Danilova, Maria. "Conflict with Russia Galvanizes Ukraine's Identity." Yahoo! News. Yahoo!, 29 Apr. 0000. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.
When Russia seized control of Crimea, Yevgeny Komarovsky sent this blunt message to the Russian people: We Ukrainians are a nation of our own. The appeal for an independent and united Ukraine by the Russian-speaking Komarovsky underscored Ukraine's distinct national identity, and belied Russian President Vladimir Putin's claim that Ukraine is part of the Russian family. In fact, Russia's invasion (which Putin justifies by saying he needs to protect Russian speakers) has fueled a surge of patriotism among a great many Ukrainians, whatever their language.These feelings of unity are underpinned by a sense of fragility stemming from being a country that has for centuries been dominated by great empires to the east and west. And from folklore to ancestral traditions, Ukraine has shown itself to possess a distinct identity. The Ukrainian national consciousness is steeped in love of one's land and the quest for survival. The challenge simply to stay whole is as acute as ever today after Russia annexed Ukraine's strategic Crimean Peninsula, stoking fears that the Kremlin is planning to invade more Russian-speaking eastern territories. Ukraine, a land the size of France with a population of 46 million, has historically been a massive prize in the heart of Europe. The site of the ancient Slavic state, the Kievan Rus, it was the regional cradle of Orthodox Christianity. Over centuries, parts of Ukraine have belonged to Poland, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Russia and the Soviet Union. The Russian national anthem glorifies Russia's might and grandeur. The Ukrainian anthem dreams of expelling enemies and finally being masters of their own land. In fact the central message of Ukraine's anthem is: Freedom is not dead yet. Some in Ukraine's Russian-speaking east and south do feel nostalgic for the Soviet past. And many cherish ties with Russia, both economic and cultural.
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Thousands in Taiwan protest China trade deal
Tsai, Gladys. "Thousands in Taiwan Protest China Trade Deal." Yahoo! News. Yahoo!, 29 Apr. 0000. Web. 30 Mar. 2014. http://news.yahoo.com/thousands-taiwan-protest-china-trade-deal-124304655.html?vp=1
Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators gathered in the streets around Taiwan's Parliament on Sunday to voice their opposition to a trade pact with China, part of a nearly 2-week-old protest that is challenging the president's policy of moving the democratic island economically closer to China. 500,000 people had turned out in the biggest demonstration since the movement started. An Associated Press estimate put the number at more than 200,000, and a police estimate at more than 100,000. Several hundred mainly student protesters have been occupying Taiwan's legislature since March 18, supported by thousands outside the building. They are protesting President Ma Ying-jeou's intention to enact a trade deal that would allow Taiwanese and Chinese service sector companies in businesses ranging from banking to beauty parlors to open up branches or shops in the other's territory. The action was sparked by the decision by a lawmaker from Ma's ruling Nationalist Party to renege on a promised clause-by-clause review of the trade deal, which was signed by both sides last year but is awaiting ratification by Taiwan's Parliament. Opponents of the pact say it would cost Taiwan tens of thousands of jobs because small businesses on the island will be unable to compete with cash-rich, mostly state-run Chinese companies intent on investing in Taiwan. They also say it would give a big boost to China's efforts to bring the island, which split from the mainland 65 years ago, under its control.The protest is the most serious challenge to Ma's signature policy of moving Taiwan ever closer to China by tying their economies together. Since he took office in May 2008, he has superintended a drastic upsurge in the number of cross-strait flights, and pushed through more than a dozen commercial agreements with China, including a partial free trade deal that slashed tariffs on scores of items in 2010.
Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators gathered in the streets around Taiwan's Parliament on Sunday to voice their opposition to a trade pact with China, part of a nearly 2-week-old protest that is challenging the president's policy of moving the democratic island economically closer to China. 500,000 people had turned out in the biggest demonstration since the movement started. An Associated Press estimate put the number at more than 200,000, and a police estimate at more than 100,000. Several hundred mainly student protesters have been occupying Taiwan's legislature since March 18, supported by thousands outside the building. They are protesting President Ma Ying-jeou's intention to enact a trade deal that would allow Taiwanese and Chinese service sector companies in businesses ranging from banking to beauty parlors to open up branches or shops in the other's territory. The action was sparked by the decision by a lawmaker from Ma's ruling Nationalist Party to renege on a promised clause-by-clause review of the trade deal, which was signed by both sides last year but is awaiting ratification by Taiwan's Parliament. Opponents of the pact say it would cost Taiwan tens of thousands of jobs because small businesses on the island will be unable to compete with cash-rich, mostly state-run Chinese companies intent on investing in Taiwan. They also say it would give a big boost to China's efforts to bring the island, which split from the mainland 65 years ago, under its control.The protest is the most serious challenge to Ma's signature policy of moving Taiwan ever closer to China by tying their economies together. Since he took office in May 2008, he has superintended a drastic upsurge in the number of cross-strait flights, and pushed through more than a dozen commercial agreements with China, including a partial free trade deal that slashed tariffs on scores of items in 2010.
