Al-Obeidi arrived in New York at the end of July and
with the help of a refugee agency, she was resettled
in Colorado.
She has no family in the United States, and she
would perhaps like to return to her homeland one
day.
"Of course, there is no one who doesn't wish to go
back to his country," she said. "But I am not mentally
ready for that. I also feel personally I am not ready to
integrate back into society, I am not ready. I feel life
is hard for me because it is different -- in culture ...
language -- everything is different here."
Al-Obeidi cannot know the twists and turns her life
will take from here. She wants to finish schooling.
Marry. Five years from now, she pictures herself as a
mother.
One thing she knows though. If and when she returns
home, it will be to a Libya without Gadhafi.
She just wishes Gadhafi had met proper justice. She
felt his killers did him a favor by ending his life. In
the eyes of some, he became a martyr.
"They shouldn't have given him this honor," she said.
He should have been tried for his crimes, she said --
for what he did to the people of Libya, for what he did
to her.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Alleged Libyan rape victim struggling to startanew in AmericaCONTINUED.
He offered her an educational stipend. And health
insurance.
"It means everything to me," she said, opening up an
envelope containing check for $1,800.
"It's not about whether it's a lot or little. It's about
the time that I got it," she said.
It was like winning the lottery. Otherwise, she might
have wound up on the street in a few days.
Aujali said he thought al-Obeidi needs help.
"I told her one thing," he said. "You have to close the
doors to the past and look to the future. She cannot
live in misery the rest of her life."
Al-Obeidi first caught the world's attention in March
when she burst into Tripoli's Rixos Hotel, where
foreign journalists were staying, and publicly
accused members of Gadhafi's forces of gang-raping
her.
She was hysterical. She screamed that she had been
taken from a checkpoint and held against her will for
two days while being beaten and raped by 15 of
Gadhafi's militiamen.
Security officials said al-Obeidi was "mentally ill"
and was being taken to a "hospital." They dragged
her unceremoniously to a waiting white car and
whisked her away. She wasn't heard from for more
than a week, but eventually in media interviews, she
spoke of her ordeal.
She fled to Tunisia in May with the help of a defected
military officer and the Libyan rebels, then in the
thick of civil war. She found temporary sanctuary in
Qatar before being granted asylum in the United
States.
insurance.
"It means everything to me," she said, opening up an
envelope containing check for $1,800.
"It's not about whether it's a lot or little. It's about
the time that I got it," she said.
It was like winning the lottery. Otherwise, she might
have wound up on the street in a few days.
Aujali said he thought al-Obeidi needs help.
"I told her one thing," he said. "You have to close the
doors to the past and look to the future. She cannot
live in misery the rest of her life."
Al-Obeidi first caught the world's attention in March
when she burst into Tripoli's Rixos Hotel, where
foreign journalists were staying, and publicly
accused members of Gadhafi's forces of gang-raping
her.
She was hysterical. She screamed that she had been
taken from a checkpoint and held against her will for
two days while being beaten and raped by 15 of
Gadhafi's militiamen.
Security officials said al-Obeidi was "mentally ill"
and was being taken to a "hospital." They dragged
her unceremoniously to a waiting white car and
whisked her away. She wasn't heard from for more
than a week, but eventually in media interviews, she
spoke of her ordeal.
She fled to Tunisia in May with the help of a defected
military officer and the Libyan rebels, then in the
thick of civil war. She found temporary sanctuary in
Qatar before being granted asylum in the United
States.
Alleged Libyan rape victim struggling to startanew in America
Hers is a struggle shared by all freshly arrived
refugees in the United States. Learning English.
Getting a job. Adapting to American culture.
But starting life anew has been that much tougher for
Eman al-Obeidi, the woman who came to embody
the cruelty of Moammar Gadhafi's regime in the
midst of Libya's brutal civil war. She lives every day
with the scars of the rape she alleges was committed
by Gadhafi's thugs.
Sometimes, she said in an exclusive interview with
CNN, she gets so depressed that she doesn't leave
her apartment for days. Other times, she can't even
get out of bed for three or four days.
"I cry all the time just like little children," she says
wiping dry her moist eyes. "And I always smile, too."
Al-Obeidi found relief on these shores when she
arrived here last summer. She finally felt safe, unlike
in Libya, where she felt constantly in danger and her
family was threatened.
But she has found it hard to make ends meet. She
said she has been going to the employment office for
four months but job opportunities have been slim.
"When I came, I never imagined life would be this
hard," she said. "As we say in Libya, you have to kill
yourself working. I wish there was work. There are no
work opportunities."
Her family in Libya sends her $300 a month. Without
that, she said, she would not have made it so far.
Out of desperation, last week, al-Obeidi bought a
one-way ticket from Colorado to Washington with
money from an Iraqi family. She had all but $100 in
her bag; she used $65 of it and took a taxi to the
Libyan Embassy in Washington.
She came with a distrust of politicians and diplomats
but with hope in her heart that her compatriots would
not turn her away. But Libyan Ambassador Ali Aujali,
she said, spoke to her like a father.
Page 1 of 3
refugees in the United States. Learning English.
Getting a job. Adapting to American culture.
But starting life anew has been that much tougher for
Eman al-Obeidi, the woman who came to embody
the cruelty of Moammar Gadhafi's regime in the
midst of Libya's brutal civil war. She lives every day
with the scars of the rape she alleges was committed
by Gadhafi's thugs.
Sometimes, she said in an exclusive interview with
CNN, she gets so depressed that she doesn't leave
her apartment for days. Other times, she can't even
get out of bed for three or four days.
"I cry all the time just like little children," she says
wiping dry her moist eyes. "And I always smile, too."
Al-Obeidi found relief on these shores when she
arrived here last summer. She finally felt safe, unlike
in Libya, where she felt constantly in danger and her
family was threatened.
But she has found it hard to make ends meet. She
said she has been going to the employment office for
four months but job opportunities have been slim.
"When I came, I never imagined life would be this
hard," she said. "As we say in Libya, you have to kill
yourself working. I wish there was work. There are no
work opportunities."
Her family in Libya sends her $300 a month. Without
that, she said, she would not have made it so far.
Out of desperation, last week, al-Obeidi bought a
one-way ticket from Colorado to Washington with
money from an Iraqi family. She had all but $100 in
her bag; she used $65 of it and took a taxi to the
Libyan Embassy in Washington.
She came with a distrust of politicians and diplomats
but with hope in her heart that her compatriots would
not turn her away. But Libyan Ambassador Ali Aujali,
she said, spoke to her like a father.
Page 1 of 3
mail showsCONTINUED...
Police investigating phone hacking by journalists say
that about 5,800 people, including celebrities, crime
victims, politicians and members of the royal family,
were targets of the practice by journalists in search
of stories.
It involves illegally eavesdropping on voice mail by
entering a PIN to access messages remotely.
that about 5,800 people, including celebrities, crime
victims, politicians and members of the royal family,
were targets of the practice by journalists in search
of stories.
It involves illegally eavesdropping on voice mail by
entering a PIN to access messages remotely.
James Murdoch warned over phone hacking, e-mail shows
Correspondence released Tuesday shows that James
Murdoch was warned in writing of the seriousness of
a threat to sue his News of the World newspaper over
phone hacking in 2008.
"Unfortunately it is as bad as we feared," the editor
of the tabloid e-mailed proprietor Murdoch about the
case, according to a copy of the correspondence
published by Parliament Tuesday.
The e-mail from Colin Myler appears to undercut
Murdoch's repeated testimony that he did not know
details about phone-hacking by his employees.
Murdoch concedes in a letter to lawmakers, also
published Tuesday, that he replied to the e-mail, but
he does not admit having read it.
Murdoch is at the center of a scandal over illegal
eavesdropping by the newspaper, which he shut
down in July in the face of public fury at phone
hacking.
Editor Myler e-mailed Murdoch in June 2008 about a
phone-hacking victim's threat to sue News of the
World, describing Gordon Taylor as "vindictive."
