Here are Six Companies Who Get Rich off Prisoners

Ashley Nicole Black • @ashleyn1cole-FEBRUARY 21ST 2015

There are currently 2.4 million people in American prisons. This number has grown by 500% in the past 30 years. While the United States has only 5% of the world's population, it holds 25 percent of the world's total prisoners. In 2012, one in every 108 adults was in prison or in jail, and one in 28 children in the U.S. had a parent behind bars. 

Why do we have so many people in prison?

Here Are Six Companies Who Get Rich Off Prisoners by Thavam

Here Are Six Companies Who Get Rich Off Prisoners by Thavam

'RIGHT-WING RULE IS IN DANGER'

Flagging before election, Netanyahu ramps up rhetoric

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gestures as he speaks to supporters of his Likud party as he campaigns in Netanya, north of Tel Aviv March 11, 2015. 

 Isaac Herzog, co-leader of the centre-left Zionist Union, speaks to people during a campaign stop in the southern city of Ashdod, March 13, 2015. 

BY DAN WILLIAMS-Sat Mar 14, 2015

(Reuters) - Flagging in opinion polls before Tuesday's election, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to rally Israeli rightists by casting his center-left challengers as tools of a global campaign to usurp power.

Over social media and broadcast interviews, the three-term leader has accused unspecified foreign governments and tycoons of funneling "tens of millions of dollars" to opposition activists working to undermine his Likud party and boost the Zionist Union joint list led by Isaac Herzog and Tzipi Livni.

"Right-wing rule is in danger. Leftist elements and the media in this country and abroad have joined forces to illegitimately bring Tzipi and Bougie (Herzog) to power," Netanyahu said on Facebook on Friday.

The Zionist Union dismissed the rhetorical fusillade as a bid by Netanyahu to shift voters' attention from socio-economic problems to security challenges like the Palestinians' drive for statehood and Iran's nuclear program, on which the prime minister argues he alone can resist foreign pressure to yield.

"I want to make clear that all of this Likud spin is not something that we do," Herzog said in a speech on Saturday. "The public is fed up with Likud and with Benjamin Netanyahu."

The latest opinion polls predict the Zionist Union taking between 24 and 26 of parliament's 120 seats in the election, compared to 20-22 seats for Likud. That could empower Netanyahu's challengers to build the next coalition government.

He could scrape into a fourth term, however, if the Zionist Union fails to muster enough support in an Israeli political spectrum where right-leaning parties are predominant.

For now, Likud's ideological allies in parliament are a threat as they sap votes from the ruling party, Netanyahu said.

"The right-wing is splitting," he told Voice of the South radio. "The right-wing must unite behind me and vote Likud."

That message is unlikely to be well-received among other nationalist leaders with whom Netanyahu is expected to speak at a demonstration on Sunday in Tel Aviv's main Rabin square, where tens of thousands of opposition voters rallied last week.

Naftali Bennett of the far-right Jewish Home party, a partner in Netanyahu's outgoing government, has balked at ceding votes to Likud, saying he fears the prime minister could end up joining a broad, mainstream coalition with the Zionist Union.

Some officials within Likud privately blame Netanyahu for a scattergun election campaign and blowback from his March 3 speech to the U.S. Congress against the Obama administration's Iran strategy.

"We're closing ranks now, but if Tuesday turns out badly for us, there will be a reckoning," one senior Likud delegate said, hinting Netanyahu could be ousted as party head.

(Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Janet Lawrence)

Myanmar Bombings in Yunnan Killed 4 Chinese

4 Chinese citizens were killed in an airstrike conducted by the Myanmar Air Force. 

By Ankit Panda-March 14, 2015

Chinese media, including Xinhua, CCTV, and People’s Daily, have confirmed that four Chinese citizens have been killed as a result of a misjudged bombing run by the Myanmar Air Force on Friday. These reports come after a Chinese foreign ministry press conference earlier this week confirmed bombings by Myanmar jets on the Chinese side of the China-Myanmar border, in Yunnan province, last weekend. However, the press conference noted that though a civilian domicile was damaged, no Chinese lives were lost.

Today’s reports additionally note that Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin has summoned Myanmar’s envoy to China, Thit Linn Ohn, to lodge “solemn representations.” The bombing, which claimed four lives and resulted in nine injuries and took place after the press conference earlier this week, suggested repeated cross-border strikes by Myanmar jets. Myanmar’s Air Force has been conducting air strikes against ethnic Chinese Kokang rebels along the country’s northeastern border with China.

