FEMA employees pose as fake reporters during press conference
">

FEMA employees pose as fake reporters during press conference
Author:     08 1st, 2018 in Uncategorized     No Comments »

 Correction — September 10, 2013 The headline should not contain the word fake: the employees posed as reporters; they didn’t pose as fake reporters, on the contrary they were fake reporters posing as real reporters. We aopologize for the error. 

Friday, October 26, 2007

The United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is under fire after the agency held a fake press conference with fake news reporters in regards to individuals affected by the California wildfires and the assistance they could receive.

The agency called a press conference on Tuesday, giving the press only 15 minutes to show up. When many did not, FEMA brought in agency officials to pose as fake reporters and ask questions. The option for reporters to call into the conference was also available, but the ones who did call in only got to listen to the press conference, and could not ask questions. No reporters were actually present during the conference, parts of which were carried live on Fox News and MSNBC.

During the briefing, FEMA employees asked Deputy Administrator Harvey Johnson a series of what The New York Times called “decidedly friendly questions” such as “What type of commodities are you pledging to California?”, “What lessons learned from Katrina have been applied?” and “Are you happy with FEMA’s response so far?”. The briefing followed the format of a press conference, with FEMA’s press secretary at one point cautioning that he would allow just “two more questions”, then calling later for a “last question”. Officials who posed as fake reporters included the deputy director of public affairs Cindy Taylor and Director of External Affairs John “Pat” Philbin.

White House officials said that they do not condone FEMA’s actions and also state that they had no idea that the conference was taking place.

“FEMA has issued an apology, saying that they had an error in judgment when they were attempting to get out a lot of information to reporters, who were asking for answers to a variety of questions in regard to the wildfires in California. It’s not something I would have condoned. And they — I’m sure — will not do it again,” said Dana Perino, the White House’s press secretary in a statement.

FEMA apologizes for the mishap and says that their intentions were only to get the information to the citizens of California.

“[The purpose was] to get information out as soon as possible, and in trying to do so we made an error in judgment. Our intent was to provide useful information and be responsive to the many questions we have received. We can and must do better,” said Harvey E. Johnson, the agency’s vice administrator. “The real story — how well the response and recovery elements are working in this disaster — should not be lost because of how we tried to meet the needs of the media in distributing facts,” a FEMA statement said.

FEMA is currently deciding whether or not any officials should face punishment for the incident. One of the officials responsible, Pat Philbin, is going on to be the new head of public relations for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

This is not the first time that the Bush administration has come under fire for planting reporters at press conferences. In February of 2005, White House reporter Jeff Gannon was accused of being planted to ask softball questions to President Bush. FEMA itself had earlier undergone criticism during Hurricane Katrina for using disaster workers for public relations in 2005.

St. Anthony Foundation provides hope
">

St. Anthony Foundation provides hope
Author:     08 1st, 2018 in Uncategorized     No Comments »

Friday, September 23, 2005

On the corner of Golden Gate Ave. and Jones St. in the Tenderloin, San Francisco, right next to the Civic Center you can see a throng of low-income and homeless people lining up outside of St. Anthony’s Dining Room hall which opens up it’s doors everyday at 11:30 a.m. Volunteers dressed in St. Anthony Foundation shirts help keep the lines moving as hundreds of homeless and low income people shuffle their way towards the dining hall underneath the watchful eyes of a small statue of St. Francis of Assisi.

“There’s a lot of people who go hungry out here and it ain’t right.” says Jimmy Scott, a slightly brawny 44-year-old black man who has been living homeless in San Francisco for the past three years. “There are families out here with kids and everything and they have to walk around all night just to stay awake so they don’t get hurt or killed…Right here in the U.S. this is going on…it ain’t right.”

The dining hall, which has been open for the past 54 years, is owned by the St. Anthony Foundation which helps low income and homeless people and families in the Civic Center, Tenderloin, and SOMA areas with clothing, shelter, food, drug rehabilitation, and many other services. St. Anthony’s administrative offices are found at 121 Golden Gate Ave. with the majority of the foundation’s buildings on Golden Gate Ave. and Jones St.