Myler requested that Murdoch meet him and the
paper's lawyer, Tom Crone, for "five minutes" on
June 10.
Murdoch appears to agree in his reply three minutes
later, but said in his letter to Parliament dated
December 12 that he did not review the entire e-mail
chain, which includes detailed correspondence about
the Taylor claim.
News of the World ultimately settled with Taylor for
700,000 pounds (about $1.2 million.)
It also settled with several other celebrities, including
actress Sienna Miller.
Murdoch was warned in writing of the seriousness of
a threat to sue his News of the World newspaper over
phone hacking in 2008.
"Unfortunately it is as bad as we feared," the editor
of the tabloid e-mailed proprietor Murdoch about the
case, according to a copy of the correspondence
published by Parliament Tuesday.
The e-mail from Colin Myler appears to undercut
Murdoch's repeated testimony that he did not know
details about phone-hacking by his employees.
Murdoch concedes in a letter to lawmakers, also
published Tuesday, that he replied to the e-mail, but
he does not admit having read it.
Murdoch is at the center of a scandal over illegal
eavesdropping by the newspaper, which he shut
down in July in the face of public fury at phone
hacking.
Editor Myler e-mailed Murdoch in June 2008 about a
phone-hacking victim's threat to sue News of the
World, describing Gordon Taylor as "vindictive."
Myler requested that Murdoch meet him and the
paper's lawyer, Tom Crone, for "five minutes" on
June 10.
Murdoch appears to agree in his reply three minutes
later, but said in his letter to Parliament dated
December 12 that he did not review the entire e-mail
chain, which includes detailed correspondence about
the Taylor claim.
News of the World ultimately settled with Taylor for
700,000 pounds (about $1.2 million.)
It also settled with several other celebrities, including
actress Sienna Miller.
business
In the past year, the United States Business Council
in Iraq was established to advance commercial
interests for American firms operating in Iraq.
Opportunity aside, al-Maliki acknowledged the
difficulty of moving his country from the planned
economy of the Saddam Hussein era to a market-
based system governed by transparency laws and
international regulations, not to mention convincing
American businesses to invest in a country that still
experiences a high volume of violence. He assured
his audience that his government was doing all it
could to root out corruption and make the country
safe for businesses to operate.
"Make no mistake, this is a country that's
developing, its commerce is developing, it's going to
take time, it's going to take energy," Deputy
Secretary of State Thomas Nides told CNN after al-
Maliki spoke. "U.S. companies are going there
because they believe they can make money and at
the end of the day that's what it is about, and most
of these companies have dealt with complicated
environments. Iraq is no different, but we have seen
huge progress."
Nides said the "robust diplomatic staff" still based in
Iraq after the military withdrawal will include large
economic and legal teams to work with U.S.
companies operating in Iraq.
Nearly 40 leaders from the Iraqi private sector made
the trip to Washington with al-Maliki to meet with
their American counterparts.
in Iraq was established to advance commercial
interests for American firms operating in Iraq.
Opportunity aside, al-Maliki acknowledged the
difficulty of moving his country from the planned
economy of the Saddam Hussein era to a market-
based system governed by transparency laws and
international regulations, not to mention convincing
American businesses to invest in a country that still
experiences a high volume of violence. He assured
his audience that his government was doing all it
could to root out corruption and make the country
safe for businesses to operate.
"Make no mistake, this is a country that's
developing, its commerce is developing, it's going to
take time, it's going to take energy," Deputy
Secretary of State Thomas Nides told CNN after al-
Maliki spoke. "U.S. companies are going there
because they believe they can make money and at
the end of the day that's what it is about, and most
of these companies have dealt with complicated
environments. Iraq is no different, but we have seen
huge progress."
Nides said the "robust diplomatic staff" still based in
Iraq after the military withdrawal will include large
economic and legal teams to work with U.S.
companies operating in Iraq.
Nearly 40 leaders from the Iraqi private sector made
the trip to Washington with al-Maliki to meet with
their American counterparts.
As troops leave, Iraq wants surge of AmericanbusinessCONTINUED...
As the United States completes its withdrawal of all
military forces from Iraq by the end of the month,
Iraq's prime minister made a pitch to leaders of
American commerce and industry Tuesday: Iraq is
open for business.
In an address to American executives at the U.S.
Chamber of Commerce in Washington, Iraqi Prime
Minister Nouri al-Maliki said his country offers
"limitless" opportunities for American companies.
Al-Maliki said his country is trying to diversify from
an energy-dominated economy, to one that focuses
on financial, medical, agricultural, educational and
infrastructure services as well.
The end of U.S. military operations in Iraq heralds the
beginning of a "wider relationship" between the two
countries where "not generals but businessmen" will
focus on economic and political engagement
between the two countries, al-Maliki told the
audience. He spoke to more than 400 executives
representing a wide range of industries including
petroleum, engineering and construction, commercial
aviation, architecture, maritime cargo and financial
services.
As U.S. investment in Iraq has increased since 2008,
al-Maliki said Iraq wants to see a much greater
presence of U.S. companies in his country to help
spur greater spending and investment on the
country's infrastructure as a way to better the lives
of Iraqis and create more U.S. jobs in the process.
Total foreign direct investment in Iraq hit $70 billion
for the first months of 2011, according to the
chamber. The United States has increased its
investment from nearly nearly $2 billion in 2010 to
more than $8 billion this year, the organization said.
That figure represents 11.6% of all investment
entering Iraq, the chamber said.
The International Monetary Fund has projected the
Iraqi economy to grow at a faster pace than China or
India over the next two to three years.
Despite growing U.S. investment in Iraq, the chamber
continued its own pitch to U.S. businesses of the
potential Iraq represents for them, and American
workers, before al-Maliki spoke.
"We continue to trail our trading partners with
respect to investment and economic engagement in
Iraq," said Lionel Johnson, vice president for Middle
East and North African Affairs at the chamber. The
private sector stands to play a crucial role in filling
the capacity void left in many sectors of the Iraqi
economy following the U.S. military departure,
Johnson said.
Winning business for American firms in Iraq has not
been an easy prospect in the past. Not a single U.S.
energy firm secured a deal for oil production at an
auction of contracts by the Iraqi government two
years ago. Many members of Congress were
outraged, and questioned the U.S. investment in Iraq
to that point after lucrative multi-billion-dollar
contracts went to Russian and Chinese firms instead.
military forces from Iraq by the end of the month,
Iraq's prime minister made a pitch to leaders of
American commerce and industry Tuesday: Iraq is
open for business.
In an address to American executives at the U.S.
Chamber of Commerce in Washington, Iraqi Prime
Minister Nouri al-Maliki said his country offers
"limitless" opportunities for American companies.
Al-Maliki said his country is trying to diversify from
an energy-dominated economy, to one that focuses
on financial, medical, agricultural, educational and
infrastructure services as well.
The end of U.S. military operations in Iraq heralds the
beginning of a "wider relationship" between the two
countries where "not generals but businessmen" will
focus on economic and political engagement
between the two countries, al-Maliki told the
audience. He spoke to more than 400 executives
representing a wide range of industries including
petroleum, engineering and construction, commercial
aviation, architecture, maritime cargo and financial
services.
As U.S. investment in Iraq has increased since 2008,
al-Maliki said Iraq wants to see a much greater
presence of U.S. companies in his country to help
spur greater spending and investment on the
country's infrastructure as a way to better the lives
of Iraqis and create more U.S. jobs in the process.
Total foreign direct investment in Iraq hit $70 billion
for the first months of 2011, according to the
chamber. The United States has increased its
investment from nearly nearly $2 billion in 2010 to
more than $8 billion this year, the organization said.
That figure represents 11.6% of all investment
entering Iraq, the chamber said.
The International Monetary Fund has projected the
Iraqi economy to grow at a faster pace than China or
India over the next two to three years.
Despite growing U.S. investment in Iraq, the chamber
continued its own pitch to U.S. businesses of the
potential Iraq represents for them, and American
workers, before al-Maliki spoke.