US, Dutch try to deposit billions in fake bonds in Vatican bank
"US, Dutch Try to Deposit Billions in Fake Bonds in Vatican Bank." Yahoo! News. Yahoo!, 18 Jan. 0000. Web. 30 Mar. 2014. http://news.yahoo.com/us-dutch-try-deposit-billions-fake-bonds-vatican-215356468.html
Vatican police on Saturday apprehended an American and a Dutch man who were trying to deposit billions of euros and US dollars in fake bonds in the Vatican bank.The bonds were discovered in a briefcase they were carrying and the men were handed over to Italy's financial police, who found false passports and other fake documents in their hotel rooms. The haul came a day after Italian prosecutors said two former top executives at the Vatican bank will go on trial for money laundering in a case that led to the seizure of 23 million euros ($32 million). The bank, which handles the accounts of Catholic clerics and congregations around the world, has a murky reputation but the Vatican has vowed to clean it up and bring it in line with international laws. Lombardi said Saturday's episode shows the controls are working. But he doesn't think they're talking about a plot by criminal masterminds if they managed to get caught at the first hurdle.
Vatican police on Saturday apprehended an American and a Dutch man who were trying to deposit billions of euros and US dollars in fake bonds in the Vatican bank.The bonds were discovered in a briefcase they were carrying and the men were handed over to Italy's financial police, who found false passports and other fake documents in their hotel rooms. The haul came a day after Italian prosecutors said two former top executives at the Vatican bank will go on trial for money laundering in a case that led to the seizure of 23 million euros ($32 million). The bank, which handles the accounts of Catholic clerics and congregations around the world, has a murky reputation but the Vatican has vowed to clean it up and bring it in line with international laws. Lombardi said Saturday's episode shows the controls are working. But he doesn't think they're talking about a plot by criminal masterminds if they managed to get caught at the first hurdle.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Officials: About 18 missing in Washington mudslide
DONNA GORDON BLANKINSHIP and CHRIS GRYGIEL. "Officials: About 18 Missing in Washington Mudslide." Yahoo! News. Yahoo!, 30 Mar. 0000. Web. 23 Mar. 2014. http://news.yahoo.com/officials-18-missing-washington-mudslide-172803804.html
About 18 people are still unaccounted for after a massive mudslide in rural northwest Washington state killed at least three people and forced evacuations because of fears of flooding, authorities said Sunday. Searchers in helicopters will be flying over the area of the square-mile mudslide Sunday to find people who may have been able to get out on their own, as well as look for other signs of life. Several people were critically injured and as many as 30 houses were destroyed. The slide wiped out one neighborhood, where there were about 28 to 30 homes. Rescuers couldn't hear any signs of life once they got closer, and the decision was made to back out due to safety reasons. The slide blocked the North Fork of the Stillaguamish River, which prompted an evacuation notice because water was rising rapidly behind the debris. Authorities worried about severe downstream flooding if water suddenly broke through the debris. Authorities believe the slide was caused by groundwater saturation from recent heavy rainfall.
Most cigarettes sold in New York were smuggled out of state to avoid taxes
Pfeiffer, Eric. "Most Cigarettes Sold in New York Were Smuggled out of State to Avoid Taxes." Yahoo! News. Yahoo!, 19 Jan. 0000. Web. 23 Mar. 2014. http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/most-cigarettes-sold-in-new-york-were-smuggled-out-of-state-to-avoid-taxes-201147004.html
If you’re a cigarette smoker in New York, odds are your purchase was illegally smuggled in from another state to avoid paying taxes. A new study by the conservative Tax Foundation claims that 56.9 percent of all cigarettes sold in New York were illegally imported from out of state sources. The foundation’s report says the surge in cigarette smuggling is directly correlated to New York’s tax of $4.35 per pack sold, the highest cigarette tax in the nation. As recently as 2006, New York had only the fifth-highest smuggling rate. But in recent years, the state cigarette tax has jumped 190 percent. Conversely, smuggling rates have jumped by 59 percent during the same period. And despite the study’s numbers, it is difficult to place all of the blame for smuggling rates on taxes. Arizona is less than five percent behind New York in smuggling percentages but the state’s $2.00 per pack tax is tied for 12th highest in the nation. New York is also an international trading hub, arguably giving smugglers more opportunities and potential buyers, for their product. In the U.S., New Hampshire has the lowest inbound smuggling percentage in the nation (24.2 percent) but its $1.78 tax per pack places it near the middle on the scale. Yet New Hampshire also smuggles out the highest percentage of cigarette packs (24.2 percent), according to the Tax Foundation study.
