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Courtesy: THE PROPOSED IDAHO COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE
Courtesy: THE PROPOSED IDAHO COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE
MERIDIAN, Idaho - (KIFI/KIDK) Efforts are still underway in opening the Proposed Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine. ICOM will be a privately owned medical school. The school will be funded through tuition, instead of taxes.
While the college is still in the accreditation phase, they do plan on opening their doors in 2018.
"So we are planning for August 2018 to be our opening for the first class, assuming all goes well with construction and accreditation. And we are going to take a 150 medical students in the first class, even with these 150 medical students, we know that there is still going to be a tremendous need for physicians in the region," said Dr. Robert Hasty, the founding dean and chief academic officer atICOM.
Representatives from the college said they will be partnering with Idaho State University.
"ICOM is a wonderful example of a public, private partnership between Idaho State University and the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine," commented Dr. Tracy Farnsworth, the president ofICOM. "We expect to have a lot of shared teaching and research collaborations that will not only benefit the medical students but all the allied health professions at Idaho State University."
Dr. Hasty said that the new college will also be good for Idaho's economy.
"So we have commissioned an independent organization and they done an economic feasibility package for us. It looks like we are going to make over 500 million dollar economic impact in the first ten years of ICOM. Over 50 million dollars a year for the region," said Dr. Hasty.
ICOM has not decided on their tuition for students yet. However, they did say it will be less than the national average for U.S. private osteopathic medical schools.
The state of Idaho awarded the school with a tax reimbursement incentive. ICOM's website said the money will go towards scholarships for Idaho residents. ICOM said they will give preference to ISU graduates.
If you are interested in learning more about the Proposed College of Osteopathic Medicine, click here.
The college will be located in Meridian, Idaho.
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Efforts continue in opening new medical school in Idaho - LocalNews8.com
With new school opening, medical education surges in Spokane Wichita Eagle A new medical school by Washington State University plus a dramatic expansion of a modest medical training program operated by the University of Washington mean hundreds of future doctors will soon be training in the eastern Washington city. |
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With new school opening, medical education surges in Spokane - Wichita Eagle
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Michele Mariscalco is the outgoing regional dean of the Urbana-Champaign campus of the Chicago-based University of Illinois College of Medicine.
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URBANA Beginning Feb. 16, Janet Jokela will become acting regional dean of the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Urbana-Champaign, pending approval from trustees.
She is replacing Michele Mariscalco, who has been the Urbana regional dean for the past three years and is beginning a new position in UI health executive leadership in Chicago.
Jokela, who joined the faculty in 2000, has served in several different roles, including director for the first-year course "Introduction to Human Disease," director of the internal-medicine residency program and director of Continuing Medical Education.
Jokela graduated from the University of Minnesota, worked at Massachusetts General Hospital and served on the faculty of Harvard Medical School.
In her time as Urbana regional dean, Mariscalco achieved much, a UI news release said, including guiding the Chicago-based College of Medicine's consolidation of campuses. The Urbana-Champaign regional campus is being phased out as the UI is in the process of establishing the independent Carle Illinois College of Medicine.
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New regional dean named for UI med school's Urbana campus ... - Champaign/Urbana News-Gazette
HERE ARE some thoughts from a guy who wonders how much a person has to be paid to dress like the Statue of Liberty, stand by the road and spin a sign advertising a tax firm?
Its nothing against people who do it to make a living, but Im sure pretty much every person driving by has pondered the same question.
Still, I guess it would be better than dressing like a Block of wood for some other firms namesake.
I also am wondering what I should buy my wife for Valentines Day. What do you get a woman who has everything?
By everything I mean me of course. Umm, just kidding, hon.
Im not sure, but Im guessing this is a universal problem for men. We are simply not good at coming up with new and innovative ways to gift our wives or girlfriends or both, for some idiots with death wishes.
Flowers are nice, but they dont last long. Candy is dandy, sure. But that doesnt last long either if we guys see a box sitting around that obviously begs to be eaten before it gets stale.
Buying clothes for women is out of the question. Maybe lingerie is OK in the first five or 10 years of marriage, but after that?
And how many of those Best Wife or Best Grandma mugs can a woman put in the cupboard?
Some guys buy plane tickets for their wives to go on a vacation. But then women start to question: I wonder why he wants to get me out of town?
Dinner and a movie? Always a good option. Doesnt last long, but today not many marriages do either.
You can always surprise your wife with a burial plot in her name. Thats different. But if you do, you had better be ready to fill one yourself.
Hey, Im just thinking outside the box, so to speak.
There is always a gym membership. Wait, cancel that one. That would be like responding to your wifes question, Do these pants make me look fat? withNo, but your butt does.
I realize many guys arent great at buying gifts.
But then again, there is a true method to our madness.If we get too good at it, well be the ones out fighting the crowds to buy Christmas gifts for our family and friends.
Its the same as being shrewd when it comes to wrapping gifts. If you do a horrible job the first time, your wife never asks you to do it again.
Life is good.