“We are right in the heart of the homeless population of San Francisco,” says Barry Stenger, 55, who’s been working for the St. Anthony Foundation for one year, and is the Director of Development and Communications, “and people are pushed here because of the economic forces of San Francisco because it’s hard to be upper middle class in San Francisco.”

According to the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, “San Francisco’s cost of living remains one of the highest in the country” with the average household income in San Francisco being around $76,400 and the average price of housing being $543,000. Average household income for the United States in 2002, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, was $42,409 and the average price of housing for the United States according to the National Association of Realtors was $185,200 in 2004.

“We served our 32 millionth meal on Tuesday,” said Stenger, “and we serve 2,500 meals a day. Some of our people who work here actually get served [food] here because they spend all their money towards rent and medical costs.”

The St. Anthony Foundation was started by Fr. Alfred Boeddeker in 1950 one year after Fr. Boeddeker became pastor of St. Boniface church on Golden Gate St. where he was baptized as a child. During his lifetime, according to the foundation’s website, he was referred to as the “Patron St. of the Tenderloin” and had Boeddeker park named after him because of his, and his foundation’s, achievements with helping out the homeless and low income community.

“[St. Anthony’s] is a good thing,” said Jimmy Scott, “they provide a good service and they feed people and they clothe them and provide furniture when you get housing and give you groceries when you have AIDS. It’s a good little organization.”

“Our dining room is open 365 days a year.” Said Stenger. “Our other facilities are open seven days a week. We have a residence for senior women and our [free medical] clinic is open five days a week and we also have a furniture and clothing store. We have 12 programs all together.”

Some of those programs are the Father Alfred Center which provides 61 men two programs for getting out of drug and alcohol abuse, the Employment Program/Learning Center which helps participants in educational and employment opportunities and provides each one with a personal staff advisor, and a Senior Outreach and Support Services center which states its mission is to “promote independence, self determination, and alleviate isolation” for seniors who are 60 and older.

A few homeless people who were interviewed complained that St. Anthony’s had some staff who were rude and that they were kicked out of the dining hall; other homeless within the area refuted those claims saying St. Anthony’s has nice staff and only kicks people out who cause trouble.

“It’s a good place and good people. Everybody is so kind and so respectful and everything is under control.” Said John Henderson, a tall and skinny 57-year-old homeless black man who has only been living in San Francisco for close to two months because he recently moved there from Phoenix, Arizona. “It’s pretty cool because they’re under control because yesterday I saw at Glide [Memorial Church which also has services for the poor and low income] and they were handing out food boxes and people were just rushing in and the woman in charge there was freaking out and so she just sat down. That would never happen at St. Anthony’s.”

“And they clean too!” Henderson said laughing with a grin on his face referring to the fact that there are no drugs allowed in the premises. “Not that Glide ain’t clean if you know what I mean.”

“We [also] have a whole division that deals with justice education and advocacy to change the system that brings people to our doorstep.” Said Stenger. “We hear a lot of appreciation from the people we serve. We get a lot of testimony from our clients who have become clean and sober. Sometimes we have to push them a little to get them out the door because they love the [foundation] so much because it has changed their lives.”

 This article features first-hand journalism by Wikinews members. See the collaboration page for more details.
This article features first-hand journalism by Wikinews members. See the collaboration page for more details.

General Motors automobile sales plunge by 45%
">

General Motors automobile sales plunge by 45%
Author:     07 31st, 2018 in Uncategorized     No Comments »

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

General Motors Corporation (GM) announced on Wednesday that it saw a 45% drop in United States vehicle sales for its cars in March.

Executives from several auto firms, however, said that there was some hope for the auto industry to stabilise, as car sales rebounded in the last week of March.