If you’re a cigarette smoker in New York, odds are your purchase was illegally smuggled in from another state to avoid paying taxes. A new study by the conservative Tax Foundation claims that 56.9 percent of all cigarettes sold in New York were illegally imported from out of state sources. The foundation’s report says the surge in cigarette smuggling is directly correlated to New York’s tax of $4.35 per pack sold, the highest cigarette tax in the nation. As recently as 2006, New York had only the fifth-highest smuggling rate. But in recent years, the state cigarette tax has jumped 190 percent. Conversely, smuggling rates have jumped by 59 percent during the same period. And despite the study’s numbers, it is difficult to place all of the blame for smuggling rates on taxes. Arizona is less than five percent behind New York in smuggling percentages but the state’s $2.00 per pack tax is tied for 12th highest in the nation. New York is also an international trading hub, arguably giving smugglers more opportunities and potential buyers, for their product. In the U.S., New Hampshire has the lowest inbound smuggling percentage in the nation (24.2 percent) but its $1.78 tax per pack places it near the middle on the scale. Yet New Hampshire also smuggles out the highest percentage of cigarette packs (24.2 percent), according to the Tax Foundation study.
Malaysia: France has images of possible jet debris
McDONALD, ROB GRIFFITH and SCOTT. "Malaysia: France Has Images of Possible Jet Debris." Yahoo! News. Yahoo!, 29 Apr. 0000. Web. 23 Mar. 2014. http://news.yahoo.com/malaysia-france-images-possible-jet-debris-100413872--finance.html
France on Sunday provided Malaysia with satellite images of objects that could be from a passenger jet that has been missing for more than two weeks. The image shows objects in the southern corridors. That is thought to be close to areas of the Indian Ocean where previous satellite images released by Australia and China showed objects that could be debris from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which went missing over the Gulf of Thailand on March 8 with 239 people on board. The images could be another clue in the growing mystery over Flight 370. The search has moved from seas off Vietnam when the plane first went missing to areas not far from the Antarctica, where planes and a ship were scrambling Sunday looking for a pallet and other debris spotted by a search plane to determine whether they were from the missing jet. The southern Indian Ocean is thought to be a potential area to find the jet because Malaysian authorities have said pings sent by the Boeing 777-200 for several hours after it disappeared indicated that the plane ended up in one of two huge arcs: a northern corridor stretching from Malaysia to Central Asia, or a southern corridor that stretches toward Antarctica. Authorities are considering the possibilities of hijacking, sabotage, terrorism or issues related to the mental health of the pilots or anyone else on board.
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Wireless electricity may soon power cell phones, cars and even heart pumps
Pfeiffer, Eric. "Wireless Electricity May Soon Power Cell Phones, Cars and Even Heart Pumps." Yahoo! News. Yahoo!, 15 Mar. 2014. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/wireless-electricity-may-soon-power-cell-phones--cars-and-even-heart-pumps-215915863.html
The chief technology officer of WiTricity told CNN that they are going to transfer power without any kinds of wire, its going to be completely wireless. A team of MIT professors then developed what they call " resonant power transfer," in which a power coil is able to wirelessly transfer electricity to another device containing a similar coil set to the same frequency. They not actually putting electricity in the air. What they are doing is putting a magnetic field in the air. When you bring a device into that magnetic field, it induces a current in the device, and by that you're able to transfer power. Wireless electricity is widely considered to be safe, but WiTricity and other companies developing similar technology are still trying to find effective ways to efficiently transfer electricity over longer distances. Giles says that if the hurdle of transferring electricity over greater physical distances can be crossed, then wireless electricity would quickly replace the world of cables. And after the technology is in place, manufacturers would then have to install the equipment allowing for the wireless electric transfer to take place. It would not only free up literal space but could potentially reduce pollution, eliminating the need for disposable batteries.
