Belgrade: Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic said Thursday he was “99 per cent” sure a Paris summit aimed at reviving talks with Kosovo would be cancelled, as the former war foes remain stuck in an acrimonious diplomatic deadlock. Belgrade and Pristina leaders were expected to meet in Paris in early July in an effort to reboot the dialogue aimed at normalising relations. Twenty years after they were divided by war, the Balkan neighbours still have a tense relationship as Belgrade refuses to recognise the independence that Kosovo, a former province, unilaterally declared in 2008. Also Read – Merkel warns UK Brexit deal ‘unlikely’ without compromise: London”I can say with 99 percent certainty that the Paris (meeting) will not take place,” Vucic was quoted as saying by Beta news agency. He said he expected the summit to be cancelled after Kosovo signalled that “Europeans are not the ones who should solve the Kosovo problem.” In recent weeks Pristina leaders have been insisting on the need for involvement from the United States, their top ally, in a dialogue that so far has been mediated by Brussels. Also Read – India, China should jointly uphold peace and stability, resolve disputes through dialogues: Chinese ambassadorOne major roadblock to restarting negotiations has been a 100 percent tariff on Serbian exports that Pristina levied in late 2018. Vucic refuses to talk until Kosovo lifts the tax, while Pristina says it won’t lift the measure until Belgrade shows a willingness to recognise independence. On Monday, Kosovo President Hashim Thaci said he hoped the Paris summit would be “different” than the last meeting in April organised by France and Germany in Berlin. That summit “did not bring anything concrete. There was no coordination with the US,” he said. Serbia lost control of Kosovo after a NATO bombing intervention forced its troops to withdraw from a war with ethnic Albanian separatists in 1999. The conflict claimed 13,000 lives, mainly ethnic Albanian Kosovars. A decade later Kosovo declared independence, in a move recognised by the US and most of Western Europe. But Belgrade and its allies Moscow and Beijing have never accepted its statehood, effectively shutting Kosovo out of the United Nations.
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International cooperation vital to bridging digital divide says SecretaryGeneral
In a message to the UN Global Alliance for ICT and Development (UN-GAID) meeting of officials and experts in Las Vegas, Nevada, Mr. Ban said that it is necessary to build on the momentum generated by the Connect Africa Summit held last October in Kigali, Rwanda, where African nations discussed how to improve their information technology infrastructure. “Bringing more of Africa online is only a first step which must be followed by the provision of content, computers and software to give meaning to this emerging connectivity,” the Secretary-General said in an address delivered by Guido Bertucci of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). Noting that millions of children in dozens of developing nations lack access to computers, he said that this technology must be made available to students to allow for “a breakthrough in education that will help foster development for generations to come.” Mr. Ban pledged the UN’s support and commitment to expanding ICT, stating that “working together, we can make good on promises to bridge the digital divide, student by student, classroom by classroom, and country by country.” 8 January 2008Cooperation among the international community is key to overcoming the “digital divide” that separates poor communities from affluent ones through their lack of access to information and communication technology (ICT) and to bolstering development, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.
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Closing TSX Open 15,155.15 Close 15,211.87 Low 15,147.78 High 15,228.10 Change +78.74 Volume 318,672,294 Value 6,322,085,068
University mourns the passing of Art Fleming
The Brock community is deeply saddened by the loss of Art Fleming who passed away this week. He is husband of former Brock Board of Trustee member Val Fleming (1998-2006) who received an honorary degree from the University in 2011.Val and Art Fleming (photo supplied by Grimsby Lincoln News/Niagara this Week)The Flemings are long-time supporters of Brock and in 1980, they made a major donation to the Good, Better, Brock capital campaign to build the Art and Val Fleming Commons, part of the Academic South building.Obituary: Arthur DeWitt FlemingA celebration of Art’s life will take place Sunday, Nov. 2 at 2 p.m. at 4360 Jackson Street on the Fleming family property in Beamsville.Visitation will be held at the Beamsville Church of Christ, 4900 John St., on Friday. Oct. 31, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 1, 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.
