Italian Coast Guard lowered onto abandoned 'ghost ship'

Coastguards manage to take control of a cargo ship carrying hundreds of migrants abandoned by smugglers, after landing on it by helicopter

By Telegraph video, and AP, video source APTN-02 Jan 2015

A ship carrying hundreds of migrants has been abandoned by its crew in rough seas in the Mediterranean off Italy's south coast in the second such incident in three days, the Italian coastguard said on Friday.

The cargo ship had been drifting powerless in rough seas about 40 nautical miles from Italy's southern coast with as many as 450 people on-board.

Three coastguards managed to take control of the vessel, the Sierra Leone-flagged Ezadeen, after landing on it by helicopter, a statement said.

Children and pregnant women were among the migrants, most of who were believed to be Syrian. The cargo ship apparently set sail from Turkey, he said.

A Coast Guard ship was towing the vessel to Italy, the exact port of the Ezadeen's arrival will depend on sea conditions, authorities aid.

Earlier on Friday, a migrant had called for help saying: "we're without crew, we're heading toward the Italian coast and we have no one to steer."

_{An Italian Coast Guard is lowered onto the abandoned Ezadeen}

The Ezadeen is the second cargo ship full of migrants to be abandoned while still sailing this week. Days earlier, the Italian Coast Guard in a daring attempt, lowered officials onto another, Moldovan-flagged cargo vessel so they could take control of the ship, which was only a few miles from crashing into the Italian coast.

More than 170,000 migrants were intercepted or needed rescue by Italian navy, coast guard and air force patrols last year. This apparently new technique by smugglers of abandoning a ship after setting it on a crash course complicates rescue efforts, Marini told Italian state radio, "but the important thing is there are lives to be saved."

 Govt raises solar investment target to $100 bln by 2022

BY KRISHNA N. DAS AND SWETHA GOPINATH-Fri Jan 2, 2015

(Reuters) - Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ramped up his target for solar energy as he bets on renewables to help meet rising power demand and overcome the frequent outages that plague Asia's third largest economy, a senior official told Reuters.

India gets twice as much sunshine as many European countries that use solar power. But the clean energy source contributes less than 1 percent to India's energy mix, while its dependence on erratic coal supplies causes chronic power cuts that idle industry and hurt growth.

Modi now wants companies from China, Japan, Germany and the United States to lead investments of $100 billion over seven years to boost India's solar energy capacity by 33 times to 100,000 megawatts (MW), said Upendra Tripathy, the top official in the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

That would raise solar's share of India's total energy mix to more than 10 percent. In Germany, a leader in renewable energy, solar accounted for about 6 percent of total power generated in 2014.

India had earlier set an investment target of $100 billion for the next five years for all types of renewable energy, with wind taking up two-thirds of the total. In an interview, Tripathy said Modi's new solar target was ambitious, "but if you do not have a higher goal, you will not achieve anything".

Canadian Solar (CSIQ.O) and China's JA solar (JASO.O) told Reuters they are looking at making cells or modules - used in solar panels - in India. JinkoSolar Holdings (JKS.N) said recent announcements have also raised their interest.

U.S.-based First Solar (FSLR.O) and SunEdison Inc (SUNE.N) have sizeable businesses in India, and together with local firms will invest $6 billion in India for the fiscal year to March 31. Tripathy expects new and existing companies to invest about $14 billion annually starting next fiscal year through to 2022.

Among First Solar's top projects are two plants with Kiran Energy Solar Power and Mahindra Solar One totalling 50 MW in Rajasthan. SunEdison is working on a 39 MW project in India and hopes to participate in the solar expansion plan, said regional managing director Pashupathy Gopalan.

COST CHALLENGE

Solar energy in India costs up to 50 percent more than power from sources like coal. But the government expects the rising efficiency and falling cost of solar panels, cheaper capital and increasing thermal tariffs to close the gap within three years.

Modi promised on high-profile visits to Japan and the United States last year to help solar companies overcome barriers to entering the Indian market.

"Their basic problems are who is the buyer, where is the land and can India have a regime where they can raise low-cost capital?" Tripathy said. "These three issues have to be addressed and we are addressing them."

