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5. Austerity, low pay, lack of council homes and the cuts and privatisation of public services make it harder for people fleeing domestic violence to escape and to rebuild their lives. |
1. Domestic violence is a working class and trade union issue that affects workers and their families. |
2. The trade unions have an important role to play in defending and fighting for women's rights and services. Working class women were key to the fight for women's right to vote; striking women workers laid the basis for the Equal Pay Act; the biggest demo in defence of abortion rights was initiated by the TUC. |
3. Councils can resist. They can refuse to pass on the Tory cuts. By using their reserves and borrowing powers they can sustain services while they fight for government funding for all services. |
5. Jeremy Corbyn has correctly called for the halting of the roll out of Universal Credit. Labour councils could refuse to implement the cut to refuge funding and help make the UC unworkable. |
1. Every cut to domestic violence services must be opposed and that trade unions can play a leading role in this. |
2. We resolve to appoint a member to look into local services and the cuts they face and to hold a public meeting to discuss a working class and trade union response to the cuts as soon as possible. |
4. We resolve to seek to work with above bodies and supportive local councillors to hold a people's budget meeting to produce a no-cuts budget which is necessary to prevent the destruction of domestic violence services and the lives they protect. |
PORTLAND, Maine – More than 200,000 homes and business were still without power Sunday as restoration efforts continued days after a slow-moving storm battered the Northeast with heavy snow, rain and high winds. |
Nearly 100,000 utility customers still lacked electricity Sunday in New Hampshire, the hardest-hit state. New York had about 96,000 outages and Maine 33,000. |
More than a million utility customers throughout the region lost power at the peak of the storm. |
Smaller outage numbers were reported in other states as hundreds of utility crews continued removing trees that knocked down power lines and replacing utility poles that snapped during the storm that crossed the region Thursday and Friday. |
Shelters were set up at fire departments and schools to provide warmth and food. |
Bryan Bush lost electricity Thursday, but he used a power generator he owns to turn the lights back on in his home in Kittery, Maine. Neighbors without that option have been stopping in for showers, warmth and cups of coffee. |
But with three utility poles still down in front of his house and wires crossing his driveway, he wasn't too confident about getting power back anytime soon. |
"I wouldn't expect much before the middle or the end of the week," he said. |
Governors in New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts visited storm-struck areas to meet with emergency responders and view storm damage. Officials said it could be several days before power is fully restored in New Hampshire, while Maine's largest utility hoped to restore power to all of its customers by the end of... |
In New Hampshire, Gov. John Lynch activated 50 National Guard members who went door-to-door in Allenstown on Sunday to check on residents without power. |
"This continues to be a difficult situation for many New Hampshire families and I continue to urge people to put their safety first," Lynch said. |
The storm dumped more than 2 feet of snow in New York, dropped 8 inches of rain in southern Maine and brought winds that gusted up to 92 mph off the New Hampshire coast. |
Another storm, this one from the east, was expected to bring more snow and rain into parts of New England on Sunday night into Monday. |
Maine stood to get the brunt of the latest front, with snow and rain also expected in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, said National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Cempa. |
"We're looking at a good bet of 6 inches or so in a lot of places away from the coast," Cempa said. |
Simon Lokodo, the country’s ethics and integrity minister, claimed the organisations were receiving support from abroad for Uganda’s homosexuals and “recruiting” young children into homosexuality. |
The former Roman Catholic priest said he believed the ban would come into a force next week. |
Homosexuality is illegal in Uganda. A Bill calling for harsher penalties and outlawing the “promotion” of homosexuality, including providing financial support to gays and lesbians, is pending in Parliament. A previous Bill called for the death penalty for repeat offenders, although the new version is expected to drop t... |
On Monday, Lokodo ordered the break-up of a gay rights workshop organised by the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project at a hotel just outside the capital, Kampala. Police wearing riot gear sealed off the venue for several hours. About 15 activists from Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania were questione... |
Lokodo made a similar intervention in February when he stormed into a gay rights conference and tried to have one of the organisers arrested for insulting him. |
