Third Symposium of Navies from the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries Is Inaugurated
The opening ceremony for the 3rd Symposium of Navies from the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP) took place on May 8, at the Naval War College in Rio de Janeiro, with the presence of Defense Minister Celso Amorim, and the commander of the Navy, Admiral Julio Soares de Moura Neto. During his speech, the Defense Minister emphasized that one of the expected results of the event is the presentation of a feasible proposal for mutual cooperation among all participants in order to increase “maritime security” in each country’s jurisdictional waters, without infringing their national sovereignty. Admiral Moura Neto emphasized that, aside from strengthening ties and moving forward on naval partnerships, the symposium is an opportunity for the member countries to demonstrate significant integration among the Navies and Coast Guards present, highlighting their common aspects: history, culture, and language. After the official event photograph, a collective interview began with the heads of the delegations attending the symposium – Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe, and East Timor. The interviewees answered questions about the cooperation projects that would be discussed at the event. Soon after, Dr. Antônio Celso Alves Pereira gave a lecture, “Reinforcing Joint Surveillance of Jurisdictional Waters.” For the lecturer, the CPLP is one of the most important international forums for its member countries due to the possibility of cooperation in a variety of areas, from the development of projects in different fields to sectoral meetings, such as the 3rd Symposium of Navies from the CPLP. In the afternoon, the attending delegations began their presentations, starting with the Angolan Navy, which discussed the significant role played by the Navy in developing the economies of African countries and emphasized the importance of the Gulf of Guinea. Next, the Cape Verdean Coast Guard discussed the challenges faced by the country due to the extension of its maritime space and presented the resources it has available to ensure maritime security in the region. Continuing with the presentations, the Mozambique Navy discussed the impact of piracy and maritime crimes in the Indian Ocean, such as the increased cost of transporting merchandise by sea, clarifying the actions taken by the country to solve this problem. Subsequently, the Portuguese Navy also highlighted the extension of Portuguese waters, equivalent to 19 times the national territory, and the twofold use of the ocean, military and non-military, as well as emphasizing the importance of the production, dissemination, and integration of information among the member countries in order to ensure full use of the ocean. After that, the Sao Tome and Principe Coast Guard presented their force’s mission, current situation, and future needs, with a view toward its strengthening and development. By Dialogo May 11, 2012
GALESBURG, Ill. – No doubt readers of the Inside IMCA newsletter with good memories will remember Dean McGee as the winner of the November, 2009 best looking car contest. More recently, his IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified was voted the top non-fendered entry in this month’s Sybesma Graphics IMCA Facebook Fan Favorite contest for August. He’ll receive a mini-mod door from Sybesma. Unfortunately, race fans at Davenport Speedway and 34 Raceway may not be seeing that car on the track this weekend. “The car is in pieces at the moment. I tangled with a lapped car and met the wall a week ago Saturday,” said McGee, who has taken advantage of the time away from the track to enjoy his grandchildren more. “I’m hoping to get the car ready but it was pretty well mashed.” The son of two-time Illinois state champion “Fibber” McGee, he started his career in 34’s super modified class in 1973. He drove a sprint car and then a late model at Illinois and Iowa speedplants before moving to Florida in 1982. He returned home to the Midwest and jumped into a Modified beginning in 1987. McGee has partnered with car owner Mike Horton Sr. for an incredible 24 seasons. His son Dean and grandson Michael help on the crew, making for four generations of the family involved in racing on the track or in the pits. McGee’s crew includes his wife Pam, son Dean and grandson Michael, brother-in-law Charles Rosenberg, Mike Horton Sr., Mike Horton Jr., Dick Walsh, Robert Horton and Jeff Horton. Primary sponsors are Performance Bodies of Cedar Falls, Iowa; Lacky and Sons Monuments, Glass Specialty and Rheinschmidts Carpet Center, all of Galesburg; Rage Chassis of West Union, Iowa; Aftershock Racing Decals of Fairbury; Wehrs Machine of Bngor, Wis.; Eibach Springs of Corona, Calif.; and Liquid Herbal Nitro of Riverside, Calif.
The Cuban government announced on Friday that in the wake of an economic crisis, it’s launching widespread rationing on food and other products including eggs, chicken, rice, beans and soap.Commerce Minister Betsy Díaz Velázquez blamed the hardening of the U.S. trade embargo by the Trump administration.Economists give the same amount of blame or more to a decline in aid from Venezuela, where the collapse of the state-run oil company has led to a nearly two-thirds cut in shipments of subsidized fuel. This is what Cuba used for power and to earn hard currency on the open market.Rationing of the products has led to long lines, hoarding and even panic amongst consumers. The country has a shortage of nearly a million eggs.Cheap chicken will be limited to 11 pounds per customer and more expensive cuts will be rationed to just two packs, according to The New York Times. Cuba imports almost two-thirds of its food and many staple products are simply not available.Diaz told the Cuban News Agency, “Selling limited quantities will lead to equal distribution so that the greatest number of people can buy the product, and we can avoid hoarding.”The crisis in Venezuela which has stopped exports of subsidized fuel to Cuba has also contributed to Cuba’s crisis.
DES MOINES — A proposal to make it more difficult to create new public parks and recreation areas in Iowa drew a big crowd of opponents to the state Capitol Monday. It would prevent state dollars from being used to acquire land for public use.Alicia Vasto of the Iowa Environmental Council says the legislation is tone-deaf to what many Iowans – especially younger people – want. “Access to public space and recreation is important to me and my generation,” Vasto said. “It’s a quality of life issue that cannot be understated and is an ongoing part of the conversation around workforce recruitment and brain drain.”Marc Beltrame spoke on behalf of Ducks Unlimited. “This legislation doesn’t create another job,” Beltrame said. “It doesn’t make it easier to bring people to the state. It doesn’t make it easier to retain people that are already here.”The bill has the backing of the Iowa Farm Bureau. The group argues it could make it easier for beginning farmers to buy land and ensure state money is used to maintain and enhance existing public land. A three-member House subcommittee did not take a position on the bill Monday. A Senate committee MAY consider a similar bill later today