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First Ward Councilman Paul Sturtz said this morning that a development including residential units was exactly the thing he'd like to see in the central city.
"I think there's a huge pent-up demand for housing downtown," he said. "It's very attractive to the tens of thousands of people who go to work or school just a few blocks away, in addition to the hundreds of people who work a few blocks away at Boone Hospital and University Hospital."
St. Romaine also expressed the city's desire for the possibility of a grocery store going in on the first level of the project.
"That shortcoming has been identified by number of people as a limiting factor for how many people are willing to live downtown," Sturtz said. "If we can get a grocery store within walking distance, it would be a boon to more people feeling comfortable living downtown."
How well do you know the human body? Mac and Amber put your knowledge to the test in this bonus clip. 'Binge Thinking' airs Fridays 11:30/10:30c.
Belgrade is expected to recall the Serbian ambassador to Australia, Milivoje Glisic, after Canberra became one of the first governments to recognise the independence of Kosovo.
The federal government formally recognised Kosovo as an independent state, promising to soon consider the establishment of diplomatic relations.
Australia joined the United States, Britain, France, Germany and other European nations in recognising Kosovo, which declared its independence from Serbia on the weekend.
Belgrade has responded by recalling its US ambassador, a move it flagged would be implemented in "all countries that recognise unilateral independence" of Kosovo.
Mr Glisic expects to be soon recalled to Belgrade but does not anticipate a permanent cut in diplomatic relations between Australia and Serbia.
"We are sorry about that decision, and (in) such (a) hurry, since we have traditionally good relations with Australia," he said.
"Belgrade will not cut diplomatic ties with Australia (but) I suppose I will be called back to Belgrade for the consultations, as it has already been done with the Serbian ambassadors in states which have recognised the unilaterally declared and illegal independence of Kosovo and Metohija."
Metohija refers to the south-western region of Kosovo.
While the West has broadly embraced Kosovo's declaration of independence, both China and Russia are deeply opposed to the move.
China, deeply sensitive over Taiwan, warned that Kosovo's independence could cause conflict and undermine the United Nations.
Russia plans to seek international backing at the UN Security Council for its call to declare Kosovo independence "null and void".
Australia believes Kosovo's independence is in the best interests of the state, as well as south-eastern Europe.
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said Australia respected the decision of the people of Kosovo.
"It has been a long and difficult road to peace for Kosovo since the devastating conflict in the late 1990s," he said in statement.
"The United Nations and NATO have worked tirelessly since 1999 to assist in setting up self-governing institutions and to help the people of Kosovo rebuild their lives.
"Much remains to be done, and it is important that the international community, in particular the United Nations and European Community, continue efforts to bring about a lasting peaceful future for Kosovo and the region."
Mr Glisic said the matter had been discussed with the government, without making clear if the discussions were with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or Mr Smith's office.
"We told them our arguments - that the unilaterally declared independence is in violation of the UNSC resolution 1244 and in violation of the UN Charter, and in violation of the principles of the international law in force - and they responded that `Australia is favourably disposed to recognition of Kosovo'."
Mr Glisic warned Australia's decision could "hurt the feelings" of its 200,000 citizens and residents of Serbian origin.
"They are both good Serbians and Australians too, but I'm afraid that this decision could hurt their feelings," he said.
Independence in Kosovo brings down the curtain on the long and brutal break-up of Yugoslavia since the demise of communism in Europe in 1990s which saw the continent's worst atrocities since World War II.
About 10,000 people died in the 1998-1999 Kosovo war as Serb forces tried to put down ethnic Albanian separatists.
A NATO air war against late Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic halted the conflict and Kosovo has since been under UN administration.
Mr Smith wished the new Kosovo government well, and stressed the need for the independent state to protect the rights and safety of ethnic minorities, as well as cultural heritage sites.
He also urged Kosovo and Serbia to settle their differences peacefully.
"Australia hopes the Serbian government will continue to engage with European and other partners in the interests of stability and economic development of the region as a whole," Mr Smith said.
