EU/IMF Ireland package to total €85 billion: report

LONDON: The European Union and IMF bailout package for Ireland will total 85 billion euros ($114 billion) over three years to fund the government deficit and recapitalize banks, public broadcaster RTE said.

The Irish Finance Ministry dismissed the report as premature and said the package was still under negotiation.

RTE’s figure, which would amount to roughly 20,000 euros per Irish citizen, is in line with figures estimated by economists, although some have said that even more could be needed to keep the country afloat.

RTE said the package from the EU and the International Monetary Fund would provide 48 billion euros to help fund the Irish government’s deficit over the next three years and 15-20 billion to recapitalize its banks, with a contingency fund of 20 billion euros for the banks.

“The package would see the level of capital in the Irish banks

US Determined to ‘destroy’ Al-Qaeda: Barack Obama

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama said Friday that two packages from Yemen addressed to Jewish synagogues in Chicago contained explosive material and were a “credible terrorist threat.”

The discovery of the suspicious packages overnight on cargo planes in transit for the United States — one in Dubai and the other in Britain — sparked an international security alert.

Informed late Thursday, Obama immediately ordered cargo planes at Philadelphia and Newark international airports to be towed to isolation and checked because they were thought to contain further packages from Yemen.

The Pentagon later scrambled fighter jets to intercept a passenger plane, reportedly Emirates Airlines flight 201, which was escorted in to land at New York’s John F. Kennedy airport because it had another suspect package.

“We will continue to pursue additional protective measures as long as it takes to ensure the safety and security of our citizens,” Obama told a special press conference at the White House.

The president made it clear he suspected Al-Qaeda’s Yemeni-based affiliate of being behind the plot, which could have severe ramifications for the global cargo industry. “Although we are still pursuing all of the facts, we do know that the packages originated in Yemen,” Obama said.

“We know that Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the terrorist group based in Yemen, continues to plan attacks against our homeland, our citizens, and our friends and allies.”

Yemeni officials said their government had launched a full investigation and was working closely on the incident with international partners, including the United States.

“It does appear there were explosive materials in both of the packages,” Obama’s top counter-terrorism adviser John Brennan told reporters.

“They were in a form that was designed to try to carry out some type of an attack. The initial analysis (is) that the materials that were found and the device that was uncovered was intended to do harm.”

Television pictures of the package found at East Midlands airport in Britain appeared to show an ink toner cartridge, a small circuit board and attached wires, but officials were staying quiet on the exact contents.

It was not known what was in the FedEx package found in Dubai but the US delivery giant said subsequently, along with rival UPS, that it was suspending all deliveries from Yemen.

Brennan said all packages originating from Yemen would now be “carefully screened. In the hours following the discovery of the packages, the US authorities gave advance warning to Jewish leaders in Chicago of a threat against synagogues in the city.

“We were told that synagogues should be on the alert,” Linda Hasse, vice president of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, told media. “We are taking appropriate precautions and advising local synagogues to do likewise.”

Later, as the Department of Homeland Security announced tighter security around the United States, three cargo planes in Philadelphia and Newark were towed away to be checked.

The cargo scare offered a new twist as Western authorities have usually focused on dangers posed to passenger airliners following the September 11, 2001 attacks, when Al-Qaeda hijacked planes and struck targets in New York and Washington.

Fran Townsend, who was homeland security advisor to former president George W. Bush, told media the security scare followed growing intelligence concerns. “There had been a rising concern about packages and cargo being used to launch an attack,” she said.

“The US intelligence community has been focused on that. You add to that in the last 24 hours a tip from a very credible US ally who provided some, I’m told, very specific information about packages coming out of Yemen.”

Yemen, the ancestral homeland of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, faces a growing threat from the local branch of his global jihadist network.

Over the past decade, it has become a haven for violent extremists, becoming the headquarters of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and the hiding place for US-born radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who was linked to high-profile terror plots in the United States.

ECC rejects increase in wheat support price

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee on Friday rejected the suggestion of increase in wheat support price while the relief package for the formers of flood-hit areas was approved.

It was suggested during the ECC meeting to increase the support price from Rs 950 to Rs 1,000 per 40 kilograms but the committee rejected it.

The ECC approved the relief package to the formers and, according to the package; the formers would be given loans on easy conditions.

The former with 25 acres land would be given cash to purchase fertilizer and seed while the formers with more than 25 acres land would be given loans with eight percent markup. Trend Pk

ECC rejects increase in wheat support price

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee on Friday rejected the suggestion of increase in wheat support price while the relief package for the formers of flood-hit areas was approved.

It was suggested during the ECC meeting to increase the support price from Rs 950 to Rs 1,000 per 40 kilograms but the committee rejected it.

The ECC approved the relief package to the formers and, according to the package; the formers would be given loans on easy conditions.

