GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – The US lower house of Congress, the House of Representatives, voted overwhelmingly Wednesday 2 November in favour of a resolution reconfirming the country’s motto, “In God we trust”. The motion is non-binding, reports CNS news. “The resolution approved Tuesday not only reaffirms the national motto, it also supports and encourages its public display in all public buildings, public schools and government institutions,” it reports.
Republican Randy Forbes of Virginia was behind the resolution, approved 396-9, with 8 Democrats and 1 Republican opposing it.
The motto was adopted in 1956, but it had been used on coins since 1864.
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Northern Peru was hit by a 7.0 earthquake Wednesday 24 August, centred in a remote and under-populated Amazon area. The quake was felt in the capital 600 km away and in southern Brazil. The extent of the damage is not yet known.
Scientists say there is no link between this week’s earthquakes in Peru, which has a history of strong earthquakes and on a smaller scale in Colorado in the western US and Virginia in the eastern US. The latter prompted officials to evacuate the Pentagon in nearby Washington DC, schools and several tourist attractions closed in some areas and the tall, thin, Washington monument suffered cracks at the top. It is closed to visitors indefinitely while engineers study how to repair it. The Minneapolis Star & Tribune reports that only about 5 percent of East Coast residents have earthquake insurance and that about one-third of the damages, which could be $200-300 million, are insured.
Links to other sites: CS Monitor, Denver Post, Minneapolis Star & Tribune, US government earthquake hazards programme,
Storms that have ravaged Alabama and other parts of the southeastern United States have now killed nearly 300 people, reports CNN, with the governor of Alabama saying that 131 deaths in that state alone have been officially recorded. Some of the largest tornadoes in memory ripped through the South late Wednesday and early Thursday 28 April. Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and Virginia had declared states of emergency even before the extent of the damage became clear. Entire neighbourhoods were flattened in parts of Alabama and more than 360,000 people were without power Thursday morning after the funnels, some of them an extraordinary mile wide, swept through several cities. NPR reports that it is the largest number of deaths from a single tornado “outbreak” since 315 died in 1973.
Links to other sites: al.com (Alabama news), NPR
You Tube carries several videos of the tornadoes in several parts of Alabama, including this 8-minute one, with a meteorologist from Birmingham ABC TV commenting live as a tornado sweeps into downtown Tuscaloosa, Alabama:
Alexandria, Virginia, USA (GenevaLunch) - A doctor based in Virginia in the US pleaded guilty Tuesday 16 February to conspiracy to evade taxes. This is reportedly the first IRS (US tax authority) case where a non-US bank other than Switzerland’s UBS is cited as providing advice about how to evade taxes.
Republicans made some gains in US weekend elections, with wins in two important states, New Jersey and Virginia. Bob McDonnell won the governor’s seat comfortably in Virginia and in a hotly contested gubernatorial race in New Jersey Chris Christie defeated Governor Jon Korzine. New York City’s Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a Republican, held onto his job in a close election.
Republican challengers in New Jersey and Virginia have bested their Democrat opponents in elections for governor, while in New York, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, an independent, narrowly maintainted his job over Democrat challenger, Bill Thompson, in elections 3 November.
In Virginia, Bob McDonnel easily beat his Democrat opponent to become the first Republican governor there in 12 years. In New Jersey, Chris Christie edged out billionaire first-term governor Jon Corzine. Congressional elections in New York and California are not yet decided.
The elections are seen by many as a referendum on US President Barack Obama’s first eight months in office. BBC, CNN,NPR, Reuters
A US federal court has ruled that Virginia failed to mail overseas ballots on time for voters to be able to participate in the 4 November 2008 general election. States are responsible for establishing voting rules and registering voters but they must comply with federal law and send ballots for federal elections at least 30 days ahead to overseas military and other US citizens abroad. Overseas lobbying groups such as American Citizens Abroad, which is based in Geneva, Switzerland, have been fighting to ensure that US citizens who live outside the country are able to vote easily.
Links to other sites: American Citizens Abroad, US Justice Department office of public affairs
Europe’s rising demand for cocaine and other illegal drugs has opened up new territories on Africa’s west coast to Latin American drugs cartels, which see higher margins in Europe and an easier time with the law in West African countries. The US Drugs Enforcement Agency (DEA) reports that it is seeing the same gangs it fights in Mexico and Colombia appearing in countries like Guinea-Bissau, dubbed Africa’s first “narco-state.” Rising demand from Europe and a strong Euro have fueled the supply, according to a report from George Mason University in Virginia, USA. West African countries are a trans-shipment area of choice to Europe because of its proximity and because poverty, years of war, and endemic corruption have weakened institutions that could combat drugs crime. BBC, CNN
Texas billionnaire and Antigua cricket team backer Allen Stanford was arrested in Virginia, USA, on a charge related to investigations by the US Securities and Exchange Commission that he and his companies have been running a $9.2 billion Ponzi scheme. His companies are based in Antigua, where he revived cricket as a popular sport, but in early 2009, after the financial investigations came to light, the game’s governing body cut ties with him and canceled further matches. Stanford and his wife owe the US more than $225 million in back taxes, according to the IRS, reports CNN.
Other officials in the company, including chief investment officer Laura Pendergest-Holt, are likely to be indicted on related charges, possibly 19 June. Pendergest-Holt has already been charged with lying and obsruction of justice. The Houston Chronicle carries a series of articles and video.
