ROME (Reuters) - The Italian president's office said on Saturday it was opening its press room at 8.00 a.m. ET but gave no details of any statement that may come, following reports that the head of state is considering standing down to hasten early elections.
A source close to the situation told Reuters on Saturday that President Giorgio Napolitano was looking at the option of resigning early to get around get around constitutional provisions which prevent a president dissolving parliament in the final months of his mandate.
Similar reports were carried in all of Italy's main newspapers following failed attempts to form a government this week and break a month-long stalemate created by last month's inconclusive elections.
(Reporting By James Mackenzie; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)
Local NGO Voice of Women (VoW) held a protest outside the Maldivian Civil Service Commission (CSC) on Friday (March 28) to oppose the return CSC President Mohamed Fahmy, after the Supreme Court dismissed parliamentary findings in a sexual?harassment?matter and permitted him to return to work.
Fahmy returned to work on March 17 following a Supreme Court ruling three days earlier, stating that Fahmy?s removal from his position by parliament was unconstitutional. According to the judgment, Fahmy was to be reinstated and compensated for lost wages since December 2012.
The 6-1 majority opinion of the Supreme Court bench held that Parliament?s Independent Institutions Committee violated due process and criminal justice procedures in its sexual harassment inquiry, and that Fahmy would receive two punishments for the same crime if he was convicted at court following his dismissal by parliament ? double jeopardy).
The group of a dozen vocal protesters marched in the rain from parliament to the CSC, where they waited with placards for Fahmy to emerge. Some of these messages read: ?sos save the csc from Fahmy,? ?zero tolerance for sexual harassment,? ?supreme court wake up,? ?no more excuses, no more abuses,? ?my body my rights,? ?the workplace should be safe and free from oppression.?
VoW President Haifa Naeem explained to Minivan News that sexual harassment in the workplace is an endemic issue and that ?victims are being re-victimised by the state?. VoW is urging parliament to?fast track the sexual harassment bill.
?Once Fahmy?s integrity was lost, he should not be at the CSC. We are standing here with enough evidence that he has been sexually harassing people,? stated Naeem.
?Most women are afraid to come out because they are not protect by law or the state, but we are behind them,? she said.
VoW founding member Dr Abdul Malik echoed these sentiments.
?Systems are not in place to give necessary protection if women come out and voice these kinds of incidents,? Malik stated.
?We will back the victims to the extent civil society can, but its the responsibility of the state, judiciary and law makers who can do something, do more,? he added.
It is important to recognize what?s happening ?all around? the government and throughout the nation, VoW Treasurer Aminath Saeed told Minivan News.
Re-victimisation
The CSC employee who filed the complaint against Fahmy, Shahuma ?Shahu? Haleem, spoke with Minivan News about her experience.
?He?s been doing this for quite some time now. This was the first thing I heard when I came to office, but I never thought he was ever going to touch me.
She explained that whenever she hears her friends talking about being sexually harassed she urges them to ?speak up?.
?They are afraid of being fired, because he?s the ultimate boss [of the civil service]. Anyone cannot come out here today and do this. I can be fired and still survive, but not many people have that option,? Haleem stated.
Haleem explained that she filed complaints with parliament, the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM), and the Ministry of Gender, Family and Human Rights. She claims the Gender Ministry did not even call her back.
The HRCM claimed that they had not received enough evidence to prove whether or not Fahmy had harassed the employee. In late November 2012, parliament dismissed Fahmy in a 38-32 vote after the Independent Institutions Committee investigated the complaint.
?Women are getting the wrong message, that some people are in fact untouchable,? stated Haleem.
?It?s been proven over again that he has lied and has in fact done it, but then the [Supreme] court rules in favor of him,? she added.
Government employee reactions
An long-term government employee in the crowd who asked not to be identified said workplace sexual?harassment?was a systemic problem throughout every government institution.
?That kind of harassment is totally accepted throughout our society. It has been tolerated for a long time and has become part of the Maldivian culture. People think that it is bound to happen when men and women are together,? she said.
?It?s because of the way women are perceived in society. We are see more as sexual objects, our productive role is less prominent, but our reproductive role is more [valued].
?Today?s protest is an important milestone because it has sparked debate. Even if you only see a few people here it speaks a lot for a country that has been suppressed for a long time. It is very brave for Shahu to bring this issue out into the open,? she added.
Other employees, both from the CSC and various government ministries, also spoke to Minivan News as they passed through the protest while leaving work.
Many said they do not know much about the issue, Fahmy or the allegations against him.
Others claimed sexual harassment ?is a pretty big issue, but no one talks about it?.
A Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture employee said he was aware of rumors that a lot of women faced sexual harassment and said he supported their cause.
?I also want women?s rights, but by protesting like this nothing will happen,? one woman declared.
A CSC employee told Minivan News that sexual harassment is a ?problem? but said that ?women are weak?.
?People don?t believe it is happening. They need to be more aware. Even in Shahu?s case most people didn?t find it a big deal,? another woman stated.
?People have to go to extreme lengths to show it?s actually sexual harassment,? she added.
Utterakhand, situated in lap of Himalayan mountain ranges, is a place blessed with superb natural beauty and exotic wildlife. There are plenty of wildlife parks & sanctuaries, making it a favorite haunt of nature-lovers and wildlife enthusiasts. If you happen to visit the state for wildlife excursion, the following places are worth taking a leap into.
Askot Sanctuary: nestled at an elevation of about 5400 ft in the Pithodagarh district, this sanctuary is a treasure trove of exotic flora & fauna. The scenery that abounds the region is captivating in every sense. Moreover, it is home to many wild animals including leopard, deer, bear and a variety of birds. This place is visited by many wildlife photographers and researchers year-round.
Best time to Visit: April to Sept Nearest railhead: Tanakpur (204km) Road: Pithorgarh (55kms)
Kedarnath Sanctuary: this place is like a dream comes true for nature-lovers. Surrounded by snow-capped peaks, fascinating glaciers, shimmering rivers & streams, this animal park is one of most beautiful corners of the state. Along with the captivating natural bounties, tourists can feasts their eyes on splendid wildlife scenes. One can spot many species of wild animals including snow leopards, snow cock, tahr and serow behaving in their home ground. In proximity to this sanctuary is the Kedarnath temple: one of the major sites of Chardham Yatra.
