Humanitarian situation in Gaza still difficult says UN relief agency
23 January 2008The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip remains extremely difficult, the United Nations agency tasked with helping Palestinian refugees said today, with Israeli authorities both easing and adding to the restrictions and measures on the transport of goods and people in and out of the area. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) reported that Israel has introduced new security measures – mainly for sugar and flour – that are hampering the delivery of aid in Gaza, where Israel has imposed tight restrictions on border crossings to try to force an end to the daily rocket and mortar attacks launched against Israeli residential areas by militants in Gaza.UNRWA said it had been able to get in three truckloads of powdered milk today, but had been hoping to get nine truckloads, while an expected truckload of medicines never made it through.But the agency also noted that it has received materials that will allow it to continue its food distribution operations inside Gaza, where about 1.5 million people live in an area 25 miles long and no more than six miles wide.UNRWA has been warning in recent days that it will have to halt its many relief programmes to about 800,000 Palestinians in Gaza unless Israel lifts the closure of the crossings.In an opinion column today in The Guardian newspaper in the United Kingdom, UNRWA Commissioner-General Karen Koning AbuZayd said, “Gaza is on the threshold of becoming the first territory to be intentionally reduced to a state of abject destitution.”Ms. AbuZayd stated that the restrictions mean the overwhelming majority of residents cannot enter or leave Gaza and fuel and electricity supplies are running out, threatening basic infrastructure such as health-care facilities.“Medication is in short supply, and hospitals are paralyzed by power failures and the shortage of fuel for generators,” she wrote. “Hospital infrastructure and essential pieces of equipment are breaking down at an alarming rate, with limited possibility of repair or maintenance as spare parts are not available.”Ms. AbuZayd added that the crisis in Gaza was undermining efforts to foster a spirit of moderation and compromise among Palestinians.“There are already indications that the severity of the closure is playing into the hands of those who have no desire for peace. We ignore the risk at our peril.”Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters in Geneva, where is he on an official visit, that he remained “deeply concerned” about the situation in Gaza.In response to a question from a journalist, who noted that thousands of people have crossed the border from Gaza into Egypt because of the current situation, Mr. Ban urged the parties to resolve their issues peacefully.“I know this very serious security concern of [the] Israeli people and Government and also I admit their legitimate security right to defend their country from all these security problems, or rocket fire coming from Gaza,” he said.“At the same time, I would hope that the Israeli Government should not take such a collective punishment to the general public.”Mr. Ban observed that he has spoken by telephone to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to urge him to ease its border crossing restrictions and to provide the necessary fuel and supplies to Gaza.In related news, the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva held a special session today to consider a draft resolution on “human rights violations emanating from Israeli military attacks and incursions in the occupied Palestinian territory, particularly in the occupied Gaza Strip.”Addressing that session, High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour said the situation for both Palestinians and Israelis will continue to deteriorate unless both the parties to the conflict and the international community take broader steps.“All parties concerned should put an end to the vicious spiral of violence before it becomes unstoppable,” she said. “To this end, they must ensure accountability for breaches of international humanitarian law and violations of international human rights law through credible, independent, and transparent investigations.”Ms. Arbour stressed that the international community must intensity its efforts to ensure that the human rights dimension of the conflict is properly tackled, regardless of the progress towards or development a political settlement.“It is therefore imperative that Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Hamas respect the long-standing international legal obligations governing the situation to which they, as duty bearers, are bound.”