"We continue to trail our trading partners with
respect to investment and economic engagement in
Iraq," said Lionel Johnson, vice president for Middle
East and North African Affairs at the chamber. The
private sector stands to play a crucial role in filling
the capacity void left in many sectors of the Iraqi
economy following the U.S. military departure,
Johnson said.
Winning business for American firms in Iraq has not
been an easy prospect in the past. Not a single U.S.
energy firm secured a deal for oil production at an
auction of contracts by the Iraqi government two
years ago. Many members of Congress were
outraged, and questioned the U.S. investment in Iraq
to that point after lucrative multi-billion-dollar
contracts went to Russian and Chinese firms instead.
The scandal of the Alabama poor cut off from water
Banks stand to lose millions of dollars in debt repayments if the biggest municipal bankruptcy in American history is allowed to proceed.
But the real victims of the financial collapse in the US state of Alabama's most populous county are its poorest residents - forced to bathe in bottled water and use portable toilets after being cut off from the mains supply.
And there is widespread anger in Jefferson County that swingeing sewerage rate hikes could have been avoided but for the greed, corruption and incompetence of local politicians, government officials and Wall Street financiers.
Tammy Lucas is the human face of a financial and political scandal that has brought one of the most deprived communities in America's south to the point of what some local people believe is collapse.
She says: "If the sewer bill gets higher, my light might get cut off and if I try to catch up the light, my water might get cut off. So we're in between. We can't make it like this."
Mrs Lucas's monthly sewerage rate bills - the amount levied by the county to flush away waste and provide water for baths and showers - has quadrupled in the past 15 years. She says it is currently running at $150 (£97) a month, which leaves little left out of her $600 social security check for food and electricity.
"We need to keep the water running because we're women," she says. "We need to take baths. I try to pay the sewer bill and the water bill together and then what little I got left I try to put on my lights. I got to have lights."
'Just outrageous'
Her neighbour in one of the poorest districts of Jefferson County's largest city, Birmingham, a father of four who asked not to be named, has already made that choice.
The poorest citizens in Birmingham, Alabama, say they can no longer afford running water
His modest rented home, next to a busy freight train line, is one of a growing number in the area that now has a blue portable toilet next to it.
He says he finds it cheaper to buy drums of water from a petrol station and pay a sanitation company about $14 a month to remove waste from his "porta-potty" than pay the combined sewer and water rate bill, which some months can reach $300.
"Most people who live here are on social security," he said.
"They can't spend this kind of money on sewerage. It's just outrageous. It's too high.
"I pay my sewerage bill, then I'm going to slack on my groceries. Then what am I going to eat?"
Sewerage rates and water rates, which are levied on drinkable water, vary widely across the United States.
But they are generally rising faster than inflation as cities are forced by federal government to replace worn-out sewerage facilities.
The two rates have been combined into a single bill in Jefferson County, which has increased by 329% over the past 15 years, making it among the highest in America, as the county has struggled to service the mountain of debt it took on to pay for a new sewer system.
Corruption scandal
The facility, which has been under construction since 1996, was meant to cost about $300m.
But the bill soared to $3.1bn after construction problems and a series of bond and derivatives deals that went sour in the financial meltdown of 2008.
Continue reading the main story
“
Start Quote
If they let this stuff happen they are going to get the biggest riot the South has seen”
Sheila Tyson
Community activist
Investment bank JP Morgan Securities and two of its former directors have been fined for offering bribes to Jefferson County workers and politicians to win business financing the sewer upgrade.
Six of Jefferson County's former commissioners have been found guilty of corruption for accepting the bribes, along with 15 other officials.
New county commissioners, struggling to service the debt they inherited from their crooked predecessors, took the decision to file for Chapter 9 bankruptcy last month.
But the county's bondholders, who stand to lose about $4.5m a month in repayments if the bankruptcy is allowed to proceed, are contesting it in court.
A Birmingham bankruptcy judge, Thomas B Bennett, has yet to make a final ruling.
Breaking point
Prior to the bankruptcy filing, the county's sewer rates had been due to go up by a further 8.2% a year for the next three years in a deal with the county's creditors, to the dismay of local residents.
Now that is more likely to be 10% a year or even, according to the court appointed receiver John S Young, as much as 25%.
Sheila Tyson, a community activist in the deprived West End district of Birmingham, says people in the city are reaching breaking point.
"These people are going to end up rioting about this," she says. "If they let this stuff happen they are going to get the biggest riot the South has ever seen. Over this sewer business. I can see it coming."
She says soaring sewer-rate bills have traditionally hit the poorest parts of the county hardest, as better-off people in the suburbs installed septic tanks at their properties.
But the people affected are embarrassed to speak out about living in such unsanitary conditions, she tells BBC News.
"This is not even a race issue, if I'm telling the truth," says Ms Tyson. "It's just so happens that it's affecting black people. It's a class issue. They don't give a doo-doo about poor people period."
Budget shortfall
And she adds: "Somebody from Washington DC needs to come down here and take these sewer bills to where they are affordable for the people in these districts. Injustice - that's all this is. They need to come down here and fix it."
Continue reading the main story
“
Start Quote
When you look at the amount of debt, and you look at the revenue that is produced from the rate payers, there is no way it is going to come down”
Tony Petelos
Jefferson County manager
To add further to Jefferson County's woes, it faces a budget shortfall next year of $40m after a local tax was declared illegal.
The county is appealing to the Alabama state legislature for financial aid, but there are still likely to be cuts to public services.
More than 500 county workers were laid off over the summer and are having to get by on unemployment benefit, while their jobs hang in the balance.
Tony Petelos, the county manager appointed by the new commissioners to sort the mess out, admits it could take years to get the area back on its feet.
"The public has lost confidence in Jefferson County over the last decade and a half, because of the mismanagement, because of the corruption. We have got to rebuild that confidence," he says.
He insists there is "light at the end of the tunnel" and that some of residents' worst fears about looming public service cuts are groundless, with most savings likely to be made through efficiencies and property sales.
Troubled project
But he can offer few assurances to citizens struggling with soaring sewer and water rate bills.
The decision is in the hands of the bankruptcy court, he stresses, but even if the judge decides to hand control of sewer rates back to the county - and Mr Petelos has offered to manage the troubled project himself - there is no prospect of the bills being reduced.
"When you look at the amount of debt, and you look at the revenue that is produced from the rate payers, there is no way it is going to come down," says Mr Petelos.
When he was Republican mayor of Birmingham's neighbouring city of Hoover, Mr Petelos recalls attending a presentation by a Wall Street bank about the same kind of bonds that would later prove to be the downfall of Jefferson County.
He says: "I turned to my finance director and said, 'did you understand that?' He said, 'no I didn't'. So I said, 'we had better not buy it then'."
Perhaps if Jefferson County's previous commissioners had made the same decision, some of their poorest residents would not be facing daily life without basic sanitation and running water.
But the real victims of the financial collapse in the US state of Alabama's most populous county are its poorest residents - forced to bathe in bottled water and use portable toilets after being cut off from the mains supply.
And there is widespread anger in Jefferson County that swingeing sewerage rate hikes could have been avoided but for the greed, corruption and incompetence of local politicians, government officials and Wall Street financiers.
Tammy Lucas is the human face of a financial and political scandal that has brought one of the most deprived communities in America's south to the point of what some local people believe is collapse.
She says: "If the sewer bill gets higher, my light might get cut off and if I try to catch up the light, my water might get cut off. So we're in between. We can't make it like this."
Mrs Lucas's monthly sewerage rate bills - the amount levied by the county to flush away waste and provide water for baths and showers - has quadrupled in the past 15 years. She says it is currently running at $150 (£97) a month, which leaves little left out of her $600 social security check for food and electricity.
"We need to keep the water running because we're women," she says. "We need to take baths. I try to pay the sewer bill and the water bill together and then what little I got left I try to put on my lights. I got to have lights."