New site chosen for Saskatchewan wind farm after environmental concerns
REGINA – SaskPower says a new site has been chosen for a proposed wind farm after environmental concerns forced a location change.SaskPower and Algonquin Power say they’ve agreed that a 177 megawatt wind project can be built in southwest Saskatchewan between Herbert and Neidpath.The project was originally planned for a site near Chaplin, about 200 kilometres west of Regina.But the Ministry of Environment said another location had to be found because the proposed site was near a migratory bird route and sanctuary.The project was supposed to be online in 2016 in Chaplin, but is now expected to be in service in 2020.It still has to go through the regulatory review permitting process with the Ministry of Environment. by The Canadian Press Posted Jan 5, 2017 9:01 am MDT Last Updated Jan 5, 2017 at 9:40 am MDT AddThis Sharing ButtonsShare to TwitterTwitterShare to FacebookFacebookShare to RedditRedditShare to 電子郵件Email New site chosen for Saskatchewan wind farm after environmental concerns
Parents had weekold baby taken away by social services after father heard
A local council has been ordered to pay damages after taking a week-old baby into care because the father expressed “unorthodox” views about the need to sterilise feeding bottles.A family court judge awarded the couple and their son, who is now 15 months old, a total of £11,250 after ruling that Kirklees Council had breached their human rights and misled a judge in a bid to remove the child from their care.The case, which has cost the taxpayer around £120,000, centred on a couple in their mid-twenties, who cannot be identified. They both suffer from mild learning difficulties and have received assistance from adult social care workers for around a decade. The separation of a baby from his parents represents a very serious interference with family lifeMr Justice Cobb Want the best of The Telegraph direct to your email and WhatsApp? Sign up to our free twice-daily Front Page newsletter and new audio briefings. In a ruling published yesterday, Mr Justice Cobb said that the couple had not been referred to social services ahead of the baby’s birth, in November 2015, despite the fact that the mother suffers from minor mental health problems and the father had “displayed aggressive behaviour”.Four days after the child was born, however, hospital staff called the council to raise concerns about “the long-term parenting capacity of this mother and father”.Mr Justice Cobb said: “It was suggested that the mother had no family support, and that the father was expressing unorthodox views about the need for sterilisation of bottles, and the benefits of formula milk.”Social workers then sought an emergency hearing to place the child under the care of its paternal grandmother, however they did not tell the parents that the hearing was taking place, wrongly told the judge that they had been informed, and also “forgot to notify” Cafcass, the agency that represents children’s interests in court.
The judge said: “The failure of the local authority to notify the Claimants that the hearing was taking place on the afternoon of 13 November was particularly egregious; misleading the district judge no fewer than three times that the parents knew of the hearing aggravates the culpability yet further.”The judge said that the baby boy was returned to his mother and father after three months and “has continued to thrive in his parents’ care”.He added: “There is no doubt in my mind, indeed it is admitted, that Kirklees Council breached the human rights of a baby boy and his parents.”I am satisfied that the breaches were serious…the separation of a baby from his parents represents a very serious interference with family life.” The judge criticised “unwarranted expenditure” of the law firms involved in the case, after cost schedules supplied to the court showed that the family had racked up legal aid bills of nearly £80,000, while Kirklees Council had costs of around £40,000.The judge awarded the mother, father and baby £3,750 each, but said that as they did “not conscientiously attempt to settle” the claim, they were “unlikely to receive these sums” because the funds were likely to be recouped by the Legal Aid Agency.A Kirklees Council spokesman pointed to a section of the judgment in which the judge noted that the council was “entitled on the information available to them” to bring the proceedings.A spokesman said: “Mistakes were made which resulted in the court awarding the family compensation. “The local authority has been ordered to pay a contribution of the publicly funded costs of the claimants, which cover specific periods of the case. This is due to the way the claimants’ litigation was conducted.”