As we move into the final months of the year, it's critical to ensure that your sales teams are professional and properly trained in order to meet -- and exceed -- your goals. With that in mind, here is an excerpt from a chapter in my latest book, Leading High-Performance Teams. The key takeaway, as I write in the book, is that "Developing well-coordinated training programs for new salespeople and existing salespeople alike can provide tremendous ROI."
In working with clients, we at Acumen Management often find that sales-training programs suffer from problems such as inadequate new-employee orientation, sporadic and unfocused ongoing training and nonexistent or ineffective role-playing scenarios. Many clients also lack any type of coaching or mentoring in the field, during or after routine sales calls.
The good news: Sales-training programs don't have to be sophisticated or expensive. To ensure success, you need only a few basic components: a comprehensive plan that spells out your training program's goals and components, a clear ongoing process and, above all, effective execution.
Your plan should contain an outline for initial employee training on functional job requirements, company product and service offerings and corporate benefits, along with recurring plans for training existing employees.
Many organizations' training plans are missing one key factor: making sure that employee interest and motivation levels remain high. This process, which involves helping team members commit to the organization and align their personal and professional interests, is known as "re-recruiting."
The perfect opportunity to set a lasting tone is when new employees join your company. If you have customer letters of reference, have the newcomers read them. If you have awards, explain how you earned them. All new employees should have lunch or a meeting with the person at the highest level in their divisions; in smaller companies, that would be the president. Commitment, loyalty and the right attitude will begin to develop at these sessions.
...and more, based on your organization's specific needs.
It's critical that you clearly define each element of your training program and that the people responsible for each area sign off as each new hire has successfully completed the training.
To ensure success, your training plan should be designed so that you're continually updating your team's abilities. The plan should cover the following areas: sales skills, product and services knowledge, company operations, industry awareness and, if appropriate, understanding of key vertical markets.
Plan and organize your sales meetings for the entire quarter. Develop a comprehensive plan for repeatedly touching on each of the elements listed above over the course of the quarter (although not necessarily addressing all of them at each event).
The plan should also include personalized six-month programs that allow salespeople to set their own goals. This process helps ensure that individual and corporate goals are fully aligned. One of my clients requires its salespeople to attain several certification levels each year. In one instance, the salesperson has 15 minutes to review a case study before walking into a room where an actor plays the role of the client. Three independent professionals evaluate the salesperson's performance, which may be videotaped for later review. The salesperson must receive a passing grade before moving on to the next level.
To get your training program off the ground, first develop a written three-month sales training plan. Include a mandatory, predefined schedule; emphasize that employees must schedule their other meetings around it. Assign sales team members to present most training topics (if salespeople have to train others on a topic, you can be sure they'll know the material cold). Schedule sessions with outside trainers at least once per quarter. Establishing a short-term plan and agenda ensures that you address current issues while meeting the goals for providing ongoing training.
Bottom line: Employees are a critical asset. Most software systems have regular maintenance check-ups and support agreements to keep them at current levels. Your employees require at least as much attention. Keeping your employees' personal and professional objectives aligned with your corporate goals through training and re-recruiting will ultimately result in huge dividends.
By Capital FM, NAIROBI, Kenya, May 28 – The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) now says laws safeguarding the rights of individuals accused of committing crimes abroad should be applied equally regardless of a person\’s status or social background before the commencement of the extradition process.
A commissioner Hassan Omar Hassan said on Saturday that the government should carefully scrutinise requests from other countries and hold culpable individuals to account.
“The government must ensure that it is fair to its citizens across the board. It must never discriminate on application of the law. It must be just, fair and must seem to discharge that responsibility very diligently,” he said.
Speaking to Capital Newsbeat, he pointed out that such action will bolster the confidence of Kenyans and assure them of the government\’s protection should such a situation arise.
Mr Hassan further stated that stern action on all guilty individuals will deter anybody from committing crimes.
“Whether one is rich or poor, they need to be accorded the same kind of safeguards and the same kinds of rights and obligations. The law is supposed to be applied equally and equitably to all Kenyans,” he said.
He stressed the need for individuals who commit crimes in others countries should be dealt with accordingly saying that this will reduce the culture of impunity and corruption so prevalent in the country.
