President Barack Obama Needs Support for Wall Street Reform

President Barack Obama Needs Support for Wall Street Reform

President Barack Obama has called for support for his populist proposal for financial regulatory reform. The Wall Street Reform will end misappropriation of funds by reckless Wall Street speculators who are gambling with the savings of shareholders and manipulating the loopholes in the financial system to exploit and rip-off ignorant depositors and investors. The revolutionary reform is to save American taxpayers from being asked to bail out big banks again when the cookie crumbles, to save Main Street from the greedy king-pins and lobbyists of Wall Street; to protect consumers and American families and prevent future meltdown.
The following is the e-mail from President Obama on the importance, relevance and significance of the imperative Wall Street Reform.

It has now been well over a year since the near collapse of our entire financial system that cost the nation more than 8 million jobs. To this day, hard-working families struggle to make ends meet.

We've made strides -- businesses are starting to hire, Americans are finding jobs, and neighbors who had given up looking are returning to the job market with new hope. But the flaws in our financial system that led to this crisis remain unresolved.

Wall Street titans still recklessly speculate with borrowed money. Big banks and credit card companies stack the deck to earn millions while far too many middle-class families, who have done everything right, can barely pay their bills or save for a better future.

We cannot delay action any longer. It is time to hold the big banks accountable to the people they serve, establish the strongest consumer protections in our nation's history -- and ensure that taxpayers will never again be forced to bail out big banks because they are "too big to fail."

That is what Wall Street reform will achieve, why I am so committed to making it happen, and why I'm asking for your help today.

Please stand with me to show your support for Wall Street reform.

We know that without enforceable, commonsense rules to check abuse and protect families, markets are not truly free. Wall Street reform will foster a strong and vibrant financial sector so that businesses can get loans; families can afford mortgages; entrepreneurs can find the capital to start a new company, sell a new product, or offer a new service.

Consumer financial protections are currently spread across seven different government agencies. Wall Street reform will create one single Consumer Financial Protection Agency -- tasked with preventing predatory practices and making sure you get the clear information, not fine print, needed to avoid ballooning mortgage payments or credit card rate hikes.

Reform will provide crucial new oversight, give shareholders a say on salaries and bonuses, and create new tools to break up failing financial firms so that taxpayers aren't forced into another unfair bailout. And reform will keep our economy secure by ensuring that no single firm can bring down the whole financial system.

With so much at stake, it is not surprising that allies of the big banks and Wall Street lenders have already launched a multi-million-dollar ad campaign to fight these changes. Arm-twisting lobbyists are already storming Capitol Hill, seeking to undermine the strong bipartisan foundation of reform with loopholes and exemptions for the most egregious abusers of consumers.

I won't accept anything short of the full protection that our citizens deserve and our economy needs. It's a fight worth having, and it is a fight we can win -- if we stand up and speak out together.

So I'm asking you to join me, starting today, by adding your name as a strong supporter of Wall Street reform:

http://my.barackobama.com/StandForWallStreetReform

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

Highly Recommended: U.S. News & World Report: Obama's Financial Regulation Reform: 7 Things You Need to Know

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Sub-Saharan Africans Deeply Committed to Christianity and Islam

15 Apr 2010 05:01 Africa/Lagos


Sub-Saharan Africans Deeply Committed to Christianity and Islam

New Pew-Templeton Survey of 19 African Nations Finds Signs of Tolerance and Tensions Between the Faiths

WASHINGTON, April 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The vast majority of people in many sub-Saharan African nations are deeply committed to one or the other of the world's two largest religions, Christianity and Islam, and yet many continue to practice elements of traditional African religions. Most people support democracy and say it is a good thing that people from other religions are able to practice their faith freely. At the same time, many also favor making the Bible or sharia law the official law of the land. And while many Muslims and Christians describe members of the other faith as tolerant and honest, there are clear signs of tensions and divisions between the faiths.


These are some of the key findings of a new survey released by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life. "Tolerance and Tension: Islam and Christianity in Sub-Saharan Africa" is based on a major public opinion poll exploring religion and society in the region. It is funded by a generous grant from The Pew Charitable Trusts and the John Templeton Foundation as part of the Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures Project, which aims to increase people's knowledge of religion around the world.


The survey is based on more than 25,000 face-to-face interviews conducted in more than 60 languages or dialects in 19 countries. The countries were selected to represent different geographical areas and reflect different colonial histories, linguistic backgrounds and religious compositions. In total, the nations surveyed contain three-quarters of the population of sub-Saharan Africa.


While 90% or more of the respondents in most of the countries surveyed identify as Christian or Muslim, many people retain beliefs that are characteristic of traditional African religions, such as belief in the protective powers of sacrifices to spirits and ancestors. Many keep sacred objects such as animal skins and skulls in their homes and consult traditional religious healers when someone in their household is sick.


The report finds that on several measures Christians and Muslims in sub-Saharan Africa hold favorable views of each other, and in most countries relatively few see evidence of widespread anti-Muslim or anti-Christian hostility in their country. But Muslims and Christians also acknowledge that they know relatively little about each other's faith. And substantial numbers of African Christians (nearly 40% or more in a dozen nations) say they consider Muslims to be violent, while Muslims are more positive in their assessment of Christians.