According to Xinhua, a bomb released by a Myanmar jet struck “a sugarcane field in the border city of Lincang and killed four people working there on Friday afternoon. Nine others were also injured.” Liu, the vice foreign minister, has condemned the incident and urged Myanmar to “thoroughly investigate the case and inform the Chinese side of the result.” Liu additionally recommended that Myanmar “punish the perpetrator.”

Earlier this week, in a press conference, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei noted that the “Chinese side has expressed grave concerns to the Myanmar side, asking them to get to the bottom of this incident as soon as possible and take effective measures to ensure that such incident will never happen again.” Obviously, given these reports, China’s earlier diplomatic pressure failed. As I noted earlier this week, the cross-border bombings put Beijing in a difficult position. News of Chinese casualties will only render the situation more severe and test the limits of China’s policy of non-interference in the affairs of other countries.

It remains to be seen if the incident will draw a widespread nationalist backlash in China, prompting the government to take action against Myanmar. Although the central leadership would in all likelihood prefer to resolve this situation diplomatically, nationalists may fear that inadequate action could erode perceptions of China’s resolve  and credibility as a rising power.

Kerry says unclear whether interim Iran deal within reach

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry speaks at a news conference in Sharm el-Sheikh March 14, 2015.

BY LESLEY WROUGHTON-Sat Mar 14, 2015 

(Reuters) - On the eve of fresh talks with Iran, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said it was unclear whether an interim agreement over its nuclear power program was within reach.

"I can't tell you whether or not we can get a deal, whether we are close," Kerry told a news conference on Saturday in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, where he attended an Egyptian investment summit.

"The purpose of these negotiations is not just to get a deal, it is to get the right deal," he added.

The United States and five other major powers -- Britain, Germany, France, China and Russia -- will resume negotiations with Iran in Lausanne, Switzerland, from Sunday. They hope to clinch a framework agreement by the end of the month.

The two sides would then seek to negotiate by June 30 a final agreement to would curb Iran's most sensitive nuclear activities for at least 10 years. In exchange, sanctions on the Islamic Republic would gradually end.

Kerry expressed concern again that a letter to Iran last week from Republican senators may have undermined the talks. The letter warned Iran that any deal made by President Barack Obama might last only as long as he remained in office -- a highly unusual intervention in U.S. foreign policy-making.

Kerry said he would assure Iranian negotiators and Europeans allies during the upcoming talks that Congress did not have the authority to change the deal.

"As far as we're concerned, Congress has no ability to change an executive agreement," Kerry said, adding that "important gaps" still remained between the sides.

The letter followed a speech to Congress earlier this month by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who warned that Obama was negotiating a "bad deal" with Iran. Republicans invited Netanyahu to speak about Iran without consulting the White House or Democrats.

MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS

With Israel preparing to elect a new government next week, Kerry said the United States hoped that whatever the outcome it would help push forward the peace process with Palestinians.

Opinion polls show Israel's center-left opposition is poised for an upset victory in the parliamentary elections over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's party.

"President Obama remains committed to a two-state solution," Kerry said, adding "he remains hopeful that whatever choice that people of Israel make, that there will be an ability to be able to move forward on those efforts."

He declined to elaborate on the prospects of resuming the talks, with an election just days away.

Peace talks broke down in April 2014 after nine months of negotiations led by Kerry, with the long-standing goal of a two-state solution no closer.

Kerry met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday on the sidelines of the investment conference in Sharm el-Sheikh. The meeting included Jordan's King Abdullah and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

Abbas has steered clear of taking a position on the Israeli election, saying only that he was ready to work with who wins.

(Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Larry King)

Former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed jailed for 13 years

 Mohamed Nasheed waves to reporters from inside a car outside the court after a three-judge panel pronounced his verdict. Photograph: Sinan Hussain/AP

Jason Burke in Delhi and Zaheena Rasheed in Malé-Saturday 14 March 2015

Conviction on terrorism charge of nation’s first democratically elected leader likely to worsen acute instability in popular tourist destination

Mohamed Nasheed, the first democratically elected leader of the Maldives, has been sentenced to 13 years in prison after being found guilty of terrorism.

Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed Jailed for 13 Years by Thavam

Robbers Gang Rape Elderly Nun Who Tried To Protect Convent School In India

 |  By MANIK BANERJEE-03/14/2015 

KOLKATA, India (AP) — A nun in her 70s was gang-raped by a group of bandits Saturday when she tried to prevent them from robbing a Christian missionary school in eastern India, police said, the latest crime to focus attention on the scourge of sexual violence in the country.

The nun was hospitalized in serious condition after the attack, which was committed by seven or eight men at the Convent of Jesus and Mary School in Nadia district, 80 kilometers (50 miles) northeast of Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal state, a police officer said.

The men escaped and police are searching for them, said the officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to reporters.

The robbers tied the school's security guards with ropes early Saturday and entered the nuns' room, where the women were sleeping. They took one of the nuns to another room when she tried to block their way and then raped her, the officer said.

The woman who was attacked is either 71 or 72 and is the oldest nun at the school, he said.

The men escaped with some cash, a mobile phone, a laptop computer and a camera, all belonging to the school, the officer said. They also ransacked the school's chapel and holy items, the Press Trust of India news agency cited the archbishop of Kolkata, Thomas D'Souza, as saying.

Scores of angry students, their parents and teachers blocked a nearby highway and railroad tracks for several hours demanding swift police action leading to the arrest of the culprits.

Mamta Banerjee, the state's top elected official, strongly condemned the attack and ordered a high-level police investigation. D'Souza appealed to people to maintain peace and harmony in the area.

India has a long history of tolerance for sexual violence, but the December 2012 fatal gang rape of a 23-year-old woman aboard a moving bus in New Delhi caused outrage across the nation.

The outcry led the federal government to rush legislation doubling prison terms for rapists to 20 years and criminalizing voyeurism, stalking and the trafficking of women. The law also makes it a crime for officers to refuse to open cases when complaints are made.

Here’s how much faster wind and solar are growing than fossil fuels

A wind turbine farm owned by PacifiCorp stands near Glenrock, Wyo., Monday, May 6, 2013. (AP Photo/Matt Young)

By Chris Mooney-March 9

There’s been a lot of positive news about clean energy lately. For instance, we’ve reported that from 2008 to the present, wind and solar energy capacity in the United States has tripled.

Now, a new report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration makes a similar point. It finds that the electricity generated from wind and solar grew a lot faster than electricity generated by fossil fuels last year. In fact, solar more than doubled, and wind outgrew all other sources.

“I think the story that renewable generation is up from wind and solar and other sources is certainly the story to tell,” said Emily Williams, deputy director of industry data and analysis at the American Wind Energy Association, which heralded the report.

Here’s the bad news, though: Wind and solar are still only contributing a small fraction of the total electricity that we use, and far, far less than coal. They may be growing faster, but they’re very far behind.

The new data come from the EIA’s latest installment of Electric Power Monthly, which provides stats on net electricity generation, across different energy sources, on a monthly and also annual basis. “Net generation” is defined by EIA as the gross electricity generated from a particular power source, minus the “electrical energy consumed at the generating station(s).” It should not be confused with electricity generating “capacity,” which is how much a source can potentially generate, vs. how much it actually produced.

Based on EIA’s data, there was considerably more growth in non-fossil electricity than in fossil based generation in 2014. In particular, wind and solar grew much more than coal or natural gas:

As you can see, wind increased net generation by 13,951 thousand megawatt hours — a bigger increase than for any other electricity source — and solar by 9,285 thousand (summing together both solar photovoltaic and solar thermal). In solar’s case, net generation more than doubled from 2013 to 2014 — in 2013, it was only 9,036 thousand megawatt hours in total. In 2014, by contrast, it was 18,321 thousand megawatt hours.

Expressed as a percentage, solar grew by a stunning 103 percent, and wind by over 8 percent.

It’s not shown above, but nuclear power also showed considerable growth in net generation — 8,051 thousand more megawatt hours in 2014 than in 2013. Some environmentalists may have their reservations about it, but they can’t argue that it’s driving the global warming problem.

So what does the future portend? For wind, the gains in 2014 should continue in 2015, said Williams. “We have a very high number of megawatts under construction, and once those are allowed to generate electricity, we’re hoping to see this number go up significantly,” she said. That’s even though the wind  production tax credit was only extendedthrough the end of 2014 and is currently expired.

Solar, meanwhile, could pick up its pace even more, in light of evidence that the price of solar panels keeps falling.

