2008 February | Findcate

Wreckage of missing plane spotted in Venezuela, all onboard feared dead

Sunday, February 24th, 2008

CARACAS, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) — The wreckage of the missing Venezuelan plane was spotted by helicopter on Friday, with all 46 people on board feared dead, officials said.

The impact was direct. The aircraft is practically pulverized, firefighter Jhonny Paz told the Venezuelan television station Globovision. Officials believe there were no survivors, he said.

The wreckage was located about 10 km from the airport in the Andean city of Merida, from where the plane departed. Rescue teams have been sent to the location to find out the exact condition of the plane.

The Santa Barbara Airlines plane, carrying 43 passengers and three crew members, took off at 4:59 p.m. local time (2059 GMT) Thursday from Merida, in southwestern Venezuela, to Maiquetia airport, 30 km north of Caracas.

But the ATR42-300 twin-engine plane did not arrive at its destination.

Local media reported the plane had crashed in the Andean mountain state of Merida, citing mountain villagers who heard a huge noise.

The roughly 20-year-old plane was well maintained and had no record of technical problems, Jorge Alvarez, head of Santa Barbara, a small Venezuelan airline that has seven flights a day, told Globovision.

He said the pilot had worked with the airline for eight years and received special training for flying in the Andes.

Tags: cate, helicopter

SA: Much praise for Manuel’s Budget

Sunday, February 24th, 2008

Finance Minister Trevor Manuel’s 2008/09 Budget received mostly plaudits on Wednesday, but also raised ire in certain quarters.

In his speech to the National Assembly, Manuel announced tax relief, reduced corporate taxes, financial support for Eskom’s power station building programme, a new electricity levy, more social spending, and a boost for job creation.

The tax proposals provided for net relief of R10.5-billion, including R7.7-billion for individuals and a reduction in the corporate tax rate.

Among other things, taxes on petrol and diesel would rise by 11 cents a litre from 2 April, and a new levy of two cents a kWh (kilowatt hour) on electricity generated from non-renewable sources would be introduced this year.

Households and businesses who reduced their consumption by ten percent or more would not be affected by the levy.

Manuel proposed that up to R60-billion be provided to support Eskom’s investment programme, on terms structured to help meet cashflow needs.

Social grant increases this year would match or exceed inflation, with old age pensions rising R70 a month to R940 in April.

The child support grant would be extended to include children up to their 15th birthday, effective from January 2009.

It would also increase by R10 in April and again in October for a total of R220, he announced.

Democratic Alliance spokesperson Kobus Marais welcomed a number of aspects in the Budget, but added that not enough had been done to stimulate growth and job-creation in the face of the draining effects of the electricity crisis.

The DA was pleased about the personal income tax relief, which would help protect the poor from inflation, the reduction in the corporate income tax rate, and steps taken to reduce the tax compliance burden on small businesses.

The conversion of the secondary tax on companies (STC) to a tax on shareholders was also welcomed, but the rate should have been reduced to levels below ten percent.

On the spending side, the DA lauded the R60-billion to help Eskom finance its investment programme over the next five years, and the additional R2-billion over the next three years for promoting more efficient electricity usage, generation from renewable resources and installation of energy-saving devices.

Additional spending of over R10-billion over three years to increase police numbers, increase the number of prosecutors, judges and magistrates, and police and prisons infrastructure was also welcomed.

However, the DA was concerned that the increase in tax on petrol and diesel would further burden businesses struggling in the wake of the energy crisis, Marais said.

Narend Singh of the Inkatha Freedom Party welcomed it as a balanced budget maintaining the balance between pro-poor interventions and continued stimulation of the economy.

Sustainable jobs need to be created to face the challenges of unemployment, especially among the youth.

In particular, the IFP supports the additional R2.3-billion to the department of trade and industry for supporting small businesses over the next three years and tax incentives of R5-billion in support of industrial development and job creation, Singh said.

The ANC praised Manuel’s Budget for its spending on social welfare and public works programmes.

Particularly welcome are the commitments to equalise the pensionable age for men and women at 60 years and to extend the child support grant to children up to the age of 15, the party said in a statement.

We are… pleased to note that significant allocations have been made in favour of industrial policy. Also critical are the further allocations made in favour of skills development and education.

The party said the budget was in line with resolutions on economic growth and job creation taken at its national conference in Polokwane in December last year.

Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Mulder said Manuel had succeeded in using the Budget, in these times of crises and despondency, to send a positive message of confidence in South Africa’s future.

United Democratic Movement spokesperson Jackson Bici said Manuel had unfortunately delivered the same old same.

Although it seemed positive on the surface, there was no indication of how actual delivery would occur.

Nor does the minister address the fundamental question of why we do not get value for the billions of taxpayer money that is allocated to such important issues as employment, education and the fight against crime, Bici said.

Also among those criticising the Budget, was the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu), which said Manuel’s stormy budget speech represented continued downpour on the poor and balmy weather for the rich.

The Young Communist League (YCL), on the other hand, welcomed the Budget, saying it was a pro-poor Budget that did not attempt to appease big business.