The chief technology officer of WiTricity told CNN that they are going to transfer power without any kinds of wire, its going to be completely wireless. A team of MIT professors then developed what they call " resonant power transfer," in which a power coil is able to wirelessly transfer electricity to another device containing a similar coil set to the same frequency. They not actually putting electricity in the air. What they are doing is putting a magnetic field in the air. When you bring a device into that magnetic field, it induces a current in the device, and by that you're able to transfer power. Wireless electricity is widely considered to be safe, but WiTricity and other companies developing similar technology are still trying to find effective ways to efficiently transfer electricity over longer distances. Giles says that if the hurdle of transferring electricity over greater physical distances can be crossed, then wireless electricity would quickly replace the world of cables. And after the technology is in place, manufacturers would then have to install the equipment allowing for the wireless electric transfer to take place. It would not only free up literal space but could potentially reduce pollution, eliminating the need for disposable batteries.
Seoul: NKorea test-fires 18 short-range rockets
"Seoul: NKorea Test-fires 18 Short-range Rockets." Yahoo! News. Yahoo!, 29 Sept. 0000. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. http://news.yahoo.com/seoul-nkorea-test-fires-18-short-range-rockets-125126674.html
North Korea fired 18 short-range rockets into the sea off its east coast Sunday, South Korean officials said, in an apparent continuation of protests against ongoing U.S.-South Korean military drills. North Korea says the drills are preparation for an invasion. The allies say the exercises, which last year prompted North Korean threats of nuclear war against the South and the United States, are routine and defensive in nature. Outside analysts say the North is taking a softer stance toward the U.S.-South Korean military drills this year because it wants better ties with the outside world to revive its struggling economy. North Korea's weeks-long tirade of war rhetoric against Washington and Seoul last spring followed international condemnation of its third nuclear test, in February 2013. South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said the type of rockets North Korea launched Sunday wasn't yet clear. Earlier this month, Seoul said a North Korean artillery launch happened minutes before a Chinese commercial plane reportedly carrying 202 people flew in the same area.
North Korea fired 18 short-range rockets into the sea off its east coast Sunday, South Korean officials said, in an apparent continuation of protests against ongoing U.S.-South Korean military drills. North Korea says the drills are preparation for an invasion. The allies say the exercises, which last year prompted North Korean threats of nuclear war against the South and the United States, are routine and defensive in nature. Outside analysts say the North is taking a softer stance toward the U.S.-South Korean military drills this year because it wants better ties with the outside world to revive its struggling economy. North Korea's weeks-long tirade of war rhetoric against Washington and Seoul last spring followed international condemnation of its third nuclear test, in February 2013. South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said the type of rockets North Korea launched Sunday wasn't yet clear. Earlier this month, Seoul said a North Korean artillery launch happened minutes before a Chinese commercial plane reportedly carrying 202 people flew in the same area.
Indian Ocean poses daunting challenge in search for missing Malaysia plane
Wardell, Jane. "Indian Ocean Poses Daunting Challenge in Search for Missing Malaysia Plane." Yahoo! News. Yahoo!, 30 Oct. 0000. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. http://news.yahoo.com/indian-ocean-poses-daunting-challenge-search-missing-malaysia-031223287--sector.html;_ylt=AwrBEiJMLSZTBDcABRvQtDMD
The southern Indian Ocean, where investigators suspect missing Malaysia airline flight MH370 may have come down, is one place where a commercial airliner can crash without a ship spotting it, a radar plotting it or even a satellite picking it up. So far, search operations by navies and aircraft from more than a dozen nations have failed to find even a trace of Flight MH370, which went missing a week ago after taking off from Kuala Lumpur for Beijing and diverting from its intended flight path. With an estimated four hours fuel left when last spotted by radar off Malaysia's northwest coast, the plane could have flown a further 2,200 miles or so, assuming normal cruising speed and altitude. A potential crash site around 1,600 km (1,000 miles) northwest or west of the Australian coast would be well within the search and rescue area of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), one of the largest in the world. An AMSA spokesman said no request for assistance had been received from Malaysia as of Sunday.
The southern Indian Ocean, where investigators suspect missing Malaysia airline flight MH370 may have come down, is one place where a commercial airliner can crash without a ship spotting it, a radar plotting it or even a satellite picking it up. So far, search operations by navies and aircraft from more than a dozen nations have failed to find even a trace of Flight MH370, which went missing a week ago after taking off from Kuala Lumpur for Beijing and diverting from its intended flight path. With an estimated four hours fuel left when last spotted by radar off Malaysia's northwest coast, the plane could have flown a further 2,200 miles or so, assuming normal cruising speed and altitude. A potential crash site around 1,600 km (1,000 miles) northwest or west of the Australian coast would be well within the search and rescue area of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), one of the largest in the world. An AMSA spokesman said no request for assistance had been received from Malaysia as of Sunday.