Additional findings from the survey include:

-- Sub-Saharan Africans generally rank crime, corruption and unemployment
as bigger problems than religious conflict. However, substantial
numbers of people (including nearly six-in-ten Nigerians and Rwandans)
say religious conflict is a very big problem in their country.
-- The degree of concern about religious conflict varies from country to
country but tracks closely with the degree of concern about ethnic
conflict in many countries, suggesting that they are often related.
-- Many Africans are concerned about religious extremism, including
within their own faith in some countries. Indeed, many Muslims say
they are more concerned about Muslim extremism than about Christian
extremism, while Christians in Ghana, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia
say they are more concerned about Christian extremism than about
Muslim extremism.
-- In most countries, at least half of Muslims say that women should not
have the right to decide whether to wear a veil, saying instead that
the decision should be up to society as a whole.
-- Religion in sub-Saharan Africa often involves intense, personal
encounters with God, divine healings and other experiences often
associated within the Christian community with Pentecostalism. But
many of these beliefs and practices are common among African
Christians who are not affiliated with Pentecostal churches.
-- Majorities in almost every country say that Western music, movies and
television have harmed morality in their nation. Yet majorities in
most countries also say they personally like Western entertainment.
-- In comparison with people in many other regions of the world,
sub-Saharan Africans are highly optimistic that their lives will
change for the better.


The 19 countries represented in the survey are: Botswana, Cameroon, Chad, Djibouti, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.


The report, including a summary of findings and an interactive Web component, is available online (http://pewforum.org/docs/?DocID=515).


The Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life conducts surveys, demographic analyses and other social science research on important aspects of religion and public life in the U.S. and around the world. As part of the Washington-based Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan, nonadvocacy organization, the Pew Forum does not take positions on any of the issues it covers or on policy debates.


The Pew Charitable Trusts is driven by the power of knowledge to solve today's most challenging problems. Pew applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improve public policy, inform the public and stimulate civic life.


The John Templeton Foundation serves as a philanthropic catalyst for research and discoveries relating to the Big Questions of human purpose and ultimate reality. The Foundation supports work at the world's top universities in such fields as theoretical physics, cosmology, evolutionary biology, cognitive science, and social science relating to love, forgiveness, creativity, purpose, and the nature and origin of religious belief. It also seeks to stimulate new thinking about freedom and free enterprise, character development, and exceptional cognitive talent and genius.


Source: Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life

CONTACT: Mary Schultz, +1-202-419-4556 or Robbie Mills, +1-202-419-4564,
both of Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life

Nigerian Journalist Attacked during Political Clash

15 Apr 2010 12:43 Africa/Lagos

Nigerian Journalist Attacked during Political Clash / Channels TV Cameraman Felix Vincent taken to Hospital

ABUJA, April 15, 2010/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- A cameraman working for Nigerian broadcaster Channels Television was assaulted on Tuesday in a clash that erupted following an attack on the vehicle of the Action Congress (AC) governorship candidate in Ekiti State, according to local media reports, and Channels Television News Editor Ronke Raji.


Felix was attacked when he attempted to film the violence. He sustained a deep cut to the head and was taken to hospital.


In a telephone conversation with IPI, Raji said: “Some thugs were trying to attack the politicians. Felix was trying to film the attack.”


IPI Press Freedom Manager Anthony Mills said: “It is unacceptable that journalists be attacked simply because they are doing their job. We call on the authorities to launch an investigation into the attack and to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.”


Asked about the current environment in Nigeria for journalists, Raji noted: “It is better than it was under military rule, although there have been a few cases here and there. But there are no more arbitrary arrests.”

In March, as reported by IPI, two sports journalists – a South African and a Nigerian - were abducted along with their cameraman while travelling to an airport in Owerri city near the Niger Delta region, an area notorious for kidnappings.

Gunmen stopped the bus carrying media professionals from the South African sports channel M-Net SuperSport as it travelled through Imo State. The cameraman managed to escape the following day. His two colleagues were released a few days later.



Source: International Press Institute (IPI)

Beyond the Diplomatic Tête-à-Tête Between Goodluck Jonathan and Barack Obama

President Barack Obama, right, meets with Nigeria's acting President Goodluck Jonathan, left, in advance of the Nuclear Security Summit, at Blair House in Washington, Sunday, April 11, 2010. Photo Credit: Associated Press/Daily Life

Beyond the Diplomatic Tête-à-Tête Between Goodluck Jonathan and Barack Obama


Acting President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was invited to the two-day Nuclear Security Summit held in Washington, D.C., on April 12 and 13, 2010. But before the crucial summit he met with President Barack Obama at the Blair House to discuss the bilateral relations between the U.S. and Nigeria, a week after both countries signed an agreement for the U.S.-Nigeria Binational Commission.


Bilateral relations between the U.S. and Nigeria have been strained for disclosed and undisclosed reasons of which the most apparent was the case of electoral malpractices masterminded and perpetrated by the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP ) during the 2003 and 2007 elections in Nigeria. The U.S. rejected the results and found Prof. Maurice Iwu, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) wanting and would want electoral reforms to prevent electoral malpractices in future elections. Another problem was the critical case of the Nigerian al Qaeda underwear bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab whose botched attempt to blow up an American plane on Christmas Day shocked the U.S. and increased the suspicion of Nigeria as a vulnerable target for recruiting al Qaeda foot soldiers. The last case actually culminated in the U.S. security warning to all her citizens to relocate from the predominantly Islamic northern states of Nigeria. Moreover, the protracted illness that incapacitated President Umaru Yar’Adua left the U.S. with no better choice but to support Acting President Jonathan in the amelioration of the bilateral relations between the two great countries.

President Barack Obama emphasized that the “United States places great importance on the US relationship with Nigeria and the Nigerian people” and “urged Acting President Jonathan to use his tenure to make historic and tangible progress in strengthening the Nigerian government's commitment to follow through on countering corruption."

Majority of Nigerian news media channels were carried away by the importance of their meeting and seemed to ignore the importance of the Nuclear Security Summit that was attended by 47 nations and was the largest meeting of top global leaders since1945. This was the first summit and will be a biennial event , and the next one comes up in Seoul in 2012. The Summit focused on how to better safeguard weapons-grade plutonium and uranium to prevent nuclear terrorism.

At the end of the summit, there was a communiqué with a seven page work plan.