The YCL view this as a proæ™oor Budget which is underpinned by the needs and aspirations of our people, especially the working class and the poor youth, YCL spokesperson Castro Ngobese said.

Sapa

Tags: cate, downpour, job, spira, spokesperson

NZ Int’l Arts Festival opens in Wellington

Sunday, February 24th, 2008

WELLINGTON, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) — The 2008 New Zealand International Arts Festival, one of the biggest in the southern Hemisphere, opened here on Friday.

The biennial festival features more than 800 artists from 35 countries over three weeks. It is New Zealand’s largest cultural event and will end on March 16.

Performances range from ballet and opera to circus acts to theater.

Artists were welcomed with a traditional powhiri followed by speeches and responded with bagpipes and break dancing on Friday morning at the launching ceremony.

Festival artistic director, Lissa Twomey, said earlier that the opening weekend would showcase the critically acclaimed Black Watch, a play about the Scottish regiment’s experiences in Iraq.

Chekhov’s Three Sisters, arguably the greatest play of the 20thcentury, would also be showing.

Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett directs the Sydney Theater Company’s production of Blackbird, which scooped a 2007 Olivier Award for Best New Play.

New Zealand classical music highlights include Jenny McLeod’s new work The Poet, commemorating Janet Frame’s status at the cornerstone of New Zealand literature.

The first festival was held in 1986.

Tags: actress, cate, cate blanchett, issa, sydney theater company, zeal

US failed in bid to deprive Iran from nuclear right: Elham

Sunday, February 24th, 2008

The United States failed in attempt to deprive Iran of its legitimate nuclear rights, government spokesman, Gholam- Hossein Elham, said on Saturday after the UN nuclear agency said it was able to verify Iranian nuclear program.

Commenting on latest statement by the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice who pushed for issuing a third anti-Iran resolution by the United Nations Security Council over the country’s peaceful nuclear activities.

Elham said that US officials have disregarded the latest report by the chief of the UN nuclear watchdog which verified the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear activities.

The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Mohamed ElBaradei released an 11-page report on Friday stressing that the agency has made quite good progress in clarifying the outstanding issues that had to do with Iran’s past nuclear activities. ElBaradei added that during the last few months Iran had provided the UN nuclear watchdog with visits to many places, which enable us to have a clearer picture of Iran’s current program.

As for the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear activities, ElBaradei stressed, I should however add that in connection with the weaponization studies, we have not seen any indication that these studies were linked to nuclear material.

Criticizing Washington attitude towards ElBaradei’s report, Elham said, As they have repeatedly showed in the past, they have no respect for the agency’s report and disregard its technical and legal aspects.

The spokesman added what was said in the report has once more indicated that referring of Iran to the UN Security Council was a political move which lacked legal bases.

Elham reiterated that Tehran believed the only legitimate and official center to study Iran nuclear issue is the IAEA which has now verified the peaceful nature of Iran nuclear activities. –IRNA

Tags: attitude, cate

Daytime dozing may up stroke risk for elderly

Sunday, February 24th, 2008

Old people who often fall asleep inadvertently during the day could have more than four times the normal risk of having a stroke, U.S. researchers said Thursday.

The study, presented at an American Stroke Association conference in New Orleans, is one of the first to look at the relationship between unplanned napping and vascular events such as stroke.

A team from New York’s Columbia University monitored the health of 2,153 patients with an average age of 73 for more than two years.

Participants were asked to report how often they dozed off during specific situations such as watching TV, having a conversation and stopping briefly in traffic while driving.

Based on these responses, participants were categorized as no dozing (44 percent), some dozing (47 percent) and significant dozing (9 percent). Dozing was defined as unintentionally falling asleep.

In 2.3 years of follow-up, people classified with some dozing were 2.6 times more likely to have a stroke than no dozers, while significant dozers were 4.5 times more likely to have a stroke.

The authors suspected that stroke and dozing off may be linked via a condition known as sleep apnea.

According to previous studies, daytime sleepiness is associated with various sleep disorders including sleep apnea.

But Professor Jim Horne, director of the Sleep Research Centre at Loughborough University, said daytime dozers should not necessarily worry.

In a few cases sleepiness may be linked to a stroke, he said. But the most obvious cause of daytime sleepiness is disrupted sleep at night, especially for elderly people.

(Agencies)

