OTTAWA — A newly released government document shows that federal officials feel stymied by data roadblocks in their bid to help policymakers tackle a growing political concern about the country’s “gig” economy.Documents obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act show federal officials were leery of the reliability of existing data on the number of Canadians using online platforms to earn their livings, even though the figures had come from reputable sources.The late-March briefing note shows officials at Employment and Social Development Canada were looking for alternatives.Federal officials have been closely watching the changes in the labour force away from full-time jobs in favour of more temporary, part-time or contract work.Available research suggests young people are more often found in these positions, which can be lower-paid and without benefits or longer-term job security. That makes the effects of the gig economy of particular interest to politicians: millennials make up the largest voting cohort this election season.Concerns about the ripple effects have prodded changes to the Canada Pension Plan, analysts’ deep policy dives into the future of the federal social safety net, new spending on skills training and amendments to the federal labour code.What makes measuring the size of the gig economy so difficult is that there are competing definitions of what it includes. ESDC officials leaned on an American definition that described gig workers as those who take short work or tasks through websites or mobile apps that arrange payment and connect them directly to consumers.So, for instance, driving Ubers, making SkipTheDishes deliveries, or picking up odd work from TaskRabbit. Putting together multiple part-time jobs, soliciting work through a website such as Kijiji, or surviving on short-term contracts didn’t count.Underlying concerns about the gig economy is a demographic shift firmly underway in Canada. Aging baby boomers will retire in droves over the coming years without enough young workers to replace them — which raises a potential problem. Unlike the Canada Pension Plan, old-age security payments are funded by tax dollars, and federal coffers might not be able to cover the cost of seniors’ benefits that are increasing faster than inflation.Add to that populist concerns about immigrants, who have been the main drivers of population growth as birth rates have declined, and there is a potential potent mixture for the coming election campaign.What to do beyond election day has engrossed federal officials from multiple departments, who have tested worst-case scenarios and a range of possible policy responses.Armine Yalnizyan, an economist who has researched the gig economy in detail, said available data suggests a growth in the platforms could erode wages for engineers, accountants, programmers and lawyers as companies connect with cheaper overseas labour. Federal programs either provide workers with capped income supports — which for high-wage workers would be well below the earnings they’re used to — or retraining funding, she said.“This isn’t the hollowing out of the middle, this is the hollowing out of the high-skill, high-wage class and we don’t have programs for that crowd,” Yalnizyan said.“What are you going to train them in? They’ve just spent seven to 10 years training and spent a fortune on it. Obviously, our systems are not designed for that reality and that’s where we’re hitting the stress tests.”The briefing note, sent to a handful of top ESDC officials, lamented that the “available evidence about the incidence and quality of online platform work, in Canada and abroad, is currently quite limited, impeding the provision of policy advice.”Officials also raised cautions on survey results from two major federal institutions — Statistics Canada and the Bank of Canada — on the number of Canadians using online platforms for their incomes, highlighting concerns with how the data were obtained.The document says Statistics Canada scuttled a plan to replicate an American labour survey on gig workers after U.S. officials admitted there were problems with the results. Instead, a survey of the digital economy found about 230,000 Canadians had been involved in platform work in the previous 12 months, or 0.8 per cent of the population over age 18.A similar effort by the Bank of Canada suggested between 4 and 6.5 per cent of Canadians over 16 were part of the gig economy.Both results, different as they were, were “markedly lower” than other countries, the document says, and should be “treated carefully due to the small number of respondents.”“We know there’s been growth and we know Canada is very reliant on this form of labour, both among employers and, oddly, amongst workers,” Yalnizyan said. “Something’s happening, we just don’t know how to measure it properly.”Results from a new Statistics Canada effort are expected to be available this fall, the briefing note says, but officials at ESDC were already pushing “alternative methods of data collection” to learn more about platform workers and their job quality.A department spokeswoman said ESDC “continues to explore the possibility” of taking part in an international survey of platform workers and an in-depth study with Statistics Canada, both of which would take place next year.Jordan Press, The Canadian Press read more
The MDMA, which was set up in 1998, comprises experts from India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and other Central agencies. India had sought the details on the bank accounts of Selvarasa Pathmanathan alias ‘KP’ and some of his associates as part of the investigations over the murder of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, reports said today.The Multi-Disciplinary Monitoring Agency (MDMA) in India had sought permission from the Sri Lankan authorities to question the alleged financier of the LTTE. The former Prime Minister was assassinated on May 21, 1991, when a LTTE suicide bomber blew herself up at an election rally in Tamil Nadu. (Colombo Gazette) The MDMA, running on a skeleton staff, was set up on the recommendation of retired judge Milap Chand Jain, whose own inquiry into the conspiracy theory was called off in 1998. Jain wanted the MDMA to look into several areas he could not investigate.“The MDMA has been conducting further investigations in RC 9 (S)/1991-SCB/MAS (Rajiv Gandhi assassination case) after obtaining necessary permission from the designated Tada court, Chennai under section 173 (B) of the CrPC”, sources said. “The MDMA is keen to know about the bank details of Selvarasa Pathmanathan alias ‘KP’ and some of his associates. The agency had written to the Sri Lankan authorities in this regard earlier but no positive response came from the authority concerned”, the Asian Age quoted sources as saying. read more