Turkish Airlines flight evacuated after crew find note saying Bomb to Toronto
Turkish Airlines flight evacuated after crew find note saying ‘Bomb to Toronto’ in plane toilet Nothing else suspicious was found, and the passengers were transported to Toronto on a different flight. Passengers waiting to board the flight at Istanbul’s Ataturk International Airport. A TURKISH AIRLINES plane in Istanbul was evacuated today after a suspicious note was discovered in one of its bathrooms.The Turkish Airlines cabin crew found the words “BOMB TO TORONTO” on the wall of a bathroom on Flight TK-17 during its pushback from the gate, a Turkish Airlines press official told The Associated Press.The plane was leaving Istanbul’s Ataturk International Airport for Toronto Pearson International Airport.The plane returned to its parking spot and was evacuated.The airline said the plane and its passengers underwent security procedures, but the official said nothing suspicious was found.The press official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not allowed by his company to give his name.A new plane was designated for the flight to Toronto.Read: Third arrest made in Malaysia over North Korea assassinationRead: “Was that airliner meant to be underneath me?” – Harrison Ford in piloting near-miss http://jrnl.ie/3247337 Tweet thisShare on FacebookEmail this article Feb 18th 2017, 7:42 PM Saturday 18 Feb 2017, 7:42 PM Share54 Tweet Email 
4 Comments By Associated Press 13,056 Views Image: DHA-Depo Photos via AP Passengers waiting to board the flight at Istanbul’s Ataturk International Airport. Image: DHA-Depo Photos via AP Short URL
Eight Sevilla fans hospitalized as barrier collapses
Eight supporters of Sevilla Football Club have been taken to a hospital in Spain after a barrier collapsed during Sevilla’s win at Eibar’s Ipurua Stadium.The barrier collapsed when supporters of Sevilla were celebrating a goal during their team’s 3-1 away in the Spanish La Liga on Saturday night.“In the end, and pending confirmation from the emergency services, eight Sevilla supporters have been taken to Mendaro hospital. None of the injuries are serious,” said Eibar in a statement on their official Twitter account.Los aficionados del @SevillaFC trasladados al hospital han sido ya dados de alta, con una posible fisura de escafoides de uno de los heridos y traumatismos en el resto de casos. Les deseamos a todos una rápida recuperación #EibarSevilla— SD Eibar (@SDEibar) September 29, 2018The barrier collapsed as dozens of the travelling away supporters behind the goal spilt to the pitch after Argentine midfielder Ever Banega converted a 58th-minute penalty to put Sevilla 2-0 up.The match was put on hold for eight minutes while stewards and emergency services attended to supporters in distress.
Quiz: How much do you know about David Villa? Boro Tanchev – September 14, 2019 Time to test your knowledge about Spanish legendary forward David Villa.In a message posted on their official Twitter account, Sevilla dedicated the win to the fans affected.🏥 Diez sevillistas heridos, ninguno de ellos de gravedad, fueron trasladados al Hospital de Mendaro.La expedición nervionense se interesó por su estado en el propio hospital antes de volver a Sevilla.Toda la información ➡️ https://t.co/xEoiWDctrr#vamosmisevilla pic.twitter.com/kIizsymkjv— Sevilla Fútbol Club (@SevillaFC) September 29, 2018“Three goals and three more points in Ipurua. The victory is dedicated to our supporters who suffered today in the accident in the stand. We hope they recover soon,” said the club.Sevilla next travel to Russia where they will face FC Krasnodar in their second group game of this season’s UEFA Europa League campaign.
Phi Thompson lauds Steven Gerrards January recruitment
Phil Thompson has praised Rangers manager Steven Gerrard for his drive in attracting good players to the club.The retired Liverpool defender says Gerrard has revitalized the era of players returning home to Rangers noting that the arrival of Defoe and Davies will be of huge impact to the club.“My goodness Steven Gerrard bringing in Defoe, bringing in Steven Davies, would they have actually gone there? Or sensed that would have been a good move for them, absolutely,” said Thompson on Sky Sports News obtained via Thisisfutbol.
Owen reveals why Liverpool didn’t offer Gerrard a new contract Manuel R. Medina – September 6, 2019 According to Owen, the Reds wanted to sell Gerrard two years before he left the club and that’s why they didn’t offer him a contract renewal.“I’m not surprised (how well he has taken to management) when he did take it, I did think it was a big risk for Stevie, I did say that but I did say if he did go they were going to have to back him because you could see last season between Celtic and Rangers that they were so far behind, player wise.“It was a big gap to turn around and he has done that with a lot of loans he has had to do it but people are now going to Rangers again, they want to go there again, they want to go up there for a challenge.“He has turned it around, Defoe and Davies going up there is like the Graeme Souness era when you saw English talent, yes maybe they’re all 30 somethings going there but at least he is being the attraction.”