“The market is starting to show small signs of life which need to be nourished like seedlings,” said the vice president and chairman of Chrysler LLC Jim Press. “It’s too early to see a trend, but spring shows signs of hope.”

Other automobile manufacturers also saw their car sales slip: Chrysler and the Japanese Toyota both reported a 39% loss, whilst Ford Motor Company sales fell 41%.

Annualised sales of vehicles in the car industry in the US are predicted to have dipped below nine million in March, compared to February’s 9.12 million, which was the lowest number since 1981.

“Auto makers are pulling every lever in their effort to attract buyers, as evidenced by the new programs from Ford and GM. The typical incentive programs simply do not resonate in today’s economy,” Jesse Toprak, an analyst for Edmunds.

Ford shares gained 2.3% to a level of US$2.69 in early trading at US stock markets on Wednesday, while stocks for Toyota’s US depository increased 5.9% to $67. GM shares slipped 1.6% down to $1.92.

Wikinews Shorts: April 1, 2007
">

Wikinews Shorts: April 1, 2007
Author:     07 31st, 2018 in Uncategorized     No Comments »

A compilation of brief news reports for Sunday, April 1, 2007.

Contents

  • 1 Nepal: Former rebels join government; elections set for June
  • 2 Russia bans foreigners from retail sales jobs
  • 3 Google TiSP April fools joke
  • 4 Iranian students protest outside British embassy in Tehran

Five former Maoist rebels were sworn in as ministers as part of a peace pact designed to end a decade-long insurgency that has killed more than 13,000 people in Nepal. The new government has announced assembly elections for late June, 2007. Thereafter, the new assembly is due to write a new constitution for the Himalayan nation.

Related news

Sources

Under a new law that went into effect today, non-Russians will not be allowed to work as salespeople in shops and markets. The ban was presented by Vladimir Putin as a way of improving employment prospects for Russian citizens. Russian media warns that it will increase the labor costs for retailers and drive up inflation. The Federal Migration Service, a government agency, reported nearly full compliance in Moscow.

Sources

Today, Sunday, Google “released” their Google TiSP service. This April Fool appears on their homepage as “New! Get FREE breakthrough broadband with Google TiSP (BETA).” This directs you to a page with details of Google’s TiSP package, a package that will give you broadband after you flush a fiber-optic cable down your toilet. Google issued a press release at midnight on April 1st, 2007.

Sources

External links

Between 100 and 200 students gathered outside the British embassy in Tehran to protest the alleged incursion into Iranian waters by the Royal Navy.The protesters threw rocks, chanted “Death to Britain” and called for the expulsion of the ambassador. Police prevented the protesters from entering the compound.

Sources

This page is archived, and is no longer publicly editable.

Articles presented on Wikinews reflect the specific time at which they were written and published, and do not attempt to encompass events or knowledge which occur or become known after their publication.

Got a correction? Add the template {{editprotected}} to the talk page along with your corrections, and it will be brought to the attention of the administrators.

Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections.

Note that some listed sources or external links may no longer be available online due to age.
This page is archived, and is no longer publicly editable.

Articles presented on Wikinews reflect the specific time at which they were written and published, and do not attempt to encompass events or knowledge which occur or become known after their publication.

Got a correction? Add the template {{editprotected}} to the talk page along with your corrections, and it will be brought to the attention of the administrators.

Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections.

Note that some listed sources or external links may no longer be available online due to age.