AddThis Sharing ButtonsShare to TwitterTwitterShare to FacebookFacebookShare to RedditRedditShare to 電子郵件Email TORONTO – The Conservatives raised concerns Thursday about a deal worth hundreds of millions of dollars between Korean giant Samsung and Ontario’s Six Nations to build a huge wind and solar farm near Caledonia, south of Hamilton.The Opposition is worried the green energy project in Haldimand County could be targeted by militant Mohawk warriors who have blocked use of a $100 million hydro transmission corridor in the area for years.The refurbished electricity transmission corridor was completed in 2006 except for 10 or 11 hydro towers that have no wires on them, said Haldimand-Norfolk Tory MPP Toby Barrett.“There are no Hydro One workers on those towers. There are Mohawk warriors that go up on those towers and it’s a warriors’ flag that flies on those towers,” said Barrett.“There’s never been any electricity run through them because of militant (Mohawk) warrior intimidation.”Mohawk warriors also occupied a housing development in Caledonia in 2006, triggering years of tensions between local residents, First Nations and the Ontario Provincial Police.The province eventually bought the Douglas Creek Estates to try and defuse the situation, but the community remains divided.Adding one of the world’s largest wind and solar farms in the troubled area could be asking for trouble, warned Barrett.“It really adds fuel to a very volatile fire that’s going on down in our area,” he said.“The native people that I have talked to, Mohawks, have come out to a number of the wind tower meetings in opposition very forceful and with strong opposition to what’s going on in Haldimand County as far as wind towers.”Energy Minister Chris Bentley said he was not worried about any transmission problems from the new project because the province built new hydro towers to get around the protesting Mohawks.“When the issue came up years ago alternate routes were identified, transmission solutions were found in other parts of the province,” Bentley told reporters. “There are no transmission issues there.”Bentley would not address the possible threat of protesting warriors trying to disrupt the new green energy projects, insisting the agreement had nothing to do with the government.“It’s their agreement,” insisted Bentley.“I’m aware of its broad outlines and I think it was the result of very, very hard work by both (parties), and represents a remarkable opportunity for both frankly.”The deal with Samsung and Pattern Energy Group to develop the 250 megawatt wind and solar farm is expected to generate about $55 million in revenue for the Six Nations over 20 years.The Haldimand development is part of the first phase of Samsung’s investments in Ontario, along with another 250 megawatt renewable energy project in Chatham-Kent. The two developments combined are expected to cost about $1 billion, Samsung said Thursday.Samsung said the Six Nations can choose to be an equity stakeholder in each of the wind and solar projects or take a royalty.The Six Nations of the Grand River, which has almost 24,000 members, is about 25 kilometres south of Hamilton between the communities of Brantford, Caledonia and Hagersville.The Liberal government has a $7 billion deal with Samsung that will see the Korean multinational build four manufacturing plants for green energy components in Ontario, in exchange for guaranteed space on the crowded transmission grid for its new power projects.The agreement calls for the generation of 2,500 megawatts of renewable energy by Samsung and the creation of 900 new manufacturing jobs and 16,000 jobs overall in the province. Conservatives question huge green energy deal between Samsung and Six Nations by News Staff Posted May 31, 2012 4:31 pm MDT read more
The United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC), which settles the damage claims of those who suffered losses in the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, today made $1.06 billion available to the Government of Kuwait.With today’s payment, the total amount in compensation received by the Government of Kuwait now amounts to $47.8 billion, leaving approximately $4.6 billion remaining to be paid. The Geneva-based UNCC’s Governing Council has identified six categories of claims: four are for individuals’ claims, one for corporations and one for governments and international organizations, which also includes claims for environmental damage.This category E claim was submitted by the Government of Kuwait on behalf of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and awarded $14.7 billion in 2000 for oil production and sales losses as a result of damages to Kuwait’s oil field assets. Successful claims are paid monies drawn from the UN Compensation Fund, which is financed by a percentage of the proceeds generated by the export sales of Iraqi petroleum and related products.The Commission was established in 1991 as a subsidiary organ of the UN Security Council. It has received nearly three million claims, including from nearly 100 governments for themselves, their nationals or their corporations for losses and damages incurred as a direct result of Iraq’s invasion and occupation of Kuwait from 2 August 1990 to 2 March 1991.The Government of Kuwait’s claim represents the largest award by the Commission. read more