Man accused of attempted sexual assault in Little Italy pleads not guilty
SAN DIEGO (KUSI) — A man accused of ambushing a janitorial worker at a Little Italy coffee shop and trying to sexually assault her pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a half-dozen felony charges, including kidnapping with the intent to commit a sex offense.Christopher Merron, 28, was ordered held on $1 million bail. He faces life in prison if convicted, said Deputy District Attorney Nicole Roth.Merron allegedly attacked the woman as she was cleaning the coffee shop in the 1700 block of India Street about 4:30 a.m. last Sunday, pushing her into a back room, taking her car keys and threatening her with a knife.Following a struggle, the victim, whose name was withheld, was able to break free and run out of the building, said San Diego police Lt. Jason Weeden.The assailant then fled in the woman’s tan 1998 GMC Jimmy SUV.Merron was arrested in Mission Valley the next day and the victim’s stolen SUV was recovered, Weeden said.“This was a brazen and serious sex crime,” Roth said outside court. “This was a traumatic event.”Besides kidnapping with the intent to commit a sex offense, Merron is charged with assault with the intent to commit a sex offense, attempted oral copulation, false imprisonment with force, robbery and auto theft.Merron will be back in court Oct. 26 for a readiness conference and Oct. 30 for a preliminary hearing. KUSI Newsroom, Man accused of attempted sexual assault in Little Italy pleads not guilty Posted: October 17, 2018 KUSI Newsroom October 17, 2018 Categories: Local San Diego News FacebookTwitter
34 do not feel inspired to perform at their best at work
More than a third (34%) of respondents do not feel inspired by their organisation to perform at their best at work, according to research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and Halogen Software.The Spring 2016 employee outlook: employee views on working life report, which surveyed 2,029 UK employees, also found that job satisfaction has decreased in all sectors, with net job satisfaction now ranked at +40 compared to +48 in autumn 2015.The research also found:37% of respondents feel under excessive pressure at work at least once a week.31% of respondents come home from work exhausted.More than two-thirds (67%) of respondents feel their manager is considerate of their wellbeing, and 58% believe their employer is considerate of their wellbeing.Less than a quarter (24%) respondents think their employer supports employees’ mental health fairly well, and 9% say they support it very well.52% of respondents are either not very or not at all confident about disclosing unmanageable stress or mental health problems to their employer.41% of respondents are satisfied with their pay, and 36% are dissatisfied.Claire McCartney (pictured), research adviser, resourcing and talent planning at the CIPD, said: “Employee motivation at work seems to be lacking, with almost as many disagreeing as agreeing that ‘this organisation inspires the very best of me in the way of job performance’. There has also been an increase in the number of employees believing that their performance management processes are somewhat or not at all fair.“These findings point to the importance of quality communication and consultation with employees around the things that matter. They also underline the importance of redefining our approaches to job design and career management to better suit modern organisations and modern employees.”Dominique Jones, chief people officer at Halogen Software, added: “Employers must work in partnership with employees to align the needs of the organisation with those of the individual, so that the business can function effectively and produce great results. HR plays a critical role here in supporting line managers, guiding them and providing them with the right tools to enable them to listen, measure and act on employee needs.”
The 10 Deadly Sins of BtoB Publishing
MIAMI—Even in the face of a down real estate market, b-to-b residential housing and commercial construction publishing giant Hanley Wood is maintaining an aggressive business strategy. During today’s luncheon keynote at the FOLIO: Publishing Summit, CEO Frank Anton unveiled what he calls the “10 deadly sins” that have b-to-b companies in a “spiral of purgatory” in a down economy.Anton outlined the sins—underperformance, cowardice, technophobia, inferiority, complacency, coziness, stinginess, cluelessness, disorganization and dullness—with examples from Anton’s own experience in leading Hanley Wood.“Fear of failure for many outweighs the satisfaction of success,” Anton said of the “cowardice” sin. “Try things. Take chances. To grow a company you need to take risks. Sometimes you’ll fail but try. Learn.” Trade publishers that have underinvested in electronic media are now playing catch-up—and are paying the price, Anton said in reference to his ‘technophobia’ sin. Hanley Wood’s online advertising has seen growth over the last couple of years, and Anton expects that revenue to grow 40 percent this year, he said.In regards to complacency, Anton urged even successful publishers to continue to strive to be better. “Too many companies are making money and don’t care if their publication is the number one, number two or number three book in their segment. I don’t get that,” he said. “Being competitive and winning is fun. Be restless. Work hard to be the best.”
