who knows, he's Russian, probably FSB, but the Vodka should be good."
"OK. but I want dollars not Rubles and the Vodka better be good!"
-I'll tell him, hey call your cousin Vaoldya maybe he'll drive up to."
"Operation Millerovo underway!"
A: "You said she lives close to here?"
B: "I can't see in the dark, where the @#$ are we?"
C: "Close now boys, stay sharp, she has 4 sisters."
B: "Last time you said 5!"
A: "Whaoa, is it 4 or 5, maybe this wasn't such a good idea. How'd you meet her?"
C: "On this website, here look at the pictures"
B: "WTF!"
A: "This is a picture of Justin Bieber."
B: "Why does Justin have ^&*(lady parts) in this picture?"
C: "I will beat you!"
All depart vehicle at high rate of speed.
Meanwhile, somewhere south.....
A2: "Fire her up boys, we just got invited to a party!"
B2: "By Who?"
A2: "This girl I met, she has 5 sisters!"
B2: "Father is away?"
A2: "(smiling) In Donetsk!"
B2: "I'll get the guys, how do you know her?"
A2: "Details are not important right now. I'll tell you along the way, let's roll!"
[StratRisks] Russia and China have been jolted by the three big established American credit rating agencies, Standard & Poor's (S&P), Moody's and Fitch, whose ratings currently dominate financial markets. The agencies rate credit worthiness of both states and companies. Their grades play a decisive role in determining the conditions under which money can be borrowed on the markets. Answering the politicization of the US agencies.
h/t Gates of Vienna
For decades the accounting records of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which marked its 65th anniversary in April, remained largely 'blotted out' as classified, leaving billions of NATO dollars unaccounted for, claim auditors from the Netherlands.
The official controlling body of the Dutch government, the Netherlands Court of Audit (NCA), which also audits the funds annually allocated by Netherlands government on NATO activities, collected information from open sources on NATO expenditures over the last 40 years. The results of this extensive research have been published last Tuesday on a specially-created English language website. The NCA stipulates it has no "specific mandate to audit NATO," yet the organization is involved in advising the International Board of Auditors for NATO (IBAN). Financial inspections of the last six years have brought auditors from IBAN, the NCA and other NATO member states to the conclusion that bloc's finances are not in order. State officials from all of NATO's 28 member states actually have no idea where the alliance's funds go and who's the final recipient of huge amounts of money, the NCA claims.
"NATO might be wasting a lot of money, or maybe they are short of cash. Frankly, we have no idea," shared NCA President Saskia Stuiveling.
#1
Oh no, a conglomeration of US DOD agencies hooked to European governments, wasting money. Say it ain't so.
(Time to bid out a classified study on long term results to reduction of the revenue stream. Purely hypothetical, of course.)
Posted by: ed in texas ||
06/14/2014 8:08 Comments ||
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#2
"War us our business, and business is good." ~ Unknown
#6
But you have to understand, McDonnell Douglas says they'll make part of this in his district.
It's all about the graft.
Posted by: ed in texas ||
06/14/2014 7:54 Comments ||
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#7
So does this mean the F-35 will be able to do close support from 30,000 feet? Because they won't let it get any closer than that. Nice 35mm (or whatever) canon it has there. With lots of ammo, too.
#8
The Army Aviation branch would gladly take the existing aircraft and I suspect even the Marines might want them. CAS is a key component of the modern battlespace and this again proves why fighter pilots make poor senior commanders as a rule.
#9
Move the land based and sub based missiles to a new Strategic Command along with Space Command, revert the rest of the Dept to the Army Air Corps. Otherwise, slice the A-10s, the personnel, the budget and facilities to the Army. Cancel the next generation attack helicopter. No need to do fundamentally duplicate missions.
