Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Palestinians: 2 teams to probe Arafat's death

Investigators from France and Switzerland will conduct parallel probes into the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Palestinian officials said Monday. His remains will be exhumed, at a date kept secret, to give each team a chance to draw samples to test for poisoning.
Associated Press
Most Popular Comments
Hide / Show comments
"Suspicions of poisoning surrounding Arafat's death emerged when a deadly... MORE
And when they find proof that it was AIDS that killed him will they admit it or... MORE
advertising
RAMALLAH, West Bank — Investigators from France and Switzerland will conduct parallel probes into the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Palestinian officials said Monday. His remains will be exhumed, at a date kept secret, to give each team a chance to draw samples to test for poisoning.
The two teams are acting separately on behalf of Arafat's widow Suha Arafat and the Palestinian Authority, who each had misgivings about the other's investigation.
The push to re-examine Arafat's 2004 death come after a Swiss lab's recent discovery of polonium-210, a deadly radioactive isotope, on clothes said to belong to the Palestinian leader. This fueled new suspicions of poisoning.
The French team is composed of criminal investigators acting at the request of Suha Arafat, while the Palestinian Authority invited the Swiss lab to also come to examine the remains of the longtime leader and determine how he died eight years ago. A spokesman for neither team could be reached immediately for comment.
Arafat's death in a French hospital in November 2004 has remained a mystery for many. While the immediate cause of death was a stroke, the underlying source of an illness he suffered in his final weeks has never been clear, leading to persistent, unproven conspiracy theories that he had cancer, AIDS or was poisoned.
Suha Arafat has long had rocky relations with the Palestinian Authority's president Mahmoud Abbas, and the probes' potential to be politically explosive appears to have fueled more distrust. She had asked the Palestinian Authority to suspend any other probe or ensure that it was coordinated with the French investigation. Some Palestinian officials, for their part, said they were unhappy with the way Suha Arafat had forced a foreign investigation on them.
While their probes are separate, the French and Swiss investigators are set to visit the grave together and will only be allowed one chance to draw samples, said Tawfik Tirawi, head of the Palestinian committee investigating the death.
"The grave will be opened only one time for the two teams to take the samples," he said.
That precaution may be part of an attempt by Palestinian officials to keep the exhumation out of the public eye in hopes of avoiding a spectacle.
A senior Palestinian official said the process of digging out Arafat's remains will be conducted privately. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss plans for the exhumation.
But keeping the event a secret will likely be a challenge. Arafat lies in a giant mausoleum built by the Palestinians outside government headquarters in a central area of Ramallah. The official declined to discuss how the public and media would be kept away.
A date for the exhumation is also being kept under wraps. Tirawi refused to reveal a date, saying only that the teams were working on coordinating their arrival.
Arafat, who was 75, died at a French military hospital on Nov. 11, 2004, two weeks after he was rushed there from his West Bank headquarters with a mysterious illness.
According to French medical records, he had suffered inflammation, jaundice and a blood condition known as disseminated intravascular coagulation, or DIC, before the stroke.
The records were inconclusive about what brought about the DIC, which has numerous causes including infections, colitis and liver disease. The uncertainty fanned to speculation about the cause of his death, including the possibility of AIDS or poisoning.
Many in the Arab world believe he was killed by Israel, a charge Israel vociferously denies.
Arafat was the face of the Palestinian struggle for independence for four decades and remains a beloved figure in Palestinian society.
Israel viewed him as an obstacle to peace, holding him responsible for the Palestinian uprising that broke out in 2000 and confining him to his headquarters in Ramallah in his final years.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Cuba to make foreign travel easier for citizens