People don’t realise that if you sit down all day it can undermine all the exercise you doProfessor James Goodwin, Age UK Get active and maintain it in old age, say expertsCredit:Alamy As cells age, their telomeres naturally shorten and fray, but health and lifestyle factors, such as obesity and smoking, are believed to accelerate the process.Shortened telomeres are also associated with cardiovascular disease, diabetes and major cancers.“If you’re sitting down for prolonged period of time, getting out of your seat every 20 minutes and walking about for 2 or 3 minutes is probably very advantageous,” said Professor Goodwin.“It could make a big difference to your long term health, to your risk of chronic illnesses and could help to slow down the rate of ageing in your body.”Previous research has indicated that prolonged sitting could be especially dangerous for women by raising their risk of developing cancer.A study found that those two spent more than six hours a day sitting down were 10 per cent more likely to develop the disease compared to those who sat for less than three hours.Steven Ward, executive director of UK Active, said sedentary lifestyles were sending the ageing crisis “into overdrive.“With health and social care budgets stretched to the limit, it’s time to end our love affair with the chair and get people moving again,” he said.“Health professionals need more support in signposting older patients toward activities, while care and residential homes should consider activity plans to get residents moving and reduce social isolation.“It’s never too late to get active and simple things at home such as carrying the groceries, climbing more stairs and pottering around the garden can play a huge role in staying healthy and independent as we get older.“But whatever age we are, keeping active is the surest way to look after our physical, mental and social health, adding life to our years and years to our life.” Experts have said the research represents a “wake-up call” for Britain’s growing elderly population and that pensioners should aim to stand up and walk around every 20 minutes if they can.“People don’t realise that if you sit down all day it can undermine all the exercise you do,” said Professor James Goodwin, head of research at Age UK.Current Government advice recommends 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise a week for older people, however this latest research suggests the benefits from that amount of activity can be easily undone by a sedentary lifestyle.Published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, the study describes how participants aged between 64 and 95 wore devices on their right hip nonstop for seven days to record their movements; they subsequently completed a questionnaire.“Our study found cells age faster with a sedentary lifestyle,” said Dr Aladdin Shadyab, the lead author from the University of California.“Chronological age doesn’t always match biological age.“Discussions about the benefits of exercise should start when we are young, and physical activity should continue to be part of our daily lives as we get older, even at 80 years old.” 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. 
Elderly people who spend most of their time sitting down age significantly quicker than more active contemporaries, according to new research.A study of 1,500 pensioners found those who kept to a sedentary position for ten hours or more a day and who did less than 40 minutes moderate physical activity had the bodies of people eight years older.They were discovered to have shorter telomeres, the tiny caps found on the ends of strands of DNA which protect chromosomes and which are associated with faster ageing.
We shouldn’t really be doing this, I suppose, really.https://vine.co/v/M2WLQjDuOhAThe clip was widely criticised on social media for insensitivity towards the victims of the disaster. A total of 298 people died when the plane was shot down over Ukraine.In a statement, Sky News said it was sorry for any offence caused.“Today whilst presenting from the site of the MH17 air crash Colin Brazier reflected on the human tragedy of the event and showed audiences the content of one of the victims’ bags,” the broadcaster said in a statement.“Colin immediately recognised that this was inappropriate and said so on air. Both Colin and Sky News apologise profusely for any offence caused”.Read: All 196 recovered bodies from MH17 crash site have been removed by rebels > Read: Rebels are ‘blocking investigators’ from MH17 crash site > SKY NEWS HAS apologised after one of its reporters rifled through the luggage of a MH17 passenger live on air.In the clip, Colin Brazier picks up a set of keys and points towards a toothbrush in the luggage, which has been split open, before saying:
Once one of the most prestigious mobile operating systems in the world, Symbian has fallen on rough times as competitors like iOS and Android have redefined the mobile landscape. Symbian has tried but failed to find its footing against these competitors. With hardware vendors fleeing the operating system in favor of Android, and even Nokia has declared that their developing effort for smartphones will focus on the new, Linux-based MeeGo operating system. It’s time to start winding things down. Yesterday, the Symbian Foundation announced that they would be scaling back their operating and downsize most of its staff. The Symbian Foundation was opened in 2008 after Nokia purchased the company. The aim was to open up the platform’s source code and work collaboratively with other vendors in order to combat the threats of iOS, but it just never really took off, and today all the other Symbian stakeholders are embracing Android. Nokia’s the last Symbian holdout.In other words, the Symbian Foundation doesn’t have a role anymore because Symbian doesn’t have a role anymore: both are dead, in reality if not in name. As for the Symbian Foundation, it will stay open with a skeleton crew to look over existing Symbian licensing… but for the last remaining employees, the writing is on the wall. Better start sending out your resumes.Read more at Ars Technica
