German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said that she doubted European leaders taking part in a summit this week on the EU's 2014-2020 budget would reach an agreement on the nearly one trillion euro spending framework. A day after the talks saw a rocky start with serious disagreements among officials in Brussels, Merkel said on Friday that another summit on the budget of the 27-country bloc would most likely be required at a later date, probably early next year. Al Jazeera's Paul Brennan reports.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Italy's Long Road of Corruption
Over the last 15 years, the European Union has given one of Italy's most impoverished regions, Calabria, almost $2.5 billion to improve its road infrastructure. But critics say some of that funding made its way to the local mafia instead. As a result, all that is left to show for the money is an unfinished highway from Salerno to Reggio Calabria, that has taken more than 50 years to build. Al Jazeera's Claudio Lavanga reports from Reggio Calabria.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Weekly Address: Wishing the American People a Happy Thanksgiving
During this holiday season, President Obama gives thanks in his weekly address for all of the blessings we share as Americans, and expressed his gratitude to the brave men and women who are defending our freedom around the world.
President Obama Pardons White House Turkey
The President grants the traditional Thanksgiving pardon to Cobbler, this years Official White House Turkey in a ceremony on the North Portico of the White House.
Thanksgiving: Remembering the Troops
Remembering those who faithfully serve us with honor and valor, our United States Military.
The video was uploaded to YouTube by cpmsglife on Nov 20, 2009.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
President Obama's Bilateral Meeting with Premier Wen of China
President Obama and Premier Wen Jiabao of China speak to the press before a bilateral meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
U.S. Army Alaska Command Team Thanksgiving Message
Gratitude and Thanksgiving: Maj. Gen. Michael X. Garrett, U.S. Army Alaska Commanding General
For nearly 149 years, Americans from all walks of life have gathered together the fourth Thursday in November to give thanks for past and present blessings. I find it ironic that the Thanksgiving holiday was officially established amid our nation's bloodiest conflict, the Civil War. Just as President Lincoln and the Union Army did all those years ago, I encourage each of you to reflect on the significance of giving thanks during a time of sustained conflict. Please know that each of you -- Soldiers, Strong Families and Civilians -- are a blessing to the Arctic Warrior family and our nation. I am thankful and indebted to you for your service and sacrifice.
The video was published on YouTube on Nov 20, 2012 by USArmyAlaska.
President Obama Speaks at the University of Yangon
On the first visit to Burma by an American president, President Obama speaks about the process of democratic reform in the country.
First Lady Honors Honors National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award Recipients
Twelve exemplary after-school and out-of-school arts and humanities program are honored by FIrst Lady Michelle Obama as recipients of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards.
U.S. Military Deployments
Air date: November 21, 2012
Phyllis Bennis talked about the presence of U.S. troops around the world. She also responded to telephone calls and electronic communications. Topics included troops' roles and a comparison of U.S. military capabilities compare with other countries.
Top Newsy Headlines: Car Bomb Explodes in Tel Aviv
Sources:Al JazeeraThe Miami HeraldESPNWSLS
By Charesse James
Anchor: Logan Tittle
Video courtesy of Newsy.com
Two Former NewsCorp Editors Charged with Bribery
Sources:Press GazetteThe Sun (UK)ITVBBC
Al JazeeraSky NewsThe Guardian
By Zach Toombs
Anchor: Zach Toombs
Video courtesy of Newsy.com
NASA Playing Coy With Mars Rover Secret Discovery
Sources:NPRDiscovery NewsWired
Popular ScienceTwitter
By Steven Sparkman
Anchor: Zach Toombs
Video courtesy of Newsy.com
Bernanke Offers Fiscal Cliff Warning, Silver Lining
Sources:WJLAFox BusinessBloomberg
The Atlantic WireNBCCNBC
By Christina Hartman
Anchor: Christina Hartman
Video courtesy of Newsy.com
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Senator Warren Rudman Dead at 82
Statement by President Obama
With the passing of Warren Rudman, the United States has lost a decorated war veteran and one of our country’s great public servants. Over almost 20 years representing the people of New Hampshire – first as Attorney General and then in the Senate – Warren was the embodiment of Yankee sensibility and New England independence. As an early advocate for fiscal responsibility, he worked with Republicans and Democrats alike to call attention to our nation’s growing deficit. And as we work together to address the fiscal challenges of our time, leaders on both sides of the aisle would be well served to follow Warren’s example of common-sense bipartisanship. Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to the Rudman family.