'Just outrageous'
Her neighbour in one of the poorest districts of Jefferson County's largest city, Birmingham, a father of four who asked not to be named, has already made that choice.
The poorest citizens in Birmingham, Alabama, say they can no longer afford running water
His modest rented home, next to a busy freight train line, is one of a growing number in the area that now has a blue portable toilet next to it.
He says he finds it cheaper to buy drums of water from a petrol station and pay a sanitation company about $14 a month to remove waste from his "porta-potty" than pay the combined sewer and water rate bill, which some months can reach $300.
"Most people who live here are on social security," he said.
"They can't spend this kind of money on sewerage. It's just outrageous. It's too high.
"I pay my sewerage bill, then I'm going to slack on my groceries. Then what am I going to eat?"
Sewerage rates and water rates, which are levied on drinkable water, vary widely across the United States.
But they are generally rising faster than inflation as cities are forced by federal government to replace worn-out sewerage facilities.
The two rates have been combined into a single bill in Jefferson County, which has increased by 329% over the past 15 years, making it among the highest in America, as the county has struggled to service the mountain of debt it took on to pay for a new sewer system.
Corruption scandal
The facility, which has been under construction since 1996, was meant to cost about $300m.
But the bill soared to $3.1bn after construction problems and a series of bond and derivatives deals that went sour in the financial meltdown of 2008.
Continue reading the main story
“
Start Quote
If they let this stuff happen they are going to get the biggest riot the South has seen”
Sheila Tyson
Community activist
Investment bank JP Morgan Securities and two of its former directors have been fined for offering bribes to Jefferson County workers and politicians to win business financing the sewer upgrade.
Six of Jefferson County's former commissioners have been found guilty of corruption for accepting the bribes, along with 15 other officials.
New county commissioners, struggling to service the debt they inherited from their crooked predecessors, took the decision to file for Chapter 9 bankruptcy last month.
But the county's bondholders, who stand to lose about $4.5m a month in repayments if the bankruptcy is allowed to proceed, are contesting it in court.
A Birmingham bankruptcy judge, Thomas B Bennett, has yet to make a final ruling.
Breaking point
Prior to the bankruptcy filing, the county's sewer rates had been due to go up by a further 8.2% a year for the next three years in a deal with the county's creditors, to the dismay of local residents.
Now that is more likely to be 10% a year or even, according to the court appointed receiver John S Young, as much as 25%.
Sheila Tyson, a community activist in the deprived West End district of Birmingham, says people in the city are reaching breaking point.
"These people are going to end up rioting about this," she says. "If they let this stuff happen they are going to get the biggest riot the South has ever seen. Over this sewer business. I can see it coming."
She says soaring sewer-rate bills have traditionally hit the poorest parts of the county hardest, as better-off people in the suburbs installed septic tanks at their properties.
But the people affected are embarrassed to speak out about living in such unsanitary conditions, she tells BBC News.
"This is not even a race issue, if I'm telling the truth," says Ms Tyson. "It's just so happens that it's affecting black people. It's a class issue. They don't give a doo-doo about poor people period."
Budget shortfall
And she adds: "Somebody from Washington DC needs to come down here and take these sewer bills to where they are affordable for the people in these districts. Injustice - that's all this is. They need to come down here and fix it."
Continue reading the main story
“
Start Quote
When you look at the amount of debt, and you look at the revenue that is produced from the rate payers, there is no way it is going to come down”
Tony Petelos
Jefferson County manager
To add further to Jefferson County's woes, it faces a budget shortfall next year of $40m after a local tax was declared illegal.
The county is appealing to the Alabama state legislature for financial aid, but there are still likely to be cuts to public services.
More than 500 county workers were laid off over the summer and are having to get by on unemployment benefit, while their jobs hang in the balance.
Tony Petelos, the county manager appointed by the new commissioners to sort the mess out, admits it could take years to get the area back on its feet.
"The public has lost confidence in Jefferson County over the last decade and a half, because of the mismanagement, because of the corruption. We have got to rebuild that confidence," he says.
He insists there is "light at the end of the tunnel" and that some of residents' worst fears about looming public service cuts are groundless, with most savings likely to be made through efficiencies and property sales.
Troubled project
But he can offer few assurances to citizens struggling with soaring sewer and water rate bills.
The decision is in the hands of the bankruptcy court, he stresses, but even if the judge decides to hand control of sewer rates back to the county - and Mr Petelos has offered to manage the troubled project himself - there is no prospect of the bills being reduced.
"When you look at the amount of debt, and you look at the revenue that is produced from the rate payers, there is no way it is going to come down," says Mr Petelos.
When he was Republican mayor of Birmingham's neighbouring city of Hoover, Mr Petelos recalls attending a presentation by a Wall Street bank about the same kind of bonds that would later prove to be the downfall of Jefferson County.
He says: "I turned to my finance director and said, 'did you understand that?' He said, 'no I didn't'. So I said, 'we had better not buy it then'."
Perhaps if Jefferson County's previous commissioners had made the same decision, some of their poorest residents would not be facing daily life without basic sanitation and running water.
China protest worsens in Guangdong after villager death
New protests flared after the death of the village representative in custody
Continue reading the main story
Related Stories
China riot suspect dies in cell
China 'to investigate land sales'
Riot in China city over land sale
A stand-off between villagers and the authorities is continuing in southern China's Guangdong province.
Police have blocked roads leading to the village of Wukan. Local people are trying to keep them out.
The row - over village land taken by the local government - has been simmering for some time.
A new wave of protests broke out several days ago after the death of a villager while in police custody.
It is not easy to get information about what is going on in the area. One local official denied there was a problem.
But it appears that villagers have held a series of protest rallies over recent days involving hundreds of people.
A video of one demonstration, posted online, shows angry protesters shouting slogans such as "Down with corrupt officials".
"We will continue our fight until the end," one man told the BBC.
'Guarding the village'
The row with the authorities has deep roots. Villagers say local officials have over a long period taken their land and not given them proper compensation.
In a show of anger, they staged protests - and went on a rampage - in September.
Conflict over land is not unusual in the Chinese countryside
In that protest they tore down a wall that had been built around land earmarked for development and ransacked government offices.
This latest unrest was sparked by the detention and death of villager Xue Jinbo, who was acting as a village representative.
The government detained him, with a group of others, last week, saying he was a criminal suspect being held in relation to the September protests.
But on Monday the authorities announced that he had died of a "sudden illness" on the third day of his detention.
The Lufeng city government, which oversees Wukan, said he had been rushed to hospital but doctors could not save him.
In a statement it said he had died after developing heart problems and "other causes had already been provisionally ruled out".
An official report into the death dismissed suggestions that Mr Xue had been "beaten to death by police", according to China's state-run Xinhua news agency.
Examiners apparently found "no serious wounds" on the body apart from a few bruises on his wrists and knees.
"We assume handcuffs left the marks on his wrists and his knees were bruised slightly when he knelt," said an expert involved in preparing the report.
But villagers still are questioning the cause of death - and want the body returned, which they say the local government is refusing to do.
"There is no written law to say he cannot be returned home," said a villager surnamed Gao, the dead man's son in law.
He said the protesters would not back down
"The villagers have been guarding the village and stopping the police from coming inside," he said.
Zheng Yanxiong, a local communist party chief, made an appeal for the protests to end in a Xinhua article.
"The government will strive to settle all related problems and hopes that the village will not be instigated into staging further riots," he said.
Conflict like this over land is not unusual in the Chinese countryside.
There are thought to be tens of thousands of what the government refers to as mass incidents every year.
But this row seems larger and more intense than many others. Local people have shown they are willing to take on the authorities.
Are you in Wukan? Have you witnessed the protests? Send us your stories using the form below
Continue reading the main story
Related Stories
China riot suspect dies in cell
China 'to investigate land sales'
Riot in China city over land sale
A stand-off between villagers and the authorities is continuing in southern China's Guangdong province.
Police have blocked roads leading to the village of Wukan. Local people are trying to keep them out.