Best Season: April to September Nearest railhead: Rishikesh (235kms) Roads: 136kms from Chamoli and 47kms from Gtkashi
Valley of Flowers: rated among the natural wonders of India, this marvelous vale is a heaven for botanists and nature-lovers. Additionally, the awesome trekking trails make it favorite of mountaineers and researchers. This place is widely famous for its largest collection of wild flowers blooming in vibrant colors. The River Pashupati passes through the valley, adding more to its natural grace. For wildlife lovers, the region has a lot to brew in their platters; it houses splendid variety of fauna including tahr, snow leopards, black bears and musk deers.
Best time to Come: April to October Nearest railhead: Rishikesh 302kms Road: 25kms from Badrinath
Corbett National Park: the Indias first and finest wildlife sanctuary is the Corbett National Park in Nainital district of Utterakhand. Nestling along the beautiful River Ramganga, the Park is packed of natural fascinations. It was named after the great haunter, naturalist and author Sir Jim Corbett who spent an exciting life in this forestry. Inside the park is the residence of Sir Jim Corbett, which is now a fine museum with great collection of relics and souvenirs. With over 600 species of birds, this place is a real delight for bird-lovers. In term of wild animals, this place is home to a mix variety of the animals of Himalaya and the ones found in peninsular India. Over 50 mammals and 25 reptile species can be explored at Corbett. The River Ramganga boasts great opportunity for water sports like angling and boating.
Best season: mid-Nov to mid-June Nearest railhead: Ramnagar and Kathgodam Nearest airport: Pantnagar (130kms) Roads: hire a jeep from Ramanagar Park.
About the Author: whether you plan a wildlife tour in Utterakhand or looking for a spiritual sojourn like chardham yatra, hungry Bags can plan your trip to the finest level. A variety of tour packages including chardham yatra packages are offered by the company.
Mar. 28, 2013 ? A new research paper by a team of researchers from the University of Notre Dame's Environmental Change Initiative (ECI) demonstrates how two cutting-edge technologies can provide a sensitive and real-time solution to screening real-world water samples for invasive species before they get into our country or before they cause significant damage.
"Aquatic invasive species cause ecological and economic damage worldwide, including the loss of native biodiversity and damage to the world's great fisheries," Scott Egan, a research assistant professor with Notre Dame's Advanced Diagnostics and Therapeutics Initiative and a member of the research team, said. "This research combines two new, but proven technologies, environmental DNA (eDNA) and Light Transmission Spectroscopy (LTS), to address the growing problem of aquatic invasive species by increasing our ability to detect dangerous species in samples before they arrive or when they are still rare in their environment and have not yet caused significant damage."
Egan points out that eDNA is a species surveillance tool that recognizes a unique advantage of aquatic sampling: water often contains microscopic bits of tissue in suspension, including the scales of fish, the exoskeletons of insects, and the sloughed cells of and tissues of aquatic species. These tissue fragments can be filtered from water samples and then a standard DNA extraction is performed on the filtered matter. The new sampling method for invasive species was pioneered by members of the ND Environmental Change Initiative, including David Lodge and Chris Jerde, Central Michigan University's Andrew Mahon, and The Nature Conservancy's Lindsay Chadderton.
Egan explains that LTS, which was developed by Notre Dame physicists Steven Ruggiero and Carol Tanner, can measure the size of small particles on a nanometer scale (1 nanometer equals 1 billionth of a meter). LTS was used in the research for DNA-based species detection where the LTS device detects small shifts in the size of nanoparticles with short single-stranded DNA fragments on their surface that will only bind to the DNA of a specific species.
"Thus, these nanoparticles grow in size in the presence of a target species, such as a dangerous invasive species, but don't in the presence of other species" Egan said. "In addition to the sensitivity of LTS, it is also advantageous because the device fits in a small suitcase and can operate off a car battery in the field, such as a point of entry at the border of the U.S."
The Notre Dame researchers demonstrated the work with manipulative experiments in the lab for five high-risk invasive species and also in the field, using lakes already infested with an invasive mussel, Dreissena polymorpha or the zebra mussel.
"Our work implies that eDNA sampling and LTS could enable rapid species detection in the field in the context of research, voluntary or regulatory surveillance and management actions to lower the risk of the introduction or spread of harmful species," Egan said. "In the Great Lakes alone, 180 nonindigenous species have been established since European settlement, with about 70 percent arriving through the ballast tanks of transoceanic ships. Ballast water monitoring is one of many potential applications for LTS with ramifications for environmental protection, public health and economic health."
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Notre Dame. The original article was written by William G. Gilroy.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
Scott P. Egan, Matthew A. Barnes, Ching-Ting Hwang, Andrew R. Mahon, Jeffery L. Feder, Steven T. Ruggiero, Carol E. Tanner, David M. Lodge. Rapid invasive species detection by combining environmental DNA with Light Transmission Spectroscopy. Conservation Letters, 2013; DOI: 10.1111/conl.12017
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
It's long been rumored that Apple would be launching their own radio streaming service similar to the likes of Pandora and Spotify sometime in 2013. Now according to the Verge, Apple may be gearing for a summer launch for their iRadio service.
Streaming radio services have long been struggling to make a profit and manage revenue streams. According to the sources inside the industry, Apple is in talks with Warner and Universal on streaming agreements:
Much has been written about Apple's plan to launch a Pandora-esque service this year. Now multiple music industry insiders have told The Verge that significant progress has been made in the talks with two of the top labels: Universal and Warner. One of the sources said "iRadio is coming. There's no doubt about it anymore." Apple is pushing hard for a summertime launch.
When and if iRadio happens, it'll be interesting to see how Apple implements it and how pricing would work. It probably isn't likely that record labels would negotiate free deals unless they're advertisement based, which Apple may not be a fan of. How much would you pay to have native streaming on your iOS devices and Apple TV? And how much content would Apple have to have to make you switch from your current streaming service?
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The S&P 500 set a record closing high on Thursday, finishing a fifth consecutive month of gains to extend a four-year rally.
The S&P had hovered near its record for more than two weeks, and market action next week will help determine if this is just another stepping stone for the rally, or if a long-expected pullback is in the offing.
The benchmark S&P 500 closed its strongest quarter in a year - up 10 percent. The Dow climbed 11.3 percent and the Nasdaq gained 8.2 percent for the first three months of the year.
The new closing high "is a very appropriate punctuation for a great quarter that saw a lot of last year's anxieties recede," said Bruce McCain, chief investment strategist at Key Private Bank in Cleveland.
