Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Innovative and Enterprising Ideas at Starhub Business Challenge ...

Cast your net across Starhub?s outlets in a few years? time and you may well catch a couple of fish. In case you were wondering, Starhub is not planning to renounce its business for a fishery. This is just one of the many fascinating concepts that the winning team of the Starhub Business Challenge 2013, Team Redux, presented during the final phase of the business competition, which was held at the School of Business Management (SBM) on 19 July 2013.

The inaugural event is a joint partnership between NYP?s Marketing Services Centre (MSC) and Starhub. The initiative aims to engage youths by providing them with a platform to create ideas to enhance sales in Starhub outlets. ?The winning team will stand a chance to walk away with a grand prize of $3,000, and have its ideas realised in a Starhub corner in MSC Studio, or even Starhub shops around Singapore! Of the 30 teams that signed up for the competition, five were selected for the finals.

The judging panel consisted of distinguished guests, Mr Tan Tong Hai, CEO of Starhub and Charimn of NYP?s Board of Governors, Ms Jeannie Ong, Starhub?s Head of Corporate Communications and Investor Relations, Mr Henry Heng, NYP?s Deputy Principal (Organisational Excellence) and Senior Director (SBM), and Mr Lee Tong Nge, NYP Director (SBM). Mr Chan Lee Mun, President and CEO of NYP, was also present at the finals of the event, which was held at a seminar room in SBM.


Teams were judged on factors such as the feasibility and differentiation of their ideas. Each group was given 20 minutes to present its concepts. As part of the competition rules, no other team could be present while one team was presenting.

It was a highly intriguing afternoon as teams pitched their concepts. For their presentations, some chose the classic Powerpoint slides, while others had a physical prototype of their products.

The first presentation saw Team Redux announcing its main goal of ?Bringing back a different future?. Team Redux gave an interesting overview of the telecomms industry in Singapore and showcased a three-dimensional computerised walkthrough of their proposed Starhub outlet. They also proposed having an interactive wall (powered by a smart projector) that can sense and response to customers? touch, and a fish tank that contains and displays waterproof phones. I can definitely say that the group was indeed tech-savvy!

The second team, Team Synergy, focused on how Starhub could more effectively target the youth market. The team explained that the youth of today were creative and always connected. With a heavy focus on gaming, Team Synergy went on to discuss how a youth-centric Starhub outlet could include a ?Demo play area? whereby customers can ?play online games to check connection speeds?.

It also suggested a business partnership with Valve, a major game developing company responsible for hit video games such as the Half-Life and Left 4 Dead franchises. They also proposed that Starhub could sponsor game events where the youth can play video games for free while simultaneously testing Starhub?s Internet speed. ?There were definitely some avid gamers in this group.


The third team, Team Unique, started off with a captivating video introduction of its name complete with soothing background music. From the start, it was clear that this group had a unique presentation. Team Unique proposed having a smart lounge equipped with USB charging stations for mobile phones, and partnering up with popular bubble tea chain Gong Cha to create a Starhub caf?. Similar to Team Redux,

Team Unique developed a model aimed at improving Starhub?s advertising. They dubbed the idea ?3D Augmented Advertising?. However, things did not seem to go as planned as the team struggled to scan the QR code it had printed out in order to launch their data. Nevertheless, it managed to salvage the situation by explaining how the model works.
The fourth team was a surprise. Team FABT (For A Better Tomorrow) comprised only two members, whereas the other teams had at least four group members each. FABT advocated the return of Starhub?s Sparky the Dog (a cute, frisky dog used in Starhub?s earlier commercials) and the ?return of freedom of choice? for consumers, which includes allowing youths to customise their own mobile plans. ?Just because there were only two of them did not mean that the quality of their presentation was any lesser than the other teams.
The Challenge?s final presentation saw Team EDC?s version of a future Starhub store. In its proposal, the team suggested three main areas for Starhub?s stores ? BoxIt (where mobile accessories are displayed in clear boxes), AppIt (where customers can test mobile apps) and PickIt (an online service that allows customers to apply for mobile plans through the Internet). They also suggested that Starhub?s employees could get a thinking break of an hour each week to encourage employees to come up with ideas for the company.

Each team?s proposal was equally strong, and it was certainly a difficult decision for the judges to make. As Mr Tan Tong Hai put it aptly, ?they are all winners today.?

Soon, it was time for the results! ?Participants gathered at the end of the room and huddled together in anticipation.

In the end, Team Redux secured the first place and a grand prize of $3,000! It was followed by Team EDC and Team Synergy, who were awarded the second and third prizes of $2,000 and $1,000 respectively.
Said Hansel Ng Eng Sheng, third year Information Technology student and leader of Redux, ?Basically our final pitch was almost completely different from the proposal we submitted. We just gave all that we could think of. We also looked into the visual aspects and created our 3D walkthrough of the store from the popular game Sims3. It was a huge risk, because nobody had seen these ideas before. But turning our ideas for the shop into a reality is what we truly want.? As for Team EDC?s members, they were pleasantly surprised that they finished in the top two. The team of four is part of the recently formed Entrepreneurship Development Club, and has a passion for formulating business ideas.

Said Christina Chua, third year Marketing student and EDC team member, ?This was another platform for us to step out of our comfort zone provided by our club, to try out our ideas, brainstorm, and generate our own solutions to problems. We are very happy to have won the second place.?

Indeed, everyone left a winner that afternoon. The event showed students how a real-life business presentation was like and how much potential NYP students had. It was certainly a mind-blowing experience as participants strove hard to bring forth their ideas, setting the bar at a new height. As fellow business students, it was a fantastic learning experience for the both of us.


By Chua Khai Woon (Year 3, Diploma in Banking and Financial Services) and Shawn Dabi (Year 1, Diploma in Accounting and Finance)


Khai Woon is a Year 2 student pursuing a diploma in Banking and Financial Services. Watching movies and reading are among some of her hobbies. Above all, she enjoys listening to music and likes writing. ?She is also a member of the NYP Symphony Orchestra. She believes life should be unpredictable; because that is the only way it will be exciting. With his passion for writing, Shawn composes various sorts of literature, from short stories to the article that you have just read, in an attempt to balance his poly life. Just because he?s studying accountancy doesn?t mean that he is good at only number crunching. In fact, his spare time is spent on whatever novel he gets his hands on. He aspires to be a best-selling novelist one day and, of course, a successful accountant.