The row - over village land taken by the local government - has been simmering for some time.
A new wave of protests broke out several days ago after the death of a villager while in police custody.
It is not easy to get information about what is going on in the area. One local official denied there was a problem.
But it appears that villagers have held a series of protest rallies over recent days involving hundreds of people.
A video of one demonstration, posted online, shows angry protesters shouting slogans such as "Down with corrupt officials".
"We will continue our fight until the end," one man told the BBC.
'Guarding the village'
The row with the authorities has deep roots. Villagers say local officials have over a long period taken their land and not given them proper compensation.
In a show of anger, they staged protests - and went on a rampage - in September.
Conflict over land is not unusual in the Chinese countryside
In that protest they tore down a wall that had been built around land earmarked for development and ransacked government offices.
This latest unrest was sparked by the detention and death of villager Xue Jinbo, who was acting as a village representative.
The government detained him, with a group of others, last week, saying he was a criminal suspect being held in relation to the September protests.
But on Monday the authorities announced that he had died of a "sudden illness" on the third day of his detention.
The Lufeng city government, which oversees Wukan, said he had been rushed to hospital but doctors could not save him.
In a statement it said he had died after developing heart problems and "other causes had already been provisionally ruled out".
An official report into the death dismissed suggestions that Mr Xue had been "beaten to death by police", according to China's state-run Xinhua news agency.
Examiners apparently found "no serious wounds" on the body apart from a few bruises on his wrists and knees.
"We assume handcuffs left the marks on his wrists and his knees were bruised slightly when he knelt," said an expert involved in preparing the report.
But villagers still are questioning the cause of death - and want the body returned, which they say the local government is refusing to do.
"There is no written law to say he cannot be returned home," said a villager surnamed Gao, the dead man's son in law.
He said the protesters would not back down
"The villagers have been guarding the village and stopping the police from coming inside," he said.
Zheng Yanxiong, a local communist party chief, made an appeal for the protests to end in a Xinhua article.
"The government will strive to settle all related problems and hopes that the village will not be instigated into staging further riots," he said.
Conflict like this over land is not unusual in the Chinese countryside.
There are thought to be tens of thousands of what the government refers to as mass incidents every year.
But this row seems larger and more intense than many others. Local people have shown they are willing to take on the authorities.
Are you in Wukan? Have you witnessed the protests? Send us your stories using the form below
Monday, December 12, 2011
google music
Google Music, an online music store and "free locker"
for digital music, was rolled out to the public on
Wednesday.
On Thursday, however, questions abounded as to
whether the service will amount to simply a "me too"
move, following Apple and Amazon's well-worn trail
through the digital-music forest, or a significant step
toward making Google an e-music player.
And while much of the always ready-to-attack tech
blogosphere was less than enthusiastic, it's
legitimate to ask whether that's even the real
question.
In a way, the product is just one more front in the
battle between Android and Apple.
Away from the desktop, iTunes users must have an
iPod, iPhone or other Apple device to play the music,
movies and other content they download.
By selling more widely usable mp3s, Google Music
will be viable across multiple devices. And, of course,
Google would prefer you to choose a device running
its Android operating system.
"In the end, this isn't about helping Google 'catch up
to iTunes' -- it's about filling the big, gaping, musical
hole in Google's mobile business," Peter Kafka wrote
for All Things D.
While no single Android phone has approached the
popularity of the iPhone, Android smartphones as a
whole have become a serious force, capturing more
than half the overall market during the last quarter.
(Android phones amounted to 52% of the global
market compared to about 15% for the iPhone,
according to Gartner).
Gizmodo's Adrian Covert, who it's safe to say was
unimpressed with Google's offering, says that
nothing that was rolled out on Wednesday would
entice iTunes or Amazon users to switch.
Google Music is expected to soon offer 13 million
songs from three of the four top record labels
(Warner Music, which shares a parent company with
CNN, balked) as well as independent bands and
includes free cloud storage for up to 20,000 songs.
(Apple's similar iMatch costs $25 a year).
"The technologies might be current, but the ideas
behind Google Music are tired," Covert wrote.
"Speaking of old and tired, were you really pining
away for another a la carte music store? Probably
not. Most of us have been buying tracks from iTunes
and Amazon for years."
But: Is enticing users to switch even the goal? For
someone trying to decide between buying an Apple
or Android device, iTunes could be a deciding factor.
Google Music, at least in part, could take that bullet
out of Apple's gun.
"There are two things the critics decline to
acknowledge: that Google is providing a simple, free
service, and that all Google products start out
underwhelming and gradually expand," Devin
Coldewey wrote for TechCrunch.
"Android was a
mess when it showed up. And it's still a mess -- a
mess blowing up to the tune of half a million devices
a day."
And with a long-term investment of resources (and,
presumably, the successful wooing of more record
labels), the Google Music vs. iTunes tilt could
eventually rival the current iPhone vs. Android fight.
"Apple now faces its arch rival in the retail-music
sector where Apple is a juggernaut," wrote CNET's
Greg Sandoval.
"But it also means that iTunes will
face a company with deep pockets, a history of
success in music (YouTube is one of the popular
music distributors on the Web) and popular consumer
devices, Android phones and tablets, that can help
market the music store. This is something few
previous rivals possessed."
But first, Google will have to get over the cool
reception the launch got in some quarters, largely
dinging the company for lacking innovation in a
product that got a star-studded, splashy roll-out.
English Premier League chief executive Richard
Scudamore has told CNN Sport that there is no
chance of the top European clubs forming a
breakaway league to rival the Champions League.
The possibility of a breakaway league has been
mooted for several years and earlier this week
Barcelona president Sandro Rossell suggested that
Champions League matches should be played at the
weekend, with the top European leagues all being
reduced to 16 teams to accommodate the fixtures.
However, speaking exclusively to CNN Sport's Don
Riddell, Scudamore rejected any such notions and
insisted that the Champions League will remain a
midweek competition.
"A breakaway league is just not going to happen,"
said Scudamore.
"What has been said has been said
but I'm not going to go along with the sentiment.
"In reality we have a Champions League, it's a
fantastic competition.
Obviously there are some
things the clubs would like to alter and ultimately
discussions will take place and UEFA will do
something to make sure things stay intact."
Scudamore added: "But when it comes to ultimate
football sanctions you just can't break away. The
only reason the Premier League was formed was
because it had the permission of our Football
Association.
"They are the ultimate arbiters of football in this
country and for anyone else to go and play
unsanctioned competitions is unthinkable.
UEFA
would have to agree with what happened, so the idea
that anybody in football can just break away and do
what they want is just impossible."
And speaking specifically about Rossell's comments,
Scudamore continued: "What he said was from a
Barcelona-centric view.
"Our clubs will not be playing European football on a
weekend. European football is a midweek
competition, and domestic football is a weekend
competition."
With six of the current top eight Premier League
clubs now under foreign ownership, there has been
talk the league might go the same way as American
sport, with a franchise system and no promotion and
relegation.
However, Scudamore was quick to dispel any fears of
this, saying: "It doesn't matter to us whether the
owners are foreign or English, what matters to us is
how they run their clubs.
"This idea that everyone who is a non-English owner
is sat somewhere in a members club with these eight
or nine other foreign owners, somehow with a
common view, is nonsensical."
He added: "The one thing I can't see changing is
promotion and relegation. That's the lifeblood of the
whole league.
"Last season Wolverhampton Wanderers were
bottom but they still ended up defeating Manchester
United -- and there is no other league in the world
when the bottom teams can be competitive with the
top. It's because they have to fight to avoid
relegation."
Scudamore has told CNN Sport that there is no
chance of the top European clubs forming a
breakaway league to rival the Champions League.
The possibility of a breakaway league has been
mooted for several years and earlier this week
Barcelona president Sandro Rossell suggested that
Champions League matches should be played at the
weekend, with the top European leagues all being
reduced to 16 teams to accommodate the fixtures.