Mr. Eliasson spoke of the importance of working across economic, social and environmental dimensions to participants of a high-level event of Sustainable Energy for All, a multi-stakeholder partnership, on the sidelines of the UN Sustainable Development Summit, at which the new Goal was adopted along with 16 other goals and 169 targets to wipe out poverty, fight inequality and tackle climate over the next 15 years.He cited as examples of successful partnerships already underway.For example, he said, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials, Bloomberg New Energy Finance, the Carbon War Room, KLM, Novozymes and the UN Foundation have partnered to scale up the development and deployment of sustainable bioenergy solutions.And in Bangladesh, India, Mali and Mozambique, the Alliance for Rural Electrification and the OPEC Fund for International Development are working together to implement mini-grid projects.Mr. Eliasson also commended domestic initiatives, such as Brazil’s successful “Light for All” programme, Saudi Arabia’s planned $109 billion dollar investment in solar energy, and India’s strong commitment to energy access for all by 2019.“With Sustainable Development Goal 7, the United Nations has for the first time agreed on a universal goal on energy, with targets on access, renewables, efficiency, and means of implementation,” he said. “This is great news – not just for the energy community, but for sustainable development as a whole. We need sustainable energy for everything from ending poverty to combating climate change.The Deputy Secretary-General said the Rachel Kyte, as the first Chief Executive Officer of the new “Sustainable Energy for All Partnership” will spearhead the UN system’s efforts towards achieving SDG7 from January 1, 2016 – the first day of the 2030 agenda.Mr. Eliasson noted that progress is too slow in some areas of the world, most notably in sub-Saharan Africa, but with leadership and the foundations that are already laid, “we can have legitimate hope that we will achieve our goals by 2030.”“But it is going to be an arduous work,” he said. “We have set the vision and direction. Now we must take the concrete steps forward in a determined way to the benefit of all.” read more
Handball VIC Inc. is hosting the 2017 Australian Open Club Championships in Geelong from the 11th – 14th May 2017. The Australian Open Club Championships (AOCC) is the leading Handball tournament in the Oceanian region and the largest Australian Handball event since the Sydney Olympics with over 250 players participating. Melbourne Handball Club in the women’s event and Sydney Uni in the men’s competition will try to defend their last year’s Australian Club Champions title.The winner of the men’s competition will qualify for the club world cup, called the Super Globe. It is held in Qatar where they will face professional clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain and FC Barcelona. “Good news”, said Bronwyn Thompson, Secretary General of Handball Australia, “the OCHF has endorsed the Club Champs as the Men’s Oceania qualifier for the Super Globe.” For this year, the second edition of the AOCC, Handball VIC is proud to announce that significant funding has been secured from Sport and Recreation Victoria. “We are very happy that Sport and Recreation has recognised our hard work and efforts with the award of a grant to make our tournament even better than last year”, said Sebastian Bures, Head of the Organising Committee & Government Relations.“Importantly, this event aims to bring together the entire handball community and is open to all handball teams in Australia and Oceania, regardless of ability”, remarks Bures. Speaking of ability, there will also be an exhibition match of Wheelchair Handball on the Saturday. “To date 16 men and women teams have confirmed from all around Australia and as far as New Caledonia and New Zealand”, said Niddhi Mehta, Project Manager.The Victorian Olympic Council also indicated their support. Warwick Waters, Executive Director said, “The Victorian Olympic Council encourages Victorians to get down to see the exciting sport of Olympic Handball in Geelong during the 2017 AOCC not only to witness this fast paced ball sport at the elite level, but also take the opportunity to give this Olympic sport a go for themselves.”The competition will run from Thursday, the 11th of May until Sunday, the 14th of May with games starting around 10 am until 7 pm. Finals will be played on Sunday. Admission is free for spectators and schools. Kirsten Lange, President of Handball VIC, said: “We are inviting interested schools to come down and experience the exciting sport of Olympic Handball. We are planning ‘Come and Try’ activities for school children and a ‘Meet and Greet’ with National players.”To find out more about the 2017 AOCC visit website www.handballaocc.com.au ← Previous Story HSG Wetzlar to miss Kristian Bjornsen in the finish of the season Next Story → QATARI SEASON: Lekhwiya win Emir Cup, but El Jaish take double crown! read more
THE GOVERNMENT HAS outlined how it plans to introduce minimum pricing levels for alcohol as part of proposals to be included in the draft Public Health (Alcohol) Bill.‘Minimum Unit Pricing’ would set a price below which alcoholic drink cannot be sold.According to the Department of Health, the price would be based on the number of grams of alcohol in any given product.The Department it stressing that it won’t mean an across the board increase for prices. According to a statement: In the meantime, the Government has announced plans to put the existing voluntary code on sports sponsorship on a statutory footing.Reaction The Irish Medical Organisation – which represents doctors – has welcomed the publication of the Government’s plans regarding minimum pricing. However, it says the decision regarding sports sponsorship is a “missed opportunity”.President of the organistion, Dr Matt Sadlier said the only way to ensure that young people were not exposed to alcohol marketing “is to introduce a complete ban on alcohol advertising and promotion, including the sponsorship of sporting activities and sporting organisations”.“Fears over funding for sports are unfounded as experience from other jurisdictions show that sports organisations do not necessarily rely on alcohol sponsorship and can simply seek alternative sponsorship from manufacturers and suppliers of non-alcoholic goods and services.”The plans have also been welcomed by National Off-Licence Association, which says the measures announced “will go a long way in providing for the responsible retail of alcohol”.Read: Government deal to implement minimum alcohol pricing welcomed>Previously: Cabinet close to agreement on alcohol strategy, but sponsorship ban will be deferred> It’s planned that, once the legislation is passed, the unit price would be set based on research currently under way in Northern Ireland, where a similar policy is being pursued.Other measuresThe Bill will also include plans to limit the advertising of alcohol on TV and radio to evening hours, and in cinemas to over 18 certified films.It’s proposed a new labelling system will be