To create sufficient demand, power distributors will have to raise renewable energy purchases to 8 percent from 3 percent by 2020. There is also a plan to require new thermal plants to have a 10 percent renewable mix, which they can generate or buy from solar companies as credit.

India recently signed a $1 billion agreement with the Export-Import Bank of the United States for companies willing to ship equipment from that country. India is also thinking of solar bonds and helping foreign firms raise rupee bonds to cut costs.

Foreign companies say they are enthused by Modi's personal interest, but red tape is still an issue.

"The policy framework needs to be improved vastly. Documentation is cumbersome. Land acquisition is time-consuming. Securing debt funding in India and financial closures is a tough task," said Canadian Solar's Vinay Shetty, country manager for the Indian sub-continent.

($1 = 63.28 rupees)

(Editing by Douglas Busvine and Tom Hogue)

How to Help Your Thyroid with a Simple and Natural Oil

How to Help Your Thyroid with a Simple and Natural Oil

December 31, 2014  
Many Americans suffer from symptoms such as cold hands and feet, low body temperature, sensitivity to cold, a feeling of always being chilled, headaches, insomnia, dry skin, puffy eyes, hair loss, brittle nails, joint aches, constipation, mental dullness, fatigue, frequent infections, hoarse voice, ringing in the ears, dizziness, loss of libido, and weight gain, which is sometimes uncontrollable.

Approximately 65 percent of the U.S. population is overweight; 27 percent is clinically obese. Research is pointing to the fact that an underactive thyroid might be the number one cause of weight problems, especially among women.
Because coconut oil is saturated and very stable (unrefined coconut oil has a shelf life of about three to five years at room temperature), the body is not burdened with oxidative stress as it is with the vegetable oils. Coconut oil does not require the enzyme stress that vegetable oils do, preventing T4 to T3 hormone conversion, not only because it is a stable oil, but also because it is processed differently in the body and does not need to be broken down by enzyme dependent processes as do long-chain fatty acids.

Viva Labs Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, 16 Ounce

Also, since the liver is the main place where damage occurs from oxidized and rancid oils that cause cell membrane damage, and since the liver is where much of the conversion of T4 to T3 takes place, eliminating long-chain fatty acids from the diet and replacing them with medium-chain fatty acids found in coconut oil can, in time, help in rebuilding cell membranes and increasing enzyme production that will assist in promoting the conversion of T4 to T3 hormones.

More research in this area is necessary. In the meantime, those switching from polyunsaturated oils to coconut oil are reporting many positive results. For example, Donna has experienced encouraging improvements in her thyroid health. She writes:

“I’VE BEEN ON COCONUT OIL SINCE SEPTEMBER 2002 AND, ALTHOUGH, THAT DOESN’T SEEM LIKE LONG, IT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE AND THE LIVES OF MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS. MY WEIGHT ACTUALLY WENT UP WHEN I STARTED ON COCONUT OIL BUT I FELT SO GREAT! BEING HYPOTHYROID, I WAS ON SYNTHROID AND CYTOMEL AND HAD BEEN FOR YEARS, BUT WITH INCONSISTENT RESULTS AND FEELING WORSE. OTHER CHANGES BESIDES THE ADDITION OF COCONUT OIL WERE THE COMPLETE REMOVAL OF SOY (AND THAT IS A MAJOR CHALLENGE IN ITSELF!), ALL TRANS FATTY ACIDS, NO REFINED SUGAR, AND ORGAN CLEANSES SEASONALLY.

MY THYROID MEDS WERE DISCONTINUED WITH MY DOCTOR’S KNOWLEDGE AS I WAS GETTING TOO ENERGETIC AND HAVING TROUBLE SLEEPING! [IMAGINE], FROM BEING A ‘SLEEPAHOLIC’COUCH POTATO THAT WAS COLD! MY WEIGHT STAYED STEADY UNTIL THE LAST THREE WEEKS AND IT HAS NOW STARTED THE DOWNWARD MOVE. MY GOAL WAS HEALTH AND JUST BELIEVED THE WEIGHT WOULD COME OFF WHEN I FOUND THE RIGHT DIET AND EXERCISE ROUTINE THAT MY LIFE WAS COMFORTABLE WITH. I’VE TRIED REMOVING THE COCONUT OIL BUT MY ENERGY DROPS AND I DON’T FEEL AS GOOD. DONNA”

READ How to Help Your Thyroid with Virgin Coconut Oil

Sources:http://livingtraditionally.com/

http://articles.mercola.com/

Mahinda vs. Maithri: Frenzied contest races to final week

January 1, 2015

• A few months ago, President Mahinda Rajapaksa quipped that faced with a lack of opposition, his Government had to step into play the role. Supremely confident of victory, he sought re-election two years ahead of schedule. How does he come to be fighting tooth and nail for survival against an Opposition that was in all kinds of disarray only four weeks ago?