This week ASA has been connecting with its members and followers to encourage Congress to pass a multi-year extension of the biodiesel and renewable diesel incentive in tax policy. The tax credit would help blenders and fuel marketers expand the use of biodiesel. When the extensions are short-term, the industry does not have the stability it needs to access capital and invest, hire, and expand as needed. Long-term certainty would assure growth in the industry and lead to greater economic and energy security benefits.Click the images below to see a couple of ASA’s recent social posts, which you can share to get involved:
What: Southwest Washington’s largest cycling event, with 18-, 34-, 65- and 100-mile loops through the countryside. Hosted by the Vancouver Bicycle Club.When: Registration begins at 6 a.m. Loops are open from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 4.Where: All rides start and end at Clark College, Hanna Hall, 1820 Fort Vancouver Way, Vancouver.Admission: $35 for 100-, 65- or 34-mile loops; $25 for 18-mile loop; $15 for ages 13-17; free for children 12 and younger with paid adult.Web: Vancouver Bicycle ClubOne of the best things about going on a big, well-organized bike ride is that you can quit if you need to, said Wade Leckie, owner of Bad Monkey Bikes in Vancouver.That’s not to say you’ll want to stop, but with support vehicles, mechanical help and refreshment areas, the 30th annual Ride Around Clark County is a much safer option than attempting a stamina-breaking ride on your own, said Leckie, who plans to ride in the event this year.“I like to recommend it to folks that are trying to work up to a century (100-mile ride),” Leckie said. “The longer rides are great because there’s so much support. There are a few cars that drive around, and they’ll pick you up and haul you back to the start if you feel you just can’t make it.”The event includes four organized bike rides aimed at various skill levels.The 18-mile loop, the shortest, is always popular with beginners, said Joseph Blanco, board secretary of the Vancouver Bicycle Club, which organizes the event.“It’s pretty flat,” Blanco said. “We get a lot of kids, families, people who don’t ride much. It’s a very family-oriented, easy ride.” The Ride Around Clark County cycling event includes four organized bike rides aimed at various skill levels.
Stories are posted on the APRN news page. You can subscribe to APRN’s newsfeeds via email, podcast and RSS. Follow us on Facebook at alaskapublic.org and on Twitter @aprnListen nowWalker on PFD suit: ‘Taking the low road’Andrew Kitchenman, KTOO – JuneauA lawsuit seeking to maintain full Permanent Fund dividends this year was filed Friday – and Governor Bill Walker blasted the arguments in the lawsuit.Employees allege financial misconduct Alaska blood bankAssociated PressSeveral Blood Bank of Alaska employees have filed a federal complaint accusing the blood bank’s leadership of mismanagement and financial impropriety since the organization moved into its $45 million facility in Anchorage earlier this year.Healy 2 Power plant poised to restart in Golden ValleyDan Bross, KUAC – FairbanksThe Healy 2 Coal Fired Power plant is poised to restart. The Golden Valley Electric Association plant has been offline since March, when an explosion in its coal pulverization and transport facility damaged equipment.A hydro license brings district heating one step closer in JuneauElizabeth Jenkins, Alaska’s Energy Desk – JuneauAfter years of waiting, Juneau Hydropower Inc. was recently awarded a federal license for Sweetheart Lake Dam. It gives the company the go-ahead to start serious planning for a new multi-million dollar hydro facility. It could power a gold mine and supply heat to the downtown core of the capital city with an innovative system.Anchorage Municipality to see higher costs for housing prisonersEllen Lockyer, Alaska Public Media – AnchorageThe state Department of Corrections announced Thursday that it is increasing the amount the municipality of Anchorage pays to house city prisoners in state correctional facilities. The rate hike affects Anchorage Correctional Complex, which houses mostly Anchorage area offenders.Unalaska cleans up fish oil spillZoe Sobel, Alaska’s Energy Desk – UnalaskaA forklift punctured a connex filled with fish oil in Unalaska Thursday, spilling it across a shipyard. Fish oil is considered an environmental hazard, but far less damaging than crude oil. Some of the bright orange oil flowed into a storm drain and into the ocean. Resolve Marine stopped it from spreading more by plugging the drain with gravel and dirt.Burning Basket is an honored Homer traditionShahla Farzan, KBBI – HomerEvery year, on a windswept patch of land in Homer’s Mariner Park, community members build a beautiful handmade basket. A really big one. And just a few days later, they burn it to the ground. It’s part of Homer’s annual Burning Basket celebration.AK: High tunnel greenhouses on the Kenai PeninsulaEmily Schwing, Northwest News NetworkAlaska, a farming capitol? It seems far-fetched, but it’s fast becoming a reality. In the last six years, a federal cost chare program through the USDA means giant greenhouses are popping up all over the state. Most of them can be spotted on the Kenai Peninsula.49 Voices: Pa Mipajntsuab in AnchorageAnne Hillman, Alaska Publi Media – AnchorageThis week we’re hearing from Pa Mipajntsuab in Anchorage. Pa’s family is originally from Laos and she moved here four years ago from California.