"However, this could be the start to a more realistic look at the problems that still haven't gone away. Some degree of caution is probably still merited, with the problems in Cyprus probably only the beginning to what we could see in coming months."
The rally hit a wall in the last two weeks as the latest chapter in the euro-zone crisis developed, with Cyprus nearing a default and a possible exit from the euro bloc.
The S&P 500 had been in a fairly tight range, having traded within 10 points of the October 9, 2007, record closing high of 1,565.15 over the previous 13 sessions.
On Thursday, the S&P 500 <.spx> gained 6.34 points, or 0.41 percent, to end at a new record of 1,569.19.
The Dow industrials, which surpassed its 2007 record on March 5 and has set a series of record highs since then, ended Thursday's session at yet another nominal closing high - at 14,578.54. For the day, the Dow rose 52.38 points, or 0.36 percent.
The Nasdaq Composite <.ixic> added 11 points, or 0.34 percent, to close at 3,267.52.
The gains in the three first months of the year have a very bullish history. An analysis by Ryan Detrick, senior technical strategist at Schaeffer's Investment Research in Cincinnati, showed the S&P 500 has risen in the three first months of the year nine times in the past 30 years, and in each case, it has posted gains for the year.
The average yearly gain after such a start, the data showed, was 17.56 percent. An advance like that would leave the S&P 500 at about 1,676 at the end of this year.
"The key is the follow-through," said Quincy Krosby, market strategist at Prudential Financial in Newark, New Jersey.
"It will be very important how the market handles next week's data."
Key manufacturing numbers are expected on Monday and factory orders Tuesday, building up to Friday's widely followed payrolls report.
During March, the Dow gained 3.7 percent, the S&P 500 rose 3.6 percent and the Nasdaq added 3.4 percent.
Thursday marked the end of the trading week. U.S. stock markets will be closed on Friday because of the Good Friday holiday.
Netflix was the S&P 500's best-performing stock during the first quarter, up 104.4 percent at $189.28, followed by Best Buy , up 86.9 percent at $22.15.
On the downside, Cliffs Natural Resources tumbled 50.7 percent in the first quarter to $19.01 and J.C. Penney lost 23.3 percent to $15.11.
Data showed the number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week, but probably not enough to suggest a faltering in the labour market's recovery. Other data showed the economy expanded more in the fourth quarter than was previously estimated by the government.
Volume was lighter than average with some market participants absent for the observance of Passover or to get an early start on the long Easter weekend.
About 5.8 billion shares changed hands on the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq and NYSE MKT, below the daily average so far this year of about 6.4 billion shares.
On the NYSE, advancers outnumbered decliners by a ratio of roughly 8 to 5. On the Nasdaq, 14 stocks rose for every 11 that fell.
(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos, Chuck Mikolajczak and Ryan Vlastelica; Editing by Jan Paschal)
The Bend Parks & Rec. passed their bond and we know we?ve got an ice rink on the way. We are trail town USA and perhaps the most dog-friendly town in the world. We?ve got a ski resort, rivers, lakes, golf courses? what else do we need?
Seriously though, what would you like to see come to Bend or Central Oregon?
Something new? More of something we already have? A better version of something we already have?
As a tennis coach, I can tell you that Bend needs more tennis courts. As a basketball coach I can also tell you that Central Oregon could use more basketball courts.
I also know that many want a new skate park, we are on our way to having more pickleball courts? but what say you?
Author Description
Josh Cordell
I'm a sportswriter, coach, photographer, video producer and all-around sports nut. To find out more about me go to http://joshcordell.com/
Contact: Leila Gray leilag@uw.edu 206-685-0381 University of Washington
Bacteria speed up their evolution by positioning specific genes along the route of expected traffic jams in DNA encoding
Bacteria appear to speed up their evolution by positioning specific genes along the route of expected traffic jams in DNA encoding. Certain genes are in prime collision paths for the moving molecular machineries that read the DNA code, as University of Washington scientists explain in this week's edition of Nature.
The spatial-organization tactics their model organism, Bacillus subtilis, takes to evolve and adapt might be imitated in other related Gram-positive bacteria, including harmful, ever-changing germs like staph, strep, and listeria, to strengthen their virulence or cause persistent infections. The researchers think that these mechanisms for accelerating evolution may be found in other living creatures as well.
Replication the duplicating of the genetic code to create a new set of genes and transcription the copying of DNA code to produce a protein are not separated by time or space in bacteria. Therefore, clashes between these machineries are inevitable. Replication traveling rapidly along a DNA strand can be stalled by a head-on encounter or same-direction brush with slower-moving transcription.
The senior authors of the study, Houra Merrikh, UW assistant professor of microbiology, and Evgeni Sokurenko, UW professor of microbiology, and their research teams are collaborating to understand the evolutionary consequences of these conflicts. The major focus of Merrikh and her research team is on understanding mechanistic and physiological aspects of conflicts in living cells including why and how these collisions lead to mutations.
Impediments to replication, they noted, can cause instability within the genome, such as chromosome deletions or rearrangements, or incomplete separation of genetic material during cell division. When dangerous collisions take place, bacteria sometimes employ methods to repair, and then restart, the paused DNA replication, Merrikh discovered in her earlier work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
To avoid unwanted encounters, bacteria orient most of their genes along what is called the leading strand of DNA, rather than the lagging. The terms refer to the direction the encoding activities travel on different forks of the unwinding DNA. Head-on collisions between replication and transcription happen on the lagging strand.
Despite the heightened risk of gene-altering clashes, the study bacteria B. subtilis still orients 25 percent of all its genes, and 6 percent of its essential genes, on the lagging strand.
The scientist observed that genes under the greatest natural selection pressure for amino-acid mutations, a sign of their adaptive significance, were on the lagging strand. Amino acids are the building blocks for proteins. Based on their analysis of mutations on the leading and the lagging strands, the researchers found that the rate of accumulation of mutations was faster in the genes oriented to be subject to head-on replication-transcription conflicts, in contrast to co-directional conflicts.
According to the researchers, together the mutational analyses of the genomes and the experimental findings indicate that head-on conflicts were more likely than same-direction conflicts to cause mutations. They also found that longer genes provided more opportunities for replication-transcription conflicts to occur. Lengthy genes were more prone to mutate.
The researchers noted that head-on replication-transcription encounters, and the subsequent mutations, could significantly increase structural variations in the proteins coded by the affected genes. Some of these chance variations might give the bacteria new options for adapting to changes or stresses in their environment. Like savvy investors, the bacteria appear to protect most of their genetic assets, but offer a few up to the high-roll stakes of mutation.