brought in, resulting in health warnings being placed on bottles and cans, as well as on promotional material.It will also be required that manufacturers display the amount of pure alcohol (measured in grams) and the calorie count on each drink container.Sports sponsorshipNo immediate plan was confirmed to ban drinks industry sponsorship of sporting events. The measure had been one of the recommendations set out in the report of the Steering Group on a National Substance Misuse Strategy, which reported in February of last year.Instead, a ‘working group’ is to be set up, with a deadline to report back in 12 months:It agreed to establish a working group to consider the value, evidence, feasibility and implications (including the public health consequences for children and young people and the financial impact on sporting organisations) of regulating sponsorship by alcohol companies of major sporting events, and that the group will also consider alternative sources of funding for sporting organisations to replace potential lost revenue arising from any such regulation.The group will comprise of a number of departments and shall be chaired by the Dept of An Taoiseach. The aim of MUP is to increase the price of alcohol which is cheap relative to its strengthMUP will be the instrument to be used to tackle the very low cost at which alcohol is sold in the off-trade sector (particularly in supermarkets).By using MUP, we hope to target harmful and hazardous drinkers and reduce their consumption as there is evidence that this cohort of drinkers tend to purchase disproportionate amounts of such alcohol, no matter what is the income level of the drinker. read more
A BID BY An Taisce – the Irish national trust body – to challenge the legality of a planned nuclear power station has been rejected by the High Court of England and Wales.The two-reactor plant at Hinkley Point in Somerset will be the UK’s first new nuclear plant for a generation. French energy company EDF clinched a €18.9 billion deal to build it in October — once that deal is confirmed next year, the station could be in operation by 2023.It’s planned that, at full capacity, the two reactors will be able to produce seven per cent of Britain’s electricity, enough to power five million homes.As part of its challenge, An Taisce had claimed London acted unlawfully in not consulting with the Irish public before permission was granted.Heading into the court challenge, which began earlier this month, An Taisce Policy Director James Nix said that while he appreciated that the UK intends to implement rigorous regulation, if an accident were to happen the effect on Ireland would be significant.Handing down her judgement today, Mrs Justice Patterson found against An Taisce’s claim, and refused leave for a Judicial Review.Nix said the organisation’s legal team were studying the judgement and considering their options.Read Incoming Eirgrid chairman faces TDs and Senators amid ongoing pylons controversyRead: ESB employees and management in talks to resolve pensions row read more
Clark County elections workers tabulated another 14,571 ballots Wednesday, but at the end of the day there were no changes in the lead for two tight local races.In the race for an open Clark County council seat, Republican John Blom more than doubled his lead on Democrat Tanisha Harris and now is ahead by 434 votes out of 38,163 counted. The winner will take Republican David Madore’s seat and represent the eastern portion of Vancouver on the five-member county governing body.The other tight race is for 17th District House of Representatives, Position 1. In that race Republican Vicki Kraft leads independent Democrat Sam Kim by 888 votes out of 51,237 ballots counted. That’s about 1 percentage point, a slightly bigger margin than on Tuesday. The two are vying for Republican Lynda Wilson’s seat; she ran for the 17th District Senate seat and holds a lead of nearly 9 percentage points in that race over Democrat Tim Probst.In other updated Clark County results, Hillary Clinton has received about 3,000 more votes than Donald Trump, 46.12 percent to 44.25 percent. However, among the 167,547 local votes counted in the race thus far, there were 5,426 write-ins and almost 10,000 third-party votes. Four years ago, the local contest between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney attracted only 1,371 write-ins and less than 5,000 third-party votes.Overall, this year’s general election favored Republicans and incumbents. Republicans won 12 of 15 seats spanning five legislative districts covering all or part of Clark County, and all incumbents appear to have won re-election. read more
BANGKOK — Thailand’s ruling junta deployed thousands of security forces on the streets of Bangkok on Sunday to thwart another round of small-scale protests denouncing last month’s military coup. Hundreds of demonstrators came out and several were detained, but there was no violence.Fears over possible unrest, however, prompted a major downtown shopping mall to close and authorities temporarily shut down several subway and elevated train stations near where protests could have materialized.Thailand has been calm since the army overthrew the nation’s elected government on May 22, saying it had to restore order after seven months of demonstrations that had triggered sporadic violence and left the country’s political rivals in a stalemate.But the junta that took power has launched a major campaign to suppress dissent, summoning politicians, journalists and academics — the majority of them perceived as being critical of the new regime.Since the coup, small groups of pro-democracy protesters have come out nearly every day, marching through Bangkok and sometimes scuffling with soldiers. No injuries have been reported so far. read more
Troopers shortly after noon Monday received a call that a sedan was found overturned along the highway near Upper Trail Lake at Mile 33.8. Facebook0TwitterEmailPrintFriendly分享UPDATE 12:00 p.m.:The driver involved in the fatal motor vehicle accident has been identified as Gary A. Barnett, age 47, of Anchorage. The NOK has been notified. Investigation is ongoing. ORIGINAL STORY:A man died Monday in a crash on the Seward Highway. Alaska State Troopers say the man’s name will be released after next of kin has been notified. Emergency medical responders declared the man inside dead. Troopers are investigating the circumstances. This is a developing story.
US Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain (R-AZ) smiles as he speaks during a rally in La Crosse, Wisconsin on 10 October 2008. Reuters File PhotoUS Senator John McCain, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam who ran unsuccessfully for president as a self-styled maverick Republican in 2008 and became a prominent critic of president Donald Trump, died on Saturday, his office said.He was 81.McCain, a US senator from Arizona for over three decades, had been battling glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, discovered by his doctors in July 2017, and had not been at the US Capitol in 2018. He also had surgery for an intestinal infection in April of this year.His family had announced on Friday that McCain was discontinuing further cancer treatment.A statement from his office said: “Senator John Sidney McCain III died at 4:28pm on 25 August 2018. With the senator when he passed were his wife Cindy and their family. At his death, he had served the United States of America faithfully for sixty years.”No further details were immediately provided.“My heart is broken. I am so lucky to have lived the adventure of loving this incredible man for 38 years,” Cindy McCain wrote on Twitter. “He passed the way he lived, on his own terms, surrounded by the people he loved, in the place he loved best.”Alternatively affable and cantankerous, McCain had been in the public eye since the 1960s, when as a naval aviator he was shot down during the Vietnam War and tortured by his North Vietnamese communist captors during 5-1/2 years as a prisoner.He was edged out by George W Bush for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000, but became his party’s White House candidate eight years later. After gambling on political neophyte Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate, McCain lost in 2008 to Democrat Barack Obama, who became the first black US president.McCain, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, was a frequent critic as well as a target of his fellow Republican, Trump, who was elected president in November 2016.McCain denounced Trump for among other things his praise of Russian president Vladimir Putin and other leaders the senator described as foreign “tyrants.”“Flattery secures his friendship, criticism his enmity,” McCain said of Trump in his memoir, “The Restless Wave,” which was released in May.McCain in July had castigated Trump for his summit with Putin, issuing a statement that called their joint news conference in Helsinki “one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory.” He said Trump was “not only unable but unwilling to stand up to Putin.”Sources close to McCain have said Trump would not be invited to the funeral.Shortly after McCain’s death was announced, Trump tweeted: My deepest sympathies and respect go out to the family of Senator John McCain.”McCain, a foreign policy hawk with a traditional Republican view of world affairs, was admired in both parties for championing civility and compromise during an era of acrid partisanship in US politics. But he also had a famous temper and rarely shied away from a fight. He had several with Trump.Thumbs-DownHe was the central figure in one of the most dramatic moments in Congress of Trump’s presidency when he returned to Washington shortly after his brain cancer diagnosis for a middle-of-the-night Senate vote in July 2017.Still bearing a black eye and scar from surgery, McCain gave a thumbs-down signal in a vote to scuttle a Trump-backed bill that would have repealed the Obamacare healthcare law and increased the number of Americans without health insurance by millions.Trump was furious about McCain’s vote and frequently referred to it at rallies, but without mentioning McCain by name.After Trump in 2015 launched his presidential campaign, McCain condemned his hard-line rhetoric on illegal immigration and said Trump had “fired up the crazies.” Trump retorted that McCain was “not a war hero,” adding: “I like people who weren’t captured.”After Trump became president, McCain blasted what he called the president’s attempts to undermine the free press and rule of law, and lamented the “half-baked, spurious nationalism” of the Trump era.McCain denounced Trump’s performance at a summit meeting with Putin in July as “a tragic mistake,” adding, “The damage inflicted by president Trump’s naivete, egotism, false equivalence, and sympathy for autocrats is difficult to calculate.”Mccain Vs ObamaMcCain, the son and grandson of US Navy admirals, was elected to the US House of Representatives from Arizona in 1982 after more than two decades of Navy service.He served four years in the House before Arizona voters elected him to the Senate in 1986 to replace Barry Goldwater, the 1964 Republican presidential nominee revered by conservatives.In running for president in 2008, McCain tried to succeed an unpopular fellow Republican in Bush, who was leaving office with the country mired in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and stuck in a financial crisis.It was a stark contrast between McCain, then a 72-year-old veteran of the Washington establishment, and the 47-year-old Obama, who was offering a “Yes, we can” message of change.McCain tried to inject some youth and enthusiasm into his campaign with his selection of Palin, Alaska’s governor, as his running mate. But the choice backfired as her political inexperience and shaky performances in media interviews raised concerns about her qualifications.In his new book, McCain voiced regret for not choosing then-Senator Joe Lieberman, a Democrat turned independent, as his running mate.McCain wrote that he had originally settled on Lieberman, Democrat Al Gore’s running mate in the 2000 election, but was warned by Republican leaders that Lieberman’s views on social issues, including support for abortion rights, would “fatally divide” the party.