Obama honors Alaskan who turned grief to service
Bonnie Carroll (Photo: Liz Ruskin)President Obama this evening bestowed the Medal of Freedom on Alaskan Bonnie Carroll. She’s a military widow who founded a service organization called TAPS to help family members of those who die in uniform. Many of the 16 others honored with her at the White House today are household names or Hollywood icons: Willie Mays, Yogi Berra, Barbra Streisand, James Taylor and Steven Spielberg. Carroll may not be as well known, but her life was already cinematic.Download AudioAs President Obama put it, when Bonnie Carroll’s world was turned upside down, she healed by helping others.“And each year TAPS holds seminars and workshops for military families across the country,” Obama said at a ceremony in the White House East Room. “Through their Good Grief camps they bring together children of our fallen to learn how to cope with loss, to honor the legacy of their heroes and to try to have some fun as well. As one Gold Star child who lost her father in Iraq said: Because of TAPS I know someone is by my side.”The award is the nation’s highest civilian honor. But Carroll’s journey never lacked for superlatives. Consider her love story. In 1988, Carroll was a West Wing aide drawn into an unfolding drama in the Alaska Arctic. A family of gray whales was marooned in a rapidly freezing ocean. President Reagan asked Carroll to offer White House assistance. So Carroll called the commander of the Alaska National Guard, Tom Carroll. And he turned out to be the love of her life. Their story is a plotline in “Big Miracle,” a Hollywood movie about the whale saga.They married, and Carroll moved to Anchorage, where she worked in the District Attorney’s office. Then, in 1992, Gen. Carroll and seven other soldiers died when their plane crashed as they approached Juneau. Bonnie Carroll, speaking just before the White House ceremony, recalled how stunned she was.“It does not sink in for a very long time that something of that magnitude is real. It’s impossible to comprehend,” she said. “You cannot possibly understand at that moment that you will never see that person again.”At the D.A.’s office and as a volunteer, Carroll had worked with crime victims. She had even helped family members cope with a prior military plane crash.“I thought, with all this experience and training when the Army Guard crash happened I thought, ‘Well, I’ll be able to help everybody. I’m so … prepared,’” she said. “And that fantasy lasted about 30 seconds.”When your heart finally allows your brain to grasp the enormity of it, Carroll says, the grief is debilitating.“But the strongest support I found was with the other widows, who also lost their husbands on that day, in that crash,” she said.From that experience, she founded the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, in 1994. The nonprofit, like so much else, transformed after 9/11. Carroll says Taps and the Red Cross were the only two organizations within the Pentagon’s family assistance program.“So we were there, on the front line for those families. And today many of the Pentagon surviving families are now peer mentors, to our newly bereaved of today,” she said. “So from that, we really transitioned very quickly to a whole new organization, to a new level of response and care.”With the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, along with suicides, illness and accidents, Carroll says the family members helped by TAPS grew to more than 50,000.She says she’s not sure exactly how she came to be considered for the Medal of Freedom.“We’re very blessed to have the support of the commander in chief who personally recognizes service and sacrifice. I don’t know who actually did the nominating but I take this as recognition of the sacrifices of this nation.”Among others honored with Carroll were baseball great Yogi Berra, Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim, Maryland U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski and violinist Itzhak Perlman.
Resentment in Uttar Pradesh bureaucracy over Yogi Adityanaths 9
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s latest diktat, asking all government officers to reach their offices by 9 a.m. is causing considerable resentment in the bureaucracy, particularly among officers posted in the districts. The Chief Minister, in his order, has said that all officers should reach officer by 9 a.m. and all District Magistrates and Police chiefs should meet the public from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Also Read – National Herald case: Officer bearers of Congress were cheats, Subramanian Swamy tells court Advertise With Us The order comes in the wake of complaints that District Magistrates and Police chiefs were not available for the common man. The Chief Minister’s office has made it clear that officers who do not reach office in time would face action. However, officers feel that if the Chief Minister has set 9 a.m. as the office time, he should also fix a time for going home. Also Read – Dehydrated elephant being given treatment Advertise With Us “The Chief Minister’s meetings often extend till late in the night. If we are reaching home at 11 p.m., should we be expected to return to office at 9 a.m. the following morning?” asked a Principal Secretary rank officer. The Police chiefs in the districts are particularly distressed with the order. A Police chief in Western UP said: “As Superintendent of Police, I am expected to be available till the wee hours of the morning. For instance, there was an accident in my district and I was on duty till 4.a.m. How can I be expected to be back in office at 9 a.m. then? In the districts, we are on duty almost 24×7.” Advertise With Us Most of the officers that this correspondent spoke to said that the Chief Minister’s new order would leave them with almost no family time. An Additional Chief Secretary rank officer said: “More than me, it is my staff that is upset with this order. If I have to reach office by 9 a.m., my driver will have to leave home at 7.30 a.m., so that he can reach my house in time. The similar is the case with the other staff that stays back in the office till I leave. There should be some flexibility.” According to officer: “The Chief Minister should ensure that there are no pending files and work is done on time. What is the use of sitting in office and doing no work?”