Mahinda vs. Maithri Frenzied Contest Races to Final Week by Thavam Ratna

CaFFE Election Report s 52&54 Violence increase – Underhand tactics proliferate

CaFFE Election Report # 52.

Violence increase – Underhand tactics proliferate
Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) has received 863 election related complaints by December 31, 2014, out of which 79 are incidents of election related violence.

UNP MP requests STF protection for 5 electorates in Kandy
CaFFE Election Report s 52&54 Violence Increase – Underhand Tactics Proliferate by Thavam Ratna

Sri Lankan Presidential Elections 2015 – The Choice

By Brian Senewiratne -January 1, 2015 

Dr. Brian Senewiratne

There are two main candidates – Mahinda Rajapaksa and ‘Common Opposition candidate’ Maithripala Sirisena.

The election was called by Rajapaksa two years before it was due because of a slide in his popularity as judged from the recent Provincial Council Elections. It is important to know that he had two more years as President when he called the election. The importance is that he has claimed, with some strange reasoning, that even if he loses, he will continue as President for two more years (if he wins, the two years will be added to the 6-year term – making it 8 years).

With the Opposition in disarray and unable to find a credible candidate, Rajapaksa was so sure of victory that he even said that he would be the only candidate. He failed to see that the possible candidate was Maithripala Sirisena, his own Health Minister and General Secretary of his party (the Sri Lanka Freedom Party – SLFP).

With no warning, on 21 November 2014, Sirisena said that he would be the “Common Opposition Candidate’ to contest Rajapaksa. He blasted the Rajapaksa regime:

“The entire socioeconomic and political systems of this country have been taken over by one family. They have ruined this country that is now engulfed in corruption and blatant abuse of power. It is against this that I am coming forward as the common candidate of the opposition”.

Holding the President responsible, he said, “thuggery, embezzlement, crime, drug mafia, nepotism and corruption have institutionalized under the Executive Presidency but alas President Rajapaksa or his government has done little to arrest this horrible and dangerous situation”.

Going on to say what he would do, if elected, he went on:

“I will abolish the Executive Presidency in 100 days after being elected as the President. I will restore the rule of law by reactivating the 17th Amendment to the Constitution and make the Police, Elections, Public Service and the Judicial Service Commissions fully independent. The President will be made answerable to the legislature and create a people’s government that enjoy real peace, prosperity and happiness”.                         Read More

வடக்கில் தமிழர்கள் வாக்களிப்பதனை தடுக்க அரசாங்கம் முயற்சிக்கின்றது : ராஜித சேனாரத்ன

Thu, 01/01/2015 

வடக்கில் உள்ள தமிழ் மக்­களை இரா­ணு­வத்தின் மூலம் அச்­சு­றுத்தி தமி­ழர்­களின் வாக்­க­ளிப்­பினை தடுக்­கவே அர­சாங்கம் முயற்­சிக்­கின்­றது என குற்றம் சுமத்தும் பொது எதி­ரணி, அடக்குமுறை­களை கட்­ட­விழ்த்­தாலும் மக்கள் மாற்­றத்­திற்­காக வேண்டி வாக்­க­ளிப்­பார்கள் எனவும் குறிப்­பிட்டார்.

எதிர்க்­கட்சித் தலைவர் காரி­யா­ல­யத்தில் நேற்று ஏற்­பாடுசெய்­யப்­பட்­டி­ருந்த செய்­தி­யாளர் சந்­திப்பின் போதே முன்னாள் அமைச்சர் ராஜித சேனா­ரத்ன மேற்­கண்­ட­வாறு தெரி­வித்தார்.