Source: http://discover-nyp.blogspot.com/2013/07/innovative-and-enterprising-ideas-at.html

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Connor & Bella Cruise: Hangin? Out In London

Screen Shot 2013-07-23 at 10.31.07 PM

Connor Cruise and his sister Isabella have been in London the past couple of days. The 18-year-old posted a photo of the two as well as a video of them riding bikes in Hyde Park.

He writes on July 23, ?Hangin with Bellz in London?

Connor has been deejaying in Europe. He was also in Cologne and Nuremberg earlier this week. During one of his gigs a fan gave him a ring.

He tweeted: ?To whomever gave me this ring in Nuremberg during my set, thank you! It?s dope, I wear it all the time now!?

The teen seems to like traveling. He stated via Twitter: ?Being out of LA is like taking a breath of fresh air. The people in Europe are just nicer.?

Filed under: Connor Cruise,Isabella Cruise

Photo credit: Instagram

Source: http://www.celebritybabyscoop.com/2013/07/23/connor-hangin-london?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=connor-hangin-london

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Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Former boxing champion Emile Griffith dies at 75

FILE - In this Jan. 3, 1968 file photo, boxer Emile Griffith is flanked by boxers Joe Frazier, left, and Buster Mathis in New York. The International Boxing Hall of Fame says former world champion boxer Emile Griffith has died. He was 75. The hall said Tuesday, July 23, 2013, he died at an extended care facility in Hempstead, N.Y.(AP Photo/File)

FILE - In this Jan. 3, 1968 file photo, boxer Emile Griffith is flanked by boxers Joe Frazier, left, and Buster Mathis in New York. The International Boxing Hall of Fame says former world champion boxer Emile Griffith has died. He was 75. The hall said Tuesday, July 23, 2013, he died at an extended care facility in Hempstead, N.Y.(AP Photo/File)

FILE - In this June 8, 1963 file photo, Emile Griffith smiles in the dressing room after regaining his welterweight world championship title by defeating Luis Rodriguez, at New York?s Madison Square Garden. At right is Griffith's coach Gil Clancy. The International Boxing Hall of Fame says former world champion boxer Emile Griffith has died. He was 75. The hall said Tuesday, July 23, 2013, he died at an extended care facility in Hempstead, N.Y.(AP Photo/File)

FILE - In this Dec. 9, 1965 file photo, world welterweight boxing champion Emile Griffith relaxes by painting in his New York hotel room. The International Boxing Hall of Fame says former world champion boxer Emile Griffith has died. He was 75. The hall said Tuesday, July 23, 2013, he died at an extended care facility in Hempstead, N.Y. (AP Photo)

FILE - In this March 24, 1962 file photo, welterweight champion Benny Paret, in white trunks, smiles as he reads the weight of challenger and former champion Emile Griffith during the weigh-in for their title fight in New York. In center is James A. Farley, Jr., a member of the New York State Athletic Commission. The International Boxing Hall of Fame says former world champion boxer Emile Griffith has died. He was 75. The hall said Tuesday, July 23, 2013, he died at an extended care facility in Hempstead, N.Y.(AP Photo/John Lindsay, File)

FILE - This undated image provided by NBC Universal shows former welterweight boxing champion Emile Griffith striking a pose to promote the documentary film "Ring of Fire:The Emile Griffith Story." The International Boxing Hall of Fame says former world champion boxer Emile Griffith has died. He was 75. The hall said Tuesday, July 23, 2013, he died at an extended care facility in Hempstead, N.Y. (AP Photo/NBC Universal, Robert Maxwell, File)

Emile Griffith, the elegant world champion whose career was overshadowed by the fatal beating he gave Bennie Paret in a 1962 title bout that darkened all of boxing, died Tuesday. He was 75.

He died at an extended care facility in Hempstead, N.Y, the International Boxing Hall of Fame said.

Griffith struggled with pugilistic dementia and required full-time care late in life. He was the first boxer from the U.S. Virgin Islands to become world champion and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990.

"Emile was a gifted athlete and truly a great boxer," Hall of Fame director Ed Brophy said. "Outside the ring he was as great a gentleman as he was a fighter. He always had time for boxing fans when visiting the hall on an annual basis and was one of the most popular boxers to return year after year."

Griffith often attended fights in New York, especially at Madison Square Garden, where he headlined 23 times. He was also a frequent visitor to the many boxing clubs around New York City. He would slowly rise from his seat, often with assistance, and smile while waving when he was acknowledged.

The outpouring of love that he received late in life stood in stark contrast to the way he was received after March 24, 1962, when he fought Bennie "The Kid" Paret before a national TV audience at the Garden. Griffith knocked out his bitter rival in the 12th round to regain the welterweight title. Paret went into a coma and died from his injuries 10 days later.

Sports Illustrated reported in 2005 that Griffith may have been fueled by an anti-gay slur directed at him by Paret during the weigh-in. Over the years, Griffith described himself at various times as straight, gay and bisexual.

"People spit at me in the street. We stayed in a hotel. Every time there was a knock on the door, I would run into the next room. I was so scared," Griffith told The Associated Press in 1993, recalling the days after Paret's death.

The shocking outcome left a cloud over the sport for many years. NBC stopped airing boxing broadcasts, and then-New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller created a commission to investigate the bout and the sport. The referee that night, Ruby Goldstein, never worked another fight.

The fight became the basis for the 2005 documentary "Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story." One of the final scenes shows Griffith embracing Paret's son.

"I was never the same fighter after that. After that fight, I did enough to win. I would use my jab all the time. I never wanted to hurt the other guy," Griffith said. "I would have quit, but I didn't know how to do anything else but fight."

And fight he could.

Known for his overwhelming speed and slick style ? certainly not his punching power ? Griffith was a prodigy from the moment he stepped in Hall of Fame trainer Gil Clancy's gym in Queens. Griffith had been working in a hat factory when, as the story goes, he took off his shirt on a hot day and the factory owner realized how strong he was.

Under the eye of Clancy, Griffith blossomed into a New York Golden Gloves champion and eventually turned professional. He easily defeated the likes of Florentino Fernandez and Luis Rodriguez during an era when it was common to fight every couple of weeks, quickly earning a welterweight title shot against Paret in 1961.

Griffith won the championship with a 13th-round knockout at the Garden before losing the belt to Paret in a rematch five months later.