Frank Mugisha, head of the NGO Sexual Minorities Uganda, said the minister’s ban was part of a wider general assault on civil society in Uganda. |
Chinese plan upstages Obama at U.N. |
NEW YORK | President Obama warned world leaders of an “irreversible catastrophe” if they fail to address climate change in time, but it was China’s leader who upstaged his American counterpart Tuesday by presenting the most detailed proposal. |
Chinese President Hu Jintao unveiled an ambitious plan that included planting enough trees to cover an area the size of Norway, expanding China’s use of nuclear energy and pledging to generate 15 percent of the country’s energy needs from renewable sources within a decade. Mr. Obama’s energy reform package remains stal... |
“Out of a sense of responsibility to its own people and people across the world, China has taken and will continue to take determined and practical steps to tackle this challenge,” Mr. Hu told a special U.N. summit on climate change. |
The offer from China - one of the world’s largest polluters - included a promise to make a notable reduction to the growth rate of its carbon pollution as measured against economic growth, among other efforts. However, Mr. Hu cautioned that developing nations should not be asked to shoulder more than they can bear in t... |
Todd Stern, Mr. Obama’s special envoy for climate change, said the Chinese plan sounded good but the significance of the final reductions remains to be seen. |
Chinese leaders will be able to implement their proposal even as the Obama administration struggles to win congressional approval for the comparable U.S. program. |
Leading environmentalists welcomed the offer by China, which has been criticized for rising pollution levels as its economy booms. |
Former Vice President Al Gore hailed Mr. Hu’s proposal. |
“I think the glass is very much half-full with China,” Mr. Gore said. |
Mr. Obama’s speech on climate change kicked off a long day in New York navigating different elements of a complex diplomatic agenda that includes Middle East peace, nonproliferation and global development. |
Although Mr. Obama’s speech was received politely, even enthusiastically in some quarters, observers said Mr. Obama’s first U.N. summit as president was unlikely to yield major policy accomplishments. |
Perhaps the most poignant evidence of this was Mr. Obama’s photo session with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, which produced the familiar image of a trilateral handshake that has become, in its various incarnations, a potent symbol of diplomatic talk without tangible progress over the decades. |
Mr. Obama gets a second chance to sway world leaders Wednesday when he addresses the opening day of the annual gathering of the U.N. General Assembly, but diplomatic expectations are again not high. |
“I don’t expect him to emerge with any startling initiatives. I don’t think we’ll see a big breakthrough on the Middle East. I don’t think the Iranian or North Korean threats will go away,” said Edward Luck, director of the Center on International Organization at Columbia University. |
Mr. Luck said Mr. Obama’s New York trip would prove more valuable for the personal interactions he has with other foreign leaders such as Mr. Hu, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and the heads of Middle Eastern and African states. |
Mr. Obama held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, prodding both countries to make progress on the path to peace. |
The White House insisted, as have many earlier U.S. administrations, that the moment is ripe for an agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians. |
“There is here a unique opportunity at this moment in time that may pass if there is further delay,” said George Mitchell, Mr. Obama’s envoy to the peace talks. |
But Mr. Mitchell, a Maine Democrat and former U.S. Senate majority leader, also acknowledged that “there are many obstacles” to even restarting talks. When asked about an Israeli offer to freeze settlements for six to nine months, first reported by The Washington Times on Tuesday, Mr. Mitchell said there was no agreeme... |
The day began for Mr. Obama with a warm welcome at the United Nations, an institution that endured a rocky relationship with President George W. Bush. He received an enormous ovation when he entered the chamber, which was packed with representatives from 192 member states and leaders of major U.N. agencies, funds and p... |
The president was not alone in calling for urgency on the topic of climate change. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who convened the special gathering on climate change, scolded the General Assembly, saying the nations must act. |
“Instead of demanding concessions from others, let us ask how we can contribute,” he said, adding that industrialized countries must take the first step forward. |
China’s dramatic offer sparked new hope for environmental groups that have said Mr. Obama needs to show more leadership in advance of the meeting in Copenhagen in December, when nations will negotiate for a global treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol. |
The House has passed its version of Mr. Obama’s climate change bill, but few expect major action on Capitol Hill on the issue in the coming months. |
