Fresh concerns have been raised about the integrit
Fresh concerns have been raised about the integrity of the disability benefits system, after a disabled woman’s appeal against having her benefits removed was rejected before she was even told her claim had been turned down.The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) sent Mandy Moseley a mandatory reconsideration notice, confirming that her appeal against the decision to reject her claim for the new personal independence payment (PIP) had been unsuccessful.But she was astonished to receive the letter because she had not yet been told the result of her claim.Until a claimant receives a decision notice that informs them of the result of their claim, they cannot ask for a mandatory reconsideration (MR) of that decision, and she had not done so.Moseley, from Birmingham, who was assessed on 28 June, had been receiving disability living allowance since 2004, and has been receiving the highest rates of that benefit since 2007, but has been told by DWP that she will receive no PIP at all, a decision which has cost her £141 a week.She said: “They are saying it was a mistake and it was an internal document. How can it be an internal document if it’s [described] as a mandatory reconsideration?”She believes her case proves DWP is preparing the MR notices – automatically turning down the first-stage appeals – at the same time it prepares the original decision notices.Disabled activists have been questioning for months why success rates for MRs are so low, when so many appeals that are taken to tribunal – the next stage of the appeal process after the MR – are successful.A DWP spokesman said: “Clearly, this was a clerical error. We’ve apologised to Ms Moseley and asked her to ignore the letter.“Any mandatory reconsideration outcome would be based on an appeal being lodged in the first place, and Ms Moseley hadn’t even received her decision notice.”But Moseley said she was “disgusted” by DWP’s tactics, and added: “I am just astounded by what they have done.”She has a number of long-term health conditions, currently receives 17 hours of care a week from her local authority, is constantly in pain, and is awaiting training so she can start using a white cane because of her deteriorating vision.After her son moves out from the family home in October, she has been told by her local council that she will probably receive 40 hours of care a week.But she was awarded a total of just two points after being assessed. She would have needed eight for the standard rate and 12 for the enhanced rate of the daily living and mobility components of PIP.
WELCOME to four more players who will tour Australia with the Academy.Joseph McLoughlin is a prop forward who signed from Blackbrook Royals.Ben Morris is a second row who signes from Blackbrook Royals.James Nicholl is a prop forward who signed from Blackbrook Royals.Daniel Richardson is a scrum half who signed from Halton Hornets.Many thanks to the sponsors who made the trip possible for this quartet.They are:Cardinal Newman Catholic HighMaghull High School E C Services Keep Keen Controls Calataln Sports Tours DonationNW Truck & Mixer Repairs Ltd Halton HornetsGreen Monkey VillasMFG ConstructionAnother four players will be introduced tomorrow.To catch up with all the latest on the tour, and meet the players, click here.
The rally comes as new developments about the water situation have become harder to come by.One attendee, Robin Moody, says she’ll continue to make her voice heard about GenX, even if the well of information is continuing to dry up.“I’m just trying to educate myself and be aware of what’s going on with our water. I’ve lived here for 27 years and I’ve always been drinking the water, so I just want to know what we’re drinking,” said Moody.Related Article: When will bridges close due to bad weather?Environmental activist Erin Brockovich was scheduled to be in attendance. She’s been in the Cape Fear all week talking about the GenX issue. Photo: Justin McKee/WWAY WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The fight for clean water continued this weekend with a rally in downtown Wilmington.The steps of Thalian Hall were packed with people young and old clamoring for clean water in the Cape Fear Saturday morning.- Advertisement – 
They’ll be working Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m.Wilmington has about four miles of brick streets that have been covered with asphalt over time.Removing the asphalt from these old bricks is part of the city’s preservation efforts. Crews work to remove the asphalt that covers the brick road on 4th Street in Wilmington (Photo: Justin McKee/WWAY) WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — One street in Wilmington is saying goodbye to asphalt and hello to its roots.Crews are removing a layer of asphalt covering bricks on 4th Street between Market and Dock Streets this week.- Advertisement – 
SOUTHPORT, NC (WWAY) — The Caswell Beach Fire Department was struggling after Brunswick County made a cut in supplemental funding. So, they turned to Southport for some help.The Southport Board of Alderman voted to help out their neighbors over in Caswell Beach after they came asking for help. The B.O.A signed a contract for fire protection for the Town of Caswell Beach starting July 1.- Advertisement – “The Board of Alderman’s decision did not come as a surprise. It did come as a surprise when Caswell Beach approached us,” Southport Fire Chief Charles Drew said.That means the Caswell Beach Fire Department will merge with the Southport Fire Department to get more resources. Drew says this was a result of Brunswick County cutting funds from fire departments.“The fire department that was servicing Caswell Beach, they had a very small district and a very small amount of calls per year and so there was not enough revenue in that size of a district to support a standalone fire department,” Drew said.Related Article: Southport Fire Department responds to woods fireChief Drew says the only problem they see in the future is when the Oak Island Bridge closes but they already have a plan worked out.“We’re going to have the station staffed 24 hours a day with the correct number of people that it takes to satisfy requirements with the state, fire marshals office and everything looks like it’s on target and everything will be fine during that time period,” Drew said.People in the area say they’re glad the merger went through especially since tourist season started.“People coming to the beach to vacation. I mean the more resources the better for everybody,” Steve Ramsey said.Drew says right now the hardest part is transferring the people at the Caswell Fire Department into the Southport Fire Department’s system, but he should finish it soon.