After all this thinking, I finally came up with what Im going to get my wife for Valentines Day.
Its a gift that keeps on giving: aStatue of Liberty suit and a sign.
LYNN SATERNOW of The Herald writes this column every Saturday for the Opinion Page. He can be reached at lsaternow@sharonherald.com.
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Moments after the Liberty boys basketball team finished off another impressive fast break late in the third quarter, Winters Mill coach Billy Mays sprung up off the bench as if to shout instructions to his players, but he didn't say anything.
There was really nothing Mays could say to his team.
Liberty was putting on a show Friday night and visiting Winters Mill was unable to stop it. The Lions ran out to a seven-point lead to open the game and had things their way practically all game to rack up a 65-46 victory.
"We wanted to push the tempo and we felt it was an advantage for us," Liberty coach Brian Tombs said. "We got up and down the court fairly well."
Liberty senior guard Justin Brookhart led the Lions with 20 points and teammate Nick Tilson, also a senior guard, chipped in 12 points. Tombs has brought Brookhart along slowly since the veteran suffered a calf injury in late January.
"This is his first full game back in two weeks," the coach said. "He played a little against Westminster [a loss on Feb. 6] and missed the South Carroll and Manchester Valley games [both wins]."
Winters Mill senior point guard Tre Woodyard matched Brookhart's performance, totaling 26 points, five rebounds, and three steals. Avery Serafin added nine points for the Falcons.
"He shoots the ball well and really can get to the basket," Tombs said of Woodyard, who had 17 points in the second half. "You can't stop him. You just hope to contain him."
Woodyard and his teammates just couldn't stop the Lions.
Liberty (12-8, 8-4 in the county) started fast, bolting to its 7-0 lead in the first three minutes behind five points from Tilson. Winters Mill (2-18, 0-12) made that stretch easier for the hosts as the Falcons missed their first three shots and had three turnovers. They followed that drought with a 5-0 run, which Woodyard capped with a 3-pointer.
Winters Mill tied it at 9-9 on a Woodyard free throw with 1:27 remaining. Liberty closed with a 7-0 spurt to make it 16-9 at the end of the quarter.
The Lions extended the lead to 28-15 in the middle of the second quarter, and they boasted a 34-18 advantage at the intermission. Brookhart had 11 points in the first half.
"We talked about it at halftime that when you have a team on the ropes the first few minutes are big," Tombs said. "We need to come out and to make sure that they are not going to be able to come back."
The Lions listened.
Liberty opened the third quarter on a 6-2 run in the first three minutes to boost its lead to 40-20.
The Lions led 51-29 at the end of the quarter, and the advantage ballooned to 25 points early in the final quarter.
"Our kids played hard, but we had too many costly turnovers," said Mays, whose team had 18 turnovers. "We have to learn how to take care of the ball on the offensive end."
Liberty (65): Ronak Morgan 3, Ben Brown 2, Nick Tilson 12, Tristan Kent 8, Jack Selby 8, Sean Kirker 3, Justin Brookhart 20, Steven Goetz 9.
Winters Mill (46): Devin Callahan 3, Chandler Gentzel 2, Avery Serafin 9, Tre Woodyard 26, Blake Kelly 3, Terrence McDonald 3.
Halftime: Liberty, 34-18.
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Boys Basketball: Brookhart getting healthy as Liberty rolls past Winters Mill - Carroll County Times
Staff and students of five high schools in the region were honored in Charleston Friday by state Schools Superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano for having graduation rates at 90 percent or higher in the 2015-2016 school year.
Liberty High School (92 percent) in Raleigh County, Wyoming County East High School (93 percent) in Wyoming County, Greenbrier East High School (92 percent) in Greenbrier County and Richwood High School (96 percent) and Nicholas County High School (91 percent) in Nicholas County were among the 70 schools, or about 60 percent of the 116 high schools in the state, to achieve a 90 percent or higher rate of graduating students.
"Our state becomes stronger with each student that graduates high school," Martirano said. "The high schools here today deserve the praise they are receiving for achieving a 90 percent or higher graduation rate.
"Our schools see the potential that a high school graduate holds for our state and they, along with the Department of Education and Board of Education, have made it a top priority to ensure our students show up, work hard and earn a diploma."
Martirano recognized those schools who topped the graduation list outside of the Senate chambers at the State Capitol Friday.
WVBOE member and former Collins Middle School principal Dave Perry applauded administrators, teachers and staff at the schools in comments made Friday afternoon.
"I think it's a testament to the caliber of teachers and administrators that we have, not only in the state of West Virginia, but, particularly, in Raleigh County," Perry added Friday, in reference to Liberty High's graduation rate.
Recent data show more students in West Virginia are graduating from high school, in comparison to past years. Department of Education officials report that creation of the Early Warning System tracks 45 different indicators which identify students who are at risk of dropping out of school.
West Virginia is among the top 20 states for graduation rates, according to 2015-2015 data, at a rate of 87 percent for those years. The average graduation rate in West Virginia for 2015-2016 had climbed to 89 percent, according to DOE data.