In the grand scheme of things, one year — 2014 — only represents a slight nudging of the gigantic ship of U.S. energy in a renewable direction. Even if it grew less, coal is still the No. 1 source of net generation each year in the United States, followed by natural gas. And the numbers for these two sources still dwarf the totals for all renewable sources combined:

Still, there can be no denying that the U.S. energy system is changing, and that renewables — wind and solar — are booming.

Whether they’re doing so fast enough to decarbonize our world before we pass the threshold that would bring on dangerous climate change, however, is another matter.

UPDATE: On Tuesday, the EIA released a look at the sources of new electricity generating capacity scheduled to come online in 2015. And it suggests that this year will look a lot like 2014 — more additions of wind capacity, more additions of solar capacity, and more natural gas, but a decline of coal. Read here.

Chris Mooney reports on science and the environment.

Earlier release of OISL possible based on Human Rights Chief's 'judgement' No Fire Zone Sinhala language version 2015 from dougdougdoug on Vimeo. 13 March 2015Reiterating that the report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Investigation into Sri Lanka (OISL) would be strengthened and released before 30 September the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Al Hussein, said that he would use his judgement to decide when exactly it was released. Speaking to NGOs at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Human Rights Chief Zeid, said,  “I said the report is going to be released so it will be released, it can be released tomorrow if I wanted to. That needs to be made clear.” “The report will be released a few weeks before its submission to the human rights council. Essentially the office can release it any time before. The judgement is with me for when I release the report.” Explaining that he expected to gather more information to strengthen the report over the coming months, the human rights chief added,  “Off course we are fully aware that the victims will feel alarmed, who may see that a justice delayed could result in a justice denied.”  Human Rights Chief Zeid to look into Sri Lanka's rejection of OISL and atrocities evidence Photograph: Tamil Guardian The High Commissioner for Human Rights Prince Zeid al-Hussein said on Friday that he will look into the new Sri Lankan president’s rejection of a visit by the OHCHR team to Sri Lanka and rebuttal of credible evidence of mass atrocities. Responding to a question by Tamil Guardian regarding the new Sri Lankan president’s rejection to allow the OISL team into Sri Lanka, and rebuttal of mass atrocities evidence from Channel 4 News, he said,  “I haven’t seen these reports yet and will have to look into the alleged reports. The Sri Lankan government has given me its commitment to accountability and working with the UN. In the past the new president has also said he will not deny what happened in 2009.” We will not allow UN investigators to visit Sri Lanka says new president Tamil Guardian 12 March 2015 Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena says no UN officials will be allowed to visit the island to conduct investigations into mass atrocities. In an interview for the BBC Sinhala service, President Sirisena said the government had requested the UN to have faith in a domestic process. “No, we have made a clear statement requesting them to have faith on our domestic investigation,” he said in response to a whether the government would allow external investigators. “What we can do is to take UN's opinions in to consideration and strengthen the domestic mechanism accordingly. Therefore I don't think that we need anyone from outside to conduct the investigations. But of course, we can obtain their ideas to make our work more effective.” The president said it “was a victory” to gain the international community’s consent for conducting a domestic inquiry, when looking at the nature of the war crimes allegations. “When we consider the accusations that were made about the alleged human rights violations occurred in the last phase of the war, I think it is a victory that we succeeded in gaining the consent of the international community for a domestic mechanism,” he said. Mr Sirisena also dismissed the No Fire Zone documentary, which was recently released in the Sinhala language, despite admitting he hadn’t yet watched it. “I think we have to reject those things. I don't believe such things. Because we have questions regarding how they obtained all this information to change the situation in our country and to mislead the international community about the situation. Therefore I cannot comment on the content of the film as I haven't seen this film yet and don't even know what it contains. So I will only be able to comment on this after watching it. Apart from that, when consider what was there earlier, I totally reject such things.” Please see a translation of the full interview by JDS here. Speaking to the BBC World Service on Thursday, Tamil Guardian editorial board member Thusiyan Nandakumar said "given Sri Lanka's long and torturous history of failed commissions, criticised by human rights groups worldwide - Amnesty International called it '20 years of make believe' - there is a deep and justified scepticism with any sort of domestic process." "The Tamil people themselves have been very clear that they have no hope for justice under a domestic mechanism," he further added. "Tamil hopes now as we’ve seen with the recent spur in protests, rests with the international community… International pressure has been key to driving events forward in Sri Lanka."