<a href=’http://revive.newsbook.com.mt/www/delivery/ck.php?n=ab2c8853&cb={random}’ target=’_blank’><img src=’https://revive.newsbook.com.mt/www/delivery/avw.php?zoneid=97&cb={random}&n=ab2c8853&ct0={clickurl_enc}’ border=’0′ alt=” /></a> Miguela XuerebMiguela Xuereb Birkirkara, Mtarfa and Xagħra are the three localities which got a new local councillor after casual elections were held on Wednesday.Francis Pullicino was elected on Birkirkara replacing Michael Fenech Adami, Christianne Mifsud was elected on Mtarfa replacing Anthony Mifsud while Anthony Attard was elected instead of Kevin Cutajar.Both Fenech Adami and Mifsud had resigned in order to remain president of their respective regional council which precludes them from serving on the local council.Cutajar had resigned after he was elected to parliament after Stellini vacated his seat to return to his former job in Brussels.WhatsApp SharePrint
SharePrint Church communicators in Kenya listening to Bishop Kihara about child abuseChurch communicators in Kenya listening to Bishop Kihara about child abuse Child abuse is a reality that the Church must confront. The Church has to respond to all cases of child abuse and cannot afford to run away from its responsibility in ensuring that children are safeguarded.This statement was made by Bishop Peter Kihara, Vice Chairman of the Commission for Social Communications of the Kenyan Episcopal Conference.“We must accept the reality of child abuse,” said Bishop Kihara. “We cannot run away from child abuse cases. We must face this reality. If any of our Church personnel is involved, it means the Church has to respond accordingly. You cannot protect the Church by hiding,” he emphasised.According to Vatican News the Bishop has since called for the establishment of child protection desks in every diocese in the country.Child protection policiesBishop Kihara reiterated the importance of having child protection policies in the dioceses, saying this has now become part and parcel of all project implementation procedures.“Child protection policies are now part of donor funding requirements,” said the prelate. “Dioceses that do not have their own child protection policies should use the Episcopal Conference’s policy. I am glad that we now also have the Child Safeguarding Standards and Guidelines,” he said, adding: “All the people that are involved with children need to be introduced to the child protection policy to know and understand their responsibilities towards children under their care,” said the Marsabit Bishop.Do not confine seminars to cities onlyThe Bishop said there is the need to conduct training at the local diocesan level, especially for those who are handling children.He nevertheless cautioned: “Child protection seminars should not be confined to the cities. We should go to the grassroots, in the dioceses – hold training there so that we can have an open discussion on the way forward,” advised the Bishop.Bishop Kihara was recently addressing Kenyan diocesan communication coordinators, radio station managers, missionary communications personnel as well as Catholic media directors attending a training session held at Our Lady of Africa Pastoral Centre in Mombasa, Kenya.WhatsApp <a href=’http://revive.newsbook.com.mt/www/delivery/ck.php?n=ab2c8853&cb={random}’ target=’_blank’><img src=’https://revive.newsbook.com.mt/www/delivery/avw.php?zoneid=97&cb={random}&n=ab2c8853&ct0={clickurl_enc}’ border=’0′ alt=” /></a>
Advertisement Two days later the agency’s tech news Twitter feed was taken over and pro-Syrian government messages posted.It is unclear who is behind the hack.Reporting on the breach, Reuters said that cyberwar between the pro and anti-government factions in Syria had intensified with Saudi Arabia emerging as a staunch opponent of Assad. – Advertisement – WordPress platformIt offered little more detail on how its system had been breached.“Reuters.com was a target of a hack on Tuesday. Our blogging platform was compromised and a fabricated blog post saying Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal had died was illegally posted on a Reuters journalist’s blog on Reuters.com,” said a spokesperson.“Reuters did not report the false story and the post was immediately deleted. We are working to address the problem,” the spokesperson added.Reuters uses the WordPress platform for blogging and, after the first attack Mark Jaquith, a member of the WordPress security team, told the Wall Street Journal that it was using an old version of the software, known to have security issues.The agency has not been the only victim of spoof attacks related to the conflict in Syria.A group calling itself the “Syrian Electronic Army” claimed responsibility for defacing a Harvard University website to post a picture of President Bashar al-Assad in military uniform last year.Last week, a Twitter account purporting to be that of a senior Russian official said that Mr Assad had been killed in Damascus. It was later confirmed to be false.Source: BBC