Raleigh County Schools Superintendent David Price said school personnel have made a concentrated effort to retain students and to increase the number of graduates.
He said part of the strategy to success has been a partnership with Raleigh district and Regional Educational Services Agency (RESA). The WVBOE established eight RESA districts statewide to provide professional staff development and technical assistance to low-performing schools.
Gov. Jim Justice's budget plan calls for a $3.7 million cut to the RESAs.
Three former Raleigh educators currently work with the school system through RESA.
"We're working with RESA, with graduation coaches," said Price. "RESA provides support for at-risk students who are at risk of not graduating, and we provide support for the ones that want support, through graduation coaches.
"(Graduation coaches) meet with those students and provide support so that they don't quit."
Terry Poe, retired principal of Independence Middle School, is the graduation coach at Liberty High.
Price gave kudos to Poe for his work with students and his influence on the top graduation rate at Liberty.
"He does an outstanding job, develops great relationships with students, and I think the evidence is here, of how successful that is," Price said.
Liberty High School principal Lori Knight, counselors and teachers have also invested in the plan to stop drop-out tracks, according to Price.
"The counselors and staff at Liberty do an outstanding job of working with students when they notice, maybe, grades or attendance seems to be dropping off," Price said. "The counselors meet with them immediately to see what support they need and provide it.
"I think Ms. Knight and her staff are to be commended for providing students the support they need to ensure they graduate and get a great start for their future, in being college- and career-ready."
Four schools in the state two in Randolph County, along with one each in Wetzel and Grant counties -- had a 100 percent graduation rate, according to DOE statistics.
Email: jfarrish@register-herald.com
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Raleigh Liberty among schools recognized for 90+ percent graduation rate - Beckley Register-Herald
Pam Tharp, Correspondent 10:03 a.m. ET Feb. 11, 2017
The Union County Courthouse in Liberty.(Photo: Joshua Smith/Palladium-Item file)Buy Photo
LIBERTY, IND. Liberty police officers have won approval to raise money to buy a K-9 for their department to increase their fight against drugs.
In October, Liberty resident Melinda Stevens said the town neededa dog to better deal with the problem officers now face.
Stevens, who left Liberty more than a year ago and returned late last year, saidher neighborhood haddeteriorated in that time, with drugusers creating multiple problems there.
Liberty Police Officer Todd Dickenson told the town council this week he's willing to be the K-9 officer and will raise the needed funds to obtain a dog and the required training for both of them.
Liberty Town Clerk-treasurer Melissa Shepler said the dog will cost at least $15,000,and the cost goes up from there, depending on the amount and type of training requested.
Before funds can be collected, the town council must pass an ordinance allowing such an action,Shepler said. That probably willoccur at the town councils first meeting in March, she said.
Buying and training a K-9 officer is only part of the projects cost. Liberty officers drive sedans, which wont accommodate a dog, Shepler said.
The town councilalready wasplanning to replace two older vehicles later this year, Sheplersaid. Police Chief Andrew Jordans cruiser is the oldest in the fleet, followed by Dickersons vehicle, so its likely Dickersons next car will be one that could accommodate the K-9, Shepler said.
Jordan said having a trained police dog provides multiple uses, including looking for a missing child or a wandering adult. Having a dog to take along to school programs also isa plus, he said. In addition to tracking, the dogprovides protection for the officer, Jordan said.
Its absolutely a positive step for us, hesaid.
Union County Sheriff Dale Dishmond has been Union Countys K-9 officer for several decades, a job he said last fall that hes ready to pass to someone else.
Having the dog under the control of the town police makes sense becausedrugshave become a problem in town, Dishmond said.
St. Clair EMS ambulance owner Nathan St. Clair said the there were three cardiac arrestpatients in January, one of which was the result of an overdose and the second was a suspected overdose. Those numbers were down from previous months, he said.
The Union County Health Department is applying for a state grant fora supply of naloxone, which can reverse a narcotic overdose. The Indiana State Department of Health received $519,000 last summer from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to expand overdose prevention outreach in Indiana counties.
Union Countyhealth officials are asking for 200 naloxone kits, a years supply, with 50 to be delivered each quarter.
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Liberty Town Council OKs plan to buy police dog - Palladium-Item
Forty years ago, four Brits in a band called the Sex Pistols outraged and angered the British political establishment. Now in 2017 another Brit has done the same thing to the U.S. establishment.
1977 was the year that punk exploded onto the cultural landscape and shook up the status quo of hippy music biz complacency and smug liberal assumptions. Were not into music, were into chaos, sneered the Sex Pistols as they shocked and awed the British public and challenged the old order.
The Pistols, The Clash, The Ramones and all those three-chord wonders with ripped jeans and spiked hair galvanized a generation. Not only rebelling against the stadium rock perpetuated by the likes of Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles and Pink Floyd, but also by criticizing their self-satisfied, Lear Jet lifestyles and their conventional viewpoints.