UK grants Mallya permission to appeal extradition claims of
London: Beleaguered liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya has claimed that he is victim of a witch-hunt based on a “false” case against him after the UK High Court granted him permission to appeal against his extradition order. The 63-year-old former Kingfisher Airlines boss, wanted in India to face alleged fraud and money laundering charges amounting to Rs 9,000 crores, won a reprieve when a two-judge bench at the Royal Courts of Justice in London on Tuesday concluded that “arguments can be reasonably made” on some aspects of the prima facie case put forward by the Indian government. Also Read – EAM Jaishankar calls on European Parliament President David Sassoli Advertise With Us “After all the mockery made of me, I would respectfully ask those interested parties to focus on the Divisional Bench Judgement in England, allowing me to challenge the core of the false prima facie case filed against me by the CBI. Witch-hunt?” Mallya tweeted.After all the mockery made of me I would respectfully ask those interested parties to focus on the Divisional Bench Judgement in England today allowing me to challenge the core of the false prima facie case filed against me by the CBI. Witch-hunt ?— Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) July 2, 2019 Also Read – This is why Denmark, Sweden and Germany are considering a meat tax Advertise With Us “Despite the good court result for me, I once again repeat my offer to pay back the Banks that lent money to Kingfisher Airlines in full. Please take the money. With the balance, I also want to pay employees and other creditors and move on in life,” he said, adding that justice had prevailed in his favour.Despite the good Court result for me today, I once again repeat my offer to pay back the Banks that lent money to Kingfisher Airlines in full. Please take the money. With the balance, I also want to pay employees and other creditors and move on in life.— Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) July 2, 2019 Advertise With Us In their ruling, Justices George Leggatt and Andrew Popplewell accepted that there was “substantial ground” to review if Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot was wrong to conclude that the Indian government had established a prima facie case of fraud against Mallya when she ordered his extradition last December. The High Court judges noted that some of the lower court’s findings may have been on allegations that the defence had not had a “chance to answer”. The case will now proceed to a full appeal hearing during which Mallya’s defence team will argue that Arbuthnot had relied upon material beyond the scope of their defence and also question the admissibility of some witness statements submitted by the Central Bureau of Investigation and produced by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) on behalf of the Indian government. “The quality of evidence produced by India continues to remain a matter of concern. In response to the argument by Mallya’s attorney that the documents and witnesses produced by the CPS should be inadmissible under Section 84, the court once again pointed at poor quality of evidence produced by India,” noted Pavani Reddy, Managing Partner at Zaiwalla & Co. law firm in the UK. “As the case now proceeds to a full-stage hearing in the High Court, it will cause a significant delay in Mallya’s extradition, further draining Indian government’s resources. The appeal process may take few months,” she said. Mallya’s barrister, Clare Montgomery, had raised five separate grounds to challenge the Westminster Magistrates’ Court extradition order as well as challenged UK home secretary Sajid Javid’s sign off on it in February. However, the judges dismissed each of the other grounds, including extraneous circumstances such as undue political pressure from the Indian government and adverse prison conditions at Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, and found that Javid had not erred in his decision under the India-UK Extradition Treaty. Past extradition cases of underworld don Abu Salem from Portugal to India as well as alleged bookie Sanjeev Chawla’s pending extradition were referenced during the High Court hearing in an attempt to establish a precedence that Indian government assurances could not be relied upon. However, the judges categorically stated that there was “nothing capable of undermining” the basis on which Judge Arbuthnot was satisfied with assurances given the Indian government that it would comply by the Extradition Treaty arrangements. Meanwhile, Mallya will remain on bail on an extradition warrant executed in April 2017 and await a timeframe for his High Court appeal to progress to the hearing stage, expected in a few months’ time.
Israel Netanyahu orders suspension of EU contacts over labelling of West Bank
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked the Foreign Ministry to suspend contacts with the European Union (EU) over the Israel-Palestinian peace process due to the 28-nation bloc’s decision to start labelling goods exported from Israeli settlements in the West Bank.Netanyahu has demanded the holding of “a reassessment of the involvement of EU bodies in everything that is connected to the diplomatic process with the Palestinians,” an official statement from the ministry said on Sunday, 29 November.”Until completion of the reassessment, the Prime Minister has ordered a suspension of diplomatic contacts with the EU and its representative in this matter,” the statement added, RT.com reported.The EU formulated new guidelines for labellings products made in Israeli settlements on 11 November that Brussels, Belgium termed as technical. However, Israel thought it was “discriminatory” and intended to ruin its relations with the Palestinians.Lands that Israel had seized since the 1967 Middle East war, including the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, are not legally the recognised borders of the country.The EU’s demand is that goods from those particular areas cannot be labelled “Made in Israel” and should be labelled as coming from the settlements,The Guardian reported.Netanyahu termed the move as “hypocritical and a double standard.””The European Union should be ashamed of itself,” he said during an official visit to Washington earlier this month. “We do not accept the fact that Europe is labelling the side being attacked by terrorist acts.”Israeli President Reuven Rivlin cancelled his visit to the EU headquarters in Brussels scheduled for 2 December, RT.com reported.”It is an indication of origin, not a warning label,” EU ambassador to Israel, Lars Faaborg-Andersen told Reuters after the announcement.Following the declaration, all the 28 members of the bloc will have to follow the same labelling. Britain, Denmark and Belgium label Israeli goods, which are different from those from Israel proper, especially fruit and vegetables that come from the Jordan Valley in the seized West Bank.The move is expected to affect goods worth nearly $50 million a year, including grapes and dates, honey, olive oil, wine and cosmetics prepared from Dead Sea minerals. This $50 million is only one-fifth of the total $200 million to $300 million worth of goods that are developed in the settlements every year.Israel and the EU have nearly $30 billion of goods and services traded between them every year.Israeli farmer and wine growers in the West Bank who have shown concerns after the move have started to move into Russian and Asian markets to avoid the EU rules.Israel Ministry official said that the country would stop assisting EU-sponsored projects meant for the Palestinians, though no particular instances or bodies were named, The Guardian reported.