How To Buy Property Guide For Aquitaine In France

Author:     07 30th, 2018 in Real Estate     No Comments »

How To Buy Property Guide For Aquitaine In France by Aquitaine is located in southwest France and enjoys mile upon mile of uncrowded golden beaches. It is interesting to note that this region spans a quarter of the country’s Atlantic coastline. The region is bounded to the south by Spain, to the east by the Midi-Pyrenees, to the north by Poitou-Charentes and the Limousin and to the west by the Atlantic ocean.Aquitaine LandscapeThe Aquitaine’s diversity of landscape makes it an ideal place to both live and enjoy a vacation. Imagine the luminescence of the coastline where mussels and oysters are still cultivated as they have been for generations. Surfers and sun seekers enjoy the beaches and major surfing championships. Inland villages on the salt marshes maintain a life and culture unspoilt by time. In the Pyrenees hikers seek hidden mountain trails and skiers the thrill of the slopes.Aquitaine AttractionsBordeaux as the capital and main city of Aquitaine has much to offer from the visitors point of view. Take a balloon ride over wine producing vines. Marvel at its splendid architecture, visit palatial mansions and enjoy shopping and numerous cultural events throughout the year. The area around Bordeaux is renowned for producing some of the worlds finest wines. Many at very reasonable prices. As you can imagine visits to wine estates and wine tasting are very popular and may require prior booking.Enjoy skiing and hiking in the unspoilt Pyrenean Mountains, untroubled by crowds of visitors.Frolic on unspoilt beaches and go deep sea fishing.Take time to improve your golf handicap on courses that welcome both the experienced and inexperienced player.Aquitaine WeatherAquitaine is a region to enjoy all the seasons. Spring begins to blossom from March onwards when the weather tends to be warm but changeable with temperatures of 13C. Summer bursts forth in May with temperatures ranging from 19C to 23C in June. During the main holiday months of July and August the temperatures can rise to 35C. Autumn is beautiful with the climate gradually creeping down to 10C in the winter months. A perfect opportunity to throw another log on the fire and enjoy the local wines. Over 2,200 hours have been documented in this region with rainfall being well distributed over all areas.Getting thereUntil recently it has been relatively difficult to fly to the Aquitaine region but with the introduction of low cost airlines this has now changed with the journey taking just 2 hours flying time. There are now seven airports serving the region and it is also possible to fly into Spain.Some travellers prefer to take the ferry and car option. After taking a ferry to the north coast port of St Malo there is a 6-7 hour drive to Bordeaux or 8-9 hours to Biarritz – which is no further than driving to Provence or the Cote d’Azur. Why not break your journey and stop at a charming family run hotel or perhaps a luxurious Chateau for the night?Another option is to take a ferry to Santander or Bilbao in Spain. Then there is a much shorter drive (1.5 hrs Bilbao-Biarritz) along the coast road and up into the Aquitaine region. Because the crossing is much longer, the ferries covering this route are bigger and have more facilities for adults and children alike. Some ferries even boast an onboard swimming pool. The trip is also an ideal opportunity for spotting dolphins, pilot, minke and sperm whales.It is also possible to travel to Aquitaine by train with your own car. Catch the Eurotunnel connection at Folkestone or Ashford terminals. Once in Calais transfer to Rail Europe’s local services.Aquitaine population2,967,000.Major Towns/CitiesBordeaux – is the capital and main city of the Aquitaine. Take time to visit palatial mansions, contemplate in a beautiful church, or just enjoy the shopping and numerous cultural events this vibrant city has to offer.Pau – is a lively university town famous as the birth place of King Henry 1V. Take time to Visit the Chateau de Pau which houses the Gobelin 16th-century Tapestries woven by Flemish weavers.Bayonne – from its inception in Roman times Bayonne first enjoyed prosperity as the gate keeper of one of the main roads to Spain as well as being a prosperous port. With its beautiful cathedral and pedestrian shopping centre Bayonne has attractions for all visitors.Biarritz – first gained favour as a whaling port but was transformed into a a resort for the rich and famous in the 19th century. It has three excellent beaches and claims to have the best surfing conditions in Europe.Perigueux – is a lively medieval market town. Dominated by its Cathedral St. Front, it has many interesting archaeological sites for exploration.Aquitaine PricesThere are many property hotspots in the Aquitaine. In particular Bordeaux, Archachon, Biarritz / Bayonne and the Dordogne Valley have seen an explosion in prices. The Dordogne Valley maybe cooling but prices on the coast are still buoyant.Price GuidelineApartments: 150,000 + euros (Coast)Farmhouses: 175,000 euros (needs renovation)Townhouses: 120,000 eurosVillas: 210,000 eurosLand: from 20 euros per sq. mHoward FarmerFrench Property GuidesFrench Property GuidesAquitaine PropertyArticle Source: eArticlesOnline.com