Led by their manager Malcolm McLaren, the Pistols used outrage and a Situationist agenda to confront the establishment, attack sacred idols and provoke all the right people. As McLaren once said, If it doesnt threaten the status quo, its not worth doing. The punk class of 77 angrily sang about the stupefying dullness of life in mid-70s Britain, the absurdity of pop stars and the conceits of the eras prevailing culture.
For many kids who felt disconnected from the mainstream, punk was a welcome reaction against the post-hippie and cultural malaise that had seeped into all aspects of 1970s society. But the punks also faced a backlash that was both widespread and violent, consisting of demonization from the media, gigs canceled or banned, assaults on punks by reactionary Teddy Boys, and low-key police harassment.
As a former punk myself, I remember being yelled at, spat on and punched in the face just for wearing a Sex Pistols God Save the Queen T-shirt.
Now, nearly four decades later, another establishment is being shaken up, but this time around its the cultural gatekeepers of liberal America who are finding their cosmopolitan we-know-best pieties challenged.
Another crucial difference from 77, of course, is that todays rebellion is more an overtly political one than a musical revolution. But the anti-authoritarian instincts of the original punks also fuel this current generation of free-thinkers.
Somewhat lazily dubbed by critics and some friends alike as the alt-right, this broad movement against liberal orthodoxy has as its unlikely figurehead the flamboyant British export Milo Yiannopoulos, a controversial punk provocateur par excellence.
Yiannopoulos, with his calculated outrageousness and refusal to back down, seems well aware of the similarities between todays culture wars and the spirit of 77. During the 2016 presidential election he proclaimed, to cheers from his supporters, that we should vote for Donald Trump because he was the new punk.
In hindsight, it looks like he may have beenright in that comparison. After all, in a mainstream media world where it was assumed that no right-thinking person in America could ever vote for Trump, the actions of Yiannopoulos and his growing band of followers in backing such a controversial Republican candidate could only be seen as a Sid Vicious-style F**k You to political correctness and the established order.
Using social media instead of three-minute songs, Yiannopoulos has revolutionized the fight against political orthodoxy by using the same shock tactics that the punks used to take on the entertainment industry.
It should be noted that the American genesis of this new breed of conservative provocateurs that Milo seems to have galvanized actually has its roots in the South Park Conservatives generation, which moved from left to right after 9/11 as the left became increasingly politically correct and authoritarian.
Like the punks of 77, Milo and his merry band are also demonized by the media and also face assault from reactionary elementsas the recent riot that led to a cancelation of a Yiannopoulos event at the University of California-Berkeley goes to show.
In much the same way as the punk-bashing British Teddy Boys of 40years ago sided with the status quo, so the antifa have allied themselves with the American status quo against the new rebels on the block.
In fact, by being on the same side of the anti-Milo debate as the establishment liberal bastions of the New York Times, California hi-tech billionairesand pampered Hollywood one percenters, the antifa have only confirmed Yiannopoulos and the new anti-authoritarians as underdogs and the real inheritors of the rebellious punk mantle.
And just as the British media lambasted Johnny Rotten for his supposed attacks against the Queen and all common decency, so the American media has run endless critical stories on how Milo is slaughtering the sacred cows of open borders, feminism and the Black Lives Matter movement.
What happens next is anybodys guess. Will Milo and this new movement implode as the Sex Pistols did? Will the opposition to them prove too strong to overcome? Will they be absorbed into a new political mainstream?
Anything is possible but right now, just as in the halcyon days of punk, and whether one agrees with him or not, theres no denying that Milo, like the Sex Pistols before him, is riding the wave of the new zeitgeist.
God Save the Queen!
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How Milo and the Free Speech Libertarian Movement Resemble the Sex Pistols - Heat Street
The only difference between the Democratic and Republican parties, according to a local political activist, is that each promotes a different brand of diet soda.
Some of us want to drink ice water, said Bryan Jack Holder of Council Bluffs.
Thats why he joined the Iowa Libertarian Party, which is expected to earn political party status in the state in a few weeks.
Ive been following politics most of my adult life, and there are many like myself that dont fit in with either of the major political parties, said Holder, who ran for the U.S. House last year as a Libertarian. Some of us dont like to be put in a box.
More and more people seem to be in agreement as membership in the party has skyrocketed in just five years, according to Council Bluffs resident Jake Porter, the partys newly named executive director.
Currently, the number of Libertarian registered voters in Iowa is approaching 10,000, compared to less than 2,000 in 2012, Porter said. According to the Iowa Secretary of States office, 9,035 active voters are registered as Libertarians.
These people are seeking maximum freedom, which is what the party stands for, Porter said.
Its the ability to live your life as you choose as long as you are not harming anyone else, he said. We support fewer taxes, fewer regulations on smaller businesses and more personal freedom. The nature of government is to take away freedom. The Libertarian Party is trying to get some of those freedoms back.
Holder, who said hes not surprised by the partys growth, had similar views.
I dont think government should be in our bedrooms, bank accounts, our gun safes or in our communications, he said.
Last year, more Libertarians ran for political office than ever before, according to Porter.