Mr. Ban said negotiations leading to the upcoming talks in Copenhagen have been “too slow” and implored U.N. representatives to offer “direct guidance” and to “accelerate the pace and strengthen the ambition” before the meeting. |
Mr. Obama glossed over the delay in action on Capitol Hill, choosing instead to praise members of the House for passing a version of the bill in July. He did not mention that the bill faces many more legislative hurdles, or that some Senate leaders have already said the debate will be delayed until next year. |
The president said his plans for a summit later this week in Pittsburgh will include working with representatives from the world’s 20 largest economies to phase out fossil-fuel subsidies. |
Mr. Obama pointed out that he already has had several top-level meetings around the globe and said he has put climate change “at the top of our diplomatic agenda” in meetings with China, Brazil, India, Mexico, Africa and Europe. |
• Matthew Mosk and Betsy Pisik contributed to this report. |
THE majority of obese kids will remain dangerously overweight for life, a shock report reveals. |
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health warns four in five obese children are at risk of having their lives cut short by a decade. |
It calls for a clampdown on fast-food consumption with curbs on junk food advertising before 9pm, a ban on new outlets opening near schools and a series of “hard hitting campaigns”. |
According to official stats, one in three kids are obese when they leave primary school aged 11. |
A Government spokesman said: “There is always more to do, but we have world-leading plans in place to safeguard child health by combatting obesity, improving mental health and vaccinating against some of the world’s deadliest diseases. |
Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly looking to secure the £2.3million transfer of 1860 Munich wonderkid Julian Weigl. |
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is ready to trigger the German under-20 international’s release clause, according to Bild. |
Weigel, 19, became the youngest captain in 1860 Munich’s history at the age of 18 and is rated as one of the hottest prospects in Germany. |
He is an affordable target and one that Mauricio Pochettino is very keen to secure in the summer transfer window. |
The Islamophobia gripping the U.S. grows more entrenched by the day. Once confined to the far right, more and more pundits, power-brokers, and politicians are bringing it into mainstream. Apparently unsatisfied with dragging Muslims through the mud, Rep. Pete King (R-NY) is now committed to dragging them before Congres... |
COLBY: Talk to me about this investigation that you want to undertake about radicalization. Not everybody is supportive, in fact many have said that you’re looking towards the Muslim community — even though after 9/11 you said that not all Muslims are responsible for what happened on 9/11 — they say you’re a bigot. |
KING: Yeah, it’s totally untrue. That’s political correct nonsense. But I’m willing to take that hit if I have to. The fact is that nobody had a closer relationship with the Muslim community than I did before September 11. Since then, I’ve been disappointed that a number of their leaders did not cooperate with law enfo... |
And when you talk to law enforcement to around the country including this area here, they will say they do not get the level of support that we need. Now, the overwhelming majority of Muslims are good people, for whatever reason people in their leadership are not cooperative. And I believe its important to have this in... |
King’s wanton charges against the Muslim community are, in a word, bunk. American Muslims have been vigilant in confronting radical elements, “increasingly engaging the war of ideas being waged within Islam.” As Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) pointed out, “about a third of all foiled al-Qaida-related plots in the U.S. relie... |
But to King, inconvenient facts are easier to dismiss as “political correct nonsense.” Convinced of the Muslim community’s betrayal after 9/11, King will forever insist that “Muslim leaders have minimized the extent of the problem he had identified.” “They try to tell me that it is not as bad as it seems,” he said. But... |
Ben Fogle: why do we love labradors? |
What is it about Labradors that makes them Britain's favourite dog? |
I have had three Labradors in my life. Two of them are currently at my feet, willing me to drop a piece of my Hobnob biscuit. They are doing that Labrador thing where they stare at you unblinkingly, dribbling in Pavlovian anticipation. Hunger, as any owner quickly discovers, is the key to the Labrador’s magnificence. |
Inca, who died in 2012 having accompanied me to the island of Taransay when I was a contestant on the BBC’s Castaway programme, my wife’s dog, Maggi, and our new family puppy, Storm, have turned me into a barking crazy labrophile. Kind, loyal, diligent, hardworking, biddable, gentle and faithful: I may be biased, but i... |
I think many of us choose our dogs on the basis that we think they reflect our own personalities. They are like hairy ambassadors for the people we would like to be and this must be one reason families choose the Labrador as a role model for their children. |
