By Stefanos EvripidouNATURAL GAS and a Cyprus peace solution would provide “great” benefits to all Cypriots and help spread peace and security in the region, said President Nicos Anastasiades in an interview with Turkish daily Milliyet yesterday.In the front page interview, the president’s first with Turkish media since taking office, Anastasiades spoke about regional gas cooperation, a Cyprus solution and his father’s relationship with Turkish Cypriots.According to Milliyet, Anastasiades said the exploitation of natural gas and a Cyprus solution was a game-changer, which could resolve the problems between Cyprus and Turkey, and lead to regional cooperation to the benefit of all.Given Cyprus’ efforts to exploit its natural gas, with a Cyprus peace solution, “The equation changes completely,” he said.“Cyprus may become a transit hub for natural gas for the wider region going in all directions. The market and the economy will propose the best solutions and not the military might of one or the other,” he said, in a likely reference to what has been described as Turkey’s “gunboat diplomacy”- sending out the Turkish navy to press its claims over natural resources in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone.“In such a case, the benefits for the whole population of Cyprus would be huge. Our vision is the peace and prosperity of all the people in the region.”Regarding peace talks, they will likely start in the autumn.Anastasiades told Milliyet that there was no ulterior motive for the delay of a few months. He highlighted that all energy was spent on tackling the unprecedented economic crisis Cyprus is facing now.When talks will start, they should end with success, not failure, he said, adding that he did not want to act hastily by launching talks before he was ready.At the same time, Anastasiades said he was aware of the urgent need for a solution to the Cyprus problem.Asked about his position on the Annan plan and whether he had changed since then, the president reminded that the Annan plan was proposed ten years ago, in different conditions and a different economic climate.“The Annan plan is now history,” he said, noting that not even its authors were trying to resurrect it.It helps no one to start discussion on the Annan plan, or to start peace talks from scratch, he said.The name given to a solution is not important, but its content is, said Anastasiades, who acknowledged that certain faites accomplis created on the ground are now irreversible.However, one could still have a vision for a solution that respects the human rights of Greek Cypriots, and Turkish Cypriots, is in line with the EU acquis, and is accepted by society, he said.Anastasiades rejected the argument that Greek Cypriots don’t want a solution, adding the pain and suffering of Greek Cypriots in 1974 must also be acknowledged.Asked if he had any message for Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, he said a Cyprus solution would benefit all people on the island and was owed as compensation to those who suffered and to the new generations so they never have to relive the tragedy experienced by their parents.Solving the Cyprus problem would also have a positive impact on the people of the region, as well as strengthen regional security and world peace.Asked about his own experiences growing up, Anastasiades referred to a policeman who went by the nickname Risoto.He told Milliyet that Risoto grew up in a village cohabited by a Turkish Cypriot man named Ibrahim Sahali who was like a father to Risoto.In 1974, the policeman received a call from Sahali asking him to help the village which was under attack by extremist EOKA members.Risoto went to the village and demanded that no one touch any Turkish Cypriot.“Risoto was my father,” Anastasiades told the paper.Asked whether the president had linked gas exploration to a Cyprus solution, deputy government spokesman Victoras Papadopoulos said, on the contrary, the president’s statements delink the Cyprus problem with natural gas.“The processes for discovering and exploiting the natural gas resources are proceeding normally and they are not linked with a solution to the Cyprus problem.”Anastasiades’ position is that if a solution to the Cyprus problem is reached “in a just and balanced manner and in a way which will secure the viability of the solution, then and only then the paths will open for cooperation with whomever in the region,” said Papadopoulos.You May LikeLivestlyChip And Joanna’s $18M Mansion Is Perfect, But It’s The Backyard Everyone Is Talking AboutLivestlyUndoPopularEverythingColorado Mom Adopted Two Children, Months Later She Learned Who They Really ArePopularEverythingUndoSenior Living | Search AdsCheap Senior Apartments in Rowland Heights Are Turning HeadsSenior Living | Search AdsUndo Pensioner dies after crash on Paphos-Polis roadUndoCruise passenger airlifted to Paphos hospitalUndoRemand for pair in alleged property fraud (Updated)Undoby Taboolaby Taboola