One of those who ran was Gary Johnson, the partys presidential candidate. Johnson received 3.8 percent of the total presidential vote in Iowa, slightly more than the 3.3 percent he received nationally.
Because of this performance, the Libertarian Party earned political party status, which occurs when a partys presidential candidate receives more than 2 percent of the vote in Iowa. The necessary paperwork to obtain this status has been filed with the Iowa Secretary of States office and should become official around March 1, Porter said.
I dont see any issues with it, he said of the paperwork.
Political party status is a legal definition established by Iowa Code that allows the party certain privileges, including the ability to participate in primary elections. With party status, Iowa Libertarians will be able to vote for Libertarian candidates in the 2018 primaries.
Holding primary elections has its advantages, said Keith Laube, chairman of the Iowa Libertarian Party.
Having our candidates be part of the primary election will allow voters to become familiar with our candidates earlier in the election season, Laube said through his office. Our candidates will know they are on the November ballot in early June rather than late August.
This will help organize stronger campaigns and provide voters more opportunity to understand Libertarian views. Having more candidates share their ideas by being involved in the entire election cycle is good for Iowa.
Holder said he plans to run again for Congress next year. Porter also didnt rule out party candidates running in this years Council Bluffs City Council election, which is a nonpartisan race.
Having political party status also adds more credibility when these candidates seek a place in political debates, Porter said, adding there should be no shortage of party candidates in the 2018 election.
We think we will have at least 50 candidates for county, the state Legislature, the governors race and for Congress, he said.
Group plans for expanded candidate slate in 2018 after seeing growth in registration numbers
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Libertarians set to become official political party in Iowa - The Daily Nonpareil
I had the pleasure of hosting British financier James Arnold at our presidential Inauguration. Mr. Arnold, a keen observer of American politics, has been rightly concerned for the last several years about the chill in our two nation's Special Relationship.
After enjoying the inauguration and our nation's peaceful transfer of power, we attempted to make our way to a parade viewing party on Pennsylvania Avenue. What should have been a painless trip across town quickly became a prime example of how unhinged the far left has become. Along the way we witnessed smashed cars, broken windows, a fire, and were called names and threatened simply because of how we were dressed; so much for tolerance and acceptance.
After arriving at the parade, we had the pleasure of running into former Massachusetts Republican Governor William Weld. Governor Weld, much like current Governor Charlie Baker, was extremely effective and amazingly popular in deep blue Massachusetts. However, Governor Weld is best know today as the well-informed half of the Johnson-Weld presidential ticket. He was the one who actually knew what Aleppo was.
In our conversation, Governor Weld brought up a fascinating point, a point that has been largely overlooked in the reams of post election analysis. Governor Weld said that Johnson-Weld internal polling showed that 75 percent of their voters would have voted for Donald Trump had they not been in the race. The Libertarian ticket received nearly 4.5 million total votes in the election. It makes logical sense that three fourths of these voters, drawn to a ticket of former, successful two-term Republican Governors, would be more attracted to limited government advocates promising change from the last eight years. In addition, they saw absolutely no appetite amongst their limited government voters to support the Clinton-Kaine ticket.
In short, if the Johnson-Weld ticket had not run, Donald Trump would have won the popular vote. Given the Green Party's anemic showing and its great reluctance to support Hillary Clinton under any circumstance, it is very likely Donald Trump would have still won the popular vote even if the Green Party failed to field a candidate. In addition, Mr. Trump would have rolled up an even larger Electoral College margin, as the additional votes would have likely flipped New Hampshire, Maine, and Minnesota to his column.
No one can describe Governor Weld as an apologist for Mr. Trump. Just as no one can question Weld's political acumen and integrity. Mr. Arnold and I walked away impressed that the good governor had made an extremely strong case for his argument and that we had just been told an unreported gem from the 2016 election.
These will be difficult facts to grapple with for people whose solution to losing an election is to riot and to attempt to intimidate. Given the events of the last couple weeks, I suspect there will be more ridiculous hats, vulgar signs, and vandalism. Undoubtedly, swing voters and Blue Collar Democrats (Joe Biden Democrats) who gave President Trump their vote this election were disgusted by the far left's childish tantrum. If this continues, it is likely that an even larger cross-section of American voters will be willing to put the Democratic Party in another four-year "timeout" come 2020.
Tom Ross is a former chairman of the Delaware State Republican Party.
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Libertarian ticket cost Trump the popular vote | Washington Examiner - Washington Examiner
Egyptian media have played a taped conversation between the Egyptian foreign minister and an Israeli envoy, apparently confirming the close coordination between Cairo and Jerusalem over the controversial planned Egyptian transfer of the Red Sea islands of Sanafir and Tiran to Saudi Arabia.
Israel has previously said it gave written approval for the move because the two Red Sea islands figure prominently in the Israeli-Egyptian peace agreement signed in 1979.
But the move is deeply unpopular in Egypt, where it is seen as selling off parts of Egypt in exchange for Saudi cash. Egypts High Administrative Court last month upheld a ruling voiding the government agreement to hand over the two islands.