However, speaking exclusively to CNN Sport's Don
Riddell, Scudamore rejected any such notions and
insisted that the Champions League will remain a
midweek competition.
"A breakaway league is just not going to happen,"
said Scudamore.
"What has been said has been said
but I'm not going to go along with the sentiment.
"In reality we have a Champions League, it's a
fantastic competition.
Obviously there are some
things the clubs would like to alter and ultimately
discussions will take place and UEFA will do
something to make sure things stay intact."
Scudamore added: "But when it comes to ultimate
football sanctions you just can't break away. The
only reason the Premier League was formed was
because it had the permission of our Football
Association.
"They are the ultimate arbiters of football in this
country and for anyone else to go and play
unsanctioned competitions is unthinkable.
UEFA
would have to agree with what happened, so the idea
that anybody in football can just break away and do
what they want is just impossible."
And speaking specifically about Rossell's comments,
Scudamore continued: "What he said was from a
Barcelona-centric view.
"Our clubs will not be playing European football on a
weekend. European football is a midweek
competition, and domestic football is a weekend
competition."
With six of the current top eight Premier League
clubs now under foreign ownership, there has been
talk the league might go the same way as American
sport, with a franchise system and no promotion and
relegation.
However, Scudamore was quick to dispel any fears of
this, saying: "It doesn't matter to us whether the
owners are foreign or English, what matters to us is
how they run their clubs.
"This idea that everyone who is a non-English owner
is sat somewhere in a members club with these eight
or nine other foreign owners, somehow with a
common view, is nonsensical."
He added: "The one thing I can't see changing is
promotion and relegation. That's the lifeblood of the
whole league.
"Last season Wolverhampton Wanderers were
bottom but they still ended up defeating Manchester
United -- and there is no other league in the world
when the bottom teams can be competitive with the
top. It's because they have to fight to avoid
relegation."
Greek
The new Greek prime minister, Lucas Papademos,
won a vote of confidence in Parliament on
Wednesday, following his appointment to replace
George Papandreou.
The motion was passed by 255 in favor to 38 against,
as 293 of Parliament's 300 lawmakers cast a vote.
The vote paves the way for Papademos's
government of national unity to take the reins and
seek to restore political and financial stability in
Greece.
Papandreou quit last week, forced out by public
anger at the budget cuts he was pushing through to
get international funds to pay his country's debts.
Fears that Greece might default caused shock waves
through the European and American banking systems
and sent stock markets on a wild ride that at times
wiped billions of dollars of value out of existence.
Papademos, a former banker and European Central
Bank vice president, became his country's interim
prime minister Friday after several days of political
wrangling.
Under a motion of confidence, lawmakers signal to
the head of state whether the government has the
support of Parliament. A loss typically results in the
government's dissolution and the holding of a
general election, unless the head of state asks
someone with more support to form a government.
Papademos had been expected to survive the vote,
since the new national unity government has the
approval of Greece's main parties.
He has a tough job ahead, however, in implementing
unpopular reforms before elections due in about
three months' time.
Papademos told Parliament on Monday that staying
in the eurozone "is the only choice" as his country
seeks to avoid default.
share
The smartphone OS space looks a
whole lot different than it did a year ago. Android
has seriously stepped up to become the top dog,
Symbian is a force no more, and iOS ... well, not
everything changes.
Gartner's November mobile device report gives us
the numbers. Android OS leads the pack with a
52.5% global market share, just about double the
25% it had last summer.
The iOS market share dropped slightly, from 16.6 to
15%. And Symbian continued its slow march to
obsolescence, dropping from a market-leading
36.3% in 2010 to merely 17% this last quarter.
In Gartner's report, analyst Roberta Cozz says two
key factors led to Apple's drop in market share:
consumers waiting for a rumored new iPhone, and
consumers waiting for associated price cuts for
older iPhones. Indeed, that was something Apple
identified in its fourth-quarter earnings report, which
slightly missed analyst expectations.
Now pair that with a slew of strong Android
offerings, from the Droid Bionic and Droid 3 to the
HTC EVO 3D and Photon 4G. Consumers had a
generous variety of large, dual-core Android
stunners to choose from while waiting for Apple to
deliver a new handset.
"Android has a diverse spectrum of devices, ranging
from being inexpensive, well under $100, to high-
end LTE devices. There's a device at every price
point and feature set," Gartner analyst Hugues de la
Vergne says.
Nonetheless, de la Vergne believes iOS will sweep
away market dominance from Android next quarter
(in the US at least), now that Apple has a wide
gamut of iPhones available at a number of price
points.
The Gartner report also notes that Windows Phone's
market share dropped, from 2.7% in the third
quarter of 2010 to only 1.5% this year. Windows
didn't have much going on in the summer, with the
spoils of its partnership with Nokia, namely the
Nokia Lumia 800, only beginning to gain some
prominence this quarter (unfortunately, the phone
won't even be available in the US until 2012). Nokia
only has single-digit market share in the US,
anyway.
Still, with some operators losing faith in RIM, de la
Vergne says, especially as we wait for devices
running BlackBerry's new OS, Windows Phone has a
nice window of opportunity in which it could pick up
some market share
whole lot different than it did a year ago. Android
has seriously stepped up to become the top dog,
Symbian is a force no more, and iOS ... well, not
everything changes.
Gartner's November mobile device report gives us
the numbers. Android OS leads the pack with a
52.5% global market share, just about double the
25% it had last summer.
The iOS market share dropped slightly, from 16.6 to
15%. And Symbian continued its slow march to
obsolescence, dropping from a market-leading
36.3% in 2010 to merely 17% this last quarter.
In Gartner's report, analyst Roberta Cozz says two
key factors led to Apple's drop in market share:
consumers waiting for a rumored new iPhone, and
consumers waiting for associated price cuts for
older iPhones. Indeed, that was something Apple
identified in its fourth-quarter earnings report, which
slightly missed analyst expectations.
Now pair that with a slew of strong Android
offerings, from the Droid Bionic and Droid 3 to the
HTC EVO 3D and Photon 4G. Consumers had a
generous variety of large, dual-core Android
stunners to choose from while waiting for Apple to
deliver a new handset.
"Android has a diverse spectrum of devices, ranging
from being inexpensive, well under $100, to high-
end LTE devices. There's a device at every price
point and feature set," Gartner analyst Hugues de la
Vergne says.
Nonetheless, de la Vergne believes iOS will sweep
away market dominance from Android next quarter
(in the US at least), now that Apple has a wide
gamut of iPhones available at a number of price
points.
The Gartner report also notes that Windows Phone's
market share dropped, from 2.7% in the third
quarter of 2010 to only 1.5% this year. Windows
didn't have much going on in the summer, with the
spoils of its partnership with Nokia, namely the
Nokia Lumia 800, only beginning to gain some
prominence this quarter (unfortunately, the phone
won't even be available in the US until 2012). Nokia
only has single-digit market share in the US,
anyway.
Still, with some operators losing faith in RIM, de la
Vergne says, especially as we wait for devices
running BlackBerry's new OS, Windows Phone has a
nice window of opportunity in which it could pick up
some market share
Katy Perry laughs off divorce rumors
Katy Perry's life is becoming a soap opera.
At least, that's how the pop star sees it, given all the
rumors surrounding her in recent days.
First, there was speculation that she was expecting,
which she colorfully denied.
Now, there have been
rumors that her marriage is on the rocks -- something
Perry also denied Wednesday night with a joke on
Twitter.
"First I'm pregnant & then I'm divorced. What am I All
My Children?!" she quipped.
Earlier Wednesday night, Perry helped announce the
Grammy nominations at a live concert in Los
Angeles, where she sported her wedding ring. (Perry
also snagged two nominations herself.)
Perry, 27, and Brand, 36, were married in October
2010 in a lavish ceremony -- that included two
elephants as well as acrobats and jugglers -- at a
luxury resort in northern India.
Since then, they've had nothing but fawning words
for one another in interviews, with Perry calling
Brand her great man of God, and he gushing about
his spiritual and emotional connection to his bride.