Statement by Vice
President Joe Biden
Warren
Rudman’s passion for public service was clear to anyone who met him. He was a
tenacious prosecutor, a courageous combat infantry commander, and a devoted
Senator. He knew as much about the federal budget as anyone who ever served in
this town – and it was always a privilege to work with him, and learn from him.
I was proud to call him a close personal friend and confidant. He never let
politics stand in the way of doing what was right, and that’s why he had the
absolute respect of Republicans and Democrats alike. Today, our thoughts and
prayers are with all of Warren’s family and friends.
Information on the career and life of Warren Rudman is available in this Chicago
Tribune article.
Lowe's Providing Over 22,000 Thanksgiving Meals
Goodwill Gesture Aimed at Families Impacted by
Hurricane Sandy
Lowe’s will be distributing more than 22,000
traditional, family-style Thanksgiving meals from Boston Market to families in
the hardest hit communities of Hurricane Sandy.
These heat-and-serve dinners will be distributed
on a first come, first served basis on Wednesday, November 21 beginning at
11:00 a.m.
The dinners will be distributed at 35 Lowe’s stores located closest to the most impacted communities in New York and New Jersey. Thirteen of these stores are in New York. Each store location will have approximately 500 meals to distribute.
Each meal serves about six people and includes fresh roasted turkey or ham, mashed potatoes with gravy, sweet corn and rolls. Table Talk Pies of Worcester, Mass. donated more than 43,000 pies to be included in the meals. In total, these dinners will feed more than 136,000 people in the affected communities.
“This year, many families in New York will not be able to have their usual Thanksgiving dinners at home because of the devastating impact of Hurricane Sandy,” Governor Cuomo said.
“In response, Lowe’s is distributing these
traditional, ready-to-serve dinners to help families in the hardest hit areas
celebrate the holiday together. I thank Lowe’s for its continuing commitment to
help New Yorkers while we work to recover and rebuild our homes and
communities.”
“I recently had the opportunity to tour the area and see firsthand the tremendous loss suffered by so many families, including many of our own employees,” stated Robert A. Niblock, Lowe’s chairman, president and CEO.
“We’re doing everything we can to help these communities
get back on their feet, and food is still a critical need for so many people.
We hope these meals can bring a moment of comfort for families who are enduring
so many difficulties this holiday season.”
Lowe’s has committed to helping their customers, employees and neighbors recover from the disaster and has already donated $1 million to relief efforts in the communities impacted by Hurricane Sandy.
The following stores will be distributing meals on Wednesday:
Medford, NY
2796 Route 112
Medford, NY 11763
Phone: (631) 207-4541
Garden City, NY
700 Dibblee Drive
Garden City, NY 11530
Phone: (516) 794-6531
Bay Shore, NY
800 Sunrise Highway
Bay Shore, NY 11706
Phone: (631) 954-9001
Farmingdale, NY
90 Price Parkway
Farmingdale, NY 11735
Phone: (631) 927-3470
Stony Brook, NY
2150 Nesconset Highway
Stony Brook, NY 11790
Phone: (631) 406-2015
Hicksville, NY
920 South Broadway
Hicksville, NY 11801
Phone: (516) 733-7840
Rosedale, NY
253-01 Rockaway Boulevard
Rosedale, NY 11422
Phone: (516) 837-4057
Patchogue, NY
825 Montauk Highway
East Patchogue, NY 11772
Phone: (631) 687-6220
Riverhead - South, NY
1461 Old Country Road
Riverhead, NY 11901
Phone: (631) 208-2190
N.W. Staten Island, NY
2171 Forest Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10303
Phone: (718) 682-9027
S. Staten Island, NY
2790 Arthur Kill Road
Staten Island, NY 10309
Phone: (718) 477-7300
Brooklyn, NY
118 2nd Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11215
Phone: (718) 249-1151
Brooklyn - Kings Plaza, NY
5602 Avenue U
Brooklyn, NY 11234
Phone: (718) 758-2910
Image courtesy of http://www.christmas-graphics-plus.com.
'Wherever Fracking Goes, Devastation and Environmental Damage Follow'
EANY Program Director Urges Governor Cuomo to Protect New York State from Hydraulic Fracturing
THE G-MAN INTERVIEWS
In this installment of The G-Man Interviews, Katherine Nadeau, Water and Natural Resources Program Director for Environmental Advocates of New York (EANY), discusses the dangers of hydraulic fracturing and urges Governor Cuomo and other elected officials to consider denouncing "fracking" in the state.