[DAWN] An election tribunal on Friday disqualified Jamaat Ulema-e-Islam ...the political wing of the Pak Taliban... Fazl (JUI-F) provincial politician Zareen Gul Khan after it declared that polls had been rigged at his PK-58 Mansehra ...a city and an eponymous district in eastern Khyber-Pakthunwa, nestled snug up against Pak Kashmir, with Kohistan and Diamir to the north and Abbottabad to the south... constituency in the May 2013 elections.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Fred ||
06/14/2014 00:00 ||
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[11125 views]
Top|| File under: Jamaat-e-Ulema Islami
[DAWN] KOHAT: Hundreds of health workers staged a demonstration at Liaquat Memorial Hospital here on Thursday and threatened to boycott the anti-polio ...Poliomyelitis is a disease caused by infection with the poliovirus. Between 1840 and the 1950s, polio was a worldwide epidemic. Since the development of polio vaccines the disease has been largely wiped out in the civilized world. However, since the vaccine is known to make Moslem pee-pees shrink and renders females sterile, bookish, and unsubmissive it is not widely used by the turban and automatic weapons set... campaign starting from Saturday in protest against non-payment of their salaries by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central... government since January.
The local head of expanded programme of immunisation (EPI), Mohammad Riaz, said on the occasion that they had not been paid salaries since January 2014. He regretted that despite that they were being warned of termination of services if they boycotted duty.
Mr Raiz and his other colleagues said that for each polio campaign the WHO had fixed Rs2,150 and the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government Rs1,000 allowance for each of the workers. He said that the WHO had been paying them regularly, but the government had not released their salary since January.
They said that there were 112 areas' heads and 1,280 vaccinators taking part in the anti-polio drive and they would boycott the coming campaign if their dues were not cleared immediately.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/14/2014 00:00 ||
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[11128 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
#1
If they are serious about vaccination, they need to cowboy up. "Every health worker a rifleman", "We're not just doctors. We're doctors with guns"
[DAWN] Pakistain Tehrik-e-Insaf ...a political party in Pakistan. PTI was founded by former Pakistani cricket captain and philanthropist Imran Khan. The party's slogan is Justice, Humanity and Self Esteem, each of which is open to widely divergent interpretations.... (PTI) MNA Shafqat Mahmood on Friday said that the isolated leadership of the ruling party and hereditary politics can be a threat to democracy while the electoral reforms will strengthen the democratic system in the country.
Commenting in the Lower House on the Finance Bill 2014, containing the annual budget statement, the PTI member said that it is an alarming situation the prime minister is not available to cabinet members and that it takes three to six months to take approval of development projects from the PM.
"Why is the government unable to bring transparency in its affairs and again 'threats to democracy' theory is under debate," he questioned?
Mahmood said that it is the PML-N's track record to trigger a tussle with state institutions and individuals.
"Ghulam Ishaq Khan, Gen Asif Nawaz, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, Jahangir Karamat and Gen Musharraf are a few glimpses of this history," he pointed out.
"Now again history is being repeated," he added.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/14/2014 00:00 ||
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[11130 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
[DAWN] Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan ...Currently the Interior Minister of Pakistain. He is the senior leader of the Pak Moslem League (N) and a close aide to Nawaz Uncle Fester Sharif. He is noted for his vocal anti-American railing in the National Assembly. However (comma) Khan told the U.S. ambassador that he was in fact pro-American but he and the PML-N would have to be critical of US actions in order to remain publicly credible. Khan cited his wife and children's US citizenship as proof, which means he's lying to one side or the other and probably both. He wears a wig, but you probably guessed that. since hair doesn't grow naturally in that shape or texture... has been taken to hospital after suffering from chest pains, DawnNews reported.
Sources suggest that Nisar has been taken to the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC) in Rawalpindi to undergo an angiography.
Nisar has been the interior minister since June 2013.
Prior to being made the interior minister he had been PML-N's Leader of the Opposition from 2008 till 2013, when the PML-N won the general elections.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/14/2014 00:00 ||
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[11125 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
NEW DELHI: The new government kicked into gear this week, clearing billions of dollars worth of long-delayed defence projects, including a big Navy base, as well as approving the scaling-up of one of the country's biggest dams.
The decision to give the projects the go-ahead despite concern about their environmental and social impact signals Prime Minister Narendra Modi's no-nonsense approach to issues he considers to be important for national security.
The clearances were made over several days and were the first major decisions from the government that swept to power on May 16 on promises of getting Asia's third-largest economy moving and building a stronger country.
Environment minister Prakash Javadekar said the government could not compromise on efforts to build military and civil infrastructure on the border with China as well the west-coast naval base in as an alternative to crowded Mumbai port.
As well as the $2 billion extension to the Karwar base Karnataka, Javadekar approved a radar station in the Andaman and Nicobar islands in the Bay of Bengal.