After winning back the title during his controversial third fight with Paret ? many believe Paret never should have been allowed in the ring after a brutal loss to Gene Fullmer three months earlier ? Griffith would eventually move up to middleweight. He knocked down Dick Tiger for the first time in his career and claimed the title with a narrow but unanimous decision.

Griffith would go on to lose twice during a thrilling trilogy with Nino Benvenuti, his lone victory coming at Shea Stadium in 1967, and lost two bouts against the great middleweight Carlos Monzon. Griffith would finally retire in 1977 after losing his last three fights, his record standing at 85-24-2 with 23 knockouts.

Griffith would go on to train several champions, including Wilfred Benitez and Juan Laporte, among the most popular boxers in Puerto Rican history.

His humor and generosity buoyed those close to him as his health deteriorated in later years. He would still make the pilgrimage to Canastota, N.Y., for the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, regaling fans young and old with tales, even though the details often became hazy, the result of the many blows he sustained during his career.

There was no immediate word on survivors or funeral arrangements.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-07-23-Obit-Emile%20Griffith/id-050a1dc812ce4b18bb35f5c036882034

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Graduate Programs in Fashion Business Management ...

? The Fashion Spot | Fashion Trends, Styles, Celebrity Fashion, and Beauty
19-06-2006

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Join Date: Jun 2005

Posts: 1

Advice about what to do about School and Career Goals - See Post #1 for directions

Moderator's Note:

This thread is for anyone facing a big decision about your life and school, in general. This is where you may post your story and ask for personal advice about your direction and goals.

Ask things like:

Should I change schools?
Which school should I go to?
Should I leave school and start a career?
Do I even need school at this point in my life?
Whether or not to change majors?
Do I need additional education to reach my goals?
Want help making a career/school/internship choice.

If you want to know something about a certain school, you should find the appropriate school thread or find the thread about schools in your country /city and ask there.

If you want know where to go to school or what education is needed for a specific career, ask in the career thread.

To ask about what career you might be suited to ... there are general threads about that too.

Use the serach function using appropriate keywords that are least 4 letters long and search by thread titles only ... or you will get too many results.

i 'm now 16 .And i'm thinking to study in a community college next year.
I wanna study in a art school like prat,fit or CSM,ANTWEP IN UK .
I'm wondering if GOOD art school will accept students from COMMUNITY COLLEGE?? OR should i continue studying year11 &12??
thank you very much!



Last edited by BetteT; 11-04-2012 at 04:11 PM.

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05-07-2007

Brooklyn, baby!

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Location: Williamsburg Brooklyn

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Posts: 6,058

Advice needed - finish college or start career?

Hey all!

I'm really torn at the moment, and having a hard time figuring out my life right now. I landed the job opportunity of a lifetime this summer, working on the "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2" movie as the Shop Coordinator. It's an amazing first job in the industry, and it's sure to lead me to more jobs afterwards if I do a good job, which I am confident that I will. I'm making really good money, and have lots of great perks (my own production cell phone and production car, with gas provided to me).

My dilemma is this: should I go back to college in the Fall and finish up my Senior year, or should I just continue down this path right away? I'm nervous that if I go back to school for a year, not as many people will remember me, and it'll hurt my chances of getting as good of a job in this industry again. I really lucked out this time around, and I just don't know if I should risk a degree in film to go immediately into this industry, or go back to school first?

Any advice would be most helpful! Thank you.


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freja & siri.

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Source: http://forums.thefashionspot.com/f90/graduate-programs-fashion-business-management-merchandising-238901.html

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Morsi?s Family Lashes Out at Egypt?s Military

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://www.myantiwar.org/view/259913.html

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Recon Jet Android-powered HUD glasses sell out before initial pre-order period ends

Recon Jet

Second batch, shipping in February 2014, now available for $599

Recon Instruments' new Android-powered HUD glasses, dubbed the "Recon Jet" have sold out before the first pre-order period ended at $499 each. These early "Pilot Edition" models went on sale for $100 off retail price to entice early adopters over to the platform, and the plan seems to have worked. Even though these shipments aren't expected until December of this year, pre-orders are all sold out.

Because of the high demand, Recon Instruments has decided to open up another pre-order period at the retail price of $599. This next batch of devices will be sold on a first come, first serve basis and won't ship until February 2014 but will still get to early adopters before the devices hit store shelves officially. The order page is now live at the source link below if you're interested in picking up a pair.

More: Recon Instruments

read more

    


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/GWllf4KA3-4/story01.htm

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Internet Pioneers Discuss the Future of Money, Books, and Paper in 1972

Imagine a world where nearly every book ever published could be delivered to you electronically in the blink of an eye. Imagine a world where all of your banking is done without having to visit a bank teller. Imagine a world where paper doesn't need to be shuttled around to exchange ideas. I know, I know, I'm basically describing right now. But in the year 1972, when the ARPANET (the precursor to our modern internet) was just beginning to take its first baby steps, these ideas were all a fantasy. In the minds of these men, specifically.

Read more...

    


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Zh4eV-K5WMk/internet-pioneers-discuss-the-future-of-money-books-a-880551175

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Number of Same Sex Marriages In Military Bases Expected To Rise

Less than a month after the controversial DOMA ruling by the US Supreme Court, LGBT military communities predict a surge in the number of same-sex marriages officiated in military bases.

This was revealed by Outserve-SLDN director for legal and public policy David McKeon, who said that ?it makes sense to have ceremonies where you live and where your family is.? It?s because of the recent Supreme Court decision that made same-sex marriages more acceptable to the military, as stated by McKeon in a news release.

While the court ruling states that gay and lesbian married couples should receive benefits as stipulated under federal law, the legality of the marriage might not hold water for all states. Aside from District of Columbia, only 13 states have passed laws to legalize same-sex marriage, including Rhode Island, Minesotta and California.

Conservatives, on the other hand, feel that this scenario has some serious religious backlash. Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council aired his sentiments, saying that ?forcing others to abandon their moral religious beliefs and their conscious rights ? that?s what we are fighting against.? Perkins was talking about how chaplains are forced to follow the law and wed people of the same sex, even if it?s against the chaplain?s rights on the First Amendment.

To be clear about the issue, chaplains serving in the military may choose not to officiate a wedding if it violates their religious beliefs. Lt. Cmdr. Nate Christensen of the Pentagon added that while this holds true today, this freedom might be taken away from them in the future, as more people begin to accept same-sex marriages.