Advertisement For those that thought Instagram was for the chosen few with smart phones, things are about to take on a new twist. Photo-sharing app Instagram has attracted more than 100 million users by encouraging people to snap pictures with their smartphones, dress them up with filters and share them with friends.In the two years since Instagram launched, it’s been a mobile-only network for an increasingly mobile society.Now that’s about to change. Instagram announced Monday it will be adapting user photos and data into Web-based profiles for people to enjoy from laptops or desktops. Each Web profile will feature a selection of recently shared photographs along with the user’s profile photo and bio, offering a quick visual snapshot of someone’s interests and aesthetic.“We’re launching Web profiles to give you a simple way to share your photos with more people and to make it easier to discover new users on the Web,” Instagram said in a blog post.Photos are expandable on the new Web pages, meaning your followers will be able to view your prized pics in a larger, 6×6-inch format instead of peering at those little square images on their phones. – Advertisement – Users won’t be able to upload images to their accounts from the Web, although they can follow others, comment and like photos. It’s a big upgrade over Instagram’s traditionally bare-bones website, which has contained little more than a blog and information for app developers.Instagram says its Web profiles will launch for all users in the next week or so. “If you can’t see your profile yet, rest assured that you’ll see it in the next few days,” the company says.Instagram also says that if your photos are set to private, they will be visible on the Web only to Instagram users you’ve allowed to follow you.Source CNN
Advertisement If you’re a private person or you’re into shady dealings, Whatever the reason, sometimes you need to send an email or text without any chance of other people seeing it. Technology is more than capable of helping you out in your covert pursuits.The David Petraeus method Use a shared email account and simply save drafts of your messages without sending them. The other person can log in, read, and respond. Of course, Petraeus was found out, so let’s look at some alternatives.Black SMS app This iPhone app turns your secret messages into scrambled nonsense pictures that you can pass along via text message. The recipient loads the images into the app, which converts them back to normal text. – Advertisement – Price: $0.99 Silent Sender Want to tell your boss what you really think? Use Silent Sender to anonymously email him or anyone else from right inside your Web browser. (Don’t use your work computer, though—employers have ways of tracking this kind of activity on corporate networks.) Check it out here Wickr When you send a text message through the usual means, you relinquish control of it. Wickr is an app that lets you maintain control and remove your messages from the recipient’s phone. You can even use a self-destruct option. Price: free Top Secret Email Top Secret Email is as straightforward as its name. It scrambles and unscrambles coded messages by making use of a secret key word that both parties know. Check it out hereSilent Circle If it’s good enough for the military, surely it’s good enough for you. Silent Circle is a suite of covert communication tools so you can text and even make voice calls while wrapped in a layer of protection. The apps are free, but the suite costs $20 per month to use. Check out the voice app here > Check out the texting app here > Dont Use technology at all No matter what you do online, there’s almost no way to totally cover up your tracks. Why not pull some old-school spy moves and exchange secret messages written on paper?It’s easier than worrying about someone following your digital footprints.Credit: BI