The researchers pointed out, "A simple switch in gene orientation could facilitate evolution in specific genes in a targeted way. Investigating the main targets of conflict-mediated formation of mutations is likely to show far-reaching insights into adaptation and evolution of organisms."
###
The research project was supported with start-up funds from the UW Department of Microbiology and with grants from the National Institutes of Health (RC4Ai092828 and RO1 GM084318.)
Scientists on this project, in addition to Merrikh and Sokurenko, were Sandip Paul, Samuel Million-Weaver, and Sujay Chattopadhyay, all of the UW Department of Microbiology.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Contact: Leila Gray leilag@uw.edu 206-685-0381 University of Washington
Bacteria speed up their evolution by positioning specific genes along the route of expected traffic jams in DNA encoding
Bacteria appear to speed up their evolution by positioning specific genes along the route of expected traffic jams in DNA encoding. Certain genes are in prime collision paths for the moving molecular machineries that read the DNA code, as University of Washington scientists explain in this week's edition of Nature.
The spatial-organization tactics their model organism, Bacillus subtilis, takes to evolve and adapt might be imitated in other related Gram-positive bacteria, including harmful, ever-changing germs like staph, strep, and listeria, to strengthen their virulence or cause persistent infections. The researchers think that these mechanisms for accelerating evolution may be found in other living creatures as well.
Replication the duplicating of the genetic code to create a new set of genes and transcription the copying of DNA code to produce a protein are not separated by time or space in bacteria. Therefore, clashes between these machineries are inevitable. Replication traveling rapidly along a DNA strand can be stalled by a head-on encounter or same-direction brush with slower-moving transcription.
The senior authors of the study, Houra Merrikh, UW assistant professor of microbiology, and Evgeni Sokurenko, UW professor of microbiology, and their research teams are collaborating to understand the evolutionary consequences of these conflicts. The major focus of Merrikh and her research team is on understanding mechanistic and physiological aspects of conflicts in living cells including why and how these collisions lead to mutations.
Impediments to replication, they noted, can cause instability within the genome, such as chromosome deletions or rearrangements, or incomplete separation of genetic material during cell division. When dangerous collisions take place, bacteria sometimes employ methods to repair, and then restart, the paused DNA replication, Merrikh discovered in her earlier work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
To avoid unwanted encounters, bacteria orient most of their genes along what is called the leading strand of DNA, rather than the lagging. The terms refer to the direction the encoding activities travel on different forks of the unwinding DNA. Head-on collisions between replication and transcription happen on the lagging strand.
Despite the heightened risk of gene-altering clashes, the study bacteria B. subtilis still orients 25 percent of all its genes, and 6 percent of its essential genes, on the lagging strand.
The scientist observed that genes under the greatest natural selection pressure for amino-acid mutations, a sign of their adaptive significance, were on the lagging strand. Amino acids are the building blocks for proteins. Based on their analysis of mutations on the leading and the lagging strands, the researchers found that the rate of accumulation of mutations was faster in the genes oriented to be subject to head-on replication-transcription conflicts, in contrast to co-directional conflicts.
According to the researchers, together the mutational analyses of the genomes and the experimental findings indicate that head-on conflicts were more likely than same-direction conflicts to cause mutations. They also found that longer genes provided more opportunities for replication-transcription conflicts to occur. Lengthy genes were more prone to mutate.
The researchers noted that head-on replication-transcription encounters, and the subsequent mutations, could significantly increase structural variations in the proteins coded by the affected genes. Some of these chance variations might give the bacteria new options for adapting to changes or stresses in their environment. Like savvy investors, the bacteria appear to protect most of their genetic assets, but offer a few up to the high-roll stakes of mutation.
The researchers pointed out, "A simple switch in gene orientation could facilitate evolution in specific genes in a targeted way. Investigating the main targets of conflict-mediated formation of mutations is likely to show far-reaching insights into adaptation and evolution of organisms."
###
The research project was supported with start-up funds from the UW Department of Microbiology and with grants from the National Institutes of Health (RC4Ai092828 and RO1 GM084318.)
Scientists on this project, in addition to Merrikh and Sokurenko, were Sandip Paul, Samuel Million-Weaver, and Sujay Chattopadhyay, all of the UW Department of Microbiology.
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?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
THE indoor sports stadium of the Highfields Fitness and Recreation Centre will be temporarily closed to members and the general public for a two-week period starting April 2.
With the various user groups enjoying the school holiday break, new line marking will be undertaken on the flooring to meet approved standards for the many soccer, netball, basketball, tennis, volleyball and badminton groups that use the centre.
This work is due to commence Tuesday, April 2 and will be finalised by Friday, April 12.
Undertaking this line marking work will now enable the centre to cater for regional, state and national titles as well as enhance the facility for the Highfields sporting community.
Centre management would like to thank members and the general public for their understanding while this work is occurring.
For any questions, please call the Highfields Fitness and Recreation Centre on 4699 6530.
BOSTON, March 27 (Reuters) - Boston Mayor Tom Menino, a Democrat who has run the city for almost two decades, will not seek a sixth term, the Boston Globe reported on its website Wednesday night. Menino will announce his decision at a Thursday afternoon news conference, the newspaper said. Staff at the mayor's office could not be reached for immediate comment. The 70-year-old mayor was hospitalized for a month last year for a virus and back pain that cut short an Italian vacation. A decision not to seek re-election would set the stage for Boston's most competitive mayoral race since 1993, when Menino first won the office. So far, only one candidate, city councilor John Connolly, has declared an intention to run, though observers said aspirants may have held off jumping into the race, waiting to see if Menino would seek re-election. (Reporting by Scott Malone; Editing by Philip Barbara)
"Modern Family" star Ariel Winter is once again ready to battle evil as the live-action version of "Dora the Explorer" in the latest installment of a three-part online series from CollegeHumor.
In part two of "Dora the Explorer and the Destiny Medallion," Winter, once again sporting Dora's trademark backpack and bob haircut, attempts to find a magical medallion before her arch enemy, Swiper (now a masked man, rather than a cartoon fox) can.
The idea for the web series, which was written by Patrick Cassels and Benjamin Joseph, came after CollegeHumor released a mock movie trailer of what a live-action "Dora" adventure movie might look like. The fake trailer became such a viral sensation, garnering over 13 million hits on the website's YouTube channel, that CollegeHumor decided to expand the sketch and turn it into a web series.