“We as a country are enthusiastic to see that this process is finalized in a just and fair manner so that these individuals can face trial. Corruption has been so prevalent in the country that we will support any action that will prevent this vice,” he stated.
He however said that the law should be followed in its entirety when dealing with the extradition of such individuals.
“The extradition is such that the Attorney General does receive the request through either the foreign office or directly from the Attorney General of the requesting state. The request is then requested before the court before it orders the extradition on the basis of reasonable evidence presented before it,” he pointed out.
Last Monday, Attorney General Amos Wako instructed the Chief Public Prosecutor Keriako Tobiko, to confirm the merit of a case involving Nambale MP Chris Okemo and former KPLC Managing Director Samuel Gichuru before Kenya considers extraditing them to the UK to face corruption charges.
The two are wanted in Britain for corruption and money laundering charges that were preferred against them by the Chief Justice of the Island of Jersey where it is alleged that the two had stashed their ill-gotten money.
Mr Wako argued that he would only give the authority to extradite them, if the prosecutor found them answerable to the cases preferred against them.
He also added that Kenya had made several requests to Britain among them the extradition of Yagnesh Devani, who is wanted over the Triton oil scandal, as well as Bishop Gilbert Deya, who is wanted in the country on various allegations of child thefts.
HAMILTON, Bermuda – Tropical Storm Leslie's outer bands buffeted Bermuda with gusty winds and rain, swirling to the east of the British enclave Sunday and then heading on a path expected to take it to Canada's Newfoundland later in the week.
The government reopened the L.F. Wade International Airport in the early evening after keeping it closed for most of the day due to tropical storm winds. Major airlines already had canceled flights to the British Atlantic territory of about 65,000 inhabitants.
As Leslie moved away from Bermuda into the northern Atlantic, the Bermuda Police Service said there were no reports of any major damage or injuries. Bus services resumed.
But scattered power outages affected hundreds of customers during the day, and some roads were littered with tree branches and other debris. At least one street pole fell in central Hamilton.
Government officials were breathing a sigh of relief since Leslie had several days earlier been forecast to be a Category 2 hurricane as it passed Bermuda, possibly as a direct strike.
"Despite a few power outages and cancelled flights it will be business as usual tomorrow. I would ask the public to remain cautious as there may be loose tree limbs and debris, and the ocean is still dangerous for swimming," said National Security Minister Wayne Perinchief.
Schools will not hold classes Monday, and sea ferry services were suspended while the fleet and docks are inspected.
Most residents of Bermuda, a financial haven and tourist destination about 600 miles (965 kilometers) off the U.S. East Coast, were taking the effects of the storm in stride. The territory has tough building codes and its people are used to strong storms.
"It's an excuse for a lazy day at home," said Natasha Hector, a resident of Bermuda's Southampton parish who is originally from Oxfordshire, England.
Tia Smith hunkered down at home Sunday in Hamilton parish with her husband, Tim; 5-year-old daughter, Willow; and 1-year-old son, Rowan. She said they dutifully prepared for a hurricane in recent days.
"Just a quiet day of movies and board games for us," she said.
Philippa Raven, who is visiting from London, said she was enjoying watching the storm from her friends' hilltop home.
"It's a good view and it's quite nice just watching it outside when you are cozy inside," said Raven, who arrived in Bermuda on Thursday.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said the storm had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 kph) late Sunday as it moved away from Bermuda. It was about 225 miles (365 kilometers) northeast of Bermuda and moving north-northeast at 16 mph (26 kph).
U.S. forecasters said Leslie could regain hurricane strength Tuesday over open ocean as it was expected to approach Newfoundland.
As Leslie moves northward, swells kicked up by the storm will affect Bermuda, the U.S. East Coast, the Canadian Maritimes, the northern Leeward Islands and the U.S. Caribbean territories for the next couple of days.
Far out in the Atlantic, Hurricane Michael was a Category 1 storm, with maximum sustained winds of about 85 mph (140 kph), and was not considered any threat to land. For a few hours Thursday, it was the first Category 3 of the Atlantic hurricane season.
Michael was 1,020 miles (1,640 kilometers) west-southwest of the Azores and was moving west at 6 mph (9 kph). It was forecast to weaken to a tropical storm by Tuesday.
