Canada not doing enough to tackle problems of aboriginal people: U.N.

By David Ljunggren

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada is not doing enough to tackle the social and economic ills facing its large aboriginal population, which is beset by poverty, poor housing and high unemployment, a United Nations official said on Tuesday.

In a rare international rebuke to Canada, James Anaya, the U.N. special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, said Ottawa was taking some measures to address problems that have bedeviled the native population for many decades.

"It is equally clear that these steps are insufficient, and have yet to fully respond to aboriginal peoples' urgent needs," he told a news conference in Ottawa at the end of a nine-day visit.

"Canada consistently ranks near the top among countries with respect to human development standards, and yet ... aboriginal people live in conditions akin to those in countries that rank much lower and in which poverty abounds."

Anaya said indigenous people suffered from high levels of violence, crime, unemployment, suicide and "woefully inadequate" housing which has led to a range of health problems.

A 2011 census showed Canada has 1.4 million aboriginals, or about 4.3 percent of the overall population.

The office of Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Some Canadian aboriginal bands briefly blockaded roads and rail lines in January - as well as the Ottawa building where Prime Minister Stephen Harper has an office as part of a national protest called "Idle No More" against the poor living conditions of many native people.

In March, an alliance of Canadian and U.S. aboriginal groups vowed to block three proposed pipelines that are planned to transport oil from tar sands in Alberta through the United States.

Aboriginals complain that various levels of government in Canada have not properly consulted them before approving exploitation of natural resources on lands that native people consider to be theirs.

"I've seen enough to know there needs to be further dialogue with regards to the pipeline(s)," said Anaya.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; editing by Christopher Wilson)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/canada-not-doing-enough-tackle-problems-aboriginal-people-204254315.html
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Trend To Try Tuesday: Dainty Rings

By Kelli Acciardo

Living for sparkly nail polish, 5+ inch stilettos, and Bad Gal RiRi.

So, everyone was pretty much freaking out over the weekend about Lauren Conrad‘s ring pic she posted on Instagram. Yeah she got engaged and her diamond is reallllllllly pretty, but people were a little more hyped about the tiny “love” stunner she was rocking on her neighboring finger.

Get the Deets On Lauren Conrad’s Engagement to William Tell

Courtesy of Instagram

LC’s always been blunt about her love of dainty rings (and we’ve always been blunt about our need to steal her collection), but now seems like as good a time as ever to discuss the bevy of beautiful options (at every price point) up for grabs in the jewelry world right now.

Lauren’s sparkly Sydney Evan 14k gold and pavé diamond “love” ring retails for $860 and can be purchased on Sydneyevan.com, but here are two other similar styles that will set you back a fraction of that price tag:

Maya’s Dainty crystal pavé “love” ring comes in silver and is available for $52 at Mayastar.com and Max and Chloe’s script love ring can be yours for $65 at Maxandchloe.com.

Or if you feel like everyone’s doing the “love” ring thing, these arrow, bow, and initial rings might be more up your alley:

What do you think of LC’s rings? Would you buy a “love” ring? Leave a comment below or tweet us your thoughts @OKMagazine.

Source: http://okmagazine.com/dress-up/trend-to-try/trend-to-try-tuesday-dainty-rings/
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Timeline: Congress' path to federal shutdown

A timeline of Congress' battle over the partial government shutdown and expiring federal borrowing authority:

Sept. 20: Republican-run House ignores White House veto threat, votes to keep government open through Dec. 15 if President Barack Obama agrees to cut off money for his 2010 health care law.

Sept. 24-25: Tea party Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and other conservatives speak on Senate floor for more than 21 consecutive hours about using shutdown bill to weaken health care law.

Sept. 27: Democratic-led Senate votes to remove House-approved provision defunding health care law, sends bill keeping agencies open through Nov. 15 back to House.

Sept. 29: House shifts demands on health care law, votes to delay implementation for a year and repeal tax on medical devices. Separately, House votes to pay troops in case of shutdown. Senate approves bill next day, Obama signs it into law.

Sept. 30: Senate rejects latest House provisions curbing health care law. House reworks shutdown bill again, delaying for a year health care law requirement that individuals buy health insurance and requiring members of Congress and staff to pay full expense of health insurance, without government paying part of costs. Senate kills latest House health care provisions.

Oct. 1: Government's new fiscal year begins, partial federal shutdown starts. House stands by language delaying required individual health coverage and blocking federal health insurance subsidies for Congress, requests formal negotiations with Senate. Senate quickly rejects House effort for formal bargaining.

Oct. 2: Embarking on strategy of voting to restart popular programs, Republicans push bills through House reopening national parks and National Institutes of Health and letting the District of Columbia municipal government spend money. Democrats mostly vote "no," saying entire government must reopen. Senate ignores the measures. Obama discusses impasse with congressional leaders at White House, no progress reported.

Oct. 3: House votes to pay members of the National Guard and Reserves and finance veterans' programs.