Part one of the series, which was released earlier this month, features Dora, along with her friend Diego and monkey pal Boots, kicking some bad-guy butt in a bar. In the second part, Dora and company head to an ancient temple to solve a centuries-old riddle and battle Swiper and his gang.
While the live-action shorts pull heavily from the original cartoon -- with Dora talking directly to the camera and asking her audience for help with solving puzzles, right down to the over-exaggerated blinking -- the new clips are certainly not designed for a young audience, as they feature some foul language and, in part two, some comical (but graphic) violence.
The third and final part in the web series will be released by CollegeHumor on April 2.
A British expat was recently recounting an adventurous and tiring three day escapade driving from the UK via France to Barcelona from?where he took the ferry to Palma, Majorca. And all for the sake of his two pooches ?Great Danes as it happened- that he simply?couldn?t?face traumatising with a stint in the hold of a plane.
It?s still possible to teach an old dog new tricks with pet jet travel
He?s not alone. An increasing number of expats are regularly travelling to and from the UK with their canines while scores of British holidaymakers are taking their dogs on holiday, a fact born out in a survey by MedicAnimal.com, an online retailer of animal products. It showed that nearly one in two of the 1000 pet owners polled, intended to take their pets away with them this summer whether in the UK or abroad.
Meanwhile, Clive Jackson, founder of Fly Victor, has attracted countless customers with his ?Furs Class? private jet service which allows dogs to travel with their owners on the plane. The jets used are all DEFRA approved and as long as pets are micro-chipped and have a current pet passport, their air passage promises to be smooth and problem free. Some commercial flights charge as much as ?750.00 to take an animal in the hold from London to Majorca while for the same cost -admittedly it?s the starting price- a pampered pet can travel in luxury on a Fly Victor jet without stress or discomfort and with a speedy 15 minute check-in time. Other operators such as Pet Air UK offer an advisory service for those wishing to take their pets overseas and are registered DEFRA pet transporters.
Since the pet passport scheme was introduced it has become relatively easy to take dogs and cats to European destinations although they must be micro-chipped and have passports that are up to date with vaccinations against rabies.
As part of its drive to make travelling with dogs hassle free, MedicAnimal has created a free online ?Guide to Good Petiquette for the travelling Dog? which apparently offers dos and don?ts for holidaying hounds when staying in hotels, B&Bs, and rental properties. It has created five instructive categories which include Sit, Fetch, Heel, Eat and Down.
I?d like to suggest to sightseeing dogs?my own criteria for those five golden rules starting with Sit: never sit on a stranger?s lap regardless of whether he?s wafting a wurst or chorizo sausage under the nose, Fetch: don?t fetch your owner?s towel. If he or she has forgotten it, pretend to doze by the pool. It?s not your problem. Heel: Try to refrain from nipping the heels of foreign women on the street. Eat: Avoid garlicky sausage but otherwise gorge yourself silly on the scraps left from the hotel breakfast buffet without making a dogs dinner of it. Down: Lie down as much as possible especially in the heat, following the Spanish siesta concept at all times.
And finally for hot dogs who aspire to being ultra cool, there?s an SPF 15 ?Doggy Sunmist? sunscreen and advice on how and what to pack in the doggy bag for the voyage. Come the holiday season with a doting and indulgent owner to hand it?s likely that every lucky dog will have its day.
Find out more about Anna Nicholas?here?or follow her on Twitter?@MajorcanPearls
Mar. 27, 2013 ? A new study finds that mothers tell better, more emotional stories about past experiences which help children develop their emotional skills.
The act of talking is not an area where ability is usually considered along gender lines. However, a new study published in Springer's journal Sex Roles has found subtle differences between the sexes in their story-relating ability and specifically the act of reminiscing. The research by Widaad Zaman from the University of Central Florida and her colleague Robyn Fivush from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, discusses how these gender differences in parents can affect children's emotional development.
Previous research in this area has concluded that the act of parents reminiscing with their children enables children to interpret experiences and weave together the past, present and future. There is also evidence that parents elaborate less when talking to sons than daughters.
The primary objective of Zaman's study was to compare the reminiscing styles of mothers and fathers with their pre-school daughters and sons. This included how they elaborated on the story and the extent to which their children engaged with the story while it was being told.
The researchers studied 42 families where the participating children were between four and five years old. Parents were asked to reminisce about four past emotional experiences of the child (happy, sad, a conflict with a peer and a conflict with a parent) and two past play interactions they experienced together. The parents took turns talking to the child on separate visits.
The researchers found that mothers elaborated more when reminiscing with their children than fathers. Contrary to previous research, however, Zaman's study found no differences in the extent to which either parent elaborated on a story depending on the sex of the child. Mothers tended to include more emotional terms in the story than fathers, which they then discussed and explained to the child. This increased maternal engagement has the effect of communicating to the child the importance of their own version, perspective and feelings about the experience.
The authors contend that through their increased interaction with the child, mothers are helping their children work through and talk about their experiences more than fathers, regardless of the type of experience. This may reflect the mother's efforts to try and help her child deal with difficult emotions, especially about negative experiences, all of which is related to better emotional well-being.
The authors conclude that "these results are intriguing, and a necessary first step to better understanding how parents socialize gender roles to girls and boys through narratives about the past, and how girls and boys may then incorporate these roles into their own narratives and their own lives."
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Springer Science+Business Media.
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Journal Reference:
Widaad Zaman, Robyn Fivush. Gender Differences in Elaborative Parent?Child Emotion and Play Narratives. Sex Roles, 2013; DOI: 10.1007/s11199-013-0270-7
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Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Our partner company nSynergy has been providing specialist SharePoint Consulting Services since 2004, helping to give businesses the competitive edge. nSynergy places a strong emphasis on knowledge transfer throughout client engagements to ensure the long-term sustainability of programs. nSynergy have engaged the services of our change management experts at Apricot to successfully implement User Adoption initiatives that will compliment current approaches to technology enablement. Today?s article will address two important components of change; business alignment and people engagement, and will provide further detail about how we at Apricot work to implement change.