~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima

World leaders at the Nuclear Security Summit


Communiqué from Washington Nuclear Security Summit
Nations pledge to strengthen nuclear security, reduce nuclear terrorism

April 13, 2010

Communiqué of the Washington Nuclear Security Summit
Nuclear terrorism is one of the most challenging threats to international security, and strong nuclear security measures are the most effective means to prevent terrorists, criminals, or other unauthorized actors from acquiring nuclear materials.


In addition to our shared goals of nuclear disarmament, nuclear nonproliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy, we also all share the objective of nuclear security. Therefore those gathered here in Washington, D.C. on April 13, 2010, commit to strengthen nuclear security and reduce the threat of nuclear terrorism. Success will require responsible national actions and sustained and effective international cooperation.


We welcome and join President Obama’s call to secure all vulnerable nuclear material in four years, as we work together to enhance nuclear security.
Therefore, we:


1. Reaffirm the fundamental responsibility of States, consistent with their respective international obligations, to maintain effective security of all nuclear materials, which includes nuclear materials used in nuclear weapons, and nuclear facilities under their control; to prevent non-state actors from obtaining the information or technology required to use such material for malicious purposes; and emphasize the importance of robust national legislative and regulatory frameworks for nuclear security;


2. Call on States to work cooperatively as an international community to advance nuclear security, requesting and providing assistance as necessary;


3. Recognize that highly enriched uranium and separated plutonium require special precautions and agree to promote measures to secure, account for, and consolidate these materials, as appropriate; and encourage the conversion of reactors from highly enriched to low enriched uranium fuel and minimization of use of highly enriched uranium, where technically and economically feasible;


4. Endeavor to fully implement all existing nuclear security commitments and work toward acceding to those not yet joined, consistent with national laws, policies and procedures;


5. Support the objectives of international nuclear security instruments, including the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, as amended, and the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism, as essential elements of the global nuclear security architecture;


6. Reaffirm the essential role of the International Atomic Energy Agency in the international nuclear security framework and will work to ensure that it continues to have the appropriate structure, resources and expertise needed to carry out its mandated nuclear security activities in accordance with its Statute, relevant General Conference resolutions and its Nuclear Security Plans;


7. Recognize the role and contributions of the United Nations as well as the contributions of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism and the G-8-led Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction within their respective mandates and memberships;


8. Acknowledge the need for capacity building for nuclear security and cooperation at bilateral, regional and multilateral levels for the promotion of nuclear security culture through technology development, human resource development, education, and training; and stress the importance of optimizing international cooperation and coordination of assistance;


9. Recognize the need for cooperation among States to effectively prevent and respond to incidents of illicit nuclear trafficking; and agree to share, subject to respective national laws and procedures, information and expertise through bilateral and multilateral mechanisms in relevant areas such as nuclear detection, forensics, law enforcement, and the development of new technologies;


10. Recognize the continuing role of nuclear industry, including the private sector, in nuclear security and will work with industry to ensure the necessary priority of physical protection, material accountancy, and security culture;


11. Support the implementation of strong nuclear security practices that will not infringe upon the rights of States to develop and utilize nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and technology and will facilitate international cooperation in the field of nuclear security; and


12. Recognize that measures contributing to nuclear material security have value in relation to the security of radioactive substances and encourage efforts to secure those materials as well.


Maintaining effective nuclear security will require continuous national efforts facilitated by international cooperation and undertaken on a voluntary basis by States. We will promote the strengthening of global nuclear security through dialogue and cooperation with all states.


Thus, we issue the Work Plan as guidance for national and international action including through cooperation within the context of relevant international fora and organizations. We will hold the next Nuclear Security Summit in the Republic of Korea in 2012.


The list of world leaders and Heads of Delegation who attended the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington on April 12-13:


People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
His Excellency Mourad Medelci
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria


Argentine Republic
Her Excellency Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
President of the Argentine Republic


Republic of Armenia
His Excellency Serzh Sargsyan
President of the Republic of Armenia


Australia
The Honorable Senator John Faulkner
Minister for Defense of Australia


Belgium
His Excellency Yves Leterme
Prime Minister of Belgium


Federative Republic of Brazil
His Excellency Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
President of the Federative Republic of Brazil


Canada
The Right Honorable Stephen Harper, P.C., M.P.
Prime Minister of Canada


Republic of Chile
His Excellency Sebastián Piñera
President of the Republic of Chile


People’s Republic of China
His Excellency Hu Jintao
President of the People’s Republic of China


Czech Republic
His Excellency Jan Fischer
Prime Minister of the Czech Republic


Arab Republic of Egypt
His Excellency Ahmed Aboul Gheit
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt


European Union
His Excellency Herman Van Rompuy
President of the European Council


Republic of Finland
Her Excellency Tarja Halonen
President of the Republic of Finland


French Republic
His Excellency Nicolas Sarkozy
President of the French Republic


Georgia
His Excellency Mikheil Saakashvili
President of Georgia


Federal Republic of Germany
Her Excellency Dr. Angela Merkel
Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany


Republic of India
His Excellency Dr. Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister of the Republic of India


Republic of Indonesia
His Excellency Dr. Boediono
Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia


International Atomic Energy Agency
Mr. Yukiya Amano
Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency


Israel
His Excellency Dan Meridor
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intelligence and Atomic Energy of Israel


Italian Republic
His Excellency Silvio Berlusconi
President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic


Japan
His Excellency Yukio Hatoyama
Prime Minister of Japan


Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein
King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan


Republic of Kazakhstan
His Excellency Nursultan Nazarbayev
President of the Republic of Kazakhstan


Republic of Korea
His Excellency Lee Myung-bak
President of the Republic of Korea


Malaysia
The Honorable Dato' Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak
Prime Minister of Malaysia