See the full article at PEOPLE.com.
At least, that's how the pop star sees it, given all the
rumors surrounding her in recent days.
First, there was speculation that she was expecting,
which she colorfully denied.
Now, there have been
rumors that her marriage is on the rocks -- something
Perry also denied Wednesday night with a joke on
Twitter.
"First I'm pregnant & then I'm divorced. What am I All
My Children?!" she quipped.
Earlier Wednesday night, Perry helped announce the
Grammy nominations at a live concert in Los
Angeles, where she sported her wedding ring. (Perry
also snagged two nominations herself.)
Perry, 27, and Brand, 36, were married in October
2010 in a lavish ceremony -- that included two
elephants as well as acrobats and jugglers -- at a
luxury resort in northern India.
Since then, they've had nothing but fawning words
for one another in interviews, with Perry calling
Brand her great man of God, and he gushing about
his spiritual and emotional connection to his bride.
See the full article at PEOPLE.com.
you are my life
Once all alone
I was lost in a world of strangers
No one to trust
On my own, I was lonely
you suddenly appeared
It was cloudy before but now it's clear
You took away the fear
You brought me back to life
You are the sun
You make me shine
Or more like the stars
That twinkle at night
You are the moon
That glows in my heart
You're my daytime my nighttime
My world
You're my life
Now I wake up everyday
With this smile upon my face
No more tears, no more pain
Cause you love me
You help me understand
That love is the answer to all that I am
And I?m a better man
You taught me by sharing your life
You are the sun
You make me shine
Or more like the stars
That twinkle at night
You are the moon
That glows in my heart
You're my daytime my nighttime
My world
You're my life
You gave me strength
When I wasn't strong
You gave me hope when all hope is lost
You opened my eyes when I couldn't see
Love was always here waiting for me
I was lost in a world of strangers
No one to trust
On my own, I was lonely
you suddenly appeared
It was cloudy before but now it's clear
You took away the fear
You brought me back to life
You are the sun
You make me shine
Or more like the stars
That twinkle at night
You are the moon
That glows in my heart
You're my daytime my nighttime
My world
You're my life
Now I wake up everyday
With this smile upon my face
No more tears, no more pain
Cause you love me
You help me understand
That love is the answer to all that I am
And I?m a better man
You taught me by sharing your life
You are the sun
You make me shine
Or more like the stars
That twinkle at night
You are the moon
That glows in my heart
You're my daytime my nighttime
My world
You're my life
You gave me strength
When I wasn't strong
You gave me hope when all hope is lost
You opened my eyes when I couldn't see
Love was always here waiting for me
Public
Papademos said the October 26 bailout, worth 130
billion euros ($177 billion), calls for austerity
measures but "will ensure the financing of Greece
over the following years and the completion of the
effort of the economic recovery."
Papademos said work should get under way
"immediately, at a very high pace," with the first
priority being to secure disbursement of the next
tranche of bailout money from a 2010 bailout
package by no later than December 15 to ensure the
government can pay its bills.
In addition to the new austerity measures, his
government must also implement promises made by
the previous administration in relation to the 2010
bailout, including privatizations of state-run firms
and cuts to the public sector.
Public anger over the cuts led Papandreou to propose
a referendum on the new bailout plan, triggering
anger among Greece's European partners and
political turmoil at home.
billion euros ($177 billion), calls for austerity
measures but "will ensure the financing of Greece
over the following years and the completion of the
effort of the economic recovery."
Papademos said work should get under way
"immediately, at a very high pace," with the first
priority being to secure disbursement of the next
tranche of bailout money from a 2010 bailout
package by no later than December 15 to ensure the
government can pay its bills.
In addition to the new austerity measures, his
government must also implement promises made by
the previous administration in relation to the 2010
bailout, including privatizations of state-run firms
and cuts to the public sector.
Public anger over the cuts led Papandreou to propose
a referendum on the new bailout plan, triggering
anger among Greece's European partners and
political turmoil at home.
USA - Germany
He said his government's main task will be to
implement a bailout package brokered on October
26.
He cited "a crisis of trust" among the country's
European allies about whether Greece has the will
and the ability to restore its economy, but he said
"big progress" has already been made toward
restoring fiscal stability, pointing to the reduction of
the deficit from 15% of GDP to 10.6%.
Fiscal support is needed from Greece's European
allies and the International Monetary Fund, he said.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, speaking
Wednesday in Berlin after meeting with Irish Prime
Minister Enda Kenny, restated Germany's
commitment to a strong European Union of 27
nations and to the 17-nation eurozone.
Merkel said the pair had talked about the need to
make the eurozone -- the nations that use the euro
as a single currency -- stronger in the face of crisis
and about treaty changes to make it easier to
monitor countries.
"I made clear that Germany sees a necessity here to
show the markets and the world that the euro stands
together and must be defended, but also that we are
willing to give up a part of national sovereignty," she
said.
"Overall we share the assessment that we still have
a problem in terms of debt, but also competition, but
we also share the opinion that the Europeans are
willing to overcome the problems and to show the
world that we stand together."
Her comments come amid speculation that the crisis
in Greece and elsewhere could, if unresolved, lead to
a breakup of the eurozone.
Papademos previously has stressed Greece's
commitment to the euro, saying its membership in
the eurozone is a guarantee of financial stability.
The drama in Greece has shaken international
markets because investors were afraid the new
bailout deal -- which has stringent austerity
measures attached -- might not be implemented.
Papademos said the October 26 bailout, worth 130
billion euros ($177 billion), calls for austerity
measures but "will ensure the financing of Greece
over the following years and the completion of the
effort of the economic recovery."
Papademos said work should get under way
"immediately, at a very high pace," with the first
priority being to secure disbursement of the next
tranche of bailout money from a 2010 bailout
package by no later than December 15 to ensure the
government can pay its bills.
In addition to the new austerity measures, his
government must also implement promises made by
the previous administration in relation to the 2010
bailout, including privatizations of state-run firms
and cuts to the public sector.
Public anger over the cuts led Papandreou to propose
a referendum on the new bailout plan, triggering
anger among Greece's European partners and
political turmoil at home.
implement a bailout package brokered on October
26.
He cited "a crisis of trust" among the country's
European allies about whether Greece has the will
and the ability to restore its economy, but he said
"big progress" has already been made toward
restoring fiscal stability, pointing to the reduction of
the deficit from 15% of GDP to 10.6%.
Fiscal support is needed from Greece's European
allies and the International Monetary Fund, he said.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, speaking
Wednesday in Berlin after meeting with Irish Prime
Minister Enda Kenny, restated Germany's
commitment to a strong European Union of 27
nations and to the 17-nation eurozone.
Merkel said the pair had talked about the need to
make the eurozone -- the nations that use the euro
as a single currency -- stronger in the face of crisis
and about treaty changes to make it easier to
monitor countries.
"I made clear that Germany sees a necessity here to
show the markets and the world that the euro stands
together and must be defended, but also that we are
willing to give up a part of national sovereignty," she
said.
"Overall we share the assessment that we still have
a problem in terms of debt, but also competition, but
we also share the opinion that the Europeans are
willing to overcome the problems and to show the
world that we stand together."
Her comments come amid speculation that the crisis
in Greece and elsewhere could, if unresolved, lead to
a breakup of the eurozone.
Papademos previously has stressed Greece's
commitment to the euro, saying its membership in
the eurozone is a guarantee of financial stability.
The drama in Greece has shaken international
markets because investors were afraid the new
bailout deal -- which has stringent austerity
measures attached -- might not be implemented.
Papademos said the October 26 bailout, worth 130
billion euros ($177 billion), calls for austerity
measures but "will ensure the financing of Greece
over the following years and the completion of the
effort of the economic recovery."
Papademos said work should get under way
"immediately, at a very high pace," with the first
priority being to secure disbursement of the next
tranche of bailout money from a 2010 bailout
package by no later than December 15 to ensure the
government can pay its bills.