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Business Alignment
Grounded first in assessment, at Apricot we prepare our clients for the journey that they need to make by assessing the current organizational climate. Business alignment is essential to the adoption framework because without it, businesses will not be able to build momentum or keep adoption levels high enough to provide continuous, ongoing value. It involves the assessment of five key areas:
Organizational Assessment
Coalition
Vision, Mission and Values
Project Management
Governance
Organizational Assessment involves understanding organizational structures and leadership paradigms. We identify the ?key players? who we will be working alongside to initiate change, and who is best equipped to influence change among the group.
Coalition highlights the need to create a sense of urgency and momentum around the need for change with key stakeholders. We work to convey the message that change is being implemented for the greater good of the business, to help staff function more efficiently, not simply for the sake of change.
Creating a simple vision and mission that people can grasp and remember is central to the change process. At Apricot, we ensure that staff members (at all levels) are involved in the development of organizational values. This helps employees who may not be commonly involved in decision-making processes to identify with, and express ownership over the long-term vision of the organization.
When implementing change, Project Management involves establishing a holistic strategy, plan, timeline, and milestones to ensure that the change lasts. When ?wins? are made (i.e., successful completion of certain milestones) we aim to implement processes that recognize and reward achievement.
The final process of business alignment at Apricot involves as assessment of Governance. It is vital that the terms of use, policy and procedures encourage appropriate participation while protecting critical IP and meeting compliance obligations.
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People Engagement
Following the assessment of processes relating to business alignment, people engagement strategies can be implemented. The five key components of people engagement include:
Cultural Assessment
Recognition
Communication
Education
Key Influencers
Culture is the engine room of the organization. The best way to measure an organization?s culture is to engage with its employees and learn about ?how we do things around here.? Any consultant entering a new organization is required to take note of its culture and adapt accordingly. Apricot founder and CEO Derek Linsell was once the CEO of the AFL Foundation, a predominantly male sporting environment where irreverent language is often considered the norm. In stark contrast, Derek has also worked extensively with the Salvation Army, an evangelistic organization dedicated to helping the poor and unfortunate by bringing them into a meaningful relationship with God. In both cases, it was imperative that Derek be aware of the organizational culture in order to engage employees and be accepted by the group. It would have been inappropriate for Derek to use poor language in the presence of Salvation Army Officers, just as it would have been inappropriate for him to initiate a meeting with AFL executives by opening in prayer. Culture is related to productivity, and we at Apricot are aware that it heavily impacts analysis, planning, risk and ultimately the success of user adoption initiatives.
Recognition processes promoted by Apricot encourage positive behaviors by linking them to performance, rewards, and goal achievement. Similar to the implementation of taxonomies for collaboration, recognition process provide clear guidelines and promote standards of behaviour that employees are encouraged to strive for.
When introducing new IT solutions, we at Apricot ensure that employees understand new methods for viral and programmatic communication. Employees should feel supported and understand that there are structures in place for when assistance is required.
Importantly, establishing programs for onboarding, ongoing learning, and knowledge retention is vital for the change process to be effective. New staff members need to be properly educated and trained in new processes, not simply shown the ?old way? by employees who have not properly adopted the new system. In addition, employees should have access to ongoing training, and learning should be assessed regularly, either formally or informally.
Similar to understanding organizational structures and leadership paradigms during the business alignment process of change, we believe it is necessary to identify and empower advocates who will inspire others to engage. It is equally important to defuse resistors (i.e., find out what forces or people might dampen enthusiasm). In most cases, 20% of the group will feel positive about change, 20% will feel opposed to change, and the remaining 60% will be unsure about change. Our aim at Apricot is to engage the middle 60% to bring the proportion of the group who are positive to 80%. In order to this we work with organizational leaders and make sure that they are intentional about promoting change and demonstrating their own adoption of new strategies. ?After all, a new IT solution is only successful if people use it.
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Our final thoughts
Adding user adoption solutions to technology enablement leads to a more attractive, comprehensive package and an improved ability sell. Furthermore, deeper engagement with customers can lead to ongoing relationships, additional projects and increased revenue. A win for everyone.
Got a minute to spare? Today is the American Diabetes Association?s Alert Day, a one-day ?wake-up call? in which people can find out if they?re at risk for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes by taking a simple eight question test.
It may be the easiest test you?ve ever taken. And one of the most important. (Like the ADA on Facebook! You can take the test there too.)
You see, although about 24 million Americans have diabetes, nearly 25% don?t know it.
Diabetes causes more deaths each year than breast cancer and AIDS combined, according to the American Diabetes Association.
If that?s not reason enough to check your risk, what is? But if you need more convincing, read on for four more:
Diabetes often causes no symptoms at all They call diabetes a silent killer for a reason. Blood sugar acts like a toxic poison in the body, but it can creep higher and higher and you may never feel it. Some people do get type 2 diabetes symptoms such as increased urination, weight loss, and blurry vision when blood sugar gets into the danger zone (very high blood sugar can put you into a coma), but many people with the disease experience no symptoms at all. So don?t wait until you feel sick to get checked.
Testing for diabetes is easy With many possible ways to get tested, most of them simple blood tests, it?s easy to find out if you have diabetes. Take charge of your health by finding out if you?re at risk, and getting tested if you are.
Catching it early makes a BIG difference If you have prediabetes you can sometimes delay or prevent outright diabetes by changing your lifestyle. Prediabetes, which is serious in and of itself, is a condition in which blood sugar is elevated (and thus can damage the body), but isn?t high enough to qualify for a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. It?s very common?about one in three adults has prediabetes (79 million people in the U.S.!). The good news is that healthy eating and becoming more physically active can lower the chances of prediabetes progressing to diabetes.
You have a wide variety of ways to stay healthy If you find out you have type 2 diabetes, don?t panic. Use these 5 steps to learn how to follow up after your diagnosis. There are a wide variety of new medications on the market, as well as new research on the best ways to lower your blood sugar. You can often treat diabetes with lifestyle changes and oral medication. While people with type 1 diabetes (an autoimmune disease) require insulin to survive, people with type 2 often don?t take insulin. Controlling your blood sugar?whether with diet, exercise, or medication?can dramatically reduce your risk of complications and problems.