According to the organization's website, "Since joining Environmental Advocates, Nadeau has led the campaign for the passage of the Hudson Valley Community Preservation Act, which was enacted in 2007, and was instrumental in garnering support for The Great Lakes Compact that was enacted in 2008."
In addition, Nadeau has spearheaded a campaign to safeguard New York's water quality and to protect the state’s waters from overuse.
In its May 2012 edition, City and State -- an online publication that showcases "politics, policy and personalities"-- selected Nadeau as one of the Rising Stars 40 Under 40.
From The G-Man apologizes for the slight echo effect heard during the interview. Skype was used, and methods are currently being sought to prevent the problem from occurring in future segments.
Correction: The EANY would like to note that it is not requesting a ban on fracking, but for Governor Andrew Cuomo to protect New York State from the practice.
Steam fracking photo, dated October 17, 2008, courtesy of http://www.heatingoil.com.
From The G-Man apologizes for the slight echo effect heard during the interview. Skype was used, and methods are currently being sought to prevent the problem from occurring in future segments.
Correction: The EANY would like to note that it is not requesting a ban on fracking, but for Governor Andrew Cuomo to protect New York State from the practice.
Steam fracking photo, dated October 17, 2008, courtesy of http://www.heatingoil.com.
Mark Ruffalo/Senator Joseph Addabbo, Jr. photo courtesy of the office of Senator Joseph Addabbo, Jr.
Blythe Danner photo source: Blythe Danner
Author: Rubenstein
Permission: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic
BP Oil Spill Settlement
Air date: November 15, 2012
Justice Department and other law enforcement officials held a press conference in New Orleans regarding new criminal charges and a settlement in the BP oil spill. Attorney General Holder outlined the 14 charges which included 11 counts of manslaughter and one obstruction of justice. He also said that BP agreed to a $4.5 billion settlement which would be disbursed to federal agencies for restoration, preservation and conservation. Other investigations into civil and criminal charges remained open.
Free Subway Shuttle Along Rockaway Peninsula
"H" Shuttle Replaces Portion of Storm-Battered A-Line
The Rockaway Peninsula is now able
to use a free rail shuttle service. The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA)
will operate the service using subway cars that were trucked to the Rockaways
after tracks connecting them to the rest of Queens were damaged by Hurricane
Sandy.
The newly-named H train will operate every 15 minutes between the Far Rockaway-Mott Avenue station and the Beach 90-Holland station, making all intermediate stops using a connection known as the Hammels Wye that is not normally used for service. Stations west of Beach 90-Holland suffered extensive damage to signal systems and cannot yet accommodate passenger service.
The H train will run between 4 a.m. and 1 a.m. daily, leaving time for overnight maintenance and inspection of the line. Rockaways customers who take the H to the Far Rockaway-Mott Avenue station can use the free shuttle bus from there to the Howard Beach station on the A train, connecting them to the rest of the MTA New York City Transit subway system.
“The A train tracks from Howard Beach to the Rockaways were almost completely destroyed by the storm, and replacing them is a tremendous undertaking,” Governor Cuomo said.
“While that work continues,
this new shuttle service will help improve travel for people in the Rockaways
who are still recovering from Sandy’s effects.”
MTA New York City Transit created the new H shuttle service by loading 20 R-32 subway cars onto flatbed trucks in Ozone Park, Queens, driving them over the MTA Bridges and Tunnels Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge, and placing them back on the rails at the Rockaway Park-Beach 116 station.
Each car is 60 feet long and weighs 80,000 pounds. The transfer operation took place over four nights. Photographs of the transfer operation are available at http://flic.kr/s/aHsjCRHC7X and raw video suitable for broadcast is available at http://youtu.be/MwminkbnAn0.
“MTA New York City Transit has responded with unprecedented creativity to restore subway service to Rockaway customers,” said MTA Chairman and CEO Joseph J. Lhota.
“This partial restoration of
service is an important step for the Rockaways, but our work won’t be done
until the A train is fully restored.”