Tags: cate

Big names in fashion get in shape for the Oscars

Sunday, February 24th, 2008

The weeks of catwalk shows which immediately precede Oscar night serve as a crucial shop window for designers. In pole position this year is Versace, whose finale procession of floor-length gowns shown in Milan had something to please all tastes and all colourings. Another designer likely to score big-name support on the red carpet is Valentino. Valentino has form at the Oscars - having dressed Julia Roberts and Cate Blanchett on the nights they won, his dresses are considered something of a lucky charm. His retirement last month is likely to trigger a sentimental desire among his many celebrity fans to pay tribute to one of the great masters of eveningwear.Chanel and Dior are both likely to notch up heavyweight names on their teams.The buzz in the fashion industry is that in fashion terms, tomorrow might just be the most exciting Oscar night for years. The explosion of interest in red carpet fashion has stifled what was once one of the most unpredictable - and sometimes hilarious - nights in the fashion calendar.Fear of ending up in the “what were they thinking?” column has encouraged safe, bland choices. Oscar dressing has become about big business, not self-expression.This year’s list of nominees in the all-important best actress and best supporting actress categories suggests tomorrow may offer more than the inoffensively pretty dresses which have dominated recent ceremonies. Two of the five best actress nominees, Marion Cotillard and Julie Christie, choose their outfits without the help of stylists - almost unheard of in Hollywood. Fellow nominees in this category Tilda Swinton and Cate Blanchett are known for their adventurous choices, while the newcomer Ellen Page, star of Juno, is a wild card - albeit one being dressed by established Los Angeles stylist Samantha McMillen.Most-wanted actress of the night among designers will be Cate Blanchett. Blanchett has a double shot at podium glory, being nominated in two categories, as best actress for Elizabeth: the Golden Age and as best supporting actress for her take on Bob Dylan in I’m Not There. She is also pregnant, which is a media advantage.

Tags: actress, cars, cate, cate blanchett, hollywood, red carpet

IAEA report has proved baseless allegations: Akhundzadeh

Sunday, February 24th, 2008

Iran’s Ambassador to Berlin said that IAEA report on Iran on February 22 has proved allegations made by the US and its allies were baseless.

Talking to IRNA, Mohammad-Mehdi Akhundzadeh said the US, by its baseless allegations against Iran’s peaceful nuclear program, has attempted to mislead the world public opinion.

However, he added the latest report issued by Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei proved that Iran’s nuclear activities had never deviated from its peaceful course.

The report indicates that the agency has reached the realities since it has reiterated that Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities are within the framework of international rules and regulations, the ambassador said.

He referred to the report as another victory for the Iranian nation, saying that by continuing its wise path, the Iranian people could lead the world public opinion to the truth that the country’s nuclear program is based on international rules.

The Iranian nation has fulfilled all its commitments and will not withdraw from its legitimate rights, Akhundzadeh noted. –IRNA

Tags: cate

Iran: UN Security Council has taken illegal action

Sunday, February 24th, 2008

Mohammad Khazaei said, As the report has stressed, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been serious and sincere in its full cooperation with the Agency and has been resolutely cooperating in a proactive manner for the implementation of the Work Plan which was concluded between Iran and the Agency in August 2007.

The report well indicates that such an unprecedented and resolute voluntary cooperation with the IAEA on the part of the Islamic Republic of Iran, beyond its obligation in accordance with the comprehensive safeguards agreement (INFCIRC/214) has led to the implementation of the work plan and closure of all outstanding issues much sooner than expected.

This landmark accomplishment in resolving the outstanding issues which has only been possible through Iran’s robust cooperation with the IAEA far beyond its treaty obligations - as reflected in the said report - attests to the fact that the allegations made by certain countries, under the pretext of the so-called proliferation concerns have been, from the outset, totally baseless.

Indeed by raising, unfounded and false claims against Iran, those few countries have made every effort to deprive the Iranian nation from exercising its inalienable rights to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

The report also serves as a solid evidence that Iran is a responsible, transparent, and predictable member of the NPT, and is fully committed to its international obligations with regard to its peaceful nuclear program.

The full implementation of the work plan and thus resolution and closure of the outstanding issues have undoubtedly eliminated the most basic pretexts and allegations on the basis of which Iran’s peaceful nuclear program was referred to the Security Council, and demonstrates that the actions taken against the Islamic Republic of Iran by the Security Council have been unfair, unwarranted and unlawful.

The report also displays the fact that the Iranian nation has been both unwavering in implementation of its legal obligations, and resolute in defending its inalienable rights.

By resolving the outstanding questions with regard to its past activities, on the one hand; and conducting all its present activities, including the enrichment, under the full and continuous monitoring of the IAEA based on the IAEA Statute, the NPT and the comprehensive safeguards agreement, on the other, the Islamic Republic of Iran has removed any so-called concerns or ambiguities with regard to its peaceful nuclear activities in the past and at present.

Therefore, it has become clear that Iran’s peaceful nuclear program should be dealt with solely by the Agency as a regular item on its agenda and thus as envisaged in the Work Plan, the safeguards implementation in Iran has to be in routine manner from now on, it said. –IRNA

Tags: accomplishment, cate, outset

IAEA report attests to civilian nature of Iran program, Khazaei

Sunday, February 24th, 2008

Iranian Permanent Representative to United Nations said on Saturday that the report of International Atomic Energy Agency on February 22 is unambiguously attesting to the exclusively peaceful nature of the nuclear program of the Islamic Republic of Iran, both in the past and at present.

Mohammad Khazaei said that it brings a very substantial development, namely the resolution of all outstanding issues, to the attention of the international community and proves that the allegations made against Iran’s peaceful nuclear program by a few countries have been totally flawed and baseless and, accordingly, the actions taken by the Security Council in this regard lack any shred of logic and legality.

As the report has stressed, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been serious and sincere in its full cooperation with the Agency and has been resolutely cooperating in a proactive manner for the implementation of the Work Plan which was concluded between Iran and the Agency in August 2007.