In this picture taken March 21, 2013, homes painted in bright colors cover a hill in Jalousie, a cinder block shantytown in Petionville, Haiti. Workers this month began painting the concrete facades of buildings in Jalousie slum a rainbow of colors, inspired by the dazzling ?cities-in-the-skies? of well-known Haitian painter Prefete Duffaut, who died last year. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)
In this picture taken March 21, 2013, homes painted in bright colors cover a hill in Jalousie, a cinder block shantytown in Petionville, Haiti. Workers this month began painting the concrete facades of buildings in Jalousie slum a rainbow of colors, inspired by the dazzling ?cities-in-the-skies? of well-known Haitian painter Prefete Duffaut, who died last year. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)
In this March 21, 2013 photo, a man paints green the exterior wall of a home in Jalousie, a cinder block shantytown in Petionville, Haiti. The $1.4 million effort titled ?Beauty versus Poverty: Jalousie in Colors? is part of a government project to relocate people from the displacement camps that sprouted up after Haiti's 2010 earthquake. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)
A painting by Haitian artist Prefete Duffaut titled "Friends of Haiti" hangs on exhibit at the Galerie Monnin in Petionville, Haiti, Monday, March 25, 2013. Workers this month began painting the concrete facades of buildings in Jalousie slum, one of Haiti's biggest shantytowns, a rainbow of purple, peach, lime and cream, inspired by the dazzling ?cities-in-the-skies? of well-known Haitian painter Prefete Duffaut, who died last year. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)
In this March 21, 2013 photo, workers paint red the exterior of a home in Jalousie, a cinder block shantytown in Petionville, Haiti. Jalousie is unique in that its mountainside presence makes it visible to people living in the wealthy district of Petionville. Critics have suggested that the choice of Jalousie for a makeover is as much about giving the posh hotels of Petionville a pretty view as helping the slum's residents. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)
In this March 21, 2013 photo, a worker paints red the exterior wall of a home in Jalousie, a cinder block shantytown in Petionville, Haiti. While most residents welcome the attempt to beautify Jalousie, a slum of 45,000 inhabitants, critics say the project is the latest example of cosmetic changes carried out by a government that has done little to improve people's lives in the Western Hemisphere's poorest country. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) ? One of Haiti's biggest shantytowns, a vast expanse of grim cinderblock homes on a mountainside in the nation's capital, is getting a psychedelic makeover that aims to be part art and part homage.
Workers this month began painting the concrete facades of buildings in Jalousie slum a rainbow of purple, peach, lime and cream, inspired by the dazzling "cities-in-the-skies" of well-known Haitian painter Prefete Duffaut, who died last year.
The $1.4 million effort titled "Beauty versus Poverty: Jalousie in Colors" is part of a government project to relocate people from the displacement camps that sprouted up after Haiti's 2010 earthquake. The relocation has targeted a handful of high-profile camps in Port-au-Prince by paying a year's worth of rent subsidies for residents to move into neighborhoods like Jalousie. The government is now trying to spruce up these poor neighborhoods and introduce city services.
"We're not trying to do Coconut Grove. We're not trying to do South Beach," said Clement Belizaire, director of the government's housing relocation program, referring to Miami neighborhoods. "The goal that we are shooting for is a neighborhood that is modest but decent, where residents are proud to be from that area."
While most residents welcome the attempt to beautify Jalousie, a slum of 45,000 inhabitants, critics say the project is the latest example of cosmetic changes carried out by a government that has done little to improve people's lives in the Western Hemisphere's poorest country.
"This is just to make it look like they're doing something for the people but in reality they are not," said Sen. Moise Jean-Charles, an outspoken critic of President Michel Martelly, arguing that the money could have been better spent.
Others wonder why Jalousie was chosen for the makeover, though officials say they plan to expand the project to other Port-au-Prince shantytowns.
Jalousie is unique in that its mountainside presence makes it visible to people living in the wealthy district of Petionville. Critics have suggested that the choice of Jalousie is as much about giving the posh hotels of Petionville a pretty view as helping the slum's residents.
Belizaire said he welcomes controversy, adding that the project's visibility is important. It's a concrete accomplishment for the government and he contends that it does indeed help Jalousie residents.
"People are sitting on the balcony, having a beer, smoking a cigarette ? whatever ? and you have all of Port-au-Prince at your feet, and you're living in colors," Belizaire said, sitting in his office.
Jalousie, perched above rich Petionville, has become a flashpoint for class controversy in Haiti recently. It is among many slums that have sprawled across the hills of Port-au-Prince in recent decades because governments past and present have failed to provide affordable housing and basic services. Many of the homes crash down the hills every year during the country's rainy seasons.
Haiti's class divisions spilled into the streets last year when more than 1,000 people from Jalousie protested in central Port-au-Prince. They threw rocks at a luxury hotel and criticized rich Haitians, threatening to burn down Petionville if the government followed through with a plan to demolish their homes. Officials had wanted to tear down the homes next to a ravine to build a flood-protection project. During heavy rainfall, rocks from the ravine clog the entrance to a private school for the children of diplomats and wealthy Haitians.
The demolition never happened.
These days, most people in Jalousie chalk the protests up to a "misunderstanding," and talk about the project with pride.
"It's beautiful. Jalousie is not the same anymore," Resilia Pierre, a 53-year-old wife and mother, said as she waited at a well to buy water. "We don't have the means to do it ourselves. I would like to say 'thank you' to the people who did that."
The government's goal it to eventually paint 1,000 homes and other buildings.
Workers hired by three companies began two weeks ago by putting concrete finishes on the ash-colored facades of the slum's cinderblock houses. Then they paint over the finish with bright colors using rollers, standing atop wobbly ladders next to buckets of paint. The entire effort is supposed to take six months.
Duffaut, one of Haiti's most famous painters, was born in the country's south in 1923. He studied at the Centre D'Art in the late 1940s and his work, appearing in museums worldwide, has long been a source of national pride.
While the project in Jalousie may be inspired by Duffaut, when completed it will still require a bit of imagination by the viewer to see his psychedelic cities in the sky, with their dazzling colors and surreal tiers that seemingly hovering in the air.
What residents will have in their neighborhood high up on a mountainside will be a lot of bright colors and a love of the artist.
"The people of Jalousie," said Jamesson Misery, a coordinator of the project who lives in the slum, "we plan to honor Prefete Duffaut."