PNB Housing Finance, whose Rs 3,000-crore initial public offering (IPO) opens on Tuesday, is worth investing, according to brokerage Angel Broking. The company hits the primary market at a time when markets are being seen as bullish for prospective issuers to tap investors’ sentiments. However, two recent IPOs — ICICI Prudential Life Insurance and Endurance Technologies — had a mixed response when they got listed on the bourses.While Endurance Technologies listed at a premium of about 21 percent, ICICI Prudential Life disappointed investors with its below issue price listing. The former closed at Rs 626 on Monday as against the issue price of Rs 472, while ICICI Prudential ended at Rs 323.65, below its issue price of Rs 334 per share.PNB Housing Finance (PNBH) is offering 3.9 crore (39 million) shares to prospective investors at a price band of Rs 750-775 per equity share, between October 25 and 27, 2016.At the upper end of the price band, the PE ratio is 28.10 times to its FY2016 earnings, higher than the industry PE of 25.98.”PNBH has delivered RoE of 17.6% on the pre-issue net worth. While the IPO will result in RoE compression, this will give the much-required fund for growth. At the upper price band, the issue is offered at 4.6x its FY16 BV. However, at the post issue BV of ‘311, it is offered at 2.5x. Looking at the quality of management, which can drive the growth, we recommend a SUBSCRIBE to the issue,” brokerage Angel Broking said in a note.Another plus point is its asset quality, according to the brokerage. “Despite aggressive loan growth, PNBH has managed strong asset quality, with GNPAs/NNPAs at 0.22 percent/0.14 percent, respectively (one of the best in industry) and better than large private players,” Angel Broking said in the note.For the financial year ended March 31, 2016, PNBH reported a net profit of Rs 326 crore, up 66 percent from Rs 196 crore in the preceding fiscal, while revenues rose 52 percent to Rs 2,697 crore. Assets under management stood at Rs 27,555 crore as of March 31, 2016.
NASA admitted on Tuesday to getting hacked in October, when one of its servers was compromised in a data breach involving current and former employees’ personal information.The agency disclosed the data breach in an internal memo posted to Spaceref. NASA said that on October 23, 2018, an unknown intruder gained access to one of its servers where personally identifiable information (PII) of employees was stored. Social Security numbers were also compromised, according to the memo.“Upon discovery of the incidents, NASA cybersecurity personnel took immediate action to secure the servers and the data contained within,” Bob Gibbs, NASA Assistant Administrator, said in the memo.“NASA and its Federal cybersecurity partners are continuing to examine the servers to determine the scope of the potential data exfiltration and identify potentially affected individuals. This process will take time. The ongoing investigation is a top agency priority, with senior leadership actively involved,” he added.NASA doesn’t believe any Agency missions, including that of the InsSight lander, the spacecraft currently on a two-year mission to study Mars’ deep interior, were jeopardized by the data breach.More on Geek.com:40 Incredible Images of the Surface of Mars42 Stunning Images of Snow and Ice on Earth from SpaceNASA’s Voyager 2 Probe Reaches Interstellar Space Hubble Space Telescope Captures Star’s Eerie Gaseous GlowMoon Glows Brighter Than Sun in NASA Fermi’s Vibrant Images Stay on target
Technology | Cybersecurity | August 07, 2019 ScImage Introduces PICOM ModalityGuard for Cybersecurity ScImage Inc. is bridging the gap between security and functionality with the introduction of the PICOM ModalityGuard…. read more Videos | Radiology Business | August 02, 2019 VIDEO: Key Topics for Radiology Administrators at AHRA 2019 Association for Medical Imaging Management (AHRA) President … read more News | Artificial Intelligence | August 05, 2019 Montefiore Nyack Hospital Uses Aidoc AI to Spot Urgent Conditions Faster Montefiore Nyack Hospital, an acute care hospital in Rockland County, N.Y., announced it is utilizing artificial… read more News | PACS | August 09, 2019 Lake Medical Imaging Selects Infinitt for Multi-site RIS/PACS Infinitt North America will be implementing Infinitt RIS (radiology information system)/PACS (picture archiving and… read more News | September 02, 2010 Prizm Viewer Version Upgrade Just Released Sponsored Content | Case Study | Radiation Dose Management | August 13, 2019 The Challenge of Pediatric Radiation Dose Management Radiation dose management is central to child patient safety. Medical imaging plays an increasing role in the accurate… read more Related Content News | Medical 3-D Printing | August 08, 2019 RSNA and ACR to Collaborate on Landmark Medical 3D Printing Registry The Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) and the American College of Radiology (ACR) will launch a new medical… read more Key Topics for Radiology Administrators at AHRA 2019Video Player is loading.Play VideoPlayMuteCurrent