[ Photo credit: Till Krech via Flickr ]

Source: http://blog.usnavyseals.com/2013/07/number-of-same-sex-marriages-in-military-bases-expected-to-rise.html

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Monday, July 1, 2013

SF Bay Area braces for first day of transit strike

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) ? Commuters braced for traffic snarls Monday morning as two of San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit's largest unions went on strike, halting train service for the first time in 16 years.

The walkout promised to derail the more than 400,000 riders who use the nation's fifth-largest rail system and affect every mode of transportation. Transportation officials say another 60,000 vehicles could be on the road, clogging highways and bridges throughout the Bay Area.

The strike was called after an 11th-hour effort to resume negotiation failed to produce a new contract by the deadline of midnight Sunday. Both the unions and management said they were far apart on key sticking points including salary, pensions, health care and safety.

"A strike is always the last resort and we have done everything in our power to avoid it," said Josie Mooney, a negotiator for Service Employees International Union Local 1021.

"Our members aren't interested in disrupting the Bay Area, but management has put us in a position where we have no choice," said Antonette Bryant, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555.

Negotiations fell apart Saturday and the unions walked away from the table. California Gov. Jerry Brown's office had urged both sides to resume discussions Sunday with rush hour on the horizon.

But talks between the two sides came to an end Sunday night with BART accusing negotiators of walking away from the bargaining table, while the SEIU countered in a statement that management "threw in the towel."

The unions, which represent nearly 2,400 train operators, station agents, mechanics, maintenance workers and professional staff, were asking for a 5 percent raise each year over the next three years. BART said that train operators and station agents in the unions average about $71,000 in base salary and $11,000 in overtime annually. The workers also pay a flat $92 monthly fee for health insurance.

BART spokesman Rick Rice said the agency had up its original offer of a 4 percent pay rise over the next four years to 8 percent. The proposed salary increase is on top of a 1 percent raise employees were scheduled to receive Monday, Rice added.

The transit agency also said it offered to reduce the contribution employees would have to make to their pensions, and lower the costs of health care premiums they would have to pay.

Bryant said Sunday that BART's latest proposal is not an actual pay increase, calling it "surface bargaining."

BART's last strike lasted six days in 1997. The transit agency handles more than 40 percent of commuters coming from the East Bay to San Francisco with the Bay Bridge handling another 50 percent said John Goodwin, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.

Other transit agencies in the region urged commuters to consider carpooling, taking buses or ferries, working from home and, if they must drive to work, to leave earlier or even later than usual.

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee said the city will offer increased transportation options, including at the airport, and increase staff for traffic management. BART said it will let commuters use parking lots at their 33 stations free of charge for the purpose of carpooling.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sf-bay-area-braces-first-day-transit-strike-091906793.html

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Germany compares reported US bugging to 'Cold War'

A demonstrator protests with a poster against espionage programs in Hanover, Germany, 29 June 2013. A coalition for action consisting of representatives from politcs, unions and Blockupy and Anonymous activists protests against NSA espionage PRISM as well as the surveillance practices of British Secret Service GCHQ. Photo by: Peter Steffen/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images

A demonstrator protests with a poster against espionage programs in Hanover, Germany, 29 June 2013. A coalition for action consisting of representatives from politcs, unions and Blockupy and Anonymous activists protests against NSA espionage PRISM as well as the surveillance practices of British Secret Service GCHQ. Photo by: Peter Steffen/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images

(AP) ? A top German official accused the United States on Sunday of using "Cold War" methods against its allies, after a German magazine cited secret intelligence documents to claim that U.S. spies bugged European Union offices.

Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger was responding to a report by German news weekly Der Spiegel, which claimed that the U.S. National Security Agency eavesdropped on EU offices in Washington, New York and Brussels. The magazine cited classified U.S. documents taken by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden that it said it had partly seen.

"If the media reports are accurate, then this recalls the methods used by enemies during the Cold War," Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger said in a statement to The Associated Press.

"It is beyond comprehension that our friends in the United States see Europeans as enemies," she said, calling for an "immediate and comprehensive" response from the U.S. government to the claims.

According to Der Spiegel, the NSA planted bugs in the EU's diplomatic offices in Washington and infiltrated the building's computer network. Similar measures were taken at the EU's mission to the United Nations in New York, the magazine said.

Der Spiegel didn't publish the alleged NSA documents it cited or say how it obtained access to them. But one of the report's authors is Laura Poitras, an award-winning documentary filmmaker who interviewed Snowden while he was holed up in Hong Kong.

The magazine also didn't specify how it learned of the NSA's alleged eavesdropping efforts at a key EU office in Brussels. There, the NSA used secure facilities at NATO headquarters nearby to dial into telephone maintenance systems that would have allowed it to intercept senior EU officials' calls and Internet traffic, Der Spiegel report said.

Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger urged EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso to take personal responsibility for investigating the allegations.

The United States has defended its efforts to intercept electronic communications overseas by arguing that this has helped prevent terror attacks at home and abroad.

___

Frank Jordans can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/wirereporter

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-06-30-NSA-Surveillance/id-10205b82065c4a57b37466592afa0fd7

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Obama suggests spying on nations' allies is common

FILE - This June 17, 2013 file photo shows President Barack Obama meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. President Barack Obama brushed aside sharp European criticism on Monday, suggesting all nations spy on each other, as the French and Germans expressed outrage over alleged U.S. eavesdropping on European Union diplomats. American analyst-turned-leaker Edward Snowden, believed to be stranded for the past week at Moscow?s international airport, applied for political asylum to remain in Russia. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

FILE - This June 17, 2013 file photo shows President Barack Obama meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. President Barack Obama brushed aside sharp European criticism on Monday, suggesting all nations spy on each other, as the French and Germans expressed outrage over alleged U.S. eavesdropping on European Union diplomats. American analyst-turned-leaker Edward Snowden, believed to be stranded for the past week at Moscow?s international airport, applied for political asylum to remain in Russia. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in the Kremlin in Moscow, Monday, July 1, 2013. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev, Pool)

In this photo taken on Monday, June 24, 2013, shows a view of Moscow's Airport Sheremetyevo, terminal E, with a hotel for transit passengers at the transit zone inside. Leaker Snowden has been caught in legal limbo in the transit zone of Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport since his arrival from Hong Kong on June 23. The U.S. has annulled his passport, and Ecuador, where he has hoped to get asylum, says it may take months to rule on his case. Russia's President Vladimir Putin said Monday, July 1, 2013, that Snowden will have to stop leaking U.S. secrets if he wants to get asylum in Russia, but added that Snowden has no plan to stop leaking. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr)