Oct. 4: House votes to finance federal disaster aid programs and feeding programs for infants and pregnant women. Republicans increasingly tie shutdown fight to need for Congress to renew federal borrowing authority by Oct. 17 or risk economy-rattling government default. GOP leaders increasingly shift their conditions for passage of the shutdown and debt limit bills to deficit reduction.

Oct. 5: House votes to pay furloughed federal workers when shutdown ends. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says he is bringing most of his department's 350,000 furloughed workers back to work immediately.

Oct. 6: House Speaker John Boehner says House won't pass bills ending shutdown or raising debt limit without negotiations on GOP demands.

Oct. 7: House votes to fund Food and Drug Administration programs.

Oct. 8: House votes to finance Head Start, pay civil servants working during shutdown and create panel of lawmakers to negotiate on deficit reduction. Obama and Boehner suggest they might consider short-term bills ending the shutdown and extending the debt limit to give them time to negotiate.

Oct. 9: House votes to pay halted death benefits to families of fallen troops and to finance Federal Aviation Administration.

Oct. 10: Boehner proposes six-week debt limit extension, conditioned on Obama bargaining over spending cuts and reopening government. House GOP leaders discuss standoff with Obama at White House, no deal but both sides cite progress. Senate passes bill providing death benefits for slain troops and Obama signs it, House votes to fund border security programs.

Oct. 11: White House, congressional Republicans continue bargaining. House passes bill financing nuclear weapons security, research. A bipartisan Senate group works on a measure that would reopen the government and prevent the U.S. from defaulting on its bills.

Oct. 12: Boehner tells House Republicans that negotiations with White House have stalled. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., begin talks. Senate rejects Democratic effort to debate debt limit extension through 2014.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/timeline-congress-path-federal-shutdown-194000519.html
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Work to restart on stadium after 2nd worker dies

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — After police and fire investigators determined the second worker death at the new $1.2 billion San Francisco 49ers showcase stadium was an accident, officials said the project's accelerated construction plan would begin again on Tuesday.

A delivery truck driver was crushed early Monday by a bundle of rebar being unloaded from his truck.

An ambulance rushed the severely injured worker to a local hospital, where he died, according to a spokesman for Turner/Devcon, the construction company building Levi's Stadium.

The spokesman, Jonathan Harvey, said state workplace safety officials said Monday that while their investigation is ongoing and could take months, "the jobsite has been deemed safe and is permitted to reopen."

The Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office identified the man as Edward Erving Lake II, 60, of Vacaville. He was an employee of Gerdau Ameristeel's Napa Reinforcing Steel facility, a subcontractor working on the stadium, Gerdau's spokeswoman Kimberly M. Selph said.

In a statement, the 49ers said their "sincerest thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and co-workers affected by this tragedy." The team also said there were plans to have support on-site Tuesday to help workers with their emotions following the tragedy.

The stadium is in Santa Clara, about 40 miles south of Candlestick Park, which it is replacing. Construction is slated to be finished in July, and officials say the accelerated work plan involves a highly coordinated scheme to maximize efficiency and avoid delays.

Construction firm investigators also were on-scene Monday, to see what could have been done to prevent the deadly accident.

An elevator mechanic, 63-year-old Donald White, was also killed at the stadium in June when he was struck by a counterweight while working in a shaft.

White worked as an elevator mechanic for more than 40 years and was employed by Schindler Elevator Corp. An investigation into his death by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is underway.

The stadium project is expected to open its doors just in time to host the 50th Super Bowl, in 2016, in the heart of the Silicon Valley. The airy, open stadium would have the largest lower bowl in the league, ensuring the 68,500 fans are close to the action.

The construction costs are being paid by $800 million in seat and luxury box sales, along with a 20-year, $220 million naming rights agreement with Levi Strauss and Co. announced in May.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/restart-stadium-2nd-worker-dies-053340261.html
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'Hundreds' of militants die in Nigeria army jails, Amnesty claims

London (AFP) - Rights group Amnesty International called for an urgent investigation after saying it had evidence that hundreds of people had died in detention facilities during a crackdown on Islamists in Nigeria.

The group on Monday said prisoners had been suffocated, starved and subjected to extra-judicial killings in the army-led operation in the country's north east.

A senior army officer told the NGO that around 950 people suspected of having links to militant group Boko Haram had died in custody during the first half of the year.

The Islamist group wants to topple the Nigerian government and impose an Islamic state, and has been responsible for thousands of deaths.

The Nigerian army did formally respond, but has always rejected accusations of human rights abuses.

In its report, Amnesty called for an immediate probe but experts warned that their demands are likely to go unheeded.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hundreds-militants-die-nigeria-army-jails-amnesty-claims-014420119.html
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'Walking Dead' Casts Two Pivotal Comic Book Characters

Josh McDermitt and his comic counterpart

AMC's The Walking Dead is bringing in two more pivotal characters from Robert Kirkman's long-running comic series on which it is based.