“It was sound advice that I could reason for myself,” McCain wrote. “But my gut told me to ignore it and I wish I had.”Obama won 53 per cent of the vote to McCain’s 45.6 per cent.War InjuriesDuring the Vietnam War, McCain flew attack planes off aircraft carriers. He was preparing for a bombing run in 1967 when a missile inadvertently fired from another plane hit his fuel tanks, triggering a fatal explosion and fire. He suffered shrapnel wounds.A few months later on 26 October 1967, McCain’s A-4 Skyhawk was shot down on a bombing mission over North Vietnam’s capital and he suffered two broken arms and a broken leg in the crash. A mob then dragged him from a lake, broke his shoulder and stabbed him.Held at the notorious “Hanoi Hilton” prison and other sites, McCain was beaten and tortured, suffering broken bones and dysentery. He was released on 14 March 1973 but was left with permanent infirmities.In Congress, McCain built a generally conservative record, opposing abortion and advocating higher defence spending. He supported Bush’s 2003 invasion of Iraq and criticised Obama for not doing more to intervene in Syria’s civil war.Still, he prided himself on his reputation as a maverick and had a history of working across party lines on immigration, climate change and campaign finance reform.He also spoke out against the Bush administration’s use of waterboarding, a torture technique that simulates drowning, and other harsh interrogation tactics on detainees in the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 attacks.He urged the closure of the prison for foreign terrorism suspects at the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and also sponsored an anti-torture measure that passed Congress in 2005.In a 2002 memoir, McCain wrote, “I’m an independent-minded, well-informed public servant to some. And to others, I’m a self-styled, self-righteous maverick pain in the ass.”John Sidney McCain III was born on 29 August 1936, at an American naval installation in the Panama Canal Zone – US territory at the time – when his father was stationed there.He conceded he was a “smart ass” during his years at the US Naval Academy and graduated fifth from the bottom of his class.McCain divorced his wife Carol after 15 years of marriage in 1980 and weeks later married the former Cindy Henley, daughter of a wealthy beer distributor in Arizona.A dark period for McCain came as one of the “Keating Five” group of senators accused of improperly intervening with federal regulators to help political contributor and bank executive Charles Keating, whose Lincoln Savings and Loan failed in 1989 at a cost to taxpayers of $3.4 billion.McCain was cleared of wrongdoing in 1991, but the Senate Ethics Committee rebuked him for poor judgment.On 25 July 2017, McCain delivered a Senate floor speech not long after his cancer diagnosis that was widely seen as his farewell address. It included a call to fellow Republicans to stand up to Trump and for all lawmakers to work together to keep America as a “beacon of liberty” in the world.“That is the cause that binds us and is so much more powerful and worthy than the small differences that divide us,” McCain said. read more
Video Playerhttps://cdn.hpm.io/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/30120024/EdGonzalezSpanish.mp400:0000:0004:00Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume. A pesar de que no entra en vigor hasta el 1 de septiembre, el Sheriff Ed Gonzalez insiste en que es importante empezar a explicar cuanto antes la SB4, la nueva ley de Texas que permite a las fuerzas del orden, tanto policías locales como agentes de condados, preguntar por el estatus de quienes son detenidos en cualquier circunstancia.“Si tienes una razón para parar a alguien, por ejemplo en tránsito, tienes lo que dicen que es probable cause”, o causa suficiente, para sospechar que esa persona ha cometido un delito, explica González. “Eso abre la puerta para hacer ese tipo de preguntas”.Muchos de esos casos, dice el sheriff, pueden ser simple rutina pero lo importante es que plantean la posibilidad de que un agente del orden pida los papeles y colabore con agentes de inmigración si descubre que el detenido está en el país ilegalmente.A pesar de que la llamada ley de Ciudades Santuario no permite la discriminación racial, o racial profiling, Gonzalez reconoce que le preocupa esa posibilidad. Vea la entrevista completa en el video: Share read more
×Actors Reveal Their Favorite Disney PrincessesSeveral actors, like Daisy Ridley, Awkwafina, Jeff Goldblum and Gina Rodriguez, reveal their favorite Disney princesses. Rapunzel, Mulan, Ariel,Tiana, Sleeping Beauty and Jasmine all got some love from the Disney stars.More VideosVolume 0%Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcutsKeyboard Shortcutsplay/pauseincrease volumedecrease volumeseek forwardsseek backwardstoggle captionstoggle fullscreenmute/unmuteseek to %SPACE↑↓→←cfm0-9Next UpJennifer Lopez Shares How She Became a Mogul04:350.5x1x1.25×1.5x2xLive00:0002:1502:15 It also follows on the heels of the company’s beta program to help artists upload music to the platform themselves, which brings with it many publishing-related issues.Rich Scott DePerto, Director of Royalties & Copyright Administration for Reservoir, one of the publishers who worked on the program said in a statement: “Reservoir was happy to jump on board as one of the first music publishers to help shape the new Spotify Publishing Analytics tool. Access to daily global analytics for the leading DSP allows us to better track our catalog’s performance and gives us valuable insight that we can use to make more informed business decisions in supporting our songwriters.”Patrick Joest, EVP Global Content Partnerships & Synch at BMG Music Publishing, added: “Armed with this level of streaming data, directly from Spotify, music publishers can gain insights into new opportunities for their songwriters, more efficiently collect royalties on their behalf, and more effectively market their works. Spotify has been a collaborative partner in the creation of this new product, and we are looking forward to further collaborating and contributing to its development and easy accessibility of data to the publishing community.”“One of our core missions at Spotify is to enable creators the opportunity to live off their art,” said Jules Parker, Spotify’s Head of Publishing Relations & Services. “The publishing community is integral in supporting the songwriters that create the music we love. With more information, publishers are empowered to make the most of the opportunities the global reach of Spotify provides, and the more information we can share with each other, the more opportunities we can help create for songwriters.”The announcement concludes by saying, “Right now we’re focused on providing publishers with this valuable data — Spotify Publishing Analytics won’t change anything about how publishing royalties are accounted or paid.” Popular on Variety As part of Spotify’s outreach efforts to the songwriting community, the company on Thursday announced a beta rollout of Publishing Analytics, “the first music streaming analytics tool built specifically for publishers, so they can better serve their songwriters.”According to the announcement, Spotify Publishing Analytics “will give publishers daily streaming statistics for the works and recordings they have identified, including playlist performance, as well as the ability to view data for each of the songwriters on their roster.” The program, which was developed “in close collaboration with a range of publishers to offer value to all of the roles that publishers play, from A&R to administration,” follows initiatives including its “Secret Genius” program and awards event and the addition of song credits. read more