FILE - In this file photo taken Friday, June 28, 2013, a Russian supporter of National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden holds a poster outside Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow. Leaker Snowden has been caught in legal limbo in the transit zone of Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport since his arrival from Hong Kong on June 23. The U.S. has annulled his passport, and Ecuador, where he has hoped to get asylum, says it may take months to rule on his case. Russia's President Vladimir Putin said Monday, July 1, 2013, that Snowden will have to stop leaking U.S. secrets if he wants to get asylum in Russia, but added that Snowden has no plan to stop leaking. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits, File)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Bolivian President Evo Morales, second right, attend the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in the Kremlin in Moscow, Monday, July 1, 2013. (AP Photo/Maxim Shemetov, Pool)

(AP) ? President Barack Obama brushed aside sharp European criticism on Monday, suggesting that all nations spy on each other as the French and Germans expressed outrage over alleged U.S. eavesdropping on European Union diplomats. American analyst-turned-leaker Edward Snowden, believed to still be at Moscow's international airport, applied for political asylum to remain in Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a statement he acknowledged sounded odd, told reporters in Moscow that Snowden would have to stop leaking U.S. secrets if he wanted asylum in Russia ? and he added that Snowden seemed unwilling to stop publishing leaks of classified material. At the same time, Putin said that he had no plans to turn over Snowden to the United States.

Obama, in an African news conference with Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, said the U.S. would provide allies with information about new reports that the National Security Agency had bugged EU offices in Washington, New York and Brussels. But he also suggested such activity by governments would hardly be unusual.

"We should stipulate that every intelligence service ?not just ours, but every European intelligence service, every Asian intelligence service, wherever there's an intelligence service ? here's one thing that they're going to be doing: They're going to be trying to understand the world better, and what's going on in world capitals around the world," he said. "If that weren't the case, then there'd be no use for an intelligence service."

The latest issue concerns allegations of U.S. spying on European officials in the German news weekly Der Spiegel. French President Francois Hollande on Monday demanded that the U.S. immediately stop any such eavesdropping and suggested the widening controversy could jeopardize next week's opening of trans-Atlantic trade talks between the United States and Europe.

"We cannot accept this kind of behavior from partners and allies," Hollande said on French television.

German government spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters in Berlin, "Eavesdropping on friends is unacceptable." He declared, "We're not in the Cold War anymore."

Even before the latest disclosures, talks at the upcoming free-trade sessions were expected to be fragile, with disagreements surfacing over which items should be covered or excluded from an agreement. The United States has said there should be no exceptions. But France has called for exempting certain cultural products, and other Europeans do not appear eager to give up longtime agricultural subsidies.

Obama said the Europeans "are some of the closest allies that we have in the world." But he added, "I guarantee you that in European capitals, there are people who are interested in, if not what I had for breakfast, at least what my talking points might be should I end up meeting with their leaders. That's how intelligence services operate."

Nonetheless, Obama said he'd told his advisers to "evaluate everything that's being claimed" and promised to share the results with allies.

Meanwhile, the Interfax news agency said a Russian consular official has confirmed that Snowden had asked for asylum in Russia.

Interfax cited Kim Shevchenko, the duty officer at the Russian Foreign Ministry's consular office in Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport, as saying that Snowden's representative, Sarah Harrison, handed over his request on Sunday.

Snowden, in legal limbo, is believed to have been in the airport's transit zone since his arrival from Hong Kong on June 23. The U.S. has annulled his passport, and Ecuador, where he has hoped to get asylum, has been giving off mixed signals about offering him shelter.

"If he wants to go somewhere and there are those who would take him, he is welcome to do so," Putin said. "If he wants to stay here, there is one condition: He must stop his activities aimed at inflicting damage on our American partners, no matter how strange it may sound coming from my lips."

Obama said "there have been high-level discussions with the Russians" about Snowden's situation.

"We don't have an extradition treaty with Russia. On the other hand, you know, Mr. Snowden, we understand, has traveled there without a valid passport, without legal papers. And you know we are hopeful that the Russian government makes decisions based on the normal procedures regarding international travel and the normal procedures regarding international travel and the normal interactions that law enforcement has. So I can confirm that."

Putin didn't mention any Snowden effort to seek asylum in Russia, and spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to say what the Russian response might be. Putin insisted that Snowden wasn't a Russian agent and that Russian security agencies hadn't contacted him.

Three U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to publicly discuss the Snowden case, said Washington's efforts were focused primarily on persuading Russia to deport Snowden either directly to the United States or to a third country, possibly in eastern Europe, that would then hand him over to U.S. authorities.

In a sign of the distrust the latest report had revealed, the German government said it had launched a review of its secure government communications network and the EU's executive, the European Commission, ordered "a comprehensive ad hoc security sweep."

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday he didn't know the details of the allegations, but he still played them down, maintaining that many nations undertake various activities to protect their national interests. Kerry failed to quell the outrage from allies, including France, Germany and Italy.

A spokesman for Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the European Council, said, "The European Union has demanded and expects full and urgent clarification by the U.S. regarding the allegations."

According to Der Spiegel's report, which it said was partly based on information leaked by Snowden, NSA planted bugs in the EU's diplomatic offices in Washington and infiltrated the building's computer network. Similar measures were taken at the EU's mission to the United Nations in New York, the magazine said.

It also reported that NSA used secure facilities at NATO headquarters in Brussels to dial into telephone maintenance systems that would have allowed it to intercept senior officials' calls and Internet traffic at a key EU office nearby.

As for Snowden, White House national security spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said the White House won't comment on specific asylum requests but reiterated its message to all countries that he "needs to be expelled back to the U.S. based on the fact that he doesn't have travel documents and the charges pending against him."

Regarding possible effects on U.S. interactions with Russia, she said it remains the case "that we don't want this issue to negatively impact the bilateral relationship."

___

Associated Press writers Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow, Sarah DiLorenzo in Paris, Frank Jordans and Geir Moulson in Berlin, Elena Becatoros in Athens, Raf Casert in Brussels, Deb Riechmann in Brunei, Nicole Winfield in Rome, Julie Pace in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-07-01-NSA%20Surveillance/id-ff817bc0d87a40a99ea29de9675766a9

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Fab Sale Roundup: GILT Kids, Zulily and More!