The taped conversation was played on Egyptian opposition TV channel Mekameleen on Friday, according to the Middle East Eye.
The recording only has the side of Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry in his conversation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus personal envoy, Yitzhak Molcho. However, Molcho is referred to by name several times in the recording.
Yitzhak Molcho (photo credit: Michal Fattal/Flash90)
I will agree to what you proposed: The ARE (Arab Republic of Egypt) will not agree to any amendment to the agreement without the prior, formal consent of the GOI (Government of Israel), OK?, Shoukry said.
The recordings indicate how eager Egypt was to accommodate Israel in order to see the deal go through.
You had asked on the fourth line to include the word enduring, I am going to go ahead and accept that, OK? Shoukry told Molcho at one point.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara host Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry in their official residence in Jerusalem, July 10, 2016, during a visit to Israel for the first time in nearly a decade. (Kobi Gideon/GPO)
Let me try again to accommodate you, you can I hope recognize how much I am trying, the Egyptian foreign minister said later.
Cairo said it had agreed to demarcate its maritime borders with Saudi Arabia, officially placing the two islands in the Straits of Tiran in Saudi territory.
The raft of agreements also includes some $16 billion in Saudi investments in the ailing Egyptian economy.
The leak of the recording indicates the depth of opposition to the deal in Egypt, the report said.
The two Red Sea islands figure prominently in the Israeli-Egyptian peace agreement signed in 1979, which promises safe passage to Israeli civilian and military ships through the narrow waterways of the Straits of Tiran. The Egyptian blockade of the waterway to Israeli shipping in 1967 was a key casus belli for Israel that led to the onset of the Six Day War.
Under the Egyptian-Saudi agreement, the islands are to be transferred to Saudi control in 25 years, giving Riyadh a direct hand in ensuring the fulfillment of the peace treaty with Israel.
Saudi officials said they were committed to all Egyptian commitments related to the islands.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said in an interview last April that his country would honor the Israel-Egypt peace treatys terms as regards the islands. Saudi Arabia wont negotiate with Israel about the islands, he said, since the commitments that Egypt approved [in the peace treaty] we are also committed to, including the stationing of an international force on the islands. We looked into the matter and we know our legal position. We are committed to what Egypt committed to before the international community.
The Straits of Tiran are Israels only water passage from Eilat to the open sea, allowing for shipping to and from Africa and Asia without requiring passage through the Suez Canal, as well as passage to and from the Suez Canal. Israel Navy ships use the waterway to reach open seas, where they carry out naval exercises that are not possible in the narrow confines of the Gulf of Aqaba.
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Leaks show Egypt consulted Israel over transfer of Red Sea islands - The Times of Israel
Regional Super50 2017, Group A February 10, 2017
ESPNcricinfo staff
Windward Islands recorded a comfortable six-wicket win over Kent at Coolidge in their final match of the Regional Super50. Kavem Hodge, who had spent most of the tournament batting at No. 6 for Windwards, struck his maiden List A fifty after being promoted to open the batting to chase Kent's 205.
Hodge got the Windwards chase going in the right direction after the early fall of Johnson Charles for 5 by adding 54 for the second wicket with Devon Smith (32) and another 86 for the third wicket with Sunil Ambris. Hodge ended with 68 and Ambris 48, just two shy of what would have been his seventh fifty in eight games during group play. Ambris ends the round-robin stage with 423 runs at 70.50, second overall behind Leeward Islands captain Kieran Powell's aggregate of 509 at 84.83.
When Hodge fell in the 40th, 31 runs were still required for victory. Captain Liam Sebastien and Kyle Mayers knocked off the rest of the runs, securing victory with 13 balls to spare. Kent had stumbled to 35 for 5 after choosing to bat at the toss before a 104-run sixth-wicket stand between Will Gidman and Adam Rouse salvaged their innings. Shane Shillingford eventually dismissed both men for 94 and 40 respectively and Kent's tail fought until the 49th over before they were bowled out with seven balls left in the innings.
Trinidad & Tobago rolled past West Indies Under-19 by 182 runs at North Sound to set up a first-place showdown with Leeward Islands on Sunday. The win over West Indies U-19 moved T&T to 6-1 in Group B, the same record as Leewards though T&T trails Leewards by two points due to the bonus point structure in round-robin play. The winner of Sunday's match will top Group A and most likely face Jamaica while the loser will probably face Barbados, who hold a five-point advantage at the top of Group B heading into the final round of group matches.
Kyle Hope, Jason Mohammed and Denesh Ramdin each struck half-centuries in T&T's total of 290 for 5 after West Indies U-19 opted to bowl. Hope made 70 off 98 balls, adding 58 for the first wicket with Kjorn Ottley before teaming up with Mohammed to add 74 for the third wicket. Mohammed top scored with 84 off 73 balls and produced a 92-run fourth-wicket partnership with Ramdin before falling late in the innings. Ramdin took T&T through to the finish, ending on 60 not out off 42 balls to ensure the target would be well out of reach for West Indies U-19.