PICTURE CAPTION: (3rd Right) Derrick Sebbaale; the Chief Technical Officer of Vodafone Uganda and the (2nd Right)Jackie Namara poses; Head of Marketing at Vodafone Uganda pose for a photo with (R-L) Steven Asiimwe , Amos Wekesa, Rosett Rugambwa, Kelly MacTavish, Phillip Kalibwami, Belinda Namutebi, the panellists of the 5th Vodafone Power Talks that was held on 28 July 2016 at Kampala Serena Hotel. Vodafone Power Talks is an initiative aimed at bringing together key players in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) ecosystem to share knowledge and experiences on the transformative power of ICT in different sectors. Advertisement Players in the tourism and travel industry have been advised to embrace new technology in order to boost their businesses and further develop the industry in the country.Speaking at the 5th edition of the quarterly Vodafone PowerTalks held at the Kampala Serena Hotel, Derrick Sebbaale, the Chief Technical Officer of the 4G LTE service provider, said; “Uganda is fast becoming a leading tourism attraction globally and therefore SMEs in this sector will have to be more innovative and in tune with the current trends in order to benefit from the industry and better manage the challenges that come with such growth”Reports show that 15% of room nights are now being booked online on a mobile phone. Sebbaale challenged the stakeholders to consider investing more in technology and platforms that can serve as effective channels for pre-tour narratives about destinations, sites and the peoples & culture of Uganda. – Advertisement – According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, International tourist arrivals in Uganda grew by 5% between January and April 2016. This growth presents numerous opportunities for the tourism industry, however, without the application of technology to its processes, it risks remaining far behind and under exploited.[related-posts]A 2010 poll from Eye for travel, a leading research company on Internet focused travel, indicates that 7 out of 10 travelers use the internet as their primary source of travel information resulting in almost half of the world’s travel being distributed and booked online.The event was attended by over 250 Small and Medium Enterprise owners and managers in the tour and travel industry and presided over by a panel of discussants including; Amos Wekesa, the founder and CEO Great Lakes Africa Safaris; Stephen Asiimwe, the CEO Uganda Tourism Board, Kelley MacTavish Mungar, the Executive Director of Pearl of Africa Tours, Belinda Namutebi, the founding member of I’m So Uganda, #Ondaba, Phillip Kalibwami, the Director of Pearl Guide and Rosette Chantal Rugamba, the founder and Managing Director of Songa Africa based in Rwanda.PICTURE CAPTION: (3rd Right) Derrick Sebbaale; the Chief Technical Officer of Vodafone Uganda and the (2nd Right)Jackie Namara poses; Head of Marketing at Vodafone Uganda pose for a photo with (R-L) Steven Asiimwe , Amos Wekesa, Rosett Rugambwa, Kelly MacTavish, Phillip Kalibwami, Belinda Namutebi, the panellists of the 5th Vodafone Power Talks that was held on 28 July 2016 at Kampala Serena Hotel. Vodafone Power Talks is an initiative aimed at bringing together key players in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) ecosystem to share knowledge and experiences on the transformative power of ICT in different sectors.The event ended with Vodafone and its sponsors awarding four lucky participants with a return ticket to Abu Dhabi aboard Etihad Airways, two coupons for brunch at the Kampala Serena Hotel, one ticket for a hot air balloon experience with Dream Balloons and one ticket to the National Park with Pearl Guide.
The arrival of Firefox 2.6 in May will mark the last release of Firefox OS supported on smartphones. Image Credit: news.softpedia-static Advertisement Mozilla has updated its Firefox browser to version 49 on Windows and Android. The update brings in new features with one of the most interesting features being the Offline page viewing, which is available on Firefox for Android.Firefox 49 for Android allows users to view some of the previously visited pages when their are offline. “This means you can interact with much of your previously viewed content when you don’t have a connection,” the company writes in its blog.On Desktop version: The update brings two major changes to the browser’s Reader Mode. This feature strips away clutter like buttons, ads and background images, and changes the page’s text size, contrast and layout for better readability. – Advertisement – The company has aslo added a dark theme option to its Firefox browser and also saw the removal of Firefox Hello suggesting alternatives, like Talky and Cisco Spark.The company has also further expanded multi-process support on its browser which was introduced to its v48, which was rolled out last month.“We introduced the Multi-process support to enable the browser to be more responsive and less likely to freeze. Our initial tests show a 400% improvement in overall responsiveness,” Mozilla said in its blog.The desktop version of Firefox 49 is available for download from Firefox website while the Android update will be rolling out on incremental basis from Google Play.The update is also available for Mac and Linux.