A defence source said he also planned to fast-track road building along the disputed border with China.
Javadekar said China had built infrastructure in the Coco Islands, which are controlled by Myanmar and just to the north of the Andamans.
"If you have a situation where China is sitting in front and we won't do anything, how can you run the country like this," he said in comments made available to Reuters on Friday.
The radar station proposal had earlier been turned down because the environment ministry under the last government saw a threat to the Narcondam hornbill, an endangered bird species.
The radar on Narcondam island is one of 18 that the military has planned, running north to south along the Andamans, which straddle the strategic seaway leading to the Malacca Straits.
This year, India's patchy radar meant it was unable to say whether missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 had passed over the islands.
Modi met China's foreign minister this week and is likely to visit Beijing this year, but he is also keen to quickly build up border defences that have fallen far behind India's neighbour.
The 63-year-old's first foreign foray will be on Sunday to tiny Bhutan, a Himalayan buffer between India and China that has long been a close Indian military and diplomatic ally.
Higher dam
Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party has promised to end a prolonged period of paralysis at the defence ministry where weapons acquisitions and infrastructure contracts were frozen because of fear of corruption scandals.
Javadekar said he had also cleared the second phase of a naval base in Karwar, on the west coast, that had stalled because environmental activists had warned the ecology of the Western Ghats mountains would be affected.
The base is intended to take the load off Mumbai port, used by the Navy and civilian ships. The Navy has also said it wanted a more secure base to berth its latest aircraft carrier.
"Mumbai is a target. We need an alternative. It is of strategic importance," he said.
The environment ministry is also trying to fast-track roads and defence projects classified as strategic.
Radars and telecommunications projects within 100km (62 miles) of the 4,000km (2,500-mile) border with China, large parts of which are disputed, will be put on an automatic approval list, a defence source said.
As well as the military projects, the government on Thursday approved a long-stalled proposal to raise the height of the Narmada dam to 138.73 metres (455 feet), from 121.92 metres (400 feet), so more water will be available for drinking, irrigation and power generation.
The project will benefit Modi's home state of Gujarat. As chief minister of the state, he campaigned for approval to build the dam higher to protect farmers from drought.
Activist Medha Patkar, who has long campaigned against the project, said about 250,000 people will be displaced.
She said the government appeared to have rushed into the decision without looking at the social and environmental impact as required by law.
"How could the government deal with such a grave situation and go ahead just because Mr Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister?" she said.
Posted by: John Frum ||
06/14/2014 00:00 ||
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#1
The decision to give the projects the go-ahead despite concern about their environmental and social impact signals Prime Minister Narendra Modi's no-nonsense approach to issues he considers to be important for national security.
--And--
The radar station proposal had earlier been turned down because the environment ministry under the last government saw a threat to the Narcondam hornbill, an endangered bird species.
An important lesson for the US e.g. Keystone XL pipeline: The perfect is the enemy of the good.
#2
The hornbill will probably be perfectly fine with the radar base. The area will be under military control and off limits to development. The India missile test range hosts a range of wildlife including turtle nesting areas. Apart from the occasional ICBM being test fired, the wildlife is not disturbed.
Posted by: John Frum ||
06/14/2014 15:56 Comments ||
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#3
The hornbill will probably be perfectly fine with the radar base.
[The India Express] The Ministry of Home Affairs has sent a questionnaire to Greenpeace asking it to give a detailed reply on its foreign funding and spending pattern in the wake of an Intelligence Bureau report accusing the NGO of opposing several development projects in India.
The questionnaire has been sent by the foreigners division of the MHA under Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act. Sources said the MHA's questions relate to the source of fund for the NGO, its beneficiaries, spending pattern, and purpose for which the fund has been spent.
The IB in a report, 'Impact of NGOs on Development', has said that opposition to several development projects in the country by a significant number of NGOs, including Greenpeace, will have a negative impact on the economic growth by two to three per cent. The IB report claimed that some NGOs and their international donors plan to target many fresh economic development projects, including those in Gujarat. No Keystone pipeline nonsense here.
"Training with our partners in their home countries is something that we have always done," said Soceur spokesman Lt-Col Nick Sternberg. "The difference is that now we will maintain a (persistent) Special Operations Forces presence in theatre along the eastern front of Nato on this training mission," he said.
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