Airtel and Nokia sign Rs 3350crore agreement to expand 4G deployment in
Telecom operators Bharti Airtel and Nokia on Monday announced that they would expand the deployment of 4G technology across nine spectrum circles in India, as the country prepares itself for the next boom in mobile data demand.According to sources quoted by the Economic Times, the contract is roughly pegged at Rs 3,350 crore (about $500 million). Through this contract, Airtel will expand and ramp up 4G capacities to counter the threat of Reliance Jio.According to the contract, Airtel would extend its 4G technology in three new circles of Gujarat, Bihar and UP (East). It also entails expansion of 4G capacities to six other spectrum circles of Mumbai, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Punjab and Kerala.Read: Reliance Jio blames Airtel for call drops”We are pleased to continue to leverage Nokia’s leading radio access technology and services expertise to expand 4G capacity and coverage and increase the quality of service for subscribers,” Airtel said in a statement.The new deployment would give Bharti Airtel more access to faster mobile internet and better coverage. Under this deal, Nokia would also gain access to 3G network in eight of the circles as part of the roll out.Nokia will deploy its 4G technology across nine of Bharti Airtel’s circles in India including the regions of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rest of Bengal, Odisha, Mumbai, Maharashtra, Kerala and UP East.”We have a long history of working with Bharti Airtel and with this latest agreement we have become the largest supplier of 4G for the company. This network expansion will provide the capacity, coverage and speeds the company needs to meet the next wave of data demand in India,” Sanjay Malik, head of India market at Nokia, said in a statement.The Bharti Airtel stock was trading at Rs 299. 90 at around 10:38 a.m. on Tuesday, down 0.45 percent from its previous close on the Bombay Stock Exchange.
Stop hatching conspiracies over Rohingya issue Quader to BNP
Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader speaking at a meeting in noakhali on Satuday. Photo: Prothom AloAwami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on Saturday urged BNP to stop hatching ‘conspiracies’ centering Rohingya issue, reports news agency UNB.“BNP has been engaged in a dirty game. They don’t criticise the repression of Rohingyas by the Myanmar authorities…they only criticise the government,” he said.Quader, also the road tansport and bidges mnister, was inaugurating a health complex in Kabirhat upazila of Noakhali.“We’re passing through a tough time… just after huge losses caused by massive flood in haors and coastal areas, we’re struggling with over 300,000 Rohingya refugees who fled their country amid persecution. We’re worried how we will bear the burden of such huge refugees,” he said.Quader further said, “We’re concerned for the fact that with the refugees, illegal arms, drugs and local and international conspiracies are also entering the country. We’ve given shelter to Rohingya Muslims, we’re with them but we’re also contacting the UN, the EU and global communities for their help in sending back Rohingyas to their country.”
Oculus Rift demonstrates the tedium of a coverbased shooter
So far, the big issue with the Oculus Rift is that, since the device is only available in a development kit release, users can only really try out very basic tech demos. Team Fortress 2 is relatively easy to set up with the Rift, but in practice, the twitch-based reactive gameplay makes it a chore to play — especially because you have to use a mouse in conjunction with the Rift. Now, a new demo created by Teddy Lipowitz, HydraDeck: Cover Shooter, does what he name suggests and shows us all what it would be like to play a cover-based shooter using the Oculus Rift.The demo also employs the Razer Hydra, Razer’s motion controller, which provides the movement and gun-firing controls. Cover-based shooters — though the tactic is still employed in wildly popular series like Mass Effect and Uncharted — have recently gain notoriety as a cheap, boring mechanism. The HydraDeck doesn’t quite do cover-based shooting any justice, as the tedium of having to mechanically kneel and pop up from behind objects ad nauseam is on full display. However, the demo also shows how the Rift can be easily integrated into modern-day games, giving us hope for the virtual future.The Rift and Hydra combination works seamlessly with the gameplay, and all you have to do to calibrate the rig beforehand is tap the Hydra controller to the back of your neck, and tape the other controller to your shirt (or stick it in a shirt pocket). The wand handles the vertical movement, while the controller handles the gun and horizontal movement. The Rift, of course, handles the virtual reality.If you’re the sort that has a Rift and Hydra, as well as the know-how to get everything working together, you can grab the demo from the Rift developer forums.