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Obama's foreign policy a target of opportunity for CPAC speakers
Davidsen,
Dana. "Obama's Foreign Policy a Target of Opportunity for CPAC
Speakers."CNN Political Ticker RSS. CNN, 07 Mar. 2014. Web. 08 Mar. 2014. http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/03/06/obamas-foreign-policy-a-target-of-opportunity-for-cpac-speakers/?hpt=po_c2
Conservatives contend a weak foreign policy under President Barack Obama emboldened Russia to intervene militarily in Ukraine. Putin would not be acting with this level of aggression if it were not for the consistent weakness and appeasement of our enemies of President Obama. They were relying on Obama's global star power to influence international relations. Obama does not understand that a weak America leads to instability and doesn't seem to understand that our allies, our enemies alike need and want a strong America. They need to make sure that they say they are for America being a leader in the world. And they are for a strong national defense, not one that allows other countries to run them over all over the world. We see today in the Ukraine where Vladmir Putin has a strategy while Obama has nothing. Putin has a growing defense budget and The United States is sinking. Obama has called Putin's incursion into Ukraine a violation of international law, and says the Ukrainian people should determine their own destiny.
Conservatives contend a weak foreign policy under President Barack Obama emboldened Russia to intervene militarily in Ukraine. Putin would not be acting with this level of aggression if it were not for the consistent weakness and appeasement of our enemies of President Obama. They were relying on Obama's global star power to influence international relations. Obama does not understand that a weak America leads to instability and doesn't seem to understand that our allies, our enemies alike need and want a strong America. They need to make sure that they say they are for America being a leader in the world. And they are for a strong national defense, not one that allows other countries to run them over all over the world. We see today in the Ukraine where Vladmir Putin has a strategy while Obama has nothing. Putin has a growing defense budget and The United States is sinking. Obama has called Putin's incursion into Ukraine a violation of international law, and says the Ukrainian people should determine their own destiny.
Vietnam spots oil slicks in hunt for missing jet
BRUMMITT,
EILEEN NG and CHRIS. "Vietnam Spots Oil Slicks in Hunt for Missing
Jet."Yahoo! News. Yahoo!, 30 Jan. 0000. Web. 08 Mar. 2014. http://news.yahoo.com/vietnam-spots-oil-slicks-hunt-missing-jet-124630545--finance.html
Vietnamese air force planes on Saturday spotted two large oil slicks in the area where a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 disappeared earlier in the day, the first sign that the aircraft carrying 239 people on board had crashed. A Vietnamese government statement said the slicks were spotted late Saturday off the southern tip of Vietnam and were ten and fifteen kilometers away from each other. There was no confirmation that the slicks were related to the missing plane. Two-thirds of the missing plane's passengers were from China, while others were from elsewhere in Asia, North America and Europe. The plane lost all contact and radar signal one minute before it entered Vietnam's air traffic control. The flight data and the cockpit voice recorders are equipped with pingers that emit ultrasonic signals that can be detected underwater. Under good conditions, the signals can be detected from several hundred miles away.
Vietnamese air force planes on Saturday spotted two large oil slicks in the area where a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 disappeared earlier in the day, the first sign that the aircraft carrying 239 people on board had crashed. A Vietnamese government statement said the slicks were spotted late Saturday off the southern tip of Vietnam and were ten and fifteen kilometers away from each other. There was no confirmation that the slicks were related to the missing plane. Two-thirds of the missing plane's passengers were from China, while others were from elsewhere in Asia, North America and Europe. The plane lost all contact and radar signal one minute before it entered Vietnam's air traffic control. The flight data and the cockpit voice recorders are equipped with pingers that emit ultrasonic signals that can be detected underwater. Under good conditions, the signals can be detected from several hundred miles away.
Ukraine? Or the Ukraine?
Stableford, Dylan.
"Ukraine or The Ukraine? Leaders, media put it both ways." Yahoo News. (March 5, 2014): n.
page. Web. 6 Mar. 2014. http://news.yahoo.com/ukraine-vs-the-ukraine-164351828.html.
This article is about whether Ukraine deserves to be called Ukraine or should be called The Ukraine. Ukraine was given the name 'The Ukraine' during the soviet union because that is how the Russians would refer to them. The people of Ukraine are currently fighting for freedom, democracy, and not be governed by a tyrant who puts their political opposition in jail. Russian president Vladmir Putin refered to Ukraine as The Ukraine while condemning "neo-Nazis, Nazis and anti-Semites in some part of The Ukraine including Kiev." To foreigners outside the Ukraine it may seem like something only linguistics care about but to Ukraine it is such a big deal. When they hear The Ukraine they fume because it denies their independence, and denies their sovereignty.
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