Retired at 35 alum Josh McDermitt has joined the zombie drama in the series regular role of Dr. Eugene Porter, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. He'll be joined by Southland alum Michael Cudlitz as his traveling companion (and series regular role) Abraham, producers announced Saturday at New York Comic-Con, where the actor was a surprise addition, appearing in character from the audience.

PHOTOS: 'The Walking Dead's' Most Shocking Deaths

[Warning: Spoilers from the comics series follow.]

In the Image/Skybound comics, Eugene is a former high school science teacher who first appears in the 53rd issue of the series. He travels with sports coach and Army Sgt. Abraham Ford (Cudlitz) and Rosita (new recurring player Christian Serratos).

The trio eventually crosses paths with Rick as they make their way to Washington. However, unbeknown to Rick as well as eventual couple Abraham and Rosita, Eugene is lying when he claims to know what caused the zombie outbreak and instead is using the physically superior former sports coach to protect him.

The character remains alive in the comics and proves to be a key part of Rick's group, using his science know-how to manufacture ammunition.

"We're going to tell a version of the Eugene, Abraham and Rosita comic stories, that's what we do," showrunner Scott Gimple tells THR, noting that like the series has done before, there will be similarities and differences to how AMC handles the characters. "I love those characters from the book; they are very different flavors of comic book characters than we've seen on the show."

PHOTOS: Inside 'The Walking Dead's' Spooky Season 4 Premiere

Eugene for his part, disguises the fact that he's a smart guy by altering his appearance in order to further protect himself. "Josh looks breathtaking in a mullet; he was born to wear one," Gimple said with a laugh. "I can proudly announce we will see a mullet!"

The arrival of the characters also opens the door for the series to explore different locations than the prison. "We're going to get to those characters in a bit, but before that, we're going to be exploring a lot of different locations," Gimple says. "We're at the prison the first two episodes. We start looking at other places in episode three on but that isn't even tied with them yet.

Abraham, meanwhile, is a married father of two who following the outbreak returned from a hunt for supplies to find his wife and young daughter had both been raped and his young son force to watch. He ultimately kills the culprits and loses his family, who flee him in fear and are latter found, turned. He eventually becomes Rick's right-hand man after his group loses a key member in battle.

Repped by Innovative and Trademark Talent, McDermitt's credits also include Work It, Last Comic Standing (where he was a semifinalist during season four) as well as ABC pilot Kings of Van Nuys. He was a regular on TV Land's recently canceled Retired at 35.

Cudlitz is repped by APA, Gold Coast and Stone Meyer. His credits include TNT's recently canceled Southland as well as Band of Brothers.  

The Walking Dead returns for its fourth season Sunday at 9 p.m. on AMC. What do you think of the castings? Check out Cudlitz in action as Abraham from season four, below.  

E-mail: Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com
Twitter: @Snoodit

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/THRComicCon/~3/eFLIOVoMk0I/story01.htm
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Immigration dispute shows fault lines in Italy's 5-Star

By Naomi O'Leary

ROME (Reuters) - The leader of Italy's 5-Star Movement has criticized party lawmakers for what he says is their lax stance on immigration, an issue that threatens to divide the party that took a quarter of votes in February's deadlocked elections.

The death of hundreds of migrants off Italy's coast last week prompted two 5-Star senators to propose reforming a law - hated by the left - that criminalizes irregular immigration.

Five-Star leader Beppe Grillo, who faces growing dissent from a minority inside the movement critical of his autocratic style, said he opposed the move and that the senators had no right to imply their opinion was official party line.

"This amendment is an invitation to migrants from Africa and the Middle East to head for Italy ... How many immigrants can we accommodate if one Italian in eight does not have money?" Grillo wrote on his blog.

"Their position ... is entirely personal. It was not discussed in an assembly with other 5-Star senators, it wasn't part of the program voted for by 8.5 million, it wasn't subjected to any formal internal approval."

Refusing to back any government led by traditional parties, 5-Star declined to go into coalition with the center-left Democratic Party of Prime Minister Enrico Letta. But its mass support could give it a decisive role in the future.

Grillo did not run for election, and runs the party from outside of parliament, using a scathing political blog and popular public appearances to express his views.

His support for the 2009 immigration law was met with surprise and disagreement from many supporters and went against a wave of demands for reform following the tragedy off the island of Lampedusa last week.

Fishermen said they were reluctant to go to the aid of the ship because of the law, concerned that they could face criminal charges of aiding illegal immigration if they helped.

The survivors of the shipwreck were put under investigation, potentially facing fines of 5,000 euros ($6,800) and forced repatriation.

"It was a little too hasty," 5-Star lower house leader Alessio Villarosa told reporters of Grillo's blog post, saying the proposal to overturn the law would go ahead.

Opinion polls taken before the row showed support for 5-Star at between 20 and 24 percent, down from the 25.5 percent it took in the February election.

($1 = 0.7395 euros)

(Editing by Catherine Hornby and Robin Pomeroy)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/immigration-dispute-shows-fault-lines-italys-5-star-125219154.html
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