அவர் மேலும் குறிப்­பி­டு­கையில்;

பொது எதி­ர­ணியின் பயணம் இன்று மிக பல­மா­ன­தா­கவும் மக்­களின் நம்­பிக்­கை­யினை பெற்­ற­தா­கவும் அமைந்துவிட்­டது. ஏழு பேருடன் ஆரம்­பித்த எமது பய­ணத்தில் இன்­றுடன் இரு­பத்து நான்கு முக்­கிய உறுப்­பி­னர்­களும் பல நூற்­றுக்­க­ணக்­கான பிர­தேச சபை உறுப்­பி­னர்­களும் மாகாண சபை உறுப்­பி­னர்­களும் இணைந்துவிட்­டனர். இது இன்னும் தொடரும். இலங்­கையின் அர­சியல் வர­லாறு கடந்த காலங்­களில் பல பாடங்­களை கற்­பித்துக்கொடுத்­துள்­ளது. 1964முதற்­கொண்டு 2004 வரையில் அரசில் இருந்து பலர் வெளி­யே­றி­யுள்­ளனர். இதில் பல சந்­தர்ப்­பங்­களில் அரசில் இருந்து வெளி­யே­றிய பின்னர் அர­சாங்­கத்தை வீழ்த்­திய வர­லா­று­க­ளையும் நாம் பார்த்­துள்ளோம். எனினும் இம்­முறை இலங்கை வர­லாற்றில் மிக அதி­க­மான அமைச்­சர்கள் மற்றும் பாரா­ளு­மன்ற உறுப்­பி­னர்கள் வெளி­யேறி அர­சாங்­கத்­திற்கு எதி­ராக பல­மா­ன­தொரு பொது எதி­ர­ணி­யினை உரு­வாக்­கி­யுள்ளோம். நிச்­ச­ய­மாக இது நாட்டில் மிகப் பெரிய மாற்­றத்­தினை ஏற்­ப­டுத்தி விடும்.

மேலும் எமது கருத்­துக்­க­ளையும் தாண்டி புல­னாய்வு பிரிவின் தகவல் கூட அர­சாங்­கத்­திற்கு பாத­க­மான பெறுபேற்றினை பெற்­றுக்­கொ­டுத்­துள்­ளது. புல­னாய்வுப் பிரிவின் தக­வல்­க­ளுக்கு அமைய 48 வீத மக்­களின் ஆத­ரவு மைத்­தி­ரி­பால சிறி­சே­ன­விற்கும் 37 வீத ஆத­ரவு ஜனா­தி­பதி மஹிந்த ராஜ­ப­க் ஷ­விற்கும் 14 வீத மக்கள் முடிவு யாரை ஆத­ரிப்­பது என்ற குழப்­பத்­திலும் இருப்­ப­தாக தெரி­வித்­துள்­ளது. இது­த­விர 2010 ஆம் ஆண்டு ஜனா­தி­ப­திக்கு கிடைத்த வாக்­கு­களில் 23 வீத­மான வாக்­குகள் வீழ்ச்சி கண்­டுள்­ள­தா­கவும் தெரி­விக்­கின்­றது. எனவே இதுவே ஜனா­தி­பதி மஹிந்த ராஜ­ப­க் ஷவின் வீழ்ச்­சிக்கு நல்­ல­தொரு உதா­ர­ண­மாக கொள்ள முடியும். மக்கள் அலை தற்­போது மைத்­தி­ரி­பால சிறி­சே­னவின் பக்கம் திரும்­பி­யுள்­ளது.

வடக்கில் அச்­சு­றுத்தல்

மேலும் தமிழ் மக்­களை அச்­சு­றுத்தி தமிழ் மக்கள் வாக்­க­ளிப்­ப­தனை தடுக்கும் முயற்­சி­யினை அர­சாங்கம் மேற்­கொண்­டுள்­ளது. வடக்கில் உள்ள இரா­ணு­வத்­தையும் 20 ஆயி­ரத்­திற்கும் அதி­க­மான வெளிப்­பி­ர­தே­சங்­களில் உள்ள இரா­ணு­வத்­தையும் சிவி­லி­யன்­க­ளாக பயன்­ப­டுத்தி வடக்கில் ஒவ்­வொரு கிரா­மங்­க­ளுக்­குமாய் அனுப்பி தமிழ் மக்­களை அச்­சு­றுத்­து­வ­துடன் தமது வாக்­க­ளிப்­பினை தடுக்கும் நட­வ­டிக்­கை­களை அரசு மேற்­கொண்டு வரு­கின்­றது. எனினும் தமிழ் மக்­களின் ஆத­ரவு எப்­ப­டியும் எமக்கு கிடைக்கும். அச்­சு­றுத்­தல்கள் மிரட்­டல்­க­ளுக்கு அஞ்சி மக்கள் வாக்­க­ளிப்­பினை நிரா­க­ரிக்க மாட்­டார்கள்.