Time 0:00/Duration 7:33Loaded: 2.15%Stream Type LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time -7:33 Playback Rate1xChaptersChaptersDescriptionsdescriptions off, selectedCaptionscaptions settings, opens captions settings dialogcaptions off, selectedAudio Trackdefault, selectedFullscreenThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaqueFont Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadowFont FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall CapsReset restore all settings to the default valuesDoneClose Modal DialogEnd of dialog window.Close Modal DialogThis is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Technology | Neuro Imaging | August 07, 2019 Synaptive Medical Launches Modus Plan With Automated Tractography Segmentation Synaptive Medical announced the U.S. launch and availability of Modus Plan featuring BrightMatter AutoSeg. This release… read more September 2, 2010 – Prizm Viewer, a device that allows users to navigate, view, annotate and share images, CAD, and PDF files retrieved from document management systems (DMS) or enterprise content management (ECM) systems, has released an upgrade.Accusoft Pegasus’s Prizm Viewer v9 includes several enhancements to printing capabilities, including improved N-up printing and improved poster printing, plus support for Windows 7. Prizm Viewer is a powerful browser-based, client-side image viewer that enables organizations to group multiple file types, including TIFF, PDF, CAD, JPEG 2000 and photos, as one “virtual document” for viewing, printing, and exporting. Current customers use Prizm Viewer to deliver documents that have been stored in Oracle, FileNet, Documentum, and other systems. For more information: www.accusoft.com FacebookTwitterLinkedInPrint分享 News | PACS | August 08, 2019 NetDirector Launches Cloud-based PDF to DICOM Conversion Service NetDirector, a cloud-based data exchange and integration platform, has diversified their radiology automation options… read more The CT scanner might not come with protocols that are adequate for each hospital situation, so at Phoenix Children’s Hospital they designed their own protocols, said Dianna Bardo, M.D., director of body MR and co-director of the 3D Innovation Lab at Phoenix Children’s. News | Artificial Intelligence | August 08, 2019 Half of Hospital Decision Makers Plan to Invest in AI by 2021 August 8, 2019 — A recent study conducted by Olive AI explores how hospital leaders are responding to the imperative read more News | Electronic Medical Records (EMR) | August 01, 2019 DrChrono Teams With DeepScribe to Automate Medical Note Taking in EHR DrChrono Inc. and DeepScribe announced a partnership so medical practices using DrChrono EHR can use artificial… read more
HAVANA, Cuba – Cuba on Friday launched 60th anniversary celebrations of ex-leader Fidel Castro’s Moncada Barracks assault – widely seen as the start to the country’s communist revolution.The events, led by current President Raúl Castro, kicked off in the courtyard of the former Moncada Garrison, where in 1953, a young Fidel and more than 100 rebels attempted to overthrow the dictator Fulgencio Batista.The bid was unsuccessful, but Castro eventually toppled Batista in 1959, launching the Americas’ only communist regime, which he ruled for five decades before stepping aside for health reasons in favor of his brother.Leftist presidents from Uruguay, Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua were all on hand to commemorate the event, along with some 10,000 Cubans and foreigners.“This revolution has been a revolution of dignity, of self-esteem for Latin Americans. It gave us dreams,” said Uruguay President Jose Mujica.“Being in Cuba is always a source of inspiration against imperialism and capitalism,” Bolivian President Evo Morales said.Ecuador’s foreign minister, as well as prime ministers from several Caribbean states, were also present at the ceremony, which started shortly after dawn. Facebook Comments Related posts:Analysis: Obama-Castro handshake offers hope for US-Cuba ties Freedom eludes Cubans Fonseca, Martínez embody new breed of Cuban music Costa Rican court condemns Cuban man on human trafficking charges
Related posts:No clear path forward, opposition lawmakers lament after Solís’ 100-day report Solís’ 100-day report leads to criminal investigation of 4 government agencies So much for dialogue and consensus: Legislative Assembly snubs President Solís’ 100-day report In Guatemala, anti-establishment presidential candidate benefits from corruption scandals President Luis Guillermo Solís claimed that the Costa Rican government had lost ₡60.1 billion – $112 million – to corruption in the past 15 years, and he rattled off several of the guilty parties during a one-hour speech Thursday night to mark the first 100 days of his administration.In the biting assessment – in many ways the first of its kind here – Solís, a 56-year-old former professor, historian and political scientist who took office in May, read a jeremiad of corruption, mismanagement and incompetency, which he attributed to previous administrations and a long-tolerated culture of political iniquity.