Check out our roundup of this week's best mommy and baby deals.

Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/ae7ks4PG9kA/

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Saturday, June 29, 2013

Egypt group: 22 million signatures against Morsi

CAIRO (AP) ? More than 22 million Egyptians have signed a petition calling for the country's Islamist president to step down, the youth group leading the signature campaign said Saturday on the eve of planned mass protests aimed at forcing Mohammed Morsi from office.

The planned demonstrations, which could plunge Egypt once again into a dangerous round of civil unrest, reflect the growing polarization of the nation since Morsi took power, with the president and his Islamist allies in one camp and seculars, liberals, moderate Muslims and Christians on the other.

Already, clashes across a string of cities north of Cairo over the past week have left at least seven people dead, including an American, and hundreds injured, and there are deep-rooted fears in the country that Sunday's protests will turn violent and quickly spiral out of control.

The Tamarod, or Rebel, movement says its petition is evidence of the widespread dissatisfaction with Morsi's administration, and has used the signature drive as the focal point of its call for millions of people to take to the streets Sunday to demand the president's ouster.

Mahmoud Badr, a Tamarod leader, told reporters Saturday a total of 22,134,460 Egyptians have signed the petition. He did not say whether there had been an independent audit of the signatures.

Morsi's supporters, who have long doubted the validity and authenticity of the collected signatures, expressed skepticism about the final count.

"How do we trust the petitions?" asked Brotherhood member Ahmed Seif Islam Hassan al-Banna. "Who guarantees that those who signed were not paid to sign?"

If authenticated, the collection of so many signatures would deal a symbolic blow to Morsi's mandate and put in stark terms the popular frustrations with an administration perceived to have failed to effectively deal with the country's pressing problems, from tenuous security and inflation and power cuts to traffic congestion and high unemployment.

Tamarod, which began its campaign with the goal of collecting more signatures than the 13 million votes Morsi garnered in his 2012 election victory, announced its final tally the day before protests that organizers vow will bring millions into the streets to push the president from power.

Morsi, meanwhile, sought to project a business-as-usual image Saturday, meeting with the defense and interior ministers to review preparations to protect the protesters and vital state facilities during Sunday's demonstrations.

Egypt has been roiled by political unrest in the two years since the uprising that ousted autocrat Hosni Mubarak, but the round of protests set to kick off Sunday promises to be the largest and holds the potential to be the bloodiest yet.

In the past week alone, at least seven people have been killed in clashes between the president's supporters and opponents in cities in the Nile Delta, while on Friday protesters ransacked and torched as least five Brotherhood offices across the country.

Adding to the tension, eight lawmakers from the country's interim legislature announced their resignation Saturday to protest Morsi's policies. The 270-seat chamber was elected early last year by less than 10 percent of Egypt's eligible voters, and is dominated by Islamists who support Morsi.

With a sense of doom hanging over the country, Defense Minister Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi last Sunday gave the president and his opponents a week to reach a compromise and warned that the military would intervene to prevent the nation from entering a "dark tunnel." It was the strongest expression of the military's discontent with conditions in the nation since Morsi took office a year ago.

In South Africa, President Barack Obama said the U.S. supports freedom of speech in Egypt and the right of protesters to peacefully assemble, and called on called on both sides in Egypt to avoid violence.

"We would urge all parties to make sure they're not engaging in violence (and) police and military are showing appropriate restraint," he said.

The opposition, feeling that Morsi may be on the ropes and frustrated by past offers of dialogue that proved to be mostly symbolic, has shown no inclination to compromise, and Morsi offered no concessions to his opponents when he addressed the nation for 2 ? hours on Wednesday.

The focus of Sunday's protests is Morsi's Ittihadiya palace in Cairo. As a precaution, the president and his family are reported to have moved into the Cairo headquarters of the Republican Guard, the branch of the army tasked with protecting the president and presidential palaces.

As the country waits to see what transpires Sunday, thousands of supporters and opponents of the embattled president held rival sit-ins Saturday in separate parts of the capital.

With expectations of violence running high, the military has dispatched troops backed by armored personnel carriers to reinforce military bases on the outskirts of cities expected to be flashpoints.

In Cairo, the additional forces were deployed to military facilities in the suburbs and outlying districts. Army troops are also moving to reinforce police guarding the city's prisons to prevent a repeat of the nearly half dozen jail breaks during the chaos of the 2011 uprising.

The opposition is demanding Morsi's ouster, saying he has lost his legitimacy through a series of missteps and authoritarian policies. They say early presidential elections should be held within six months of his ouster.

Hard-line Islamists loyal to Morsi have repeatedly vowed to "smash" the protesters, arguing that they were a front for loyalists of Hosni Mubarak, the autocrat ousted in Egypt's 2011 revolt, determined to undermine Morsi's rule. They also say that Morsi is a freely elected president who must serve out his four-year term before he can be replaced in an election.

Many Egyptians fear the new round of unrest could trigger a collapse in law and order similar to the one that occurred during the 2011 revolt. Already, residents in some of the residential compounds and neighborhoods to the west of the city are reporting gunmen showing up to demand protection money or risk being robbed.

The police, who have yet to fully take back the streets after they disappeared in unclear circumstances in 2011, have stepped up patrols on the outskirts of the city, ostensibly to prevent weapons and ammunition from coming into the city to be used in the case of an outbreak of violence. The army is advertising hotlines for civilians to call if they run into trouble.

In the latest reminder of the near lawlessness that has plagued the Sinai Peninsula bordering Gaza and Israel since the 2011 revolt, a senior security official officer was assassinated Saturday in the coastal city of el-Arish as he arrived home from work. Police Brig. Mohammed Tolbah was instantly killed and his driver seriously injured.

___

Associated Press writer Maggie Michael contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egypt-group-22-million-signatures-against-morsi-125919145.html

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ICC news : August deadline for deciding on World T20 venues ...

The ICC has given Bangladesh an August deadline to achieve satisfactory standards for its stadiums for next year's World Twenty20 tournament.

Having reviewed the reports by its venue consultant who visited the stadiums in June, the ICC's International Development (IDI) board has pencilled in another inspection for August following which a final decision will be taken on the venues for the tournament that will be played between March 16 and April 6 next year.

The BCB's president Nazmul Hassan admitted his concern ahead of the ICC annual conference in London that the ICC might lose patience over development at two of the four proposed venues, in Sylhet and Cox's Bazar.