Dearest Blog, I promised I’d be in touch again soon; so here I am. I write to you from the Isle of Tenerife and send you my holiday greetings. It has been brought to my attention, by Tommy, one of the Star Army’s tremendous telephonists, that a couple of our larger staking clients, who enjoy using our ‘Uber’ line, have been abusing this privilege by being rude in their dealings and manner.They may find that their accounts will be suspended for a month, if such behaviour continues. And in turn, be directed to one of our small-stake-only accepting, online competitors, for the duration of this suspension period. They will come running back with open arms, I can assure you!I, on the other hand, being of direct blood descent, to Caesar, Napoleon and Henry VIII, reserve the right to say whatever I like, to all of the toad-like Punters and Staff!In other news:Being an English ‘pesado’, the only place I ever feel truly comfortable on holiday is Tenerife. It really is a home from home for me; as being a totally small-minded, sun-burnt, and over-weight tourist, I like to know exactly where I am, and what I am up against. During a recent exploration of the island, I came across a restaurant that I would simply love to take all of the chaps (and Pam Statements, of course) to, for a good old knees-up and feed. It goes by the name of ‘El Rodeo’, in Adeje. On entering the establishment you are presented with a card. On one side it is red, and on the other; green. Every five minutes a different waiter emerges from the kitchen with a huge joint of meat and walks around the restaurant floor with it. If your card is green, he carves some onto your plate, and if it is red; he passes you by, on his way to some keener ‘El Gordo’s’. You are able to continue for as long as your innards will allow, and it’s all great fun.Much has been debated upon, as to who is the greatest eater, out of; myself, Lofty (our senior trader, on the fixed-odds), or Malcolm ‘Mooh Cow’ (our operations-manager, on the spreads.). El Rodeo would be a great place to put such a competition into place.Blog, I can give you a head-start, with my inside-information form guide, for such a match-up:Lofty: Over-rated. A grazer. I have studied his performance and eating skills closely. He eats neither at top speed, nor in enormous quantity, in one sitting. He, however, never stops in his sport, and always has some food on the go.Myself: Speed Demon. I am fully confident I could ‘DO ‘EM BOFE’ with my sprinting skills. Nobody can shovel their grub down as quick as I. However, my quantity intake has declined in recent years. I often have to leave part of a curry and am now not a visitor to the counter for seconds at the carvery. Poor, I know, Blog.Malcolm. Big-timer. Malcolm’s a pro, and nobody can argue this. At such a ‘sporting’ event, he would have to have ‘The Dustbin’ written on the back of his shirt. He just keeps going and going like a true Iron-man eater. Malcolm ‘Milkers’ is so on his game, that if food be present at a meeting, he has to finish it all off before being able to concentrate on the matter in hand (which is secondary always to the food on the table!).Blog, I shall report back again soon.Yours, Ben x
Share Single Mom May Face Jail Time for Selling Food on Facebook By The Associated Press November 7, 2016 Updated: November 7, 2016 Share this article US An appetizing Shrimp Ceviche with tangy tomato broth. (Samira Bouaou/Epoch Times) 
LINKEDINPINTERESTREDDITTUMBLRSTUMBLEUPON STOCKTON, Calif. —A single mother of six from Stockton says she could go to jail for selling homemade ceviche.Mariza Ruelas tells KTXL-TV that she was cited with a misdemeanor in a sting operation. She had participated in a Facebook group where members trade recipes and sometimes sell specialty dishes.Prosecutors say the problem is that Ruelas doesn’t have the proper business permits required of restaurants. She refused a plea deal with prosecutors and is headed to trial.Mariza Ruelas never expected a plate of ceviche would lead her to the court house and maybe even a possible jail… https://t.co/liofqS7qR8— Dave Calderon (@DemosthenesNYC) November 7, 2016San Joaquin County Deputy District Attorney Kelly McDaniel says that people selling food must get health inspections to safeguard from making people sick. Prosecutors did not immediately respond to a request by The Associated Press seeking comment.McDaniel says that people like Ruelas also undercut restaurant owners who go through the effort of obtaining the proper licenses. Show Discussion
A couple walks in the street during a winter storm in Philadelphia on March 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Nearly 100,000 customers are without power in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, as a late-winter storm brings a mix of snow and sleet with strong winds.Dominion Power reports more than 50,000 customers in the dark in Virginia on Tuesday morning, with more than 40,000 of those outages in the Richmond area.Maryland officials report about 30,000 outages. Thousands more were reported in Delaware, New Jersey and around Philadelphia.Related CoverageSnowstorm Clobbers the Northeast After Weeks of Mild WeatherBlizzard warnings have been issued for parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont.The storm is expected to dump 12 to 18 inches of snow along a large swath of the region. Parts of New England could see snow totals of 18 inches to 2 ½ feet. Share this article Show Discussion LINKEDINPINTERESTREDDITTUMBLRSTUMBLEUPON 