United Mexican States
His Excellency Felipe Calderon Hinojosa
President of the United Mexican States


Kingdom of Morocco
His Excellency Abbas El Fassi
Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Morocco


Kingdom of the Netherlands
His Excellency Dr. Jan Peter Balkenende
Prime Minister of the Kingdom of the Netherlands


New Zealand
The Honorable John Key
Prime Minister of New Zealand


Federal Republic of Nigeria
His Excellency Dr. Goodluck E. Jonathan
Acting President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria


Norway
His Excellency Jens Stoltenberg
Prime Minister of Norway


Islamic Republic of Pakistan
His Excellency Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani
Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan


Republic of Philippines
Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
President of the Republic of the Philippines


Republic of Poland
His Excellency Radoslaw Sikorski
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland


Russian Federation
His Excellency Dmitry A. Medvedev
President of the Russian Federation


Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
His Royal Highness Prince Muqrin bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud
President of the General Intelligence Presidency of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia


Republic of Singapore
His Excellency Lee Hsien Loong
Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore


Republic of South Africa
His Excellency Jacob Zuma
President of the Republic of South Africa


Spain
His Excellency José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
President of the Government of Spain


Sweden
His Excellency Fredrik Reinfeldt
Prime Minister of Sweden


Swiss Confederation
Her Excellency Doris Leuthard
President of the Swiss Confederation


Kingdom of Thailand
His Excellency Trairong Suwankiri
Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand


Republic of Turkey
His Excellency Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey


Ukraine
His Excellency Viktor Yanukovych
President of Ukraine


United Arab Emirates
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces

United Kingdom
The Right Honorable David Miliband, M.P.
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

United Nations
His Excellency Ban Ki-moon
Secretary-General of the United Nations

United States
The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States

Socialist Republic of Vietnam
His Excellency Nguyen Tan Dung
Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Rana Dasgupta Wins 2010 Commonwealth Writers Prize For Best Book

British-Indian novelist Rana Dasgupta has won the 2010 Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book for his novel Solo and Glenda Guest won Best First Book for Siddon Rock.

Rana Dasgupta


The judges said they chose Solo for "its innovation, ambition, courage and effortlessly elegant prose. A remarkable novel of two halves, this is a book that takes risks and examines the places where grim reality and fantastical daydreams merge, diverge, and feed off each other. Solo, the judges concluded, is a tour de force, breathtaking in its boldness and narrative panache."
More details.

Rana Dasgupta said he was surprised that he won the highly coveted £10,000 Commonwealth Writers' Prize.

"I am not the kind to win awards. I am a writer who writes more for myself — it’s an intensely personal thing. To see that striking a chord is not something I had counted on,” said Dasgupta.

Solo is Rana Dasgupta's second novel and it has been given favourable reviews by leading literary pundits. His first novel was Tokyo Cancelled.

Solo is ... utterly unforgettable in its humanity.
- Kapka Kassabova, The Guardian.

What a delight to find a novelist unfazed by the 21st century ... This is an important work. Already it's my tip for the Man Booker this year.
- Nigel Krauth, The Australian.

Solo is a nuanced and virtuoso performance.
- Stuart Kelly, Scotland on Sunday.

Solo is beautifully symphonic - elegiac and prophetic, underpinned by intelligence, compassion and a wonderfully unfettered imagination. It’s a necessary as well as a timely novel.
- Joanne Hayden, Sunday Business Post.

... a surreal history of massive proportions ... Dasgupta's writing is a revelation ... The back cover lauds the book as "a devastating and rapturous novel". It is. I'm still shaking.
- Matt Bowler, The Nelson Mail.


Winner of the 2010 Commonwealth Writers' Prize, "Solo" recounts the life and daydreams of Ulrich, a one hundred year-old blind man from Bulgaria:

In the hour before they retired, the silence claimed his mother too, and Ulrich relaxed into contentment. While the ball of wool twitched with her knitting, his attention drifted from his books and spiralled into his own recesses, where old faces coasted past like comforting submarine monsters, and fine filaments lit up a route to the future. He came to find solace in these daydreams, and on the days when he did not have an opportunity to cultivate them, he went to bed quite unsatisfied.


Solo is an exquisite book, one of the best I’ve read all year; but trying to encompass why is quite difficult, because it could go in so many directions ... The contrast between the novel’s two parts is ... well-handled and subtle. It’s not simply that one depicts failure and the other success. It’s that, in life, one of Ulrich’s obsessions caused so much tragedy — chemistry destroyed his marriage, poisoned his country, took his sight; but, in his daydreams, it is Ulrich’s other obsession, music, that brings so much joy. And it’s that Ulrich’s memories, being somewhat hazy and episodic, feel much like daydreams; whilst his daydreams have a structure that make them feel more like reality (come to think of it, isn’t that often the way in our own lives?).
- David Hebblethwaite.

Prizes are important, because just as writers need to be read, they also need to be fed.
~ Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Minister of State for External Affairst the 2010 Commonwealth Writers Awards Ceremony in India on April 12, 2010.

Most Americans Willing to Sacrifice Some Privacy to Enhance Safe Air Travel

13 Apr 2010 13:00 Africa/Lagos


Most Americans Willing to Sacrifice Some Privacy to Enhance Safe Air Travel, According to Latest Unisys Security Index

With economic and H1N1 worries receding, concerns over airport security and terrorism trump other U.S. public fears U.S. concerns about safety of online transactions at highest level since start of Unisys Security Index three years ago

BLUE BELL, Pa., April 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ninety-three percent of Americans said they are willing to sacrifice some level of privacy to increase safety when traveling by air, according to research conducted in January and February by Unisys Corporation (NYSE:UIS) . Nearly two-thirds of Americans (65%) said they are willing to cooperate with full electronic body scans at the airport, and more than half (57%) would be willing to submit to identity checks using biometric data such as iris scans or fingerprints.