When my two kids, Ludo and Iona, were little, they used Inca as a seat. They would inadvertently pull her tail and her ears and place their hands in her mouth to examine her gums and teeth and she would just lie there. I trusted her implicitly. Kindness is built into a Labrador’s nature. |
They’re also outgoing. Other breeds such as greyhounds or whippets, for example, are more timid. While I like to think I share plenty of their traits, the Labrador’s lack of shyness is perhaps the one big difference between myself and the breed. People are surprised to hear it, but I am not naturally confident and have... |
But what attracts me most to Labradors is their happy-go-lucky, bouncy, tail-wagging personalities. They project a euphoria that I find contagious. I have lost count of the number of times I have returned home after a hard day’s work and my spirits are lifted by the tongue-lolling, excited greeting I receive at the fro... |
I’m talking in broad brush strokes, but generally society has become more cynical and suspicious. When was the last time you said good morning to a stranger on the Tube? A Labrador wouldn’t dream of missing the opportunity to say hello and will always give strangers the benefit of the doubt. It’s an attractive trait, a... |
These very qualities have made Labradors the breed of choice for high-profile dog owners from Arnold Schwarzenegger to Roald Dahl to Bill Clinton. When Buddy the First Dog arrived at the White House, Clinton’s spokesman explained that “it is the President’s desire to have one loyal friend in Washington”. And while few ... |
However, the Labrador’s current status as the perfect pet is a far cry from their heritage. They were originally fishing dogs, whose ancestors came from the Portuguese cod trawlers that worked the Grand Banks off Newfoundland in Canada (despite the name, they do not actually originate from Labrador, Canada’s northerly ... |
The first sightings in Britain of the “St John’s dogs” or “Little Newfoundland dogs” were in the late 18th century. The Newfoundland fishing fleet docked regularly at Poole Harbour in Dorset, with its catch of cod and other fish kept on ice in the hold. One day the 2nd Earl of Malmesbury, an MP and keen sportsman, spot... |
As gundogs to the gentry, Labradors acquired a fashionable status attractive to the aspirational classes. Eager to please and eminently trainable, loyal and lovable, playful and energetic, the Labrador gradually became a great all-rounder, a symbol of social status, a valued working dog to some and a treasured family p... |
And the reason for all this genius? Their stomachs. They are naturally easy to train and intellectually superior to many other dogs, but their love of food makes Labradors particularly fast at learning tricks and being able to perform. |
To them, there is no such thing as bad food. Some of it, such as coins, flip-flops and letters, just tastes a little different, but in the end it’s all food and they will do anything for it. They’ll even sniff out cancer, like the medical detection dogs. One extraordinary Labrador, Hetty, who was trained by the charity... |
Whether as clever as Hetty or not, I admire Labs so much that I hope my children will have many of their personality traits, particularly kindness, loyalty and optimism. |
I know it sounds saccharine, but these loyal black dogs have been my guardian angels over the years, silently guiding and directing me. They are always there, offering a tonic to many of the ills of the world and we can learn a great deal from them. Man’s best friend… for ever. |
Labrador by Ben Fogle is published by HarperCollins priced £20. To order your copy for £16.99 plus p&p call 0844 871 1514 or visit books.telegraph.co.uk. |
Sep 1, 2018 - 04:10 am .- Contemplating the grandeur of the ocean is also an opportunity to reflect on the goodness of God the Creator, Pope Francis said in a message for a day of prayer for the care of creation. |
Jun 14, 2018 - 12:39 am .- In a statement issued Monday, the Catholic bishops of El Salvador urged preventative legislation against the privatization of water sources. |
Dec 5, 2013 - 03:53 am .- A human rights organization is teaming up with a Catholic mission this Advent to help offer free, clean water to an area of the world that often gets overlooked when fighting water poverty: the United States. |
A few pictures from our neighborhood in Ashburn, Virginia in the Belmont Ridge neighborhood where a possible small Tornado touched down and some high winds knocked down some trees. |
The Obama administration has denied federal aid the state sought for help to recover from the tornado and severe storms that tore through Fairfield County on June 24. |
Bridgeport was hit most severely and 50 families were left homeless, but Stratford and Trumbull also sustained damage. |
While touring Bridgeport, where roofs were torn off buildings, Mayor Bill Finch said, “East Main Street just looks like Godzilla came and grabbed roofs and wires and cars and mixed them all together." |
Last month, Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele, on behalf of Gov. M. Jodi Rell, asked the Federal Management Agency for a federal disaster declaration and for federal aid for individual needs and public assistance, particularly for Bridgeport and Stratford. |
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