100,000 Power Outages in East Coast Storm By The Associated Press March 14, 2017 Updated: March 14, 2017 US Share
(Mario Tama) LINKEDINPINTERESTREDDITTUMBLRSTUMBLEUPON US News Show Discussion Driver, Student Killed in Iowa School Bus Fire By Chris Jasurek December 12, 2017 Updated: December 12, 2017 Share this article Garret Loring, 23, of Oakland, who works at the Buck Snort restaurant in town, told the Omaha World-Herald he knew Hendricks.“He’s been a driver for a long, long time,” Loring said.Brittnee Chase, 19, of Oakland, who works at the Barn & Grill in Carson, said Hendricks was her bus driver when she was in school.“He was a good guy,” she told the World-Herald. “He was amazing.”Hendricks sometimes dropped in at the Dairy Queen where Chase also worked. “It was always nice to see him come by,” she said.The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Department of Transportation, and the Iowa state fire marshal are all investigating, but so far, there has been no official determination of why the accident or the fire happened.From NTD.tvIf you enjoyed reading this article, please consider sharing it. An apparent accident while backing out of a driveway caused a Riverside Community School District bus to catch fire, killing the driver and one student, on the morning of Dec. 12.Bus driver Donnie Hendricks, 74, of Carson, Iowa, was backing out of 16-year-old Megan Klindt’s driveway when the bus apparently slipped off the road and into a ditch. The bus burst into flames. Neither Hendrick nor Klindt could escape.Someone from the Klindt residence called 911 shortly after 7 a.m. according to Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Lt. Rob Ambrose. Oakland, Carson, and Macedonia firefighters responded to the conflagration at 17840 480th St. but were not able to rescue the trapped occupants.The bodies were not recovered until after the fire was almost fully extinguished, said Pottawattamie County Chief Deputy Sheriff John Reynolds.Timothy Mitchell, the superintendent of the Riverside district, canceled all after-school activities for the day.He posted a statement on Facebook, which read in part, “Our hearts go out to their families and loved ones. The investigation into the cause of the accident is underway, and we are cooperating with law enforcement as they do their work. The safety of students and staff is the top priority for the District.” Classes were not canceled but grief counselors from the Green Hills Area Education Agency visited the school to meet with students, according to Agency Administrator Lane Plugge.Donnie Hendricks had been driving school buses in Riverside school district, which serves Oakland, Carson and Macedonia, Iowa, for many years. Residents remembered him from their school days. 2 people are killed in a school bus fire southeast of Oakland, Iowa: https://t.co/rCvf6Tdtir pic.twitter.com/RatyWUqARz— OWH Cops Reporters (@OWHCrime) December 12, 2017 Share
The Pentagon, headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, taken from an airplane in January 2008. (David B. Gleason/Wikimedia Commons) LINKEDINPINTERESTREDDITTUMBLRSTUMBLEUPON Show Discussion The eerie account comes hot on the heels of another Times report, where the Defense Department acknowledged that a secret government program titled the “Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program” did indeed exist.The department has never before acknowledged the existence of the program. However, the program’s backers told the Times that while the funding at that time officially ended, the program remains in existence.The program was reportedly established in 2007 at the request of then Nevada Sen. Harry Reid. The program spent $22 million between the periods of 2008 and 2012 for the management, research, and assessments of threats posed by UFO’s.Stephen Basset, the first and only UFO lobbyist told the Washington Post in 2015 that even if he spent his whole life researching alien abductions, it would never make a difference in the White House.“It occurred to me that it wasn’t a scientific problem, but a political one,” Basset told the Washington Post.“I get down there, and I file” the lobbyist papers, he recalled. “I’m the first one. Nineteen years later, I’m still the only one. I could have taken my time.”Last Saturday, Dec. 16, Basset tweeted about the recent account, stating that “This is significant.” Mysterious Footage of UFO Encounter Released by Pentagon, Amid Admittance of Secret Program By Bowen Xiao December 18, 2017 Updated: December 18, 2017 US News Mysterious footage showing an encounter with an unidentified flying object (UFO) back in 2004 was released—amid the Pentagon’s acknowledgment over the existence of a program that investigated extraterrestrial life.Two navy pilots, Commander David Fravor and Lieutenant Commander Jim Slaight were on a routine training mission in their F/A-18F fighter jets when a radio operator asked Fravor to investigate a mysterious object hovering off the coast on San Diego.In an interview with the New York Times, Fravor said he saw a “whitish” aircraft of some kind that was around 40 feet long and oval in shape. He said it was jumping around erratically and hovering over the ocean, adding that it was big enough to cause the sea to churn.But as he descended to get a closer look, the UFO quickly peeled away.