Nearly three quarters of Americans (72%) said they are willing to provide personal data in advance of air travel to increase security.


The findings, part of the latest bi-annual Unisys Security Index, illustrate that recent events such as the attempted Christmas Day airline bombing may have made security a priority for air travelers. A clear majority of citizens in nearly every country surveyed said they would be willing to forgo privacy to increase air travel security. For example, 90% of citizens in the United Kingdom and 70% of Australians said they would submit to electronic body scans.


"An overwhelming majority of the global population is willing to cooperate with enhanced travel security mandates, suggesting that the public is willing to give up some privacy in return for safer air travel," said Mark Cohn, vice president of enterprise security, Unisys. "This suggests that the public supports technologies, communications and personnel to enhance security at our nation's airports, borders and ports."


Recognizing the need to address air travel security concerns, Unisys today also announced the launch of its Next Generation Airport Passenger Security Solution (http://www.unisys.com/unisys/news/detail.jsp?id=1120000970002010069). This new solution integrates advanced technologies with existing IT and communication systems to provide passengers with a streamlined travel experience while enhancing security and reducing costs.


The latest results of the Unisys Security Index also confirmed that national security and identity theft rank as America's top concerns, with nearly two-thirds (65%) "extremely" or "very" concerned about U.S. national security and 64% seriously concerned about identity theft.


Nearly two-thirds of Americans (62%) are also seriously concerned about credit and debit card fraud. The percentage of Americans who are seriously concerned about the security of online transactions is at the highest level now (43%) since the Unisys Security Index began three years ago. The percentage of Americans who are "extremely concerned" about the security of their online transactions rose to 20% (up from 16% in September 2009).


These findings reflect recent trends reported by the U.S. government and other organizations. Last month, the FBI reported that losses due to internet fraud more than doubled in 2009 to nearly $560 million. In 2009, identity theft jumped 12 percent, hitting 11.1 million U.S. consumers, according to an annual survey released last month by Javelin Strategy & Research.


Overall Results of Latest Wave of Security Index


The Unisys Security Index surveys consumer opinion on four areas of security: financial, national, Internet and personal safety. More than 1,000 Americans responded to the latest survey. The results are tallied on a scale of 0-300, with 300 representing the highest level of perceived concern.


The overall score for the current Unisys Security Index for the United States was 147, indicating a moderate level of overall security concern. The overall score came in unchanged from the last survey taken in September 2009.


National security emerged again in the latest results as the U.S. public's greatest area of concern, with 65% of those surveyed saying they were concerned about this area. The number of Americans "extremely" concerned about identity theft rose to 31%, up from 26% in September 2009.


Americans' fear surrounding their ability to meet their essential financial obligations--which was the leading concern one year ago --continues to be on the decline. The most dramatic decline was reported in those "very concerned" about financial security-- from 25% in September 2009 to 20% in February 2010.


The research reveals another significant drop in the proportion of American adults who are "very concerned" about a national health epidemic like H1N1 (30% in September 2009 to 23% presently), while there has been an uptick in Americans "not at all concerned" about a national health epidemic-- 18% in September 2009 to 21% currently.


"The finding that an overwhelming number of Americans are willing to submit private information to enjoy safe air travel provides strong evidence that the public's privacy fears may be in decline," said Larry Ponemon, chairman and founder of the Ponemon Institute, an independent research and consulting firm. "I find the results of the Unisys Security Index as compelling evidence that people throughout the world care deeply about their personal safety, especially when traveling on a commercial airline."


Additional key global findings from the latest Unisys Security Index include:


-- Citizens of the UK were the most accepting of electronic body scans at
airports, with 90% of citizens approving the procedure. A large
majority of the Dutch public (81%) were also in favor, followed by
Australians (70%).
-- Mexico and Hong Kong were the only countries surveyed in which a
majority did not indicate willingness to submit to electronic body
scans at airports. Only 24% of the Mexican adults and 45% of those in
Hong Kong said they would support use of the procedure.
-- Security concerns were highest in Brazil, which reported an overall
index score of 177, closely followed by Mexico with a score of 173.
The Netherlands reported the lowest level of concern with an overall
score of 70.
-- Identity crime ranks as the overall greatest concern in the United
Kingdom. 87% of UK adults are worried about unauthorized access to
their personal information and the same percentage expressed fear
about other people obtaining or using their credit card or debit card
details.
-- National security concern is extremely high in Mexico. More than
three-quarters of Mexicans (77%) are seriously concerned about
national security, the top concern in the country. Only 4% of Mexicans
said they were not concerned about national security.

About the Unisys Security Index

The Unisys Security Index is a bi-annual global study that provides insights into the attitudes of consumers on a wide range of security related issues. Lieberman Research Group conducted the survey in Latin America, Europe and the U.S.; Newspoll conducted the research in Asia-Pacific. The Unisys Security Index surveys more than 10,000 people in eleven countries: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Germany, Hong Kong, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. The study measures consumer perceptions on a scale of zero to 300, with 300 representing the highest level of perceived concern. For more information, visit www.unisyssecurityindex.com.


About Unisys


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Mali Remains a Country of Emigration and Transit, IOM Migration Profile Confirms

13 Apr 2010 19:02 Africa/Lagos

Mali Remains a Country of Emigration and Transit, IOM Migration Profile Confirms

BAMAKO, April 13, 2010/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- IOM Press Briefing Notes
A migration profile of Mali released today finds that this landlocked West African country remains essentially a country of emigration, although increasing numbers of irregular migrants appear to transit through Mali on their way to Europe via the Maghreb countries.

According to the report, demographic growth, poverty, increased unemployment and difficult climatic conditions continue to push many Malians to migrate internally from rural to urban areas, within the West African region and beyond.