Associated Press writer David McFadden in Kingston, Jamaica, contributed to this report.
The sentencing of Fiji's vice-president, Ratu Jope Seniloli, is now expected to be held shortly.
Yesterday, he and four others were found guilty of coup-related charges for their role in the failed administration set up by coup frontman George Speight.
The maximum sentence is life in jail but the defence lawyers have asked for non-custodial sentences.
The president, Ratu Josefa Iloilo, has cancelled his attendance at today's funeral of the the former first lady, Adi Lady Lala Mara.
Her burial is at her home village of Lomanikoro in Rewa in accordance with the full traditional protocol befitting her status as Fiji's highest ranking chief.
The police spokesman, Mesake Koroi, says no permits have been given for any such activities and they would be illegal.
The military commander, Commodore Bainimarama, said the security forces are monitoring the situation and are prepared to respond to any trouble.
The information minister, Simione Kaitani, says the five were all proud and confident of what they did.
But the chief prosecutor, Mark Tedeschi QC, said the convictions showed that Fiji stood firmly for the rule of the law and not the rule of the gun.
Customers outside of Porto’s Bakery & Cafe in Downey.
WEST COVINA >> After months of uncertainty, Porto’s Bakery & Cafe will be coming to town.
The bakery is expected to bring in $70,000 to $80,000 in annual sales tax revenue to the city and create about 175 jobs, city officials said.
The eatery chain bought the former Crazy Horse bikini bar and grill building at 1360 W. Garvey Ave. and plans to open its new location in 2017, West Covina officials said Thursday in a written statement.
“The City of West Covina has been working diligently to bring Porto’s to the City since 2010, when the Community Development Commission first reached out to Porto’s,” according to the statement. Both the city and Porto’s have been looking for an appropriate location for the business ever since.
BEIRUT (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Since arriving in Lebanon, Sudanese migrant worker Abdallah Afandi has been turned away from beach resorts, mistaken for a cleaner and prevented from renting an apartment - all because of the color of his skin.
“I want to use my voice so that people in Lebanon understand where I come from, my culture, music, food - so they will look beyond what I do for a living, and the color of my skin,” he said.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said projects like the Lebanese radio program could be used across the region to change attitudes toward migrants.
The show - whose name “Msh gharib” means “not foreign” in Arabic - has been in the works since 2017 and was created by the Anti-Racism Movement, a local non-government organization, with the help of migrants from the community center it runs.
“The title of the show really communicates its purpose - migrants are not ‘the other’. Their voices and stories shouldn’t be ‘foreign’ to Lebanese,” said Laure Makarem, spokeswoman for the center.
New Delhi: India ace Saina Nehwal yesterday underwent a scan to diagnose her Achilles tendon problems and has been prescribed rest for a couple of weeks.
The Indian ace, who finished runners-up at the China Open — a title she had won in 2014 — last week, consulted doctors at the Apollo hospital following pain in her right leg. “We came here to examine the pain in the leg. It was swollen so she underwent a scan and reports suggests stress on bone. Since she played in China Open it aggravated the pain, it put stress on the heel bone but doctors said there is nothing to worry too much,” said Saina’s father Harvir Singh.
After an unusually quiet campaign season in Turkey, the March 31, 2019 local elections delivered one of the most stunning results in recent memory. While securing a majority of the votes nationwide, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) lost major ground. Interestingly, from a historical perspective, the AKP outperformed itself compared to past local elections. The party obtained 44.32 percent of votes nationwide in 2019, compared to 41.6 percent in 2004, 38.99 percent in 2009, and 43.31 percent in 2014. Yet the party failed to perform in individual races, notably in major cities.
The most important defeats came in the mayoral races in the capital, Ankara, and in Istanbul, the country’s global metropolis. According to unofficial initial results, both races were close, particularly in Istanbul—fewer than 24,000 votes separate Republican People’s Party (CHP) candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu from the AKP’s Binali Yıldırım out of more than 10 million votes cast in the city. These losses are significant because the AKP and its Islamist predecessors have carried both cities in every election since 1994.

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