மேலும் சர்­வ­தேச புலம்­பெயர் அமைப்­புக்­க­ளுடன் தொடர்பு இருப்­ப­தாக அர­சாங்கம் சித்தி­ரிக்­கின்­றது. அதே போல் பொது எதி­ரணி உறுப்­பி­னர்­களின் வங்கிக் கணக்­கிற்கு சட்டவிரோத பணப் பரிமாற்றத்தினை செய்து எம்மை புலம்பெயர் அமைப்புக்களுடன் தொடர்பு இருப்பதாக சித்தரிக்க முயற்சிக்கின்றனர். எனவே இறுதித் தினங்களில் இது நடந்தால் எமது வங்கிக் கணக்குகளுக்கு பணம் பரிமாற்றப்படுமாயின் அதற்கு அரசாங்கமே முழுப் பொறுப்பினையும் ஏற்றுக்கொள்ள வேண்டும் எனவும் அவர் குறிப்பிட்டார்.

An Observation Of State Media Behaviour During Presidential Election (No 2)

31/12/2014

Given below is an analysis of the spaces, provided for candidates of the presidential election in the front page, and in the news continued in an inner page printed and published by Associated Newspapers of Ceylon(ANCL) in Sinhala, Tamil and English from the 20th to 26th December 2014. A qualitative analysis developed based on the guidelines issued by the Commissioner of Elections for print and electronic media related to the presidential election and the quantitative research data gathered, adhering to accepted professional standards is also included.

The full report as a PDF: PPPRMM SR 2 -ENGLISH -

PPPRMM-SR-2-EnGLISH-An Observation of State Media Behaviour During Presidential Election (No 2) by Thavam Ratna

EC Should Not Depend On Army To Arrange Voting For Flood Victims: USP

January 1, 2015

Elections Commissioner should not depend on Armed Security Forces to arrange voting for flood victims, says the United Socialist Party Presidential Candidate – Siritunga Jayasuriya.

Issuing a statement Jayasuriya calls upon the EC to refrain from making unilateral decisions on facilitating polling for the flood affected and appeals to the EC to immediately call upon all candidates along with District Secretaries in affected areas to discuss the most appropriate way, the flood victims could be allowed their right to vote.

We publish below the statement in full;

Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya

EC should not depend on Armed Security Forces to arrange voting for flood victims

Addressing the media on 30 December (2014) Election Commissioner (EC) Mahinda Deshapriya was reported as having said he would have ballot boxes delivered to refugee camps for flood victims to vote, if the situation so demands by 08 January, 2015. He had also said, he would request the assistance of Armed forces for such logistics.

The issue of providing facilities for flood victims to vote on 08 January, should not be taken on face value and on such simple terms.

Over 01 million people, or about 200,000 families have been affected across North Central Province, Vanni and the Eastern province. Not all were able to reach safe places and some were rescued by the navy and airforce emergency operations. Completely uprooted from life, these families with infants and children too, have lost all or most of their life savings, their belongings and in most cases, livelihood too. They will need continued relief for at least another one month, before they could get on their feet. These are all people who live with insecurity, stress and trauma. They cannot be expected to vote, just because the floods have receded. They have to be given the opportunity to first settle in their homes, before they could be asked to vote.

That said, let us also stress that this Rajapaksa regime did not allow any outside relief for the affected people, keeping them firmly under security forces. All refugee camps were brought under military control. In fact the Rajapaksa regime refused to accept relief even from the UNDP, as they did not wish to have civilians helping in refugee camps. It is in such context, the EC is talking of sending ballot boxes to refugee camps through security forces.