Anti-Israel Protests Sweep Across Gaza
Sources:The TelegraphThe New York Times
euronewsAl Jazeera
By Zach Toombs
Anchor: Zach Toombs
Video courtesy of Newsy.com
South Asian Nations Split on How to Deal with China
Sources:Al JazeeraGoogleCNN
Financial TimesVoice of America
By Zach Toombs
Anchor: Zach Toombs
Video courtesy of Newsy.com
‘The Hobbit’ Producers Under Fire For Deaths of 27 Animals
Sources:GawkerEntertainment WeeklyKTTVKTRK
By Madison Mack
Anchor: Zach Toombs
Video courtesy of Newsy.com
Death Row Inmate Killed O.J. Simpson's Wife: Documentary
Sources:WCPOKTVKCincinnati Enquirer
By Nathan Giannini
Anchor: Christina Hartman
Video courtesy of Newsy.com
Today in History: November 20th
Highlights of this day in history: Nazi war crimes trial begins at Nuremberg; Robert F. Kennedy born; Britain's future Queen Elizabeth II marries; Spain's dictator Francisco Franco dies; Mexican Revolution begins; 'Cabaret' hits Broadway.
Al Jazeera Speaks to Ibrahim Sharqieh of Brookings
Al Jazeera speaks to Ibrahim Sharqieh - a fellow in Foreign Policy at Brookings and deputy director of the Brookings Doha Center.
DR Congo Rebels Seize Military Airport
Rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo have seized a military airport in Goma, the main city in the country's mineral-rich east, after several days of fighting with government forces backed by a UN peacekeeping force, a United Nations official has told reporters. "The airport is under the control of the M23 (Rebels)," the official said on condition of anonymity on Tuesday. The advancement came after rebels fired mortars on the outskirts of Goma, the provincial capital, threatening to capture one the largest cities in the country's eastern region. Al Jazeera's Nazanine Moshiri reports.
Monday, November 19, 2012
David Walker on the Fiscal Cliff
Air date: November 19, 2012
David Walker discussed his ideas for averting the “fiscal cliff,” and his view that even if this fiscal emergency is solved it does little to diffuse the underlying problem plaguing the U.S. economy: the growing national debt. He responded to telephone calls and electronic communications.
“Fiscal cliff” refers to the impending tax increases and budget cuts at the end of 2012 if congress failed to reach a budget agreement.
“Fiscal cliff” refers to the impending tax increases and budget cuts at the end of 2012 if congress failed to reach a budget agreement.
MF Global Bankruptcy Report
Air date: November 15, 2012
House Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations members spoke to reporters about their report on the investigation into to the collapse of MF Global which found that then chief executive officer Jon Corzine played a significant role in the company’s demise. Other findings included poor company internal controls, record-keeping and accounting procedures. The report also cited regulatory community negligence in spotting signs of trouble and communicating with each other.
President-Elect Peña Nieto to Visit White House
Will Meet with President Obama to Discuss Bilateral, Regional and Global Issues
The following statement was issued today by White House Press Secretary Jay Carney.
President Obama will host President-elect Enrique Peña Nieto of Mexico at the White House on Tuesday, November 27. The President looks forward to meeting President-elect Peña Nieto and hearing about his vision for leading Mexico over the next six years. They plan to discuss a broad range of bilateral, regional and global issues during their Oval Office meeting. The President welcomes the opportunity to underscore the shared values and strong bonds of friendship between the United States and Mexico. The United States remains committed to work in partnership with Mexico to increase economic competitiveness in both countries, promote regional development, advance bilateral efforts to develop a secure and efficient 21st Century Border, and address our common security challenges.
Photo source: Flickr
Author: World Economic Forum
Permission: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic
26 Killed in Gaza’s Deadliest Day of Israeli Operation
Sources:BBCAl JazeeraFox NewsSky NewsCBS
YouTubeThe New York Times
By Zach Toombs
Anchor: Zach Toombs
Video courtesy of Newsy.com
Walmart Employees to Protest Early Black Friday Hours
Sources:Wikimedia CommonsWESHPatch- Algonquin
WTSPSan Francisco ChronicleCNN
By Nichole Cartmell
Anchor: Logan Tittle
Video courtesy of Newsy.com
No Love for Mitt: GOP Kicks Romney to the Curb
Sources:ABCLos Angeles TimesThe Washington Post
PoliticoFox NewsNBCCNNC-SpanWFAA
By Zach Toombs
Anchor: Zach Toombs
Video courtesy of Newsy.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)