“In the majority of public offices, the disorder is unimaginable, the inefficiency intolerable, the irresponsibility unexpected,” Solís told an audience of nearly 1,000 people at the elegant and antiquated Teatro Melico Salazar in downtown San José. The theater was Solís’ second choice for a venue after lawmakers blocked the president from delivering the address in the Legislative Assembly. Of 57 lawmakers, fewer than 35 were in attendance at Thursday’s speech.Solís said the losses in public revenue due to corruption totaled 7 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.“The state has been kidnapped by the political class,” Solís said, describing a culture of irresponsibility and entitlement by public officials in recent administrations. The president went on to correlate drops in Costa Rica’s United Nations Human Development Index in recent years to the consequences of corruption and mismanagement in government.Solís said the full list of offenses in the report, available for download (in Spanish), would takes hours to read. Some of the more egregious cases he mentioned included:117 vehicles that have gone missing from the Casa Presidencial;Pensions paid by the Labor Ministry to the deceased;Chaos in the state-run railroad monopoly, including operating without budgets, inventories or outside audits;A Public Security Ministry that was 38 years late paying police for overtime on holidays;The Culture Ministry’s “multimillion-dollar” spending on events contracted to one company, presumably without public bidding;Consultants who doubled their salaries at the Education Ministry and other agencies by over-billing while thousands of teachers went without pay;Taxpayer money spent on upkeep at a luxurious beach house for one government executive.“Only by shining light on these offenses can we hope to avoid future cases of such corruption,” Solís said.The president urged the Prosecutor’s Office and the Comptroller General to be vigilant and investigate similar cases, but he did not call for specific prosecutions or criminal investigations.Solís called for better public management and highlighted his efforts to close the deficit, which he said approached 6 percent of GDP, and create quality jobs. And he ranked Costa Rica among the worst countries in Latin America in the efficient management of Inter-American Development Bank loans.Solís said his administration was developing a mechanism that would improve government transparency.“Inexorably we’re headed for a government that’s open and transparent,” he said.He also vowed to fight tax evasion, contraband and drug trafficking, and create more than 200,000 jobs in the next four years. “We want more wealth to better distribute it,” he said, referring to Costa Rica’s growing social inequality in recent years.The president extended an invitation to the leaders of Legislative Assembly to meet in the Casa Presidencial in southeastern San José in September for a dialogue and to discuss his proposals.Solís noted that three months was a short time to hold office, and he asked citizens to be patient and grant him more time to meet his goals.“Change is never easy,” Solís said. “To the echelons of power, I ask that you let me govern, because nothing will stop me from fulfilling my mandate to the people.” Facebook Comments
The 5: Takeaways from the Coyotes’ introduction of Alex Meruelo Former Cardinals kicker Phil Dawson retires Top Stories LISTEN: Steve Keim, Cardinals GM Monday’s matchup will kick off at 5:30 p.m. and can be heard on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station beginning with pregame coverage at 1:00. – / 37 In 20 years, very few people will remember the details of the Arizona Cardinals’ 16-13 overtime win over the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium.The reason for that is clear: it wasn’t a pretty game.The Cardinals trailed 13-3 in the fourth quarter before tying the score and eventually winning in overtime on Phil Dawson’s 30-yard field goal. No style points earned, but Arizona got a much-needed road win in the Eastern time zone after failing to do that in Week 1 against Detroit. Derrick Hall satisfied with D-backs’ buying and selling 27 Comments Share “I thought J.J. Nelson stepped up in his opportunity and was excellent with five catches for 120 yards. Chris Johnson did some nice things in his first game back. A couple times he stuck his foot in the ground and got downhill and showed the acceleration and burst that I thought, quite frankly, he was missing in the preseason.”Keim also took time to recognize those who stood out on the other side of the ball.“Defensively, (there were) several guys. Chandler Jones really played exceptional, in my opinion,” he said. “Seven tackles, two sacks, a strip and caused a couple holding penalties that were crucial in terms of field position. I thought Chandler was off the charts.