United States: State of Hawaii criticized by head of Federal Communications Commission over incoming missile alert mistake
">

United States: State of Hawaii criticized by head of Federal Communications Commission over incoming missile alert mistake
Author:     07 30th, 2018 in Uncategorized     No Comments »

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

On Sunday, the head of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Ajit Pai, described the erroneous alert, sent on Saturday, warning of an imminent nuclear missile strike, as an “absolutely unacceptable” mistake by the Emergency Management Agency of the state of Hawaii. He emphasized that the FCC would “focus on what steps need to be taken to prevent a similar incident from happening again.”

At 8:07 am local time on Saturday, the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA) sent out the following alert: “BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.” It appeared on people’s mobile phones throughout the state and caused widespread panic. It took 38 minutes for the state to retract the warning, which Pai said made the error worse. Vern Miyagi, the HI-EMA’s administrator, stated that an employee had mistakenly sent out the alert during a test performed at shift change. On Sunday, Cindy McMillan, communications director for state governor David Ige, clarified that after accidentally pressing the button to send the alert, the employee had gone on to accidentally confirm the command. Richard Rapoza, spokesperson for HI-EMA, said the employee had since been reassigned.

Pai said that FCC analysis of the incident showed that the state had failed to put “reasonable safeguards or process controls” in place to prevent a false alert from being sent. According to The New York Times, the state will now require two people to authorize the issuance of an alert. Also, a “cancellation template” will be created to solve the problem of quickly sending corrections over the mobile phone networks.

Both HI-EMA administrator Miyagi and Hawaii governor Ige apologized for the mistake, with Ige saying “I, too, am extremely upset about this.” Tulsi Gabbard, a House Representative from Hawaii, referred to an “epic failure of leadership” in an interview with ABC News.

Tests by North Korea of missiles that, according to a report in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, could strike Hawaii 20 minutes after launch have heightened tensions in the state. Air raid sirens used in the Cold War have been reactivated there.

How To Find The Best Palm Beach Home Care Agency?}

Author:     07 30th, 2018 in Public Relations     No Comments »

Submitted by: Max Di Leo

A reputed and licensed Palm Beach home care agency can provide an experienced and professional caregiver who can help the aging or disabled family members in all their activities. Read on this article to get some tips for finding the best agency for health care in Palm Beach.

According to Census Bureau of the United States, 35 million people age 65 and more were counted in the US in 2011. Because of this dramatic increase in the elder population, care for the elders is one of the pressing issues for the Americans in the 21st century.

If you also looking for a professional and trained caregiver for the aging, or disabled family members you can easily find numerous home care agencies in Palm Beach area. But to choose a reputed and licensed home care agency can be a difficult task. So, it is important to consider some important things before hiring any caregiver.

A reputed and licensed Palm Beach home care agency can provide you well-trained and experienced caregivers with a positive track record. They can provide different types of home care services ranging from partial assistance to round-the-clock 24-hour care. They can help the elders in all their day to day activities.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prRKfFmJpfo[/youtube]

So, now the question is, how can you find the best health care agency in Palm Beach for the aging, or disabled members of your family? How can you be sure that they have the proper training and credentials? Go through below listed points to come out from all these questions?

1. Estimate your budget – Fee for different home care agencies can vary, so first find how much you can afford before selecting any one.

2. Ask friends or family members – Usually the first source people reach out to. Ask them if they have ever hired any caregiver, find out what they like about them.