The team of researchers, Y. H. Huo, et al., from institutes in Germany, The Netherlands, and Austria, have published their paper on light-hole excitons confined in quantum dots in a recent issue of Nature Physics.As the researchers explain, heavy holes and light holes behave differently because they are located on different valence energy bands in a semiconducting material. To create these holes, the researchers excited the electrons in these energy bands using light. When an excited electron moves to the conduction band, it leaves an empty state in one of the valence bands. This missing electron behaves as a particle (a hole) with positive charge and a mass that depends on which valence band it is in. A hole in the so-called “light-hole band” behaves like a particle with a mass that is several times lower than a hole in the “heavy-hole” band. So far, all experimental studies in which holes are confined in quantum dots have used heavy holes because they are easier to confine from an energetic standpoint. However, some theoretical analyses have suggested that using light holes instead of heavy holes would be beneficial for quantum information technologies. Potential benefits include the ability to achieve faster control and more direct measurements of the spin states. In order to experimentally investigate these potential benefits, the researchers for the first time created quantum dots with light-hole ground states. Instead of completely redesigning the quantum dot geometry, they demonstrated that strain engineering could be used to create these dots. The strain method involves creating initially unstrained quantum dots in pre-stressed membranes, and then inducing tensile strain on the dots by releasing the membranes from the substrate. The tensile strain shifts the quantum dots’ character from dominantly heavy-hole to dominantly light-hole. When the membranes are placed on a piezoelectric substrate, the tensile strain can be further increased or decreased, enabling the emission energy and the hole character to be tuned. As the researchers showed both experimentally and theoretically, quantum dots that contain dominantly light-hole ground states have a clearly distinct signature compared to those with dominantly heavy-hole ground states. Using strain engineering, the researchers demonstrated that the ground hole state in the quantum dot can have more than 95% light-hole character for tensile strains of 0.4%. The quantum dots also have a high optical quality that is comparable to that of state-of-the-art quantum dots. Combined with the fact that the membranes are compatible with electric control, these features show that quantum dots with confined light holes can soon be explored as new building blocks for quantum technologies.”Light-hole excitons may enable direct conversion of the polarization of a photon (flying qubit) into the spin state of an electron confined in a quantum dot (stationary qubit),” coauthor Armando Rastelli, Professor of Semiconductor Physics at Johannes Kepler University Linz in Linz, Austria, told Phys.org. Rastelli is also affiliated with IFW Dresden in Germany. “In addition, light-hole spins (another form of stationary qubit) may be directly manipulated via microwaves and at higher rates compared to heavy-hole spins. Dedicated experiments will be needed to assess which of these potentials can be realized in practice.”In the future, the researchers plan to investigate how heavy holes become light holes, as well as other open questions. “Next we plan to look in detail at the transition from a heavy-hole to a light-hole ground state,” Rastelli said. “With the technological approach used in the paper, this was not possible. We are now designing a piezoelectric actuator which may allow us to follow smoothly the emission changes as heavy- and light-hole states cross each other. In addition, we are in touch with colleagues planning to investigate the properties of light-hole spins.” Citation: Quantum dots with confined light holes could have applications in quantum technologies (2013, December 6) retrieved 18 August 2019 from https://phys.org/news/2013-12-quantum-dots-confined-holes-applications.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only. Journal information: Nature Physics Researchers demonstrate quantum dots that assemble themselves More information: Y. H. Huo, et al. “A light-hole exciton in a quantum dot.” Nature Physics. DOI: 10.1038/NPHYS2799 (a) The quantum dot layer is in the middle of a pre-stressed membrane. An induced tensile strain on the quantum dots shifts the dots’ character from dominantly heavy-hole to dominantly light-hole. (b) Atomic force microscopy image of a droplet-etched nanohole. Credit: Huo, et al. ©2013 Macmillan Publishers Limited © 2013 Phys.org. All rights reserved. Explore further (Phys.org) —Semiconductor quantum dots are being widely studied for their potential use in future quantum technologies. One of the reasons for their appeal is that they can confine quantum bits such as excitons and spins inside of them. In a new study, researchers have created a quantum dot that contains an exciton in the form of an electron bound to a light hole. The use of a light (as opposed to heavy) hole could enable the quantum dots to have specific advantages for quantum information technologies. read more
Darjeeling: A youth was arrested in the wee hours of Saturday in connection with an alleged gang rape of a minor girl at New Jalpaiguri station area. Two others are absconding. The accused Mohammad Ansar, a resident of Dangipara, Siliguri was produced at Jalpaiguri court on Saturday.The incident had occurred three days ago. Ansar and two of his friends had abducted a minor girl and taken her to the parking lot adjacent to the NJP station. They had allegedly sexually assaulted her inside an auto. The victim was then rescued. Police have also launched a man hunt for two of Ansar’s associates.
WebsiteWebsiteWebsite WebsiteWebsiteWebsite WebsiteWebsiteWebsite A car rolled at the Colenso / Bergville turn-off earlier this evening after the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle.It seems that the driver was alone in the vehicle at the time, and was heading to Ladysmith from Pietermaritzburg.RTI, towing services, EMRS, Sharaj Ambulance Services and ER24 responded to the scene.The driver was lucky to escape with no injuries.