Based on the 2000 Census Round Data, the report estimates the number of Malian abroad to be in excess of 1,5 million, with a 32 per cent living and working in Côte d'Ivoire, 28 per cent in Burkina Faso, 10 per cent in Guinea, 6 per cent in Nigeria and 5 per cent in Ghana.

The remainder are thought to be employed in OECD countries, primarily in industry, construction; agriculture and fishing. Most of them have a low level of education.

However, the report notes that Mali is confronted with a certain brain drain, since 15 per cent of Malian university graduates emigrated during the 1995-2005 period. In the health sector, 23 per cent of Malian doctors and 15 per cent of nurses found employment in 9 developed countries, with France remaining the favoured destination.

Despite the country's political commitment in favour of regional integration, the report notes that immigration to Mali remains very limited with an estimated 164,000 migrants representing just 1,4 per cent of the total population in 2005. Immigration to Mali is mostly regional, with migrants coming from Burkina Faso (23 %), Ghana (13 %), Guinea (10 %), Benin (9 %) and Niger (8 %).


Although data on transit migration remains scarce, the report states that Mali seems to have become an important point of passage, with routes linking countries in Central and West Africa to the Maghreb and Libya.


As for remittances, they reached 212 million USD in 2007, representing 3, 3 per cent of the country's GDP. Although remittances are mostly used to improve the living conditions of families left behind, the emergence of structured migrants' associations has increased the share of funds used for social and productive investments.

In the Western region of Kayes, the report notes that migrants' associations in France have funded over the past decade more than 220 community projects in dozens of villages.

The IOM profile, which is funded by the European Union, the Belgian Development Cooperation and the Swiss Federal Office for Migration, says that the Government of Mali has achieved some success in drawing on the expertise of its diaspora by encouraging the return of qualified migrants through programmes such as the UNDP implemented Transfer of Knowledge through Expatriate Nationals (TOKTEN) programme.


It notes efforts deployed to incorporate migration into the National Strategic Framework on Development such as the priority solidarity fund for co-development programme established with France to support the activities of associations, facilitate the mobilization of remittances and strengthen ties between emigrant youths and their country of origin.


The report underlines the scarcity of reliable data on migration as the last general population census in Mali and the only specialized survey on migration were undertaken more than ten years ago, and cannot therefore reflect the current trends.


Furthermore, national structures dealing with migration do not have the capacity to properly manage and analyse data. To improve data on migration, there is a need to develop and establish a coherent data management system, involving all relevant partners and in keeping with the guiding principles of the country's national plan for statistics.


Source: International Office of Migration (IOM)

Nigerian Senator Paid $100, 000 To Marry A 13 Year Old Egyptian Girl

UPDATE ON: The Untold Story of the Allegation of $10.8 Billion Tax Evasion Fraud against Chevron and its Associated Companies BY ABZ INTEGRATED LIMITED.




Senator Ahmed Sani


Nigerian Senator Paid $100, 000 To Marry A 13 Year Old Egyptian Girl

The bearded Senator Ahmed Sani, who is a former governor of Zamfara state in northern Nigeria has paid a bride price of $100, 000 to marry a 13 year old Egyptian girl.

Old men dating and marrying under age girls is common practice among the Muslims in Northern Nigeria.

Full details on Page 9 of The Punch newspaper on Monday April 12, 2010.


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The Untold Story of the Allegation of $10.8 Billion Tax Evasion Fraud against Chevron and its Associated Companies

Update on the Allegation of $10.8 Billion Tax Evasion Fraud against Chevron and its Associated Companies 1





On 1st July, 2005, ABZ Integrated Limited, a Nigerian company based in Abuja broke the news of the $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud by the Nigerian branch of the Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX Euronext: CHTEX), an American multinational energy corporation headquartered in San Ramon, California, (see annexure 1b).

Following the disclosures, ABZ was duly engaged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of Nigeria under the Executive Chairmanship of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu (see annexure 1a) as a consultant for the recovery of the unpaid taxes from Chevron Nigeria Limited. The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) under Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Ezekwesili acknowledged the engagement and financial entitlement of ABZ Integrated Limited (see annexure 5b).


In the last quarter of 2005, the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), under the chairmanship of Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, had a public hearing on the allegation of $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud against Chevron Nigeria Limited. And in September 2006, the Chairman vindicated ABZ and confirmed that Chevron evaded tax as alleged and was ordered to refund the sum of $492 million. NEITI’s auditors also validated the claims of ABZ. But Chevron has only refunded a fraction of the total Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded, without paying the penalties required by PPT Act. And ABZ has not been paid its entitlements since Chevron has refunded the sum of $866 million of the Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded so far.

This is the untold story of the whole financial scandal as reported by Fidelis Uzonwanne, the Managing Consultant of ABZ Integrated Limited.

~ Nigerians Report



UPDATE ON THE ALLEGATION OF $10.8 BILLION TAX EVASION AND FRAUD AGAINST CHEVRON AND ITS ASSOCIATED COMPANIES BY ABZ INTEGRATED LTD

THE UNTOLD STORY

In July 2005, when ThisDay Newspaper published ABZ Integrated Ltd’s open letter to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on the allegation of $10.8 Billion tax evasion and fraud against Chevron Nigeria Ltd, some Nigerians believed it. Some took it with a pinch of salt. While some dismissed it with utmost disbelief.





Before ABZ took that bold step, an in-dept investigation of the activities of Chevron had been painstakingly undertaken. This culminated in a 106 –page report being forwarded to EFCC on the 12th of May 2005, with over 400 page annexures (Annexure 4).



The way and manner the relevant government agencies in Nigeria reacted to the issue was very shocking and unbelievable. Organizations such as the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its subsidiary NAPIMS, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) etc, stood in stout defense of Chevron’s position and treated ABZ with disdain and scorn. We were undaunted because we were very sure of what we stated and were prepared to defend it till the last day.