In addition to the new austerity measures, his
government must also implement promises made by
the previous administration in relation to the 2010
bailout, including privatizations of state-run firms
and cuts to the public sector.
Public anger over the cuts led Papandreou to propose
a referendum on the new bailout plan, triggering
anger among Greece's European partners and
political turmoil at home.
USA
The United States announced an agreement with
Australia Wednesday that will expand military
cooperation between the long-time allies and boost
America's presence in the region.
The agreement was revealed during a joint news
conference between U.S. President Barack Obama
and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard in the
nation's capital, Canberra.
Obama is on a two-day trip to Australia, his first visit
as commander-in-chief.
"I am very pleased that we are able to make these
announcements here together on Australian soil,"
Obama said. "Because of these initiatives that are
the result of our countries working very closely
together as partners, we are going to be in a position
to more effectively strengthen the security of both of
our nations and this region."
Under the agreement, up to 250 U.S. Marines will be
sent to Darwin and the northern region of Australia
for military exercises and training. Over the next
several years their numbers are expected to climb to
2,500 -- a full Marine ground task force.
While U.S. officials cited the need to respond to
regional natural disasters as a reason for the
agreement, concern over China's military expansion
is widely acknowledged as a driving factor.
"What we look at is how does our general force
posture allow us to protect U.S. interests, protect our
allies, and ...
secure the region broadly," Deputy
National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes told reporters
traveling with the president. "China is obviously a
piece of the Asia Pacific region, an emerging power.
"
Rhodes later added that the deal is "part of the U.S.
sending a signal that we're going to be present, that
we're going to continue to play the role of
underpinning security in this part of the region.
Part
of that context is a rising China."
Analysts note that the deal sends a message to
China in a less confrontational way than building up
bases closer to Chinese shores.
"The Chinese can squawk about it," said Patrick
Cronin, senior director of the Asia-Pacific Security
Program at the Center for a New American Security.
"But it's not like having an aircraft carrier in the
Yellow Sea."
Obama himself, however, insisted during his news
conference that "the notion that we fear China is
mistaken."
The president's Australian visit -- postponed twice in
2009 and 2010 due to an oil spill in the Gulf of
Mexico and other domestic political considerations --
highlights a changing balance of power in the Pacific
as China expands its military reach and the United
States works to reduce its military footprint in Japan.
Obama's Australian visit comes on the heels of last
weekend's 19-nation Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation summit, which highlighted the need for
new measures supporting job growth. During the
Hawaiian summit, Obama stressed the importance of
the Pacific to global economic security, and he
pushed China to do more to help strengthen the
world economy.
After wrapping up his visit to Australia, Obama will
conclude his Pacific trip with a stop in Indonesia -- a
country he spent several years living in during his
childhood.
Australia Wednesday that will expand military
cooperation between the long-time allies and boost
America's presence in the region.
The agreement was revealed during a joint news
conference between U.S. President Barack Obama
and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard in the
nation's capital, Canberra.
Obama is on a two-day trip to Australia, his first visit
as commander-in-chief.
"I am very pleased that we are able to make these
announcements here together on Australian soil,"
Obama said. "Because of these initiatives that are
the result of our countries working very closely
together as partners, we are going to be in a position
to more effectively strengthen the security of both of
our nations and this region."
Under the agreement, up to 250 U.S. Marines will be
sent to Darwin and the northern region of Australia
for military exercises and training. Over the next
several years their numbers are expected to climb to
2,500 -- a full Marine ground task force.
While U.S. officials cited the need to respond to
regional natural disasters as a reason for the
agreement, concern over China's military expansion
is widely acknowledged as a driving factor.
"What we look at is how does our general force
posture allow us to protect U.S. interests, protect our
allies, and ...
secure the region broadly," Deputy
National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes told reporters
traveling with the president. "China is obviously a
piece of the Asia Pacific region, an emerging power.
"
Rhodes later added that the deal is "part of the U.S.
sending a signal that we're going to be present, that
we're going to continue to play the role of
underpinning security in this part of the region.
Part
of that context is a rising China."
Analysts note that the deal sends a message to
China in a less confrontational way than building up
bases closer to Chinese shores.
"The Chinese can squawk about it," said Patrick
Cronin, senior director of the Asia-Pacific Security
Program at the Center for a New American Security.
"But it's not like having an aircraft carrier in the
Yellow Sea."
Obama himself, however, insisted during his news
conference that "the notion that we fear China is
mistaken."
The president's Australian visit -- postponed twice in
2009 and 2010 due to an oil spill in the Gulf of
Mexico and other domestic political considerations --
highlights a changing balance of power in the Pacific
as China expands its military reach and the United
States works to reduce its military footprint in Japan.
Obama's Australian visit comes on the heels of last
weekend's 19-nation Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation summit, which highlighted the need for
new measures supporting job growth. During the
Hawaiian summit, Obama stressed the importance of
the Pacific to global economic security, and he
pushed China to do more to help strengthen the
world economy.
After wrapping up his visit to Australia, Obama will
conclude his Pacific trip with a stop in Indonesia -- a
country he spent several years living in during his
childhood.
Earth Song lyric
What about sunrise
what about rain
what about all the things
that you said we were to gain
what about killing fields
is there a time
what about all the things
that you said was your and mine
did you ever stop notice
all the blood we've shed before
did you ever stop notice
the crying earth the weeping shores?
Aaaaaaaaaaaah aaaaaaaaaaaah
what have we done to the world
look what we've done
what about all the peace
that your pledge only son...
what about flowering fields
is there a time
what about all the dreams
that you said was your and mine
did you ever stop notice
all the children dead from war
did you ever stop notice
the crying earth the weeping shores
Aaaaaaaaah Aaaaaaaaaah
I used to dream
I used to glance beyond the stars
now i don't know where we are
although I know we've drifted far
Aaaaaaaaaaah Aaaaaaaaaaaaah
Aaaaaaaaaaah Aaaaaaaaaaaaah
hey, what about yesterday
what about the seas
the heavens are falling down
I can't even breathe
what about the bleeding earth
Can't we feel it wounds
what about nature's worth
it's our planet's womb
what about animal
we've turned kingdom to dusts
what about elephants
have we lost their trust
what about crying wales
we're ravaging the seas
what about forest trails
burn despite our pleas
what about the holy land
torn apart by creed
what about the common man
can't we set him free
what about children dying
can't you hear them cry
were did we go wrong
someone tell me why
what about babies
what about the days
what about all their joy
what about the man
what about the crying man
what about abraham
what about death again
do we give a damn
what about rain
what about all the things
that you said we were to gain
what about killing fields
is there a time
what about all the things
that you said was your and mine
did you ever stop notice
all the blood we've shed before
did you ever stop notice
the crying earth the weeping shores?
Aaaaaaaaaaaah aaaaaaaaaaaah
what have we done to the world
look what we've done
what about all the peace
that your pledge only son...
what about flowering fields
is there a time
what about all the dreams
that you said was your and mine
did you ever stop notice
all the children dead from war
did you ever stop notice
the crying earth the weeping shores
Aaaaaaaaah Aaaaaaaaaah
I used to dream
I used to glance beyond the stars
now i don't know where we are
although I know we've drifted far
Aaaaaaaaaaah Aaaaaaaaaaaaah
Aaaaaaaaaaah Aaaaaaaaaaaaah
hey, what about yesterday
what about the seas
the heavens are falling down
I can't even breathe
what about the bleeding earth
Can't we feel it wounds
what about nature's worth
it's our planet's womb
what about animal
we've turned kingdom to dusts
what about elephants
have we lost their trust
what about crying wales
we're ravaging the seas
what about forest trails
burn despite our pleas
what about the holy land
torn apart by creed
what about the common man
can't we set him free
what about children dying
can't you hear them cry
were did we go wrong
someone tell me why
what about babies
what about the days
what about all their joy
what about the man
what about the crying man
what about abraham
what about death again
do we give a damn
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