The former with 25 acres land would be given cash to purchase fertilizer and seed while the formers with more than 25 acres land would be given loans with eight percent markup. Trend Pk

U.S. announces $60 bln arms sale for Saudi Arabia

WASHINGTON: The United States plans to sell up to $60 billion worth of military aircraft to Saudi Arabia, the U.S. State Department announced on Wednesday in a move designed to shore up a region overshadowed by Iran.

Andrew Shapiro, the assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs, told a news conference the U.S. administration did not anticipate any objections to the sale from Israel, traditionally wary of arms sales to nearby Arab countries.

The sale, which had been expected, includes 84 new Boeing BA.N F-15 aircraft and 70 upgrades of existing Saudi F-15s. It also includes 70 of Boeing’s Apache attack helicopters and 36 of its AH-6M Little Birds.

It will also include 72 Black Hawk helicopters built by Sikorsky Aircraft, a unit of United Technologies Corp.

UTX.N.

Shapiro said the total value of the package would not exceed

Pakistan brings commendable economic reforms: IMF

WASHINGTON: The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday praised Pakistan”s commitment to an 11.3 billion-dollar rescue package, despite a delay in setting up a nationwide tax.

IMF managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn said that while Pakistan could not be considered a “normal country” in light of its wave of violence, the government has made a “good step forward” on economic reforms.

“There is a lot of concern but no real problem. I think they are going ahead rightly,” Strauss-Kahn said in a group interview. The Washington-based international lender approved the latest 1.13 billion dollars of the package in May and allowed two waivers on conditions, including giving the government the right to overrun the budget deficit.

As part of the IMF bailout, Pakistan agreed to impose a nationwide value-added tax to bolster government coffers and drum up badly needed funding to fight poverty.

But Pakistani leaders are squabbling over how to set up the tax. Some Pakistanis have voiced fear that the delay could lead to a cut-off in IMF support.

Strauss-Kahn acknowledged the IMF had “questions” about the tax and energy prices, but added: “I must say that a lot already has been delivered by the government.”

Another concern, Strauss-Kahn said, was to ensure that donor nations, informally grouped as the “Friends of Pakistan”, follow through with pledges.

“The question is… does the so-called Friend of Pakistan set of countries… really deliver and provide the resources, because all the resources needed are not supposed to come from the IMF,” he said.

Donors met in April 2009 in Tokyo and pledged 5.28 billion dollars to help stabilize Pakistan, which is the Islamic world”s only declared nuclear weapons state and lies on the frontline of the US-led war on extremists in Afghanistan.

The US Congress last year approved a five-year, 7.5 billion-dollar plan to build roads, schools and democratic institutions in Pakistan.

Balochistan to spend Rs. 3 billion on Edu, Health sectors

QUETTA: Balochistan Government would spend an amount of Rs.3 billion for the uplift of Education and Health sectors of Balochistan during the next fiscal year.

This was stated by the provincial Finance Minister Mir Asim Kurd Gailo during his budget speech here at the session of the provincial assembly.

He added that the literacy rate in Balochistan was only 34 % compared to the National Scale of 52 %. The female literacy rate in rural areas of the province was only 10%. He revealed that out of 1,100,000 primary school going children in rural areas of Balochistan, some 700,000 lack access to the school.

The minister said that the Provincial Government had allocated an amount of Rs. 1 billion to coup up with the missing facilities in educational institutions.

Out of this amount Rs.200 million has been allocated for purchase of furniture, Rs.400 million for repair and renovation of schools and a sum of Rs.200 million for repair and renovations of colleges of the province.

In order to promote higher education among women the government has allocated Rs. 110 million which would be spent on renovation and provision of facilities to Girl Colleges in the province.

The minister said that in order to overcome the staff shortage issue in the educational institutions the Provincial Government had also decided to dedicate 5,000 posts provided by the Federal Government under Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan Package to Education Sector.

We have also created nearly 2000 fresh positions in Education Department with the commitment to address Single Teacher School dilemma.

Highlighting the measures taken by the government for the promotion of education in the province the minister added that 111 New Primary Schools have been established in the rural areas of the province, some 109 Primary Schools have been upgraded as Middle Schools and 108 Middle Schools as High, 14 new Inter Colleges have been established which have resumed Degree classes in 4 such institutions by up gradation.

Moreover, three Cadet Colleges in Pishin, Killa Saifullah and Jaffarabad have been made functional. The development work with regard to remaining Cadet Colleges in the province is in progress.

The Minister said that the Provincial Government was facing enormous challenges in Health Sector. Lack of medicines, missing facilities, paucity of resources, ill trained staff and absenteeism have been badly affecting the positive growth in this Sector.

The Infant Mortality Rate in Balochistan is 158 out of 1000 newly born children, which are worst in the developing world.