Following our publication, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), under the chairmanship of Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Ezekwesili, held a meeting of stakeholders in Nicon Hotel on the 9th of August 2005. NEITI issued a press release (Annexure 5a) on the outcome of the meeting confirming inter alia:
(i) That ABZ was duly engaged as consultants by EFCC and that ABZ’s effort led to the recovery of $6.5 million

(ii) That the information provided by ABZ (i.e. the report) has been referred to the Hart Group to verify the claims made therein.

Other confirmations of ABZ’s efforts and entitlements are enclosed herewith as (Annexures 5b, c, d & e).





Recall that field work on the ABZ’s investigation of Chevron under EFCC Committee on Government Revenue Fraud was done between December 2003 and January 2005. FIRS and other Government agencies were answering questions on their respective roles relating to Chevron’s operations and their culpability thereon (Annexures 6a, 6b, 6c & 7a, 7b).

Between September and November 2005, the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), under the chairmanship of Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, carried out a public hearing on the allegation of $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud against Chevron. About September 2006, the report of the Committee’s investigation was laid before the plenary. The chairman in a press conference confirmed to the whole world that indeed Chevron evaded tax as alleged and was ordered to refund the sum of $492 million (Annexure 8).

On November 9, 2006, Segun Adeniyi, a former Editor of ThisDay Newspaper, Spokesperson to President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and then a member of the National Stakeholders Working Group (NSWG) of NEITI, confirmed to the whole world that ABZ had been vindicated because NEITI’s auditors had confirmed to them the veracity of ABZ’s claims (Annexure 9a). Please find enclosed an except from Hart Group report dated 14th August, 2006 for more details (Annexure 9b).

We want to confirm to you that the harassment Ribadu’s EFCC was giving to ABZ in 2005 was merely a decoy to shield the main issues from people’s prying eyes. This dummy sold by Ribadu’s EFCC enabled the trio of FIRS, Chevron and EFCC to conceal the recoveries being realized from Chevron through ABZ’s effort. Recent events have confirmed that the maneuvers were intended to enable them dip their fingers into the official tills. Their campaign then was that ABZ was making false claims, that Chevron never evaded tax and no money was refunded. Unknown to so many people was the fact that as at that time (July 2005), Chevron had refunded over $130 million and part of it diverted.




By a letter dated 6th October 2008, the Executive Chairman of FIRS, Mrs. Ifueko Omouigui-Okauru, in response to Nigeria’s House of Representative’s Ad-hoc Committee’s inquest, claimed that the sum of $131 million had been recovered from Chevron but that it was not from ABZ’s effort (Annexure 10). At the time of this claim (i.e. October 2008), ABZ, through its own information network was aware that Chevron had refunded $491 million (Annexure 11). ABZ, through its Solicitors, Messrs Fountain Advocates, petitioned Farida’s EFCC, alleging a diversion of $360 million. The petition was dated 17th November, 2008, with all the necessary attachments including bank statements treasury receipts, correspondences from Chevron (Annexures 12a, b, & c). Two reminders dated 12th January 2009 and 14th January 2010 have been sent to Farida’s EFCC and mum is the answer (Annexures 13 & 14).

As at December 2008, Chevron had refunded the sum of $866 million of the Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded (Annexure 15). The relevant penalties based on the provisions of PPT Act is three times the tax evaded i.e. $2.598 billion (Annexure 16). FIRS has no choice than to abide by the law. There’s no evidence that FIRS is prepared to make this demand on Chevron. Besides, ABZ is still willing and prepared to provide a report that will turn in additional recoveries of $2.0 billion from Chevron.



As at today, ABZ has not been paid its fees for this assignment. Instead, FIRS and Chevron have been busy plotting how to silence ABZ. One way they thought they could achieve this was to encourage Chevron to seek ICAN’s (The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria) support to “deal” with the Managing Consultant of ABZ. Chevron petitioned ICAN that ABZ’s report was baseless, unprofessional and that Fidelis Uzonwanne, the Managing Consultant of ABZ, should be charged with professional misconduct. The company represented to ICAN that it never refunded any tax evaded (Annexure 17a, b & c). This is contrary to its various letters evidencing refunds e.g. letters of January 24, 2005, November 29, 2005 and receipts obtained (Annexures 17d, e, f & g). True to type, ICAN set to work through malicious advertisement of the fact that Fidelis Uzonwanne was facing ICAN investigating Panel without first writing him as a member. He is currently facing trial at Disciplinary Tribunal for exposing corruption and helping his country to recover $866 million of lost revenue (Annexures 18a, b & c). That is the sorry state of the Nigerian Nation.

Over $400 million out of the $866 million recovered from Chevron through ABZ’s effort has been diverted by FIRS and their collaborators in CBN (Annexures 19 & 20). Farida’s EFCC does not appear prepared to bring the criminals to book despite all the information made available to it (Annexures 21a, b & c). See Annexure 25 for more details on diverted funds. Instead, the conspirators have vowed not to pay ABZ its dues and will prefer the option of eliminating Fidelis Uzonwanne by any means. Yes, the plot to assassinate Fidelis Uzonwanne is thickening and he is aware of it. What is his offence? He led a team that exposed tax evasion and fraud perpetrated by Chevron. The first process of his annihilation is through financial strangulation by denying his company its dues. The next in the chain is to make sure he stops practicing his profession by using forged documents, falsehood and undue influence to get ICAN do its bidding. The final is assassination.