Making Mobile Marketing Work for Your Business
This hands-on workshop will give you the tools to authentically connect with an increasingly skeptical online audience. June 21, 2012 Free Workshop | August 28: Get Better Engagement and Build Trust With Customers Now In his book “Mobilized Marketing,” author Jeff Hasen details the strategies and tactics that move products and build loyalty through mobile devices, arguably your most personal means of communicating directly with customers. In the following edited excerpt, Hasen offers insights from seasoned marketing professionals on how to gauge, use and succeed with mobile.Interested in mobile marketing but not sure how or where to get started?Here are tips from three leaders in mobile marketing and their thoughts for those new to the field.1. Do some people watching. — Barbara Williams, a senior-level marketer at Microsoft.”This is something really simple. . . . If you’re not sure if you should be doing mobile, take a page out of classic consumer research mode. . . . Go to the store, go to the mall, go out to dinner, and sit back and watch people. Just watch. Old school. And you see everyone is on their devices and they are spending quite a bit of time on their devices and they’re not making phone calls necessarily and they are not just doing SMS [short message service] — they are doing a lot of things.”When you see that happening around you everywhere you go, think about how can I insert my product or my brand or my message into these experiences. Just look at the world around you. And listen to young people who grew up in the digital age. Their behaviors are completely different. You’ll see this is definitely the route to go in. Invest the time to learn it and understand it. Explore it yourself.”Related: Five Mobile Marketing Questions Every Business Owner Needs Answered2. Keep an eye on what “the little guy” is doing, as well as the titans. — Mario Schulzke, founder of IdeaMensch and director of digital strategy at marketing firm WDCW.”You know, I am not smart enough to tell you about major game-changers. . . . But I can tell you there will be a revolution of incremental innovations that are about to take place. It’s so easy nowadays to build your own website, your own piece of software or your own app. So what’s happening is that a bunch of people are starting to solve the problems that they’ve been having in their own lives and industries. We’ll see some major productivity gains in just about every vertical, driven by people solving problems close to their vest.”Do what feels right. . . . Build a marketing program around tactics that make sense for you. I have many clients who are overwhelmed by Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare and the like. But when we talk about creating content that provides value to existing and potential customers, they get that. Having a roundtable discussion on Twitter is no different than going to a networking meeting. Crafting a webinar and capturing leads via email is no different than speaking at your local Lion’s Club.”Do what makes sense to you, and always think about the value you provide to your audience. Focus on the fundamentals. Respectfully communicate with your customers via all channels. Don’t pretend to be something you’re not, and do the right thing.”Related: How to Crack the QR Code for Mobile Marketing3. Create interactive “rich media” designed specifically for your mobile site. — Microsoft’s Williams.”When you think rich media and digital, you tend to think of the standbys like a whole-page takeover or part of an ad will be in the leaderboard at the top of the page and move into one of the units on the side. . . . On mobile, it’s a completely different type of experience. You don’t have the flexibility but you have the entire device. You can incorporate rich functionality where you can shake the device or where it is actually using the camera function in augmented reality or the location function. There are so many other vectors or parameters that are unique to mobile that I think make rich even richer on mobile. But you have to think about it in a different way on mobile.”If you don’t have a mobile landing page attached to that rich media unit, you have kinda left [your customers] hanging. . . . While rich media is an incredible opportunity to pull people in and to really drive engagement and surface up and push the content out, that back end is still needed when they want to continue their journey. . . .”4. Find out how your customers want to communicate with you. — Eileen Woodbury, director of marketing at Clear Channel Los Angeles.”People will communicate with you the way they want to communicate. . . . So texting isn’t replacing the Web. The Web didn’t replace the phone call. People who want to call will want to call. People who never called us before hopefully will engage with us through text. Some people prefer Twitter or are on Facebook all day.”This is the age of choice. People communicate the way they want to. With every new thing that comes along, we’re adding to our arsenal.”Related: The Top Five Mobile Marketing Mistakes 5 min read Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Enroll Now for Free