Category Archives: Featured

Featured News from the world.

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Democrat Malloy joins as Connecticut’s 88th governor

Dan Malloy

Dan Malloy pledges to make Connecticut free from all financial crises. The 55 year old Democrat leader took oath on Wednesday as the 88th governor of the state.

Inauguration also included an inaugural ball followed by an afternoon parade, salute to the new governor with 19 guns and finally a flyover of aircraft.

Malloy has replaced Republican M. Jodi Rell, governing Connecticut for last 6 years. He  has been the mayor of Stamford and also worked as a prosecutor in New York City In his inaugural Malloy stress on fixing the fiscal crisis Connecticut is going through. He faulted lawmakers for aggravating the problems.

However, he did not mention what steps he plans to take to make up for the fiscal deficit of $3.5 as the plan will be disclosed in next month.

Malloy did not commit for not raising taxes even in the poll campaigns. This gives an edge to his political rivals. However he pointed out that there might be a balanced budget plan combining some tax hikes as well as cuts in services to minimize the deficit.

A senior leader from Republican Party– John McKinney– called Malloy’s plan to increase the taxes a wrong step. He stated that the new governor’s priority should be how to reduce the taxes and not raise them.

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US navy dismisses official for anti-gay videos

US administration removes Capt. Owen Honors, from captain’s position in navy.  He has been found guilty of wrong judgment and unprofessional behavior. The incidence follows repeal of the law in US defense– ‘don’t ask, don’t tell.’

Navy decided to remove captain of an aircraft carrier on the issue of  some videos giving anti-gay messages and slurs. The officials in military are yet not very acquainted with the freedom recently given to homosexuals to serve without hiding their sexual orientation.

Capt. Owen Honors’s showed crude of Norfolk, an aircraft carrier making derogatory remarks on gays. Captain Owen was in command of that ship 4 years back.

“An official from US military admitted that most of the security personnel were highly conservative and disclosure of homosexuality often leads to embarrassment and social stigma within their military units for gays.

Navy’s Fleet Forces Command’s chief, Adm. John Harvey, did not use the exact terms which were used in the video on the basis of which he dismissed Captain Honors.

Harvey further stated that Captain Honors’ failure to make proper judgment and conducting unprofessional behavior has spoiled his credibility to retain the prestigious post. He also added that further investigation was being carried to find out about other officials who were involved in the video episode or had been aware of it.

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Opposition preparing to revoke Obama’s healthcare law

Republicans are preparing to repeal Obama’s health care bill by passing another bill opposite to it. However, Republicans are not likely to win. This will be the first session of Congress with Republicans in majority following their victory in midterm polls in November. The opposition wants to challenge Obama’s milestone work in his tenure—heath care law.

The House of Representatives under Republicans’ dominance is heading to repeal the health care law on January 12, stated the party spokesperson Dayspring and hoped it would pass through. He further added that the healthcare law denied jobs in small and large scale businesses therefore Republicans want to revoke it.  Despite Republicans’ majority, Democrats still control the Senate and they would never let the opposition repeal healthcare law.

Democrats warned John Boehner, the new would be speaker for House that canceling the healthcare law would not be good for the welfare of people as it reduces consumer benefits and they would try their best to retain the law.

The warning came in a letter sent to the incoming speaker by senior Democrat leaders. However, an opinion poll reflected confused voters over the issue. The repeal bill seems to be a focus of Republicans’ campaign in House for the incoming session of the Congress. The opposition will try to block funding of the healthcare law even if they fail in revoking it.

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Obama signs on 9/11 Health and Compensation Bill from Hawaii

9/11 attack on world trade center, New York

President Barack Obama clears way for the 9/11 health bill with his signature to make it into law in Hawaii on January 2. The US President signed the bill while on vacation in Hawaii therefore no celebrations followed the signature. Obama issued a statement regarding the bill expressing his gladness for signing the bill and said that he felt ‘honored’

The bill includes compensation for the victims of attack on World Trade Centre on September 11, 2001.

The President paid gratitude toward security officials, firefighters and volunteers who took initiatives to save people’s lives. He added that the health bill aimed to help those victims who were physically affected by the pollution caused by the 9/11 attacks.

A copy of 9/11 health care bill was sent to Oahu island of Hawaii, where Obama is spending his vacation with family. He is staying there in a rented vacation home in Kailua, where the bill was signed.

Formally known as the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act also covers aid for the workers who cleared the debris of World trade center towers after the attack. The bill involves a package of $4.2 billion for providing compensation to victims and families of those who lost their lives in the attack. 9/11 remains worst terrorist attack on USA killing 2700 people in New York.

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Travel agencies remove American Airlines from online listings

Expedia Inc. (EXPE) removes American airlines tickets from its latest list. The company stated that the travelers need to check other websites now to compare prices of tickets for American airlines with other service providers. The move and statement came following a dispute between the airlines and online travel agencies.  Fort Worth, a part of American airlines suggested Kayak.com or priceline.com Inc. (PCLN)  for alternatives.

American airlines ignited the dispute with travel agencies by removing its listing from OWW- Expedia competitor Orbitz Worldwide Inc. to divert traffic to their own websites.