Please ventilate this to the whole world. The Nigerian economy is seriously being threatened by the cabal in government revenue agencies, who have vowed not to allow any of their own go down no matter how corrupt. The anti-corruption crusade is at its lowest ebb. Nigeria’s economic future is getting dimmer with every passing day. The Executive Chairman of FIRS, who supervised and managed the looting of the money recovered from Chevron in a letter with reference no FIRSB/MD/001/130 of 4th February, 2009 requested CBN, its accomplice, to give her a clean “bill of health”. CBN, by its letter dated 12th February 2009, with reference no. FOD/DIR/GA/SEC/012/68, acted accordingly (Annexure 22). The duo made a fruitless attempt to conceal a diversion of $112 million. ABZ, by its letter of 2nd December, 2009, knocked the bottom off the unwholesome arrangement (Annexure 23). The same goes for the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) (Annexure 24). It set up a committee to investigate the allegation of fraudulent diversion of $360 million, concluded its investigation and attempted to give Ifueko a clean “bill of health” without inviting the company that made the allegation (Annexure 25). Although the OAGF confirmed a diversion of $8.6 million, those indicted are still sitting comfortably on their seats and using tax payers’ money to campaign and launder their image.



Like all other financial scandals that have rocked Nigeria, this would have fizzled out long time ago but because of the plan of the treasury looters to “kill the goose that lays the golden egg”. If the same Chevron project had been awarded to a foreign firm, the Federal Government would have easily parted with hundreds of millions of Dollars as professional fees with the perquisites attached thereto. Believe it or not, no foreign company would have been able to match ABZ’s achievements. After ABZ’s investigation of Chevron what happened next? Other oil companies are still enjoying their illicit funds.

Since the exit of Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Ezekwesili from NEITI, the agency has since joined the band wagon of other government agencies who are more interested in budgetary allocations than performing the role for which they were established. ABZ by a letter dated 20th April, 2009, alerted the organization of several issues that it should ordinarily make effort to know (Annexure 26). The organization never even bordered to respond. The reason is very simple. The Executive Chairman of FIRS, Mrs. Ifueko Omouigui-Okauru has pocketed the organization and has ensured no further audits are carried out especially 2006 audit of the oil & gas industry in Nigeria, because of the unprecedented fraud by FIRS that year. The Nation lost over $3 billion of PPT and Royalty revenue to fraud.


By Fidelis Uzonwanne
Managing Consultant of ABZ Integrated Limited,
Abuja (FCT),
Nigeria.


EDITOR'S NOTE:
ALL THE REMAINING DOCUMENTS ON THIS CASE FOLLOW BELOW.

Update on the Allegation of $10.8 Billion Tax Evasion Fraud against Chevron and its Associated Companies 2

Update on the Allegation of $10.8 Billion Tax Evasion Fraud against Chevron and its Associated Companies. 3

Update on the Allegation of $10.8 Billion Tax Evasion Fraud against Chevron and its Associated Companies 4

Update on the Allegation of $10.8 Billion Tax Evasion Fraud against Chevron and its Associated Companies 5

The Untold Story of the $10.8 Billion Tax Evasion and Fraud By Chevron Nigeria Limited and Its Associated Companies 6

The Untold Story of the $10.8 Billion Tax Evasion and Fraud By Chevron Nigeria Limited and Its Associated Companies 7.

EXPOSED:

How Multinational Corporations Dodge Taxes

U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

Post Script: Chevron, EFCC and FIRS Are Not Above the Law

Enlighten the people, generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like spirits at the dawn of day.

~ Thomas Jefferson, 3rd president of US (1743 - 1826)


On 1st July, 2005, ABZ Integrated Limited, a Nigerian company based in Abuja broke the news of the $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud by the Nigerian branch of the Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX Euronext: CHTEX) is an American multinational energy corporation headquartered in San Ramon, California in the United States of America.

Following these disclosures, ABZ was duly engaged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of Nigeria under the Executive Chairmanship of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as a consultant for the recovery of the unpaid taxes from Chevron Nigeria Limited. The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) under Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Ezekwesili acknowledged the engagement and financial entitlement of ABZ Integrated Limited

I have been following this case since I reported the $10.8 Billion tax evasion and fraud allegation against Chevron on Monday, August 01, 2005 and also posted the refutation by Chevron in their rejoinder on Wednesday, August 03, 2005.

In the last quarter of 2005, the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), under the chairmanship of Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, had a public hearing on the allegation of $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud against Chevron Nigeria Limited. And in September 2006, the Chairman vindicated ABZ and confirmed that Chevron evaded tax as alleged and was ordered to refund the sum of $492 million. NEITI’s auditors also validated the claims of ABZ. But Chevron has only refunded a fraction of the total Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded, without paying the penalties required by PPT Act. And ABZ has not been paid its entitlements since Chevron has refunded the sum of $866 million of the Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded so far.

The untold story of the whole financial scandal as reported by Fidelis Uzonwanne, the Managing Consultant of ABZ Integrated Limited has been published on Nigerians Report in seven parts since Wednesday, March 31, 2010 to date.

I have nothing personal against the Chevron Corporation, First Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and they have the right to challenge or dismiss the statement of ABZ Integrated Limited. But if they fail to prove that ABZ Integrated is wrong, then they must follow the due process of the law to let justice prevail.
Chevron, EFCC and FIRS are not above the law.

We must not condone corrupt practices at all levels of public service or private practice whether indoors or outdoors. We must not compromise the ethics of equity and justice no matter the temptations, trials and weaknesses of life.

We must not be afraid to preach and publish the truth and we must practice what we preach and teach or hang our heads as cowards and retards.

We must stand up for what is just and right or we shall lick the dust off the feet of those who perpetrate and perpetuate corruption and we shall forfeit the dignity and integrity of humanity.


Whosoever knows and sees what is bad and does not report, prevent or stop it is equally bad, evil and wicked as the devil.

Corruption causes the destruction of human civilization.
If we do not destroy corruption today, corruption will destroy us tomorrow.

I do not compromise my faith in truth for selfish interests.


Faithfully,
Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima
The Publisher/Editor


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