A moderate earthquake jolted residents in Cartago and San José provinces at 8:45 a.m. Saturday. No damage was reported.The National University’s Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OVSICORI) reported the temblor as a magnitude-4.6. The University of Costa Rica’s National Seismological Network (RSN) registered a magnitude of 4.5.Both agencies reported the epicenter in the province of Cartago, 17 kilometers east of Turrialba canton. The quake struck at a depth of 19 kilometers and was felt across most of the Central Valley.People reported via OVSICORI’s and RSN’s social media accounts that the temblor as “very strong” in the Cartago communities of Agua Caliente, Turrialba, Tejar and Tres Ríos. Reports from San José came mostly from residents east of the capital in Curridabat, Zapote, San Pedro and Patarrá.At 10:03 a.m. a magnitude-2.8 earthquake hit the same area, its epicenter located 5 kilometers west of the first one. The later quake, however, went mostly unnoticed by people in the area, according to preliminary reports from OVISCORI and RSN. Facebook Comments Related posts:Earthquake jolts five provinces in Costa Rica Earthquake in Cartago damaged dozens of houses 23 temblors shake Cartago starting Monday night 2 temblors jolt Costa Rica; no initial reports of injuries read more
AirAsia-QPR Clinic winners off to LondonAirAsia-QPR Clinic winners off to LondonAirAsia has sent eight promising footballers from Asia to London, UK for a unique training and cultural experience with Queens Park Rangers Football Club (QPR).They were selected as winners late last year during the annual AirAsia-QPR Coaching Clinic, a joint effort by AirAsia and QPR in the Community Trust to provide a platform for local talents to hone their skills.The coaching clinic consisted of four full-day sessions run by QPR team coaches between 23 November and 3 December 2016 in Penang, Malaysia; Bangkok, Thailand; Bandung, Indonesia and Shenzhen, China with approximately 260 athletes aged 14 to 16.Lessons included ball manipulation techniques, passing and shooting, a nutrition workshop and other tactical aspects of football, all to enhance their skills and competency on the pitch.The youths are Mohammad Alif Amzar Mohd Hisham, 17, and Kengo Lee, 17, from Malaysia, Parin Bunyalakha, 16, and Sathit Sisophakiri, 15, from Thailand, Ahludz Dzikri Fikri, 15, Hamsa Medari Lestaluhu, 14, and Muhammad Alfiqri, 16, from Indonesia and Li Te, 14, from China.In London, they will be put through their paces during an intensive one-week training course with QPR youth coaches from 26 February to 5 March 2017, culminating in a friendly match against an invited team.The eight winners will be given a full QPR training kit and winter attire upon arrival, including AirAsia-QPR Coaching Clinic jerseys and duffel bags, QPR gloves, jacket, pants and training sweats as well as AirAsia caps.They will also get to tour the club’s Loftus Road home stadium and academy, meet the first team players and coaches, and be introduced to QPR fans on match day.AirAsia Executive Chairman Datuk Kamarudin Meranun said, “As we enter our fourth year, I am greatly encouraged to see the difference this clinic has made in the lives of young footballers in Asia, from Indonesia all the way to China.“Since the first clinic in 2013, we have succeeded in enriching the lives of over 1,000 football hopefuls in this region, 29 of whom were also given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to train with a Championship side. This demonstrates AirAsia’s commitment to making everyone’s dream come true, and I couldn’t be more thrilled that we are a part of this.”QPR Trust CEO Andy Evans said, “This is a unique opportunity for QPR to work with AirAsia and provide an amazing week’s coaching activities for the young players we selected from Asia in November and December.“QPR coaches will deliver a wide-range of different sessions, with the aim of developing each participant’s individual and team game throughout the week. The young players will also get up close to the QPR culture and experience what it is like to be part of the QPR family, they will get the chance to learn from our first class coaching methods, experience the Loftus Road match day atmosphere and explore our fantastic city of London.“On behalf of everyone at QPR, we are excited to welcome them to London for what will be a once in a lifetime experience.”AirAsia is an official sponsor of QPR. Asia’s largest low-cost carrier is also involved in numerous other sports development initiatives for the benefit of youths, creating opportunities and providing them with a platform to achieve success and realise their dreams to compete at the highest levels.Follow AirAsia on Twitter (twitter.com/AirAsia) and Facebook (facebook.com/AirAsia) or QPR in the Community Trust (@QPRTrust) on Twitter.Source = AirAsia read more
Residents of Mesogi, in Paphos, went to the ballots on Sunday to elect their new community leader, because the incumbent, Georgios Christou,73, passed away last month.Paphos district officer, Mary Lambrou, said the election went smoothly. The candidates that run as independents are Nicolas Savva Aresti, Christakis Nicolaou and Georgios Papagregoriou. There are 968 registered voters, Lambrou said, of which 50 are nationals of other EU-member states.The ballots opened at 7am and will close at 6pm, with a one-hour break at noon.You May LikeFigLeaf Beta AppHow to Become Fully Anonymous Online in Less Than 3 Minutes? Better safe than sorryFigLeaf Beta AppUndoClassmates.comLook For Any High School Yearbook, It’s FreeClassmates.comUndoTruthFinder People Search SubscriptionOne Thing All Liars Have in Common, Brace YourselfTruthFinder People Search SubscriptionUndo Pensioner dies after crash on Paphos-Polis roadUndoTurkish Cypriot actions in Varosha ‘a clear violation’ of UN resolutions, Nicosia saysUndoRemand for pair in alleged property fraud (Updated)Undoby Taboolaby Taboola read more