Similarly 4 out of 10 children in the rural areas are underweight due to food insecurities. Indeed a healthy society leads to a sustainable progress. Keeping this in mind our Provincial Government has decided to intervene and has allocated sufficient resources to coup up the missing facilities :-

In order to ensure provision of medicines to the poor people of the province, the resources have been raised from 290 million to 1,300 million.

Similarly to remove the deficiency of machinery and equipment particularly in the periphery, an amount of Rs. 1,000 million has been allocated during coming financial year.

An amount of Rs. 100 million has been allocated for repair and renovation of health institutions through out the province.

Under the provincial PSDP the government has upgraded 8 Civil Dispensaries as Basic Health Units (BHU), 14 BHUs have been upgraded as Rural Health Centers (RHC), One RHC has been upgraded a District Headquarter Hospital (DHQ), Two 50 bedded Hospitals each are being constructed by Worker Welfare Board and the Provincial Government.

Similarly, 14 new RHCs and 31 BHUs are being constructed by the Provincial Government in the PSDP, the Cardiac Unit in the Sandeman Provincial Hospital has been made functional, the construction on 50 bedded Hospital each at Panjgur, Kalat, Much and Kuchlak is in progress and a 100 bedded hospital is being constructed in Mastung.

Supremacy of parliament to define state institutions role: PM

MADRID: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani visited the Spanish Parliament here on Wednesday and met President of Congress Jose Bono. During the meeting they discussed ways and means to enhance interaction amongst the parliaments of the two countries.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Syed Sumsam Ali Bukhari, ANP leader Asfand Yar Wali also accompanied the Prime Minister.

The President of the Congress – equivalent to Pakistan’s Speaker of the National Assembly appreciated the return of democracy in the country and hoped that the Parliament would continue to play its role in bringing political, economic stability and development for all sections of society.

The Prime Minister and the Speaker were of the view that greater interaction amongst the parliamentarians of the two countries would not only bring the two countries closer but also help them learn from each others’ experiences.

Prime Minister Gilani said he believed in supremacy of the parliament and said it would go a long way in defining a definite role of all the state institutions where they can work in their own spheres and strengthen the country.

He said he believed in a policy of consensus and political reconciliation as it was in the best interest of the country and a way to confront the challenges of extremism and terrorism the country was facing.

Jose Bono noted the recent unanimous passage of the Constitutional Amendment Package by both houses of the parliament in Pakistan and said it reflected that the parliamentary system in the country was gaining strength.

The Spanish Congress of Deputies is the lower house of the Cortes Generales – Spain’s Parliament. It has 350 members, elected by popular vote on block lists by proportional representation. Deputies serve four-year terms.

amgen tour of california

Thousands of fans will line city streets and foothill roads from Nevada City to Sacramento on Sunday to see 128 of the world’s best cyclists zip by in a colorful swarm, tires humming and shifters clicking.

The riders will be taking part in the first stage of this year’s Amgen Tour of California, an eight-stage event running from Sunday through May 23, including Tuesday’s leg from San Francisco to Santa Cruz.

But there’s more to the Tour of California road show than just guys in tights.
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The racers are part of what organizers call “the package,” a virtual stadium on wheels
It’s the largest cycling event in America and usually draws thousands of people to the area, which translates into thousands of tourism dollars for Solvang. The local organizing committee says it will try to get the race again next year.
In its 5th year, the Amgen Tour of California has undoubtedly become America’s signature race. This year’s event features nine Pro Tour teams, and with a move down the racing calendar from its usual February spot, the race provides riders an early season alternative to the grueling demands of a three-week stage race.

raiders

Oakland Raiders Trade LB Kirk Morrison to Jacksonville Jaguars!

Leading into the draft, there was talk that linebacker Kirk Morrison could see a time share at the position because the Oakland Raiders wanted to upgrade the position, or that he could be traded to another team.

Well, it appears the Raiders went with Plan B.

Morrison, who will be entering his sixth season in a Jags uniform, is a great pickup for Jacksonville, whose defense was porous at time last year. The Jags also received a fifth-round pick in this year’s draft.

Meanwhile, the Raiders didn’t get much in return, settling for just a four-round pick, where they selected Jacoby Ford, a wide receiver from Clemson.

In 2009, he made 133 tackles in his final year with the Raiders. He has proven that he has a knack for finding the ball and taking down the ball carrier, averaging more than 100 tackles per season and set a personal high of 135 in 2008.

He also has five sacks and seven interceptions to his credit while playing for the black-and-silver.

Oakland tipped its hand that there might be a deal after drafting 20-year-old Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain in the first round with the No. 8 pick. He’ll inject some youth into the position not to mention bring a lot of athleticism to the field; however, it’s a little bit of a head scratcher for the team to deal Morrison since he is only 28 and has several good years still in front of him.

Morrison confirmed the deal Saturday morning on his Twitter page, and Jags running back Maurice Jones-Drew welcomed the linebacker via a tweet he posted to his account.
source:sportsgather

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