Categories: News State Rep. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, was honored during a recent Michigan FFA/Michigan Farm Bureau legislative reception at the capitol in downtown Lansing for his work to add vocational training options to the Michigan Merit Curriculum high school graduation requirements. Michael Dohlberg, left, and Tyler Clappaert of the Stephenson FFA Region VI Chapter in Menominee County attended the reception, followed by a tour of the House and Senate before returning to the group’s 85th state convention on the Michigan State University campus as part of the annual Agriculture and Natural Resources Week, March 4-8. 07Mar McBroom earns Michigan FFA recognition
State Rep. Dave Pagel talks with guest Mike Hildebrand who serves as Oronoko Township supervisor prior to the 2014 State of the State address. Categories: Pagel Photos,State of the State 17Jan Pagel welcomes Oronoko Township supervisor to Capitol for governor’s State of the State address
State. Rep Tim Kelly, R-Saginaw Township, invites local residents to tune in to his monthly radio broadcast the first Sunday of every month on “Issues and Answers”, a public affairs program that airs on the Saginaw radio stations of Cumulus Broadcasting.Kelly will use his 15-minute monthly segment on the show to invite a special guest for an insightful conversation regarding local and state government issues and more.Kelly’s segment airs on the first Sunday of every month at the following times:5 a.m. on 93.3 WKQZ5 a.m. on 104.5 WILZ5:30 a.m. on 102.5 WIOG6 a.m. on 96.1 WHNN“It’s important to focus on open communication and ensure that the local community is aware of upcoming issues,” Kelly said. “I look forward to covering a broad spectrum of topics and working closely with these radio stations to better inform Saginaw area residents on matters facing Michigan families today.”“Issues and Answers” is a weekly program hosted by Hal Maas the remainder of the month.Kelly and his staff can be reached toll free at 855-94KELLY (855-945-3559), via email at TimKelly@house.mi.gov and by mail at P.O. Box 30014, Lansing, MI 48909.#### 04Feb Rep. Kelly invites local residents to listen to monthly radio segment Categories: Kelly News
04Feb Rep. Callton chosen as Legislator of the Year by state optometric association LANSING – Rep. Mike Callton, R-Nashville, was named Legislator of the Year by the Michigan Optometric Association (MOA) Wednesday during an association awards lunch at the Michigan State University.“This is an honor I certainly appreciate,” said Rep. Callton, a licensed chiropractor. “Receiving an award from fellow medical professionals means just that much more to me.”MOA is a Lansing-based organization that seeks to advance and support optometry in serving Michigan’s eye care needs. Categories: News
04Jan Rep. Howell announces January office hours State Rep. Gary Howell of North Branch has announced his local office hours for Monday, Jan. 8 at the following times and locations:9:30 to 11 a.m. at John’s Country Kitchen, 1829 S. Cedar St. in Imlay City; and2:30 to 4 p.m. at Hungry Dan’s Restaurant, 195 W. Genesee St. in Lapeer.“I am looking forward to sitting down with residents in Lapeer County and discussing the important issues facing our community and the state of Michigan in 2018,” Howell said. “As we kick off the new year in Lansing, I remain committed to being open and accessible to the people in my district. I welcome anyone who has ideas, issues, or concerns to join me.”No appointment is necessary. Those unable to attend may contact Rep. Howell at 517-373-1800 or via email at GaryHowell@house.mi.gov. Categories: Howell News,News
Categories: Rendon News 22Feb Rep. Rendon prioritizes funding for road repairs this year Plan helps Kalkaska, Roscommon and entire stateState Rep. Daire Rendon of Lake City on Wednesday voted in favor of a plan to invest an additional $175 million into road repairs across Michigan as soon as possible.“We can improve our roads without higher taxes and without cutting spending elsewhere,” Rep. Rendon said. “This plan will significantly help our communities and develop better quality roads for all Michigan drivers.”The money included in the bill approved this week comes in addition to previous changes that provide more funding for road and bridge projects in MichiganThe new bill includes money for counties, cities and villages throughout MichiganSome of the estimated local allocations include Missaukee County ($304,896), Crawford County ($265,859), Kalkaska County ($323,409), Roscommon County ($409,850), Ogemaw County ($329,974), Lake City ($7796), McBain ($6,933), Grayling ($15,421), Village of Kalkaska ($19,581), and Village of Roscommon ($9,939).The money is left over from a previous state government budget cycle and is already available, meaning no budget cuts or additional fees are required for the investment.House Bill 4321 advances to the Senate for further consideration.###