It must be understood,

1. The Ministry of Defence with Gotabaya Rajapaksa as its ministry secretary is a heavily politicised ministry where, Gotabaya Rajapaksa enjoys the right to intervene in politics.

2. EC Deshapriya therefore may have no control over balloting in refugee camps with all related work taken over by the MoD. People who are stressed out and frustrated in refugee camps will not be in a mental frame to exercise their franchise independently, living under military control

3. Therefore, it is not right and not feasible to organise free and independent voting in refugee camps in the days to come.

I therefore call upon the EC to refrain from making unilateral decisions on facilitating polling for the flood affected and appeal to the EC to immediately call upon all candidates along with District Secretaries in affected areas to discuss the most appropriate way, the flood victims could be allowed their right to vote.

Siritunga Jayasuriya
USP Presidential Candidate

Related posts;

The Role Of Weather In Elections

Military could be used to ensure low voter turn-out in NE: Sara

December 31, 2014

Sri Lanka is facing a crucial presidential election on January 8. Dr Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, the Executive Director of Centre for Policy Alternative (CPA), a well-reputed independent think tank in Colombo, will periodically be answering questions on issues pertaining to the political climate in Sri Lanka via our special segment – Sara Online. Readers could participate with their questions strictly on socio, economic and political situation in Sri Lanka and related development internationally. The questions could be sent in to colombomirror.news@gmail.com
Military Could Be Used to Ensure Low Voter Turn-out in NE Sara by Thavam Ratna

Lawyers Urges to give binding directives to ITN and other state owned business undertakings

 Thursday, 01 January 2015 

It has been brought to our notice that the Election Commissioner has expressed the view that no steps can be taken against Independent Television Network  (ITN) as it is not a state corporation. This misconception would probably be applicable to other state owned business underakings including Defence Ministry run Rakna Lanka. We wish to clarify the legal position in respect of this legal issue.  

ITN is a fully state owned business undertaking having been taken over by Government two decades ago. Its legal status never changed thereafter. It comes under the purview of the Ministry of Media and is totally funded by the Treasury. ITN  is subjected to financial and administrative  control of the Media ministry. Having regard to its functions and operations, it is no different from any other public corporation. Similarly, several other public institutions, established under the Companies Act, such as Rakna Lanka (under the Defence Ministry) should be considered as public property.

In our view,  the Election Commissioner should consider ITN and all state owned companies as a state property. Thus, Election Commissioner is vested with authority to act under Article 104(b)(4)  to give directives  to those institutions and ensure  compliance thereof.

Sri Lanka: Survey On Voting Patterns – Presidential Election 2015

(Original photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images)

by T Lalithasiri Gunaruwanand and D S JayaweeraJanuary -01/01/2015

We, the undersigned, wish to put the record straight regarding a research we two jointly have undertaken to develop an empirical model to analyse the Sri Lankan voter behavior at Presidential elections over the past 10 years with the objective of contributing to the body of social research.

Sri Lanka Survey on Voting Patterns – Presidential Election 2015 by Thavam Ratna

Another Dimension Of Corruption

By Hema Senanayake –January 1, 2015

Hema Senanayake

The contemporary money based economic system is very peculiar. It does not behave the way that most of us want to. It behaves in a very particular way. However, like many other phenomenon, its behavior can be explained under the cause-and-effect principle. Due to this very reason we can put it to behave the way we want it but only if we understood its systemic behavior accurately.

This is why I always insist to appoint a professionally qualified person as the Minister of Finance.

It appears that the economy is a physical system; it produces, it distributes and it innovates –And all these activities are tangible. But amazingly this whole system is purely depended upon on a hypothetical system created by human imagination –And that hypothetical system is known as monetary system. The monetary system is not real or physical phenomena. In fact I do not know any large physical system that truly depends upon a hypothetical system than ECONOMY.

Corruptions exist in such a system. It is a reality. Corruptions increase the cost of doing businesses. It distorts the distribution of consumable output. Once, a Cabinet Minister asked me to explain the economic impacts of corruptions. I told him that, “Up to a certain level the corruption is a moral issue, but beyond that it becomes an economic problem.” This means that corruptions at any level is a morale issue hence must be stopped; but it also intimates that corruptions are not always an economic issue that prevents economic development.

Read More