The American airlines own website do not charge passengers for online booking in addition. Expedia, in retaliation to American airlines’ actions removed the airlines from lists.

American removed Orbitz when they could not get a deal for encouraging online sellers for establishing a direct connect system with travelers instead of going through different agent sites.

At present, Expedia’s existing agreement with American airlines is about to expire. Through the new deal, the airlines wanted to reduce their cost on what they are obliged to pay to the global distribution services and make their tickets more lucrative to passengers.

However, the airlines reported that there was no decrease in their sale of tickets due to these disputes and travelers continued buying tickets through other alternative sites like Kayak and priceline.com.

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Texas appeals against federal Gov’s authority to issue Greenhouse-Gas permits

Texas is filing an appeal challenging over the greenhouse-gas rules of the federal administration of the United States. The appeal will question US President Obama’s authority over granting permission to different states regarding green house emission.

A federal appeals court of New Orleans has rejected Texas’s request for not allowing the central administration to issue greenhouse-gas permits as the states wants an autonomy in this matter. The state’s new appeal has been made in the wake of its rejected plea.

The Environmental Protection Agency of the United States started granting permission on green house emission considering the fact that Texas officials were not ready to issue the permits.

Texas appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit citing the EPA’s actions as a violation of the Clean Air Act. The state called agency’s actions as an intrusion in the legal rights of Texas.

Texas has always opposed the environmental agency’s rules on greenhouse gas emission that oblige all units of oil refiners, power plants and other industries to reduce their greenhouse gas emission under permissible limits and obtain a compulsory permit for that prior to any construction or modification for their infrastructures.

The new rule implemented by the US Environmental Protection Agency will be effective from Jan. 2.

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Arizona, California blasted due to blizzard, heavy rain

Western parts of the United States are still struggling to resume their traffic amidst snowstorm. Major roads Arizona, California and Nevada have been shut down once again due to heavy rains following the snowstorm. Heavy snow carried by storms has covered hilly regions which have led to power cuts and traffic jams.

Phoenix desert which otherwise experiences pleasant winters had chilly rain continuously for an hour that resulted in temperature much below freezing point on Friday. Main road across Arizona –I-17 ahs been closed and commuters are stranded between the Grand Canyon and Flagstaff.

Visibility reduced to a mere half mile near Grand Canyon and it was only ¼ th of a mile at Flagstaff according to the officials of the National Weather Service.

The Highway 89A which links Sedona and Flagstaff was closed till Tuesday. routes which were opened also had many vehicle collisions in central Arizona. Forecasters said the blizzard might shift to New Mexico by Thursday.

The met department also predicted speedy winds up to 50 mil per hour  in parts of northern Los Angeles Few casualties were also reported due to snow storms and falling trees. There was also a boat lost in the strong winds with 4 people on board.

The storm also struck Sierra Nevada with winds speeding to 100 mph causing delayed flights in Reno, Nev.

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New Hawaii governor vows to end ‘Birther’ controversy

Neil Abercrombie, governor of Hawaii has pledged to resolve the “birther” controversy forever.

Birthers is a term used for those people who do not believe that Barack Obama was born in the US, despite of the facts supporting it. They have been asking the Hawaiian government to release Obama’s original birth certificate. However, the state of Hawaii does now allow it according to its laws.

Abercrombie, the new governor is however determined to find out the truth behind Obama’s birth place to finish the Birthers’ criticism. The governor said he wanted to do this to justify Hawaiian people’s love for President Obama and his family and also to honor the prestige of a president.

The governor, who has been a Democrat senator had joined office recently further stated that he has asked the Hawaii health department officials to find out if Obama’s birth certificate and other documents can be released legally. According to Abercrombie the controversy bothered him personally as he was friends with president’s parents and he was present at the time Obama was born.

Evidences prove that Barak Obama was born on Aug 4, 1961 at the Kapiolani Maternity and Gynecological Hospital in Hawaii. Local news papers also support this in two separate birth announcements published.

Abercrombie, also clarified that the matter was of no concern to the White House but he had raised the issue for the sake of Hawaiian people.

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Obama pleased over breaking gridlock with Republicans

Washington – President Barack Obama refused to sit on the laurels of the recent victory as the lame-duck session of Congress drew to an end Wednesday. He termed the victories in the recent weeks as the victory of the American people and not his own. He was happy that things were done in the Congress and that it is not doomed for countless gridlocks.

Obama was pleased that after the mid term elections, contrary to popular expectations, the Republicans and the Democrats joined hands on issues rather stalling political processes with gridlocks.

Republicans and Democrats have to work jointly now. After the 2008 elections the Democrats had a 15 seats advantage in the Senate. In the House of Representative they had a 78 seat advantage. But now, after the mid term elections, the Republicans have majority in the House and their numbers have gone up in the Senate to 47.

The Democrats will need the support of the Republicans on two major issues at least. The intention of reducing Federal spending and the issue of education reform that contains the controversial move of performance based teacher’s salary. The topic of rewarding school districts following the No Child Left Behind Law is expected to find more Republican support.

The President’s press conference this time was a much jovial one than the one he had addresses seven weeks ago.