13Mar Rep. Wozniak plan protects citizens’ rights, promotes local control State Rep. Doug Wozniak today introduced a bill protecting the rights of local citizens who live near oil or gas fields.House Bill 4317 would restrict oil and gas drilling in Michigan’s most populated counties and require state agencies to abide by local ordinances when issuing permits. The bill is part of a two-bill package.“Citizens’ concerns must be heard, and the state must listen to residents and the local governments that represent them when oil and gas companies seek permits in our cities and suburbs,” said Wozniak, of Shelby Township. “These common-sense protections will keep oil and gas wells from being drilled too closely to neighborhoods where they could seriously impact quality of life.”State Rep. Kyra Bolden introduced the other bill in the package, House Bill 4318. Together the bills would bar the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality from issuing a drilling permit in counties with populations of 750,000 or more, with three exceptions:The proposed well is at least 2,000 feet from a residential building.The location and operation of the proposed well is in compliance with applicable local ordinances.The MDEQ has hosted a public hearing in the city, village or township in which the proposed well will be located and has considered the public’s input from that hearing.The bills have been referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation for further consideration.### Categories: News,Wozniak News
Categories: Mueller News State Rep. Mike Mueller of Linden celebrated March is Reading Month by reading to 315 students at five local schools.“Reading is critical to a child’s development,” Rep. Mueller said. “It is our responsibility to show young people the importance of reading and instill a love for books. When we invest in them this way, we give our young people a head-start to a successful education and future. I hope you will continue reading to the children in your life throughout the year.”March is Reading Month is an annual educational program designed to recognize the importance of reading inside and outside of the classroom.PHOTO INFORMATION: State Rep. Mike Mueller reads to a group of students at a local elementary school for March is Reading Month. 02Apr Rep. Mueller reads to local students
ShareTweetShareEmail0 Shares June 22, 2014; Boston GlobeOn the South Shore of Boston, parishioners at the St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Church in Scituate have staged a round-the-clock vigil to prevent the archdiocese from “repurposing” or selling the building. And this past Saturday, despite word that the Vatican’s highest court had denied their final appeal, they vowed to continue.Jon Rogers, a member of Friends of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, said they would not willingly give up their place. “They’re going to have to arrest us,” said Rogers. “But we would hope that…the time for real negotiations is at hand.”The land is quite valuable. It is situated in a scenic seaside community very close to Scituate’s Egypt Beach, where half-acre lots with no buildings can sell for a half-million dollars. Rogers wants the archdiocese to sell the church building, parish center, and parking lot to the congregation, dispensing with or selling the additional 25 acres of property as they see fit.Cardinal Sean O’Malley has not met with parishioners in about eight years, and even then, said Rogers, the tone of the meeting was “pleasantries and platitudes.” But, speaking for the Archdiocese, Terrence C. Donilon says that a sale to the congregation was not an option. “We’re not going to sell to them because what they want to do is not what a Catholic parish is,” Donilon said. “It’s just not going to happen.”Apparently, the church has diverged from what a normal Catholic parish does, because in the absence of a priest, two women from the congregation take turns leading the devotions. One of the women is 79-year-old Barbara Nappa, a parishioner for 50 years, who says she is only doing what the church needs. “Jesus had so many women followers and apostles…it’s about time the women stepped up,” Nappa said. “We’re needed and we’re here.”She adds, “But when I looked out and saw the faces of all the people wanting to hear the word of the Lord, I said, ‘I’m here.’ ”Parishioner Nancy Fay, 52, was baptized at the church, attended its nursery school, and in 2011 held her mother’s funeral there. “I’ve lost a lot of my faith in the church of the archdiocese, but I haven’t lost my faith in God,” Fay said. “That’s why I still come here…. This just has soul, and it has meaning here. It’s not just a building.”—Ruth McCambridgeShareTweetShareEmail0 Shares
HBO Central Europe has appointed Antony Root executive vice-president, original programming and production and he will fill the position vacated by Marc Lorber earlier this year.Root will oversee drama, documentary and entertainment programming at HBO CE, reporting to CEO, Linda Jensen.Root has been working as a consultant and his previous experience includes a stint as senior vice-president of European production at Sony Pictures Television and president of Granada Entertainment USA.Jensen said: “I am delighted to welcome Antony Root to HBO Central Europe, his skills and long experience of international production will be invaluable as we continue to invest in programming for our region.”Root takes the role previously filled by Marc Lorber. He joined the company from Marvista in November 2009 and departed in January of this year. During his tenure, HBO CE started production on several local versions of US HBO series In Treatment.