Left-arm spinner Khary Pierre continued his fine tournament by doing most of the damage during a seven-over middle overs spell of 3 for 6 that accounted for top-scorer Emmanuel Stewart for 20 and captain Kirstan Kallicharan for 16. West Indies U-19 were eventually bowled out for 108 in 29.2 overs. Their final game is a rematch with Kent, the only side West Indies U-19 has beaten in the competition.
ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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Windward Islands, Trinidad & Tobago score sizeable victories ... - ESPNcricinfo.com
The Sangihe Islands branch of the General Elections Commission (KPU) in North Sulawesi is prioritizing the distribution of election materials to the regencys outermost islands for its upcoming election.
We have coordinated with Navy and military district command commanders, among others, to distribute the election materials. So, we should be able to overcome any obstacles, said Sinadia on Thursday.
It was hoped the materials could be distributed to the remote islands, including Marore, Nusa Tabukan and Tatoareng, before the Feb. 12 to 14 cooling-off period.
Marore has four polling stations with 1,093 voters while 4,076 voters are registered in Tatoareng, which will open 16 polling stations. Meanwhile, Nusa Tabukan will have 9 polling stations open to serve its 2,455 voters, said Sinadia.
In total, 299 polling stations will be readied for the regency election on Feb. 15. In one polling station, weve found several cases where a voter has been registered twice. But we have cooperated with local polling committees to prevent [such occurrences], Sinadia said.
For voters in hospital undergoing treatment and those incarcerated, the KPU would assist them in obtaining ballot papers to be able to vote, she added.
Meanwhile, the Bolaang Mongondow KPU will start to distribute election materials on Sunday.The commissions planning, logistics and finance division head, Lilik Mahmuda, said the number of ballots prepared amounted to 167,551, in line with the number of voters registered on the final voters list (DPT). The KPU also prepared 4,362 extra ballots, which was 2.5 percent of the DPT.
We have 171,913 ballots prepared in total, said Lilik. (ebf)
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Sangihe outermost islands prioritized in election logistics - Jakarta Post
Hawaii Islands Most Wanted seeks 3 West Hawaii Today The most recent edition of the Crime Stoppers television program Hawaii Island's Most Wanted highlights one man wanted for assaulting a police officer, another man wanted for questioning in an abuse case and a third man wanted on four bench warrants. |
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A look at the $1.1 trillion in taxes over 10 years imposed by former President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. The revenue helped pay for the law's expansion of coverage to millions of Americans.
The revenue estimates are by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office and Congress' Joint Committee on Taxation. They could differ significantly from whatever Republicans propose in their effort to erase the law and replace it:
3.8 percent tax on investment income over $200,000 for individuals, $250,000 for couples: $223 billion in revenue over 10 years.
tax penalty on larger employers not providing health insurance to workers: $178 billion.
annual fee on health insurance companies: $130 billion.
0.9 percent Medicare surtax on income over $220,000 for individuals, $250,000 for couples: $123 billion.
"Cadillac" tax on value of high-cost employer provided health insurance: $79 billion.
deductibility of medical costs exceeding 10 percent of people's income, raised from prior 7.5 percent threshold: $40 billion.
tax penalty on individuals who don't obtain health insurance: $38 billion.
annual fee on makers and importers of prescription drugs: $30 billion.
2.3 percent tax on makers and importers of some medical devices, exempts consumer products such as eye glasses: $20 billion.
$2,500 annual limit on employee contributions to flexible spending accounts for medical costs (cap grows with inflation): $32 billion.
10 percent tax on indoor tanning services: $800 million.
Note: Some figures measure slightly different 10-year windows.
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A Look at Taxes Imposed by Obama's Health Care Law - ABC News
Common Dreams | Tom Price as HHS Secretary: A Disaster for US Health Care Common Dreams The Senate's vote to confirm Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., as secretary of health and human services, while widely expected, should set off national alarm bells. Price's congressional track record, combined with his extensive health-policy paper trail, have ... As HHS secretary, Tom Price has significant powers to change health care Tom Price Now Leads HHS and Possibly the Future of Health Care Women's healthcare groups worry about Price confirmation |
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Tom Price as HHS Secretary: A Disaster for US Health Care - Common Dreams
Vatican City, Feb 10, 2017 / 01:22 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- When it comes to healthcare and using our resources wisely, we have a responsibility to protect and take care of the most vulnerable in society, especially the elderly, Pope Francis told members of the Italian bishops conference Friday.
To optimize resources means to use them in an ethical and responsible manner and not to penalize the most fragile, he said Feb. 10.
It is necessary to be vigilant, especially when patients are elderly with a heavily compromised health, if they are suffering from serious and costly diseases for their care or are particularly difficult, such as psychiatric patients, he continued.
Pope Francis spoke to the Charity and Health Commission of the Italian Bishops Conference on the eve of the 25th World Day of the Sick and the 20th anniversary of the National Office for Pastoral Healthcare. The audience took place as a bill is currently being considered in Italy that would effectively legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide, requiring doctors to act on the advanced statements of their patients in this regard, and prohibiting them from conscientious objection.