“It accelerated like nothing I’ve ever seen,” he told the New York Times, adding that he was “pretty weirded out.” The flying object “had no plumes, wings or rotors and outran our F-18s,” he recalled telling another pilot later in the day. “It’s a *expletive* drone, bro,” one of the pilots can be heard saying in the video.“There’s a whole fleet of them,” the other said before exclaiming “It’s rotating!”The two pilots were then told to confer at another point 60 miles away, called the cap point.“Sir, you won’t believe it,” the radio operator told him “but that thing is at your cap point.”“We were at least 40 miles away, and in less than a minute this thing was already at our cap point,” Fravor, who has since retired from the Navy, told the New York Times.Flavor told his colleagues about the incident but his superiors did not investigate further into it. He resumed working on his military career. A Navy pilot recalls his encounter with an unidentified flying obect: “I have no idea what I saw,” Commander David Fravor said. “It had no plumes, wings or rotors and outran our F-18s.” But, he added, “I want to fly one.” https://t.co/cPfqYZ6IDH pic.twitter.com/XsBHwXWeww— NYT Politics (@nytpolitics) December 17, 2017 From NTD.tv This is significant. #disclosure[If you have difficulty accessing the article, try the link in the TOR browser.]https://t.co/rnBIXpvu3v— Paradigm Research Group (@SteveBassett) December 16, 2017 Follow Bowen on Twitter: @BowenXiao3 Share this article Share
A driver for a private security firm checked into a hotel for a nap and left his prisoners unsecured, allowing one of them to escape, according to reports.Lamont Henderson, a driver for Guard Force International, was transporting a pair of prisoners from Oklahoma City to a facility in Texas, the St. Louis Dispatch reported.On the night of Sunday, March 4, Henderson booked a room at the Casino Queen hotel in East St. Louis. Henderson took a nap, and one of the prisoners took a cell phone, clothes, and $5200 in cash, before vanishing.An official with Guard Force International (GFI) told the Dispatch that Henderson was in East St. Louis to meet another team.GFI CEO Gordon Brooks told the Dispatch that Henderson had been fired “for not following protocol.”Brooks said Henderson had dropped off another inmate in northwest Missouri and was supposed to be in East St. Louis. “That was fine, they were going where they were supposed to be,” Brooks said. “But he made an unauthorized stop and everything transpired from there. We don’t go into public places. Common sense, you know.”The escaped prisoner, Brian Jordan, had been caught in a stolen car in Oklahoma City, and was being transferred to Texas for an outstanding methamphetamine warrant. The 33-year-old is not considered armed or dangerous.Just a Quick Nap With Two Unsecured PrisonersHenderson checked into the Casino Queen around 10 p.m. Sunday night. He claims he only napped for 40 minutes.Hotel security footage shows Jordan sneaking into the parked GFI van at 1:30 a.m. The inmate stole some clothes and a cellphone.Jordan also stole a bag containing $5200 of Henderson’s personal money. No explanation was given for why Henderson had so much cash with him.The second inmate told police he was also asleep and didn’t wake up until Henderson did.Henderson didn’t contact the police until 6:40 a.m., East St. Louis Police Chief Jerry Simon told the Dispatch. Henderson claimed he had been hunting for his missing prisoner.St Louis Police are asking anyone with information about the whereabouts of Brian Jordan to call 618-482-6700.From NTD.tv LINKEDINPINTERESTREDDITTUMBLRSTUMBLEUPON Share US News Share this article Recommended Video: Sleepy Truck Driver Causes Multi-Vehicle Crash Inmate Brian Jordan, 33, escaped from a hotel room where his guard fell asleep. (East St. Louis Police) Driver Transporting Inmates Falls Asleep, One Escapes By Chris Jasurek March 8, 2018 Updated: March 8, 2018 Show Discussion
Show Discussion Appeals Court Judge Reinhardt, Known as the ‘Liberal Lion,’ Dies at 87 By Reuters March 30, 2018 Updated: March 30, 2018 U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Stephen Reinhardt has died after a 37-year career as a liberal icon on the bench.Reinhardt, 87, died on Thursday of a heart attack while visiting his dermatologist, the United States Ninth Circuit said in a brief statement on its website.“He was deeply principled, fiercely passionate about the law and fearless in his decisions. He will be remembered as one of the giants of the federal bench. He had a great life that ended much too soon,” said Ninth Circuit Chief Judge Sidney Thomas.Reinhardt was nominated in 1979 by President Jimmy Carter, a Democrat.President Trump has been critical of the federal appeals court based in San Francisco that has ruled against his policies involving his travel ban and sanctuary cities.