Neelie Kroes, the European Commission vice-president, has unveiled a plan to set out recommendations on network neutrality.Kroes plans to require ISPs to provide clear information on the real speeds offered to subscribers along with detailed information on limits and restrictions.Kroes’ announcement came as the European telecom regulators group BEREC released a survey of practices by fixed and mobile ISPs that showed that a significant number of mobile broadband users had contracts that allowed their service provider to restrict access to certain services, while about 20% of fixed-line ISPs implemented restrictions at peak times.
Media Broadcast (Stand D34) has launched a new cable headened service, featuring over 250 TV and radio channels.The core of the project is a central headend in Media Broadcast’s earth station in Usingen. This is where the central signal contribution and processing of the programmes delivered by satellite or digital cable takes place. The transmission of the complete bouquet to network operators is carried out via Media Broadcast’s Broadcast NGN. The local signal transfer takes place at specific interfaces of the Broadcast NGN.In addition, it is planning to develop local headends and to support regional network cabling as part of is service offering.Media Broadcast plans to deliver headend services from autumn.
GOtv, a new pay TV offering for Nigeria, has launched on the country’s digital-terrestrial TV platform.GOtv is using DVB-T2 modulation to deliver two bouquets of channels, GOtv and GOtv Plus, priced at NGN1,000 (€4.80) and NGN1,500 respectively. New customers can receive digital receivers and three months subscription for NGN8,000 for GOtv or NGN9,500 for GOtv Plus.GOtv general manager Mayo Okunola said at a launch event in Lagos that the service was aimed squarely at low and middle-income customers.
Streaming via a PC is more popular than connected TVs and other devices across Europe’s major markets, with subscription services being more popular than à la carte rental or purchase, according to a survey carried out by technology company Rovi, which provides the DivX video format widely used in consumer devices.Rovi surveyed 13,700 DivX users in the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy via an opt-in survey. Some 48% had streamed a movie or TV show, with the PC the preferred device of 68% of users, followed by connected TVs and Blu-ray players, preferred by 20%. Only 4% preferred to stream to a tablet, with games consoles and smartphones trailing with 3% and 2% respectively.Some 53% of respondents said they primarily used subscription services, with à la carte rental preferred by 29% and à la carte purchase by 18%.Asked to rank which parts of the streaming experience were most important to them, 44% of users cited video quality and 21% cited convenience. The selection on offer was cited by 20%, with price cited by 15%. Some 51% named smooth fast-forward and rewind as the function they would most like to see offered as part of the streaming experience. Some 64% said they had experiences buffering or stuttering when attempting to stream a movie, with 48% suffering the movie crashing or stopping playing. Some 45% said they had experienced poor picture quality and 25% said they had experienced login failure. Cost was the factor cited by the majority of those who had yet to purchase a movie online, followed by concerns over permanency of ownership, quality and lack of features.Overall, Blu-ray discs were the video consumption format preferred by 41% of respondents, followed by DVD with 32%, web video with 15% and streaming to connected devices with 12%.Results varied considerably between countries. Streaming was more popular than average in the UK, with 53% of DivX users having streamed a movie or show, with connected devices being more popular compared with PCs than the European average. A much higher than average proportion – 83% – said they had experienced buffering or stuttering when streaming. In Germany, only 45% of users had streamed a movie or TV show, compared with 56% in France and only 24% in Spain. Italy was the country with the highest proportion of those who had streamed a movie, at 60%.Separately, Rovi has entered into an agreement with Panasonic’s semiconductor business unit to integrate its DivX Plus adaptive streaming technology into the UniPhier series of digital TV and Blu-ray chipsets.“The agreement with Panasonic SoC is evidence of the momentum of DivX Plus Streaming and will help quickly fuel expansion of the ecosystem of digital entertainment products that support this next-generation technology,” said Matt Milne, executive vice-president, worldwide sales and marketing, Rovi. “DivX Plus Streaming offers an end-to-end solution for retailers, and CE and IC manufacturers that is lightweight and easy to integrate yet provides the benefits of a flexible DRM framework for the secure encoding, delivery and consumption of streamed video content.”