3. Use your insurance policy- Many caregivers in Palm Beach accept health insurance. Check out if you have an insurance policy which includes coverage for senior citizen home care plans. If you want to save some of your money then you should go for a caregiver who can accept your insurance policy. Don’t forget to discuss about this with the caregiver.

4. Do a Google search – You can also search online for the best health care agency in Palm Beach who can perfectly do the job for you. If they have personal websites or blogs, explore them and review their services.

5. Go for a licensed and reputed home care agency as they can provide the best services for helping the aging and disabled family members of your home. Licensed companies can offer excellent services because the license organization of Palm Beach issues license to companies which have trained employees with a nursing or medical degree.

6. Tell the caregiver about the issues and problems which your elders are facing and how you want the caregiver to help them.

You need to carefully follow mentioned above tips to find the best agency for home health care. Palm beach, Florida has many experienced and professional caregivers who can help the elderly in all their activities of daily living.

About the Author: The writer of this article is associated with CareGivers of America. They provide a range of health care services that respond to the needs of seniors and disabled people in Palm Beach. Website:

caregiversofamerica.com/

Source:

isnare.com

Permanent Link:

isnare.com/?aid=1600926&ca=Home+Management}

Wikinews Shorts: April 9, 2007
">

Wikinews Shorts: April 9, 2007
Author:     07 30th, 2018 in Uncategorized     No Comments »

A compilation of brief news reports for Monday, April 9, 2007.

Contents

  • 1 Three-year-old New Zealander chokes to death on candy
  • 2 Golf: Zach Johnson wins 71st Masters
  • 3 New York couple taking taxi to Arizona
  • 4 Vocational nurse charged with fatal Houston fire
  • 5 Iran starts industrial-scale production of nuclear fuel

The New Zealand Police has reported that a three-year-old boy choked to death on Saturday afternoon, due to what they believe was a piece of candy at his birthday party.

The parents did call New Zealand’s emergency number, 1-1-1, after their son alerted his parents to the fact that he was choking. The paramedics were unable to revive the Napier boy when they arrived at the scene.

The case has been referred to a coroner.

Sources

Relatively unknown golfer Zach Johnson won the 71st Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. Johnson shot 3-under-par 69 in Sunday’s fourth round, to win by 2 strokes over Tiger Woods, Retief Goosen, and Rory Sabbattini.

Johnson won a purse worth US$1,305,000 and a lifetime qualification to the Masters Tournament, held annually at the Augusta National Golf Club.

Sources

A couple living in New York City have decided to take a taxi all the way to Arizona. Betty and Bob Matas are retiring and leaving the city for good. What started as joke, has become reality, in part to spare their cats from traveling in a jetliner cargo-hold. They have negotiated a US$3,000 flat fee instead of the metered rate, which was estimated at US$5,000.

Sources

A vocational nurse working for Dr. John Capriotti, a plastic surgeon, was accused of setting the fire that wounded several and killed three people in Houston, Texas on March 28. She was allegedly trying to cover up the fact that she hadn’t completed the paperwork for an upcoming audit.

The fire began in Dr. Capriotti’s office on the fifth floor and quickly spread to the sixth. Arson investigators from the Houston Fire Department, the FBI and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had been working to determine the source of the fire.

Sources

Iran announced that it has started industrial scale production of nuclear fuel involving hundreds of centrifuges. The announcement comes as President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reasserts his nation’s nuclear rights in the face of two rounds of sanctions by the UN Security Council, which is seeking a halt to such work.

The United States denounced the declaration, saying it showed Iran was defying the international community.

Sources









 


This page is archived, and is no longer publicly editable.


Articles presented on Wikinews reflect the specific time at which they were written and published, and do not attempt to encompass events or knowledge which occur or become known after their publication.


Got a correction? Add the template {{editprotected}} to the talk page along with your corrections, and it will be brought to the attention of the administrators.


Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections.


Note that some listed sources or external links may no longer be available online due to age.
















 
 This page is archived, and is no longer publicly editable.