There have been years marked by strong social and cultural changes, the Pope noted, and today we can see a situation with light and shadow.
Together with lights, though, there are some shadows that threaten to exacerbate the experience of our sick brothers and sisters, he said. The most important thing is that the dignity of the sick person is always at the center of all healthcare, because when it is not, he said, the attitudes caused can lead people to take advantage of the misfortunes of others. And this is very serious! Francis condemned, for example, business models of healthcare which, instead of optimizing the available resources, instead consider most people to be a type of human waste. When money is the guiding principle of policies in healthcare and administrative decisions, there can be a temptation to lose the protections to the right to healthcare, such as that enshrined in the Italian Constitution, he said.
Rather, the growing health poverty among the poorest segments of the population, due precisely to the difficulty of access to care, he said, should not leave anyone indifferent and multiply the efforts of all because the rights of the most vulnerable are protected.
Pope Francis praised the many health institutions in Italy founded on Christian principles, expressing his appreciation for the good that they have accomplished and encouraging them to continue to do even more to help the poor and vulnerable.
In the present context, where the answer to the question of the most fragile health is becoming more difficult, do not even hesitate to rethink your works of charity to offer a sign of God's mercy to the poor that, with confidence and hope, knock on the doors of your structures, he said. One of St. John Paul II's goals for the World Day of the Sick, in addition to promoting the culture of life, Francis said, was also to involve dioceses, Christian communities, religious, and families in understanding the importance of pastoral healthcare.
There are many patients in hospitals, of course, but there are many more people in their homes and frequently alone, he pointed out.
I hope that are visited frequently, so they do not feel excluded from the community and they can experience, because of the proximity of one who meets them, the presence of Christ which passes now in the midst of the sick in body and spirit.
He praised the advancements in scientific research which have found cures for some diseases, or eradicated them altogether, while noting that we cant forget also the more rare and neglected diseases, which are not always given due attention, with the risk of giving rise to further suffering, he said. Quoting from his message for this years World Day of the Sick, the Pope said, in the first place is the inviolable dignity of every human person from the moment of conception until its last breath.
We praise the Lord for the many health professionals with the knowledge and belief that they live their work as a mission, ministers of life and participate in the effusive love of God the Creator, he said. Their hands touch every day the suffering flesh of Christ, and this is a great honor and a serious responsibility.
Likewise, we welcome the presence of many volunteers who, with generosity and competence, are working to alleviate and humanize the long and difficult days of so many sick and lonely elderly people, especially the poor and needy.
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Pope Francis: in healthcare, we are responsible to the most vulnerable - Catholic News Agency
Induced pluripotent stem cells don't increase genetic mutations Science Daily Despite its immense promise, adoption of iPSCs in biomedical research and medicine has been slowed by concerns that these cells are prone to increased numbers of genetic mutations. A new study by scientists at the National Human Genome Research ... |
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Induced pluripotent stem cells don't increase genetic mutations - Science Daily
The Rise of Renewables
The US renewable energy industry is currently thriving. A survey released by The Solar Foundation shows that the solar industry has nearly tripled employment since they started tracking its growth back in 2010.
According to the study, 260,000 people are now employed by the solar industry. The majority of positions are currently in installation, with workers earning an average of $25.96 per hour. The biggest market so far, is residential, which encompasses 41 percent of available jobs; with the commercial and utility-scale markets trailing behind.
The Solar Foundation reports:
Solar employs slightly more workers than natural gas, over twice as many as coal, over three times that of wind energy, and almost five times the number employed in nuclear energy. Only oil/petroleum has more employment (by 38%) than solar.
To date, California has the biggest solar capacity in the US, accounting for 34 percent of installations in 2016. But as the study notes, states such as New Jersey, New York, Texas, South Carolina, and Utah have also seen a significant rise in solar installations.
Right now, solar energy accounts for only 1.3 percent of the US electricity, but it is poised for unprecedented growth. Case in point, last year, solar only accounted for just one in every 50 jobs in the country. Today, it has already overtaken traditional jobs offered in the coal energy industry.
Since solar is still a burgeoning industry, the physical installation element still keeps costs up. But, as technology advances and the labor-intensive nature of the solar industry lessens,costs will only continue to drop and the renewable resource will be a more prominent source of energy.
Once solar becomes a dominant energy source, its possible that the industry might not deliver the volume of manual job opportunities it initially did. However, as with all industries, advancements in technology will create a need for alternate types of jobs. This transition to renewable resources will not only create new types of jobsbut make current workplace efforts less costly because of lowering solar energy costs. As the future becomes the present and the nature of solar energy work changes, one thing remains
As the future becomes the present and the nature of solar energy work changes, one thing remains constant. The more fossil fuel sources that can be replaced by renewable energy, the better off we all will be. From the financial burden of fossil fuel to the impending realities of climate change, renewable energy like solar will only become a more necessary resource.
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The Solar Industry Now Employs Twice As Many People As Coal - Futurism