Viewing of on-demand content on TVs and mobile devices in the UK is growing, while viewing on desktops and laptops has peaked, according to a study by Kantar Media.According to Kantar’s futureProof study, the overall percentage of adults watching on-demand services has remained consistent across the year at 47%, but the number of people watching VOD on a TV set has grown by 16%, while the number viewing on-demand content via tablets has doubled and the number viewing on mobile phones has grown by 39%.In total, some 33% of adults have watched on-demand through a TV set in the last month, followed by laptops and desktops with 20%, and tablets and mobile phones with 5% each.Kantar Media surveyed about 2,000 UK residents in February and August this year.
Polish cable operator Vectra is offering a tablet, notebook computer or Xbox Kinect console to new subscribers who sign up before Christmas.New customers will receive the device for the token price of PLN0.01 (€. The company is offering a choice of Huawei S7 tablet, Acer Aspire One D270 notebook or an Xbox 360 250GB console.
Telekom Austria is reportedly in the running against private equity firms to buy cable operator Serbia Broadband (SBB) for up to €1 billion. According to a Bloomberg report, Telekom Austria is back in contention after “dropping off a shortlist” of firms looking at SBB’s accounts.Other bidders include Providence Equity Partners, Cinven Advisers and Altice Finco, said Bloomberg, citing people with knowledge of the talks.Telekom Austria would have to sell new shares to fund the purchase and could buy Serbia Broadband, which is owned by private equity firm Mid Europa Partners, for as much as 10 times its estimated EBITDA, the report said.Announcing its first half and second quarter results earlier this month, Telekom Austria made TV gains but reported a decline in revenues, which it attributed to regulatory burdens, fierce competition and macroeconomic headwinds in CEE.Telekom Austria is part-owned by Latin American telecom operator América Móvil, which bought a 21% stake in the firm last year. This month América Móvil also announced plans to make a €7.2 billion bid for Dutch operator KPN.
Russian pay TV operator NTV+ is launching a new sports channel, NTV+ SportHit. The channel will be part of the Supersport Zapad (West) and Supersport packages from October 19, with content available in both standard and high-definition.NTV+ SportHit will include UEFA Champions League and Europa League football as well as coverage of tennis, basketball, hockey, volleyball, swimming , weightlifting and other sports tournaments.
BSkyB has added a feature to its Sky+ app to enable users to view photos stored on their smartphones on their TV screens. Viewers need to connect their devices to the same WiFi as their Sky+ HD boxes to see a camera icon in the navigation bar of the app. They can then click on this icon and follow the steps to view images on the TV and play a slideshow.“We know customers already love the Sky+ app and now it’s even better. The photo viewing function lets you simply, quickly and easily view photos on your TV via a connected Sky+ HD box without the need for any extra devices,” said Luke Bradley-Jones, Sky’s director of TV products.“With this update, the app will now mirror the new Sky+ homepage, with great features like smart series link and new and recommended helping customers find the TV they really want to watch. It’s all part of our commitment to make Sky+ the ultimate entertainment experience.”