“First the Ninth Circuit rules against the ban & now it hits again on sanctuary cities-both ridiculous rulings. See you in the Supreme Court!,” he tweeted on April 26, 2017. Reinhardt once voted to declare the “Pledge of Allegiance” unconstitutional, a ruling that was overturned. He also ruled that overcrowding in California’s prisons was unconstitutional.Many of his rulings favored defendants facing criminal charges, minorities, and immigrants and were eventually overturned by the more conservative Supreme Court, the Los Angeles Times reported.Asked once if he was upset with the Supreme Court, Reinhardt responded “not in the slightest!,” the paper reported. “If they want to take away rights, that’s their privilege. But I’m not going to help them do it,” he said.Reinhardt was born in 1931 in New York City. He earned a bachelors degree from Pomona College a degree from Yale Law School in 1954. He served in the U.S. Air Force until 1956 and then went into private practice in Los Angeles until 1980.By Brendan O’BrienRecommended Video: Father Who Lost Child Tells Trump: ‘I remember the hug you gave me’ Judge Stephen R. Reinhardt listens to arguments at the 9th District Court of Appeals in San Francisco Dec. 6, 2010. (Reuters/Eric Risberg/Pool) QualityAuto 720p480p360p240pRewind 10 SecondsNext UpLive00:0000:0000:00ChromecastClosed CaptionsSettingsFullscreen click to watch video LINKEDINPINTERESTREDDITTUMBLRSTUMBLEUPON US News Share this article Share
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in the borough of New York City, New York on Apr. 17, 2018. (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid) By Hilary RussNEW YORK—U.S. stocks ended mixed on Wednesday while most other global shares rose, as investors were drawn to riskier assets because of upbeat earnings from companies in Europe and the United States.The U.S. dollar clung to gains amid fading concerns over a global trade war, while oil soared on a reported decline in U.S. crude inventories and the possibility of supply disruptions.MSCI’s gauge of stocks across the globe touched its highest since March 21 and was last up 0.43 percent.The index was supported by a higher open on Wall Street following the latest batch of earnings. Morgan Stanley shares rose 3 percent after the bank reported a 40 percent jump in quarterly profit, driven by its trading business. Its shares ended the day up only 0.4 pct, however.“Earnings continue to progress on the positive side and commodities are also on the rise; that should give the markets another boost,” said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Spartan Capital Securities in New York. Stocks bounced around, dipping after a Federal Reserve report saying that robust business borrowing, rising consumer spending and tight labor markets indicate the U.S. economy remains on track for continued growth, with trade war risks the one big outlier.The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 38.56 points, or 0.16 percent, to 24,748.07, the S&P 500 gained 2.25 points, or 0.08 percent, to 2,708.64 and the Nasdaq Composite added 14.14 points, or 0.19 percent, to 7,295.24.Investors appeared to be focusing on fundamentals after weeks dominated by geopolitical tensions, including the prospect of trade wars and more missile strikes in Syria.“The safety trade that we have experienced seems to have ended,” said Cardillo.Shares of International Business Machines Corp tumbled more than 7.5 percent after its profit margins fell short of Wall Street expectations.European shares firmed amid strong company results, including those from French food group Danone, private healthcare provider Mediclinic and Dutch oil and chemical storage company Vopak.The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index rose 0.30 percent.Oil extended gains, with Brent crude soaring more than 3 percent, on a reported decline in U.S. crude inventories and after sources signaled top exporter Saudi Arabia wants to see crude closer to $100 a barrel.U.S. crude rose 3.44 percent to $68.81 per barrel and Brent was last at $73.82, up 3.13 percent.The U.S. dollar held steady versus a basket of major currencies as solid company results and fading concerns about a trade war helped keep a lid on safe-haven demand for the greenback.The dollar index,which measures the greenback against a basket of six major currencies, rose 0.11 percent.Trading across U.S. government bond maturities was range-bound on Wednesday, with yields little changed in spite of gains in the equity market in the last few sessions.“Generally, the bond market seems to be under-reacting to both the sell-off and the rally,” said Subadra Rajappa, head of U.S. rates strategy at Societe Generale in New York.Benchmark 10-year notes last fell 16/32 in price to yield 2.8728 percent, from 2.814 percent on Tuesday.(GRAPHIC: Real yield higher than S&P 500 dividends – https://reut.rs/2JUy8tb)(GRAPHIC: Global asset classes performance 2018 – https://reut.rs/2H82TcA)(GRAPHIC: World FX rates in 2018 – http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh)(Additional reporting by Kate Duguid, Sinead Carew, Jessica Resnick-Ault and Saqib Iqbal Ahmed in New York; Editing by Dan Grebler and James Dalgleish) Recommended Video: Ivanka Trump Asked About Lessons She Learned From Her Dad, She Listed 5 Principles QualityAuto 1080p720p480p360p240pRewind 10 SecondsNext UpLive00:0000:0000:00ChromecastClosed CaptionsSettingsFullscreen click to watch video LINKEDINPINTERESTREDDITTUMBLRSTUMBLEUPON US News 
Corporate Earnings Boost Most Stocks, Oil Surges Higher By Reuters April 18, 2018 Updated: April 18, 2018 Show Discussion Share Share this article