Articles presented on Wikinews reflect the specific time at which they were written and published, and do not attempt to encompass events or knowledge which occur or become known after their publication.


Got a correction? Add the template {{editprotected}} to the talk page along with your corrections, and it will be brought to the attention of the administrators.


Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections.


Note that some listed sources or external links may no longer be available online due to age. 












        

        
      
            
 18 dead after multiple twisters strike US Midwest
">
        

          
18 dead after multiple twisters strike US Midwest
        

        
		
 Author:
                       
          07 30th, 2018          in
          Uncategorized             
                    No Comments »        

        

          




Monday, April 3, 2006


High winds and multiple tornadoes caused destruction across the American Midwest yesterday, killing 18 people when they hit five states in the early evening, although that figure is expected to rise.


In Dyer County, Tennessee alone, 12 people were killed, and in Gibson County, Tennessee, a further three were lost, bringing the death toll up to 15 in that state alone. The remaining three lives were lost in Missouri as a result of high winds, although the freak weather also hit the states of Arkansas, Kentucky, Ohio and Illinois.


When asked about the storms which caused chaos in Tennessee, Dyer County Sherriff Jeffrey Holt said, “This hit about 7:40 last night, so the warnings were out. They were being tracked all the way across Arkansas and Missouri as it was coming in. We had plenty of warnings, I think, just the amount of destruction in the area is what caused our fatality count to get so high. Destruction is almost absolute total destruction along some of the path of this. There’s just nothing left of houses but foundation.”


Numerous power failures were reported across the affected areas, with some county authorities reporting that the blackouts may go on for several days.


A dispatcher in Pemiscot County, Missouri informed the press that, as of Monday morning, some people were still trapped in their houses as a result of the storms.


In Illinois, tornadoes touched down across at least seven counties according to local emergency officials, but no-one was severely injured or killed. The Emergency Management spokesperson for Illinois Patti Thompson reported that a large storm front which spanned the breadth of America from Illinois southwards was the cause of last night’s dramatic weather.


In the state of Ohio, a Wilmington-based meteorologist informed members of the Associated Press that “In every county in southwest Ohio there has been some type of damage.”


Repair costs for damage across the affected area are expected to be six-figure sums, and extensive work to replace destroyed segments of the infrastructure such as gas and power supplies is already underway, said officials in all seven of the states hit this morning. The current death toll is expected to rise today, with at least one more unconfirmed death reported in Missouri already.





        

        
      
            
 Commonwealth Bank of Australia CEO apologies for financial planning scandal
">
        

          
Commonwealth Bank of Australia CEO apologies for financial planning scandal
        

        
		
 Author:
                       
          07 30th, 2018          in
          Uncategorized             
                    No Comments »        

        

          




Thursday, July 3, 2014


Ian Narev, the CEO of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, this morning “unreservedly” apologised to clients who lost money in a scandal involving the bank’s financial planning services arm.


Last week, a Senate enquiry found financial advisers from the Commonwealth Bank had made high-risk investments of clients’ money without the clients’ permission, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars lost. The Senate enquiry called for a Royal Commission into the bank, and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).


Mr Narev stated the bank’s performance in providing financial advice was “unacceptable”, and the bank was launching a scheme to compensate clients who lost money due to the planners’ actions.


In a statement Mr Narev said, “Poor advice provided by some of our advisers between 2003 and 2012 caused financial loss and distress and I am truly sorry for that. […] There have been changes in management, structure and culture. We have also invested in new systems, implemented new processes, enhanced adviser supervision and improved training.”


An investigation by Fairfax Media instigated the Senate inquiry into the Commonwealth Bank’s financial planning division and ASIC.


Whistleblower Jeff Morris, who reported the misconduct of the bank to ASIC six years ago, said in an article for The Sydney Morning Herald that neither the bank nor ASIC should be in control of the compensation program.









        

        
      
            

        « Previous Entries        Next Entries »