Cypriot students shout slogans near the presidential palace in capital Nicosia, on Tuesday, March 26, 2013. Banks across Cyprus remain firmly padlocked Tuesday after financial authorities extended the country?s bank closure, fearing worried depositors will rush to drain their accounts. The shut-down is hammering businesses, which have been without access to their funds for more than a week.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Cypriot students shout slogans near the presidential palace in capital Nicosia, on Tuesday, March 26, 2013. Banks across Cyprus remain firmly padlocked Tuesday after financial authorities extended the country?s bank closure, fearing worried depositors will rush to drain their accounts. The shut-down is hammering businesses, which have been without access to their funds for more than a week.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Cypriot students shout slogans as they stand at the entrance of the presidential palace in capital Nicosia, on Tuesday, March 26, 2013. The banner on the left reads in Greek ''people united never divided''. Banks across Cyprus remain firmly padlocked Tuesday after financial authorities extended the country?s bank closure, fearing worried depositors will rush to drain their accounts. The shut-down is hammering businesses, which have been without access to their funds for more than a week.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Cypriot students protest against the bailout package outside the Presidential Palace, in capital Nicosia, on Tuesday, March 26, 2013. Banks across Cyprus remain firmly padlocked Tuesday after financial authorities extended the country?s bank closure, fearing worried depositors will rush to drain their accounts. The shut-down is hammering businesses, which have been without access to their funds for more than a week.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Cypriot students shout slogans near the presidential palace in capital Nicosia, on Tuesday, March 26, 2013. Banks across Cyprus remain firmly padlocked Tuesday after financial authorities extended the country?s bank closure, fearing worried depositors will rush to drain their accounts. The shut-down is hammering businesses, which have been without access to their funds for more than a week.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) ? Cypriot businesses were under increasing strain to keep running on Tuesday after financial authorities stretched the country's bank closure into a second week in a harried attempt to stop depositors from rushing to drain their accounts.
Cyprus's Central Bank governor, Panicos Demetriades, said "superhuman efforts are being made" to open banks on Thursday.
"Temporary" restrictions will be imposed on financial transactions once the banks do open, he said, but he would not specify what they would be or how long they would be in place.
"We have to restore the public's trust in banks," he said.
Finance Minister Michalis Sarris told The Associated Press the restrictions would help stem any mass deposit withdrawal that is "bound to happen" and that they would be removed in a "relatively short period of time."
"I think every day (banks) are not open creates more uncertainty and more difficulties for people, so we would like to do our utmost to make sure that this new goal that we have set will work," he said.
All but two of the country's largest lenders had been due to reopen Tuesday, after being shut since March 16 to stop savers from withdrawing all their money while politicians figured out how to raise the funds necessary for Cyprus to qualify for an international bailout.
However, late Monday, authorities announced that the bank closures would be extended until Thursday, giving officials more time to initiate a major overhaul of the banking sector and devise capital controls to limit the amount of money that can be taken out of accounts.
"We have to all understand that we live in very critical times. Officials of the government and the Central Bank are working day and night," Demetriades said.
Under the deal for a 10 billion euro ($12.9 billion) rescue clinched in Brussels early Monday, Cyprus agreed to slash its oversized banking sector and inflict hefty losses on large depositors in troubled banks. Sarris said authorities hope to limit job losses to a "small number."
"We are looking to a much smaller banking system over time and more concentrated on its core business, which is Cyprus and the international business units in Cyprus," he said.
Cyprus needed to raise 5.8 billion euros before international lenders were willing to give it the 10 billion euros. Much of the 5.8 billion euros will be raised by forcing losses on accounts of more than 100,000 euros ($129,000), in the country's second-largest lender, Laiki, with the remainder coming from tax increases and privatizations.
The bank will be broken up immediately into a so-called bad bank containing its uninsured deposits and toxic assets. The "good" assets will be transferred to the nation's biggest lender, Bank of Cyprus.
Deposits at Bank of Cyprus above 100,000 euros will be frozen until it becomes clear to what extent they will also be forced to take losses. Those funds will eventually be converted into bank shares.
Cyprus' government spokesman Christos Stylianides told Greek state Net TV that losses on Bank of Cyprus deposits above 100,000 euros will hover at around 30 percent.
"It is a painful development, no doubt about that...it doesn't matter how rich you are, how many millions you have, you don't like your deposits, which you assume were safe, to be converted into shares," said Sarris, adding that authorities are confident that those shares will eventually gain in value.
Sarris said Cyprus' economy will shift from one centered on financial services.
"Cypriots have a robust entrepreneurial spirit, they will look for other markets ... We're building on our relationship with China, a stronger relationship with the Middle East, our shipping sector is doing well, our tourism sector is doing well, I think we will find opportunities to compensate for this serious setback," he said.
Nonetheless, businesses have already been feeling the brunt of the cash crunch, unable to pay salaries and suppliers. Cypriots have slashed spending during the uncertainty.
The banks' closure has been felt in the country's important shipping industry, which contributes about 5 percent or 800 million euros ($1 billion) to the economy. Cyprus ranks 10th in the world in terms of the number of ocean-going vessels flying its flag, and it is in the top five countries with the largest number of ship management companies.
"This is destructive for us," said an official with Cyprus-based shipping company EDT Offshore, who spoke on condition of anonymity because his company did not authorize him to speak to the media.
"We have to pay our crews' salaries and that's $500,000, while we have to pay as much for our office staff by March 28 and we don't have access to our bank accounts," he said. "These are people who need to pay their bills, have obligations to meet."
Authorities in the Greek port of Piraeus have prevented one of three EDT ships from leaving until the company pays it port dues. That means the ship can't fulfill its contract with clients, meaning possible losses for the company, which has a fleet of 18 vessels.
Fitch credit rating agency warned Tuesday that it may downgrade Cyprus further into "junk" status amid concerns that the shock from the banking sector's "systemic failure" heightens the risk to public finances.
Also Tuesday, the chairman of the board of Bank of Cyprus, Andreas Artemis, and four other board members tendered their resignations, a statement from the bank said. The board did not accept the resignations, which will become valid only if not withdrawn in a week's time.
Meanwhile, Britain flew in some 13 million euros over the weekend to pay about 3,000 British civilian and military personnel serving at the two military bases that it retained after its former colony Cyprus gained independence.
The Ministry of Defense last week flew in 1 million euros in cash in case automatic teller machines on Cyprus shut down.
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Elena Becatoros in Nicosia and Juergen Baetz in Brussels contributed to this report.
There's been much ado about office suites over the past year or so, thanks in large part to the anticipation and then arrival of Microsoft's baffling Office 2013. We've seen the ascendance of LibreOffice, we've seen Redmond's wacky pricing plan, and we've even heard rumors -- as yet unsubstantiated -- of a launch that would blow more than a few minds. None of that could have prepared us for what came to light last week.
Re-victimisation 
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Public release date: 28-Mar-2013
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