Maithiri – An Old Wine In A New Bottle

By Thambu Kanagasabai -March 13, 2015

Thambu Kanagasabai

The 2015 Presidential election dealt a deadly blow to Rajapaksa’s ambition of serving as a life term President a long with his family members controlling the destiny of Sri Lanka. His faith in astrology took a battering with even Thiruppathi Venkateswarar letting him down. Now he is silently plotting seeking an escape route to avoid the impending inquiries, accusations of bribery and corruption, not to mention the UN’s possible probe after the publication of its report in September 2015.

Eelam Tamils rightly and correctly gave a knockout punch to Rajapaksa family’s decimation. Tamils felt a sense of relief and fulfillment for his defeat, though the miseries they suffered from his hands lie with no healings. The defeat of Mahinda does not mean an endorsement of Maithiriwho is just another side of the same coin. Maithiri served loyally under Rajapaksa, even conducting the final phase of the genocidal war during the absence of Rajabaksa. His hands are also equally tainted due to his complicity in the commission of genocidal crimes in the 2009 war.

Maithiri is a subtle executioner of war agenda, a man with a deceptively pleasing face and smile, a President who has so far not uttered a word about the Tamils problems not to mention any of his thoughts as to any solution excepting a mention of LLRC recommendations. It will be therefore foolhardy and naïve for Tamils to expect any acceptable political settlement proposals from Maithiri.Read More

U.S. Embassy Visit Emphasizes Commitment to People of Sri Lanka

Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran warmly welcomes Chargé d'Affaires Andrew Mann and USAID Acting Mission Director Michael Eddy

• Read in Sinhala
• Read in Tamil

March 11, 2015

Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Andrew C. Mann visited leaders in the Northern Province to explore opportunities for further support and reiterate the United States’ strong friendship with the people of Sri Lanka and overall commitment to a peaceful and united country.

In separate meetings with Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran, as well as newly appointed Northern Governor H.M.G.S. Palihakkara and Security Forces Commander Nandana Udawatta, Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Mann emphasized the importance of meaningful action to support the positive statements by the Government of Sri Lanka to bridge the gap between the North and the South. 

“This is a time of great potential for all of Sri Lanka, including the North,” said Mr. Mann.  “We look forward to the resolution of a number of outstanding concerns for the people here, from returning land to addressing the issue of political prisoners and resolving missing persons’ cases.”

The delegation also met with local journalists and civil society leaders to hear their views.

“The United States will continue to promote human rights, good governance, transparency, accountability, and economic development for all the people of Sri Lanka,” said Mr. Mann.  “We stand ready to work with the new government to help address these issues.”

Some Thoughts On Good Governance & Public Service Orientation

ByBy C. Narayanasuwami -March 12, 2015 

C. Narayanasuwami

Governance

Governance in broad terms encapsulates the importance of transparency, predictability, accountability, stakeholder participation, rule of law, anticorruption, independence of judiciary and media freedom, among others. Sri Lanka has suffered substantially in upholding many of these values in recent years largely due to the adoption of undemocratic and often ill-conceived policies and practices in implementing varied development programs. The determination of the new Government to overcome these tendencies forebodes well for the future of the country. This brief note tries to capture some of the priorities underscored in the 100 days program and evaluates the need to address some fundamental issues affecting the public service.

The efforts already taken to address blatant violations of the rule of law, including arbitrary removal of the former chief justice, civil and military restrictions placed on the former Army Commander and restrictions placed on media freedom, are welcome steps which should be further strengthened with more rigorous efforts aimed at improving transparency in the maintenance of law and order, banishing the cult of impunity that prevailed for so long and dedicated efforts to ensure effective administration of the principles of natural justice. Crucial to strengthening governance will inevitably have to go beyond the repeal of the 18^thAmendment to the constitution and establishment of independent commissions as proposed, namely, a Judicial Services Commission, a Police Commission, a Public Service Commission, an Election Commission, a Commission against Bribery and Corruption, an Audit Service Commission and a Human Rights Commission, although this would undoubtedly set the pace and direction for moving towards a transparent and democratic process of governance. The effectiveness of these commissions however, would largely depend on the selection of commissioners who have a proven record of integrity and honesty and demonstrated ability to act with impartiality and fairness in adjudicating on cases.
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