Those concerns have now been expressed by the ICC. "The IDI board reviewed an inspection report by the ICC venue consultant ? and expressed its concern regarding the progress of construction and improvements to playing facilities in Cox's Bazar and Sylhet," an ICC statement said. "The board noted that a further inspection and report is scheduled for August after which a final decision will be taken."

According to the ICC rules, the venues need to be ready six months ahead of the tournament, including adequately meeting the accommodation requirements for the teams.

After two visits this year, the ICC venue inspection team found construction work at both Sylhet and Cox's Bazar, which is scheduled to host the women's leg of the World T20, was well behind schedule for different reasons. Also, it was worried by a lack of lodging options in Dhaka.

After the first inspection, which took place in May, the ICC team found construction work at Cox's Bazaar had not begun at all, while work on the pavilion in Sylhet - at the ground which was developed last year - had not started either.

In the report the inspectors noted that the stadiums would not be ready before December; the six-month cut off as specified in the rules would be September. The team then returned to do a follow-up inspection on June 10, and the doubts over whether the work would reach its completion at both venues before end of September remained.

However, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has stated that it remains confident that all the ICC deadlines will be met.

"There is absolutely no doubt the work would be completed in due time," Hassan said. "The government had started work late in Sylhet stadium but now it is in full swing. I have seen the work plan and I am convinced that it would be finished," he said. "As for Cox's Bazar, the major issue was the land. Now that we have land we are confident we will meet all the requirements."

Should alternative venues be required, Hassan assured the board members that Bangladesh has enough and there was no need to look outside the country. He listed Fatullah and BKSP (Bangladesh Sports Institute) in Savar, a northwest suburb of Dhaka, as alternatives in case Sylhet and Cox's Bazar failed to meet the requirements once again in August.

"We already have two other venues. For Sylhet we have Fatullah, a full-fledged and world-class stadium which has hosted international matches already. As for Cox's Bazar, we can host the women's matches in BKSP where we have prepared two grounds according to ICC guidelines."

ESPNricinfo learned last weekthat Sri Lanka and South Africa were open to hosting the tournament if required.

However Mustafa Kamal, the ICC vice-president and former BCB president, said the ICC board had not discussed any such plans as yet. He echoed Hassan's confidence in relation to Bangladesh meeting the hosting requirements:

"We have just delivered 2011 World Cup successfully. This is not a bigger event compared to that. We had prepared five grounds for the World Cup. We also had the 2014 World Twenty20. In 2016 we have the Under-19 World Cup followed by the World Cup Qualifiers in 2018. We are going to host so many events because we have the infrastructure."

The doubts over lack of accommodation for all teams in Dhaka came after the Bangladesh government voiced a plan to break down the Sheraton hotel in the capital and rebuild it. But Hassan said the government had now assured the BCB that it would put off the reconstruction till the World T20 was over.

"We have the Sheraton, which was supposed to be renovated. The prime minister has assured us that the hotel would be available during the tournament, so we have an additional 200 rooms," Hassan said. "That solves the lodging problem."

Source: http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-world-twenty20-2014/content/story/646199.html

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Israel greets Kerry with settlement declaration. Could that signal progress?

Israel's settlement announcement would seem to be a slap at Kerry's efforts to reopen peace talks. But as one Mideast veteran puts it, Netanyahu 'takes a step backward before he takes a step forward.'

By Howard LaFranchi,?Staff writer / June 27, 2013

US Secretary of State John Kerry meets Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (r.) in Jerusalem June 27. Kerry arrived in Jerusalem on Thursday in an effort to restart Middle East peace talks.

Jacquelyn Martin/Reuters

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Instead of a red carpet, Secretary of State John Kerry got what might have looked like a knee-capping ? in the form of an announcement of new settlement construction ? for his arrival in Jerusalem Thursday.

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But what under other conditions might have looked like a deliberate sabotaging of Secretary Kerry?s laser-like ? and some say, quixotic ? efforts to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks is being viewed by some regional experts as a sure sign that Kerry may be on the verge of succeeding.

?Kerry has a good chance of announcing the resumption of talks, if not on this trip then on the next, and the tell-tale sign for me is this announcement? of a new 69-unit settlement in a sensitive neighborhood of East Jerusalem, says Aaron David Miller, a former US diplomat for both Republican and Democratic administrations who is now vice president for new initiatives at the Wilson Center for International Scholars in Washington.

How?

?Bibi [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] always takes a step backward before he takes a step forward,? says Dr. Miller, who, with his long experience in peace-process diplomacy, is not given to overly optimistic assessments. ?So an announcement of a project like this practically on the day the secretary of state is arriving, that tells me something is coming.?

Secretary Kerry was scheduled to have a private dinner Thursday evening with Mr. Netanyahu, the opening of two days of discussions with Israeli and Palestinian officials. It is Kerry?s fifth trip in as many months to try to jump start the moribund peace talks ? a quest Kerry has counted as one of his top priorities since he left the Senate to lead the State Department in early February.

If Kerry succeeds in getting the two sides back to the table it would be a feat in itself, regional analysts say, although it would only be the first and perhaps easiest step on a path toward reaching what many consider to be the fleeting goal, a two-state solution to the conflict.

But a resumption of talks would be a victory for Kerry?s approach to the peace-process conundrum, which Miller says has been to focus on building trust with Netanyahu.

?Kerry has invested a lot in this relationship, he?s acutely aware that without this relationship he has nothing ? full stop,? he says.

The secretary of state also has to ?invest? in his relationship with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, Miller says. But he adds that the ?asymmetry? of Kerry?s attention to developing a relationship with each leader suggests he understands what it will take to break through with talks.

?Kerry gets it,? Miller says, ?and in a way that Obama doesn?t get it.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/hkcTfCULvJg/Israel-greets-Kerry-with-settlement-declaration.-Could-that-signal-progress

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An AARP for Portugal? Seniors rally as pensions under pressure.

Portuguese seniors may not be leading today's strike, but they're organizing against austerity.

By Andr?s Cala,?Correspondent / June 27, 2013

People shout slogans during a protest by APRe!, a Portuguese pensioner and retired people association, against cuts in pension and others austerity measures outside the Portuguese Solidarity and Social Security Ministry in Lisbon earlier this month.

Francisco Seco/AP

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As Portuguese take to the streets today in the fourth general strike in Portugal with multiparty support, the increasingly powerful retiree population will be on the front lines.