“And Budda Baker continues to impress me, not only on special teams — Andy Lee had a 55-yard punt that not many guys would have covered grass and showed the kind of burst that he did to make that open-field tackle. And then also on that critical third-down stop when he was playing the high post, he drove on a crossing route and he looked like he was shot out of a cannon and made a phenomenal open-field tackle.”It hasn’t been quite two years since the Cardinals played on home turf like Keim joked about, but it has been a while. In fact, when the Cardinals host Dallas on Monday Night Football in Glendale, it will have been 35 days since their last home contest — a 24-23 preseason loss to the Chicago Bears on Aug. 21. Rookie safety Budda Baker was one of a handful of players who received praise from GM Steve Keim following the team’s 16-13 overtime win over Indianapolis Sunday. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) General manager Steve Keim acknowledged the game wasn’t beautiful, but he’ll take it.“Luckily, we were able to scratch out a win and that’s the goal,” Keim told Doug and Wolf on 98.7 Arizona’s Sports Station Monday morning. “We know it’s hard enough to win on the road regardless of who you play, so the fact that we scratched out a win on the road and we’ll get back home — and it seems like it’s been two years since we’ve played at University of Phoenix Stadium — I know all of us are looking forward to that.”Keim admitted the film session after such a game can be frustrating, but the end result is the most important part.“When I look back and see since I’ve been here, we’ve won 10, 11 and 13 games, and those years where we’ve had success, I don’t remember really how we won the games. I just know we won,” he said.In terms of players that stood out in Arizona’s first win of the season, Keim mentioned several key contributors.“Looking back last week to the Detroit game, I couldn’t pinpoint a lot of guys who had strong performances,” he said. “This week was a little different. Your browser does not support the audio element. Grace expects Greinke trade to have emotional impact
The government is ready to deal with fires this summer and proper preparations have been made, Interior Minister Constantinos Petrides said on Tuesday.Dealing with fires was discussed at a meeting between President Nicos Anastasiades, the ministers of the interior, justice and defence, the chief of police, leading members of the fire brigade, the civil defence, heads of municipalities and their unions and the director of the Game Fund.In statements after the meeting, Petrides said that this year is different because of the amount of rain which is positive in many ways but also poses an increased fire risk as the greenery that followed the rain has now turned into dry shrubs which cover large parts of Cyprus and are fodder for fires.This is why operational and technical meetings have started much earlier this year to ensure everyone is prepared for a difficult summer season.“We have declared our degree of readiness today. There has indeed been a great deal of preparation, with extraordinary measures regarding cleaning for example, funds have been raised, and a few weeks ago, the Cabinet approved the opening of rural roads, which is very important,” the interior minister said.An intense information campaign has started and will run until October, while the 1,900 fire fighters are ready. Volunteers have offered their services, and vehicles are ready, while some minor problems are being ironed out, he explained.For the first time, protocols have been established which relate to specific responsibilities of individuals, from the leader and coordinator of an operation to the civil defence official or community leader to ensure the best possible co-ordination.“It is clear that the general coordinator is either the department of forests or the fire services, depending on the geographical location where a fire starts. And this general co-ordinator has a clear responsibility and competence to give orders to all those involved in firefighting or any attempt to extinguish a fire,” Petrides said.Many meetings have been held to this effect, and funds have been raised for the cleaning of areas in and around communities.Petrides admitted, however, that some problems exist, as it is difficult to find contractors.“We are proceeding in the best possible way,” he commented.Asked about the available aircraft, he said instructions have been given to investigate the extension of the lease of two of them by the forestry department, so that for safety purposes, two more would be available.“This is something that will be investigated by the competent ministry and the department of forests,” he concluded.You May LikePopularEverythingColorado Mom Adopted Two Children, Months Later She Learned Who They Really ArePopularEverythingUndoLivestlyChip And Joanna’s $18M Mansion Is Perfect, But It’s The Backyard Everyone Is Talking AboutLivestlyUndoSmart Tips DailySeniors With No Life Insurance May Get A $250,000 Policy If They Do ThisSmart Tips DailyUndo Concern over falling tourism numbersUndoPensioner dies after crash on Paphos-Polis roadUndoCypriot tycoon launches ‘Bank of Cannabis’Undoby Taboolaby Taboola