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Seniors, who make up about a third of Portugal's population, have been specially targeted by relentless public cuts. They have not only seen their pensions reduced, but are suffering from severe increases in the cost of living from tax hikes and a shrinking welfare state. Combined, these developments have eroded their purchasing power and forced hundreds of thousands below the poverty line.

While they cannot be the most active in street protests, an area where the younger populations understandably dominate, they could certainly determine Portugal's future.

They will be a key voting bloc in the next general election in 2015 (if protests and upheaval like today's strike don't force a new vote before then). They have a history of being a combative political force and are showing early signs of renewed empowerment and mobilization, which some experts say could be a game changer in this crisis.

Retirees feel a sense a betrayal from a democracy they built and defended that is now turning against them, not only when they were meant to enjoy what they?ve worked and paid for, but when they are least able to fight back.

"This is social terrorism," says 64-year-old Maria do Rosario Gama, leader of a nascent yet rapidly growing national association of retirees based in Coimbra called APRe!, an acronym which also translates as "No more!" Their slogan is "We are not disposable."

"We've been fighting all our lives and now, because we are old and they think we can't defend ourselves, they are targeting us. It's just cut after cut after cut," says Mrs. Gama, a former school director.

?Workers? struggle is our struggle,? APRe! said this week in a statement supporting today?s strike.

Back to the front

Gama has been on the front lines her entire life, like many of her generation who lived through decades of dictatorship that ended in 1974, followed by violent turmoil and saber-rattling and a grueling road to consolidate democracy.

In the past she led protests against economic and political stagnation aided by an infamous political class too divided between the right, the socialists, and the communists to be effective. Now, just when she thought she could relax and enjoy her life with her children, grandchildren, and husband, she's back in the street, this time leading a battle against the relentless spending cuts of the conservative government of Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho.

"This a tremendous injustice that the government is doing. It's barbaric," says Lu?s Valente de Oliveira, a 76-year-old former government minister and veteran Portuguese politician who now presides over the Oporto city council.

"But retirees will defend themselves, you can be sure, even if they can't do much to change their situation. It's a very incorrect policy implemented by very insensitive people and just a great disappointment vis-?-vis politics and democracy."

Seniors make up more than a third of the voting population and here, like in other countries, tend to vote more than younger cohorts. With the Portuguese population aging, their power will only grow for years to come ? giving them the potential for influence in Portugal akin to that the AARP senior lobby holds in the US.

But so far they have had no need to act as a voting bloc. Even if they did, their options are limited because so many of the cuts have been imposed by the European Union, especially Germany, which has significant economic interests here. Although the decision on how to distribute the cuts is up to the government, the amount that needs to be cut is not negotiable.

"I don't know if we are going to win, but we are going to fight," says Gama, visibly indignant. They've knocked on all powerful doors, "but the political parties aren't listening to us."

For now, they are concentrating on organizing the huge and long-disfranchised population and on defending their rights in courts, challenging the constitutionality of austerity policies. APRe! is an apolitical organization, and they know their voting power won't necessarily force any government to backtrack.

"But we are only getting started," Gama says defiantly.

The cuts

Portugal is in its third straight year of recession and its economy is expected to contract 2.4 percent in 2013. The pain intensified in 2011, when Portugal was forced to request a 78 billion euro ($101 billion) bailout from the European Union, European Central Bank, and International Monetary Fund to avoid going bankrupt.

Mr. Passos Coelho swept elections and Portugal had no choice but to implement unprecedented cuts to meet the terms of the bailout, which came with strict deficit targets. It's up to the government, though, to divvy up austerity.

Although there have been multiple tax hikes and government spending cuts that have visibly eroded the welfare state, especially in sectors such as education and health care, Passos Coelho's policies have directed much of the pain on civil servants and retirees.

In April, the country's highest court ruled some of the measures unconstitutional because they discriminantly targeted only public pensions and employees and because pension cuts are illegal. But a month later, the government announced measures that levied new taxes on pensions, generating a similar amount of revenue for the government without violating the law against pension cuts, and harmonizing the rules for public and private pensions.

The measures only increased the burden on retirees, with 1.5 billion euros of a total savings of 4.8 billion euros by 2015 coming on their backs.

On top of that, the retirement age was raised a year, to 66, and a new tax was levied on pensions. The government also further cut the budget for social security.

Around 87 percent of retirees earn less than 611 euros ($794) a month, and around 77 percent don?t earn enough to cover basic costs, according to a study released this week by the Economic and Social Council, of Coimbra University. The study didn?t take into account recent cuts, which will only swell the elderly population at risk, it warned. The elderly population of Portugal has the highest poverty risk in the EU as a result of shrinking benefits, studies show.

APRe! is once again challenging the measures in court, but it could take months, if not years, to eventually reach the high court or European courts.

"I don't travel, I can't go to the beach and I no longer can treat myself to something special as I used to. I only have money for rent and food, and that's if I can keep paying rent," says Estela Castilho, a 66-year-old retired teacher who has lost 25 percent of her income. "I was middle class and now I'm low-middle class. I worked to have a good pension. I paid for it and they are taking it away."

Few options but to fight

"Undoubtedly retirees will vote out the current government as soon as they have possibility to do so," says Antonio Costa Pinto, a political analyst at the University of Lisbon. "But austerity is not going to change. The solution is not in the national government but in Europe. The change won't be very significant even with a new government and the luck of retirees won't change very much."

And retirees, like the unemployed, have no way of threatening productivity by striking, thus denying them the power that their generation used so effectively in the past. But that is precisely where their salvation could lie, says Raquel Cardeira Varela, a researcher in the Universidade Nova de Lisboa and an expert in labor and conflict issues.

If retirees join forces with others in similar situation, like the unemployed and impoverished, and for example shut down ports or other vital infrastructure by occupying it, like they did in Argentina last decade, they could force the government to backtrack, Dr. Varela suggests.

"This is very new and we are only now researching this, but retirees have a history that plays to their advantage. They know how to organize, which younger generations have been unable to do. They are educated and militant. They traditionally are not active, but the cuts are mobilizing them quickly and we are seeing signs of a potentially strong organizational capacity," Dr. Varela says.

"They need to unite to other non-productive segments of the population, and even though it's to early, this could be a game changer."

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/tSmJfjsBxnw/An-AARP-for-Portugal-Seniors-rally-as-pensions-under-pressure

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