Cuba to make foreign travel easier for citizens

Most Cubans will be able to leave without exit visa, though restrictions remain on some workers to prevent brain drain
Raul Castro
The Cuban president, Raúl Castro, who has relaxed migration rules. Photograph: Alejandro Ernesto/AP
Cuba will open its exit doors wider than at any time in 50 years as a result of migration reforms announced on Tuesday that will make it easier for citizens to travel overseas.
Under the new government policy, most islanders will no longer require an exit visa or a letter of invitation to leave the country, raising the prospect of increased travel to the United States and elsewhere.
However, there will continue to be restrictions on certain sectors of society, including doctors, scientists and members of the military, in an effort to prevent a brain drain of personnel who have benefited most from Cuba's highly regarded state education and health systems.
The major shift in migration policy follows economic and social reforms by the president, Raúl Castro, that loosen controls on sales of private property, mobile phone ownership and hotel stays and aim to make the island more attractive to foreign investors.
The exit visa system dates back to 1961, when the government tightened border controls to stem a flood of migrants amid tensions with the US and unease among some sectors of society about the 1959 revolution that put Fidel Castro in power.
Its abolition – which will come into effect before 14 January – is likely to be popular because it will save time and money for tourists and those who want to work overseas or visit relatives among the large diaspora in the US. Exit visas currently cost about $150 – about a third of the average monthly wage.
The change – which was promised by Raúl Castro when he became president in 2008 – was announced by the Communist party newspaper Granma.
"As part of the work under way to update the current migratory policy and adjust it to the conditions of the present and the foreseeable future, the Cuban government, in exercise of its sovereignty, has decided to eliminate the procedure of the exit visa for travel to the exterior," read the notice.
The government has also extended the length of time that Cubans can stay overseas – without losing their social security, health benefits and voting rights – from 11 to 24 months.
The reform will have political ramifications beyond the island's borders. There are thought to be more than a million Cubans in the US, which has a longstanding policy of granting citizenship to almost all migrants from the island, on which Washington has imposed an economic embargo.
Sharp economic disparities, political differences and migration controls have prompted countless Cubans to migrate illegally in recent decades. Thousands travel via Mexico and other countries in Central America each year, sometimes at great risk in unsafe boats.
Under the new system, travellers should only need a passport and a visa from the country they intend to visit. But government critics said controls on the movement of dissidents were likely to continue, through denials of passports and other restrictions.
"The devil is in the details," tweeted Yoani Sánchez, a dissident blogger who was detained by the authorities earlier this month. She said the new law could be used to prevent overseas travel by Cubans who "organise or participate in actions that are hostile against the country's political foundation".
Most citizens were thought likely to welcome the change.
"There have been many expectations for many years about a new travel law. It's a big step forward that will save us money and simplify the process," the office worker Rafael Pena told Reuters reporters in Havana.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Taliban attack wounds teen activist blogger, for wanting an education



By Shaan Khan, CNN
Watch this video

Taliban gunmen shot teen activist

Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Malala Yousufzai's courageous blogging against the Taliban set her apart from other 14-year-old Pakistani girls.
Growing up in a region once dominated by the Islamic extremists, she knew the fear associated with the word Taliban.
One of her fears came to pass Tuesday, when gunmen sought her out and opened fire on her school van, leaving her seriously wounded along with two other classmates.
The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, Taliban spokesman Ihsnaullah Ishan told CNN. Ishan blamed the shooting on Malala's activist blogging.
Although she is now hospitalized in stable condition and "out of immediate danger," a bullet is lodged in Malala's neck and will be difficult to remove, her doctor said.
The attack began when armed militants stopped a van as it was taking her and two other girls home from school. The attackers asked which girl was Malala, said Kainat Bibi, one of the wounded girls. When the girls pointed Malala out, the men opened fire, Bibi said, wounding the girls before the van's driver was able to speed away. The other two girls' injuries were not considered life-threatening.
Malala lives in northwest Pakistan's Swat Valley -- one of the nation's most conservative regions. Her frustration with the Taliban's restrictions on female education in her town prompted her to use the Internet and speak out, effectively making herself a target.
She reached out to the outside world online, taking a stand by writing about her daily battle with extremist militants who used fear and intimidation to force girls to stay at home.
"I had a terrible dream yesterday with military helicopters and the Taliban," she wrote in January 2009. "I have had such dreams since the launch of the military operation in Swat. My mother made me breakfast and I went off to school. I was afraid going to school because the Taliban had issued an edict banning all girls from attending schools."
Malala's shooting has sparked national outrage -- forcing Pakistanis to take a harsh look at how extremist elements are shaping the nation. "Our society is going through a very critical phase," said Aazadi Fateh Muhammad, a professor of mass communications at Federal Urdu University Karachi, in an e-mail to CNN. "Civil society and civilians are in a war with militants and terrorists in every part of the region."
The attack on Malala, Muhammad said, is an example of this war. "Dark hands," she said, tried to attack Malala's cause, "but it will discourage many others who are fighting for light."
The Taliban controlled Malala's valley for years until 2009, when the military cleared it in an operation that also evacuated thousands of families.
Last year, Malala told CNN she feared "being beheaded by the Taliban because of my passion for education. During their rule, the Taliban used to march into our houses to check whether we were studying or watching television."
She described how she used to hide her books under her bed, fearing a house search by the Taliban.
Malala's online writing against the Taliban led to her being awarded Pakistan's first National Peace Prize last November. Former Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani directed Pakistan's Cabinet to award the prize each year to a child under 18 who contributes to peace and education.
President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the attack, which prompted outrage among residents on local media sites. Also condemning the attack was Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, who spoke with Malala's father on the phone Tuesday, according to a statement from the prime minister's office.
Journalists Nasir Habib and Noreen Shams contributed to this report.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

7 Fundraising Tips to Help Nonprofits Weather the Recession



Fundraising in a Recession

Yes, we agree that "desperate times require desperate measures," but we also like the saying, "don't let them see you sweat."
Marc A. Pitman, author of Ask Without Fear!, has written that fundraisers need to avoid these "deadly" mistakes during a recession:
  • spend less on fundraising
  • become pessimistic
  • apologize when you're asking
In that spirit we offer these suggestions:

1. Don't become or sound desperate.

Instead, emphasize to your donors that every year, good or bad, your needs continue. Don't talk about grand plans for expansion, but do talk about solid plans for today. Don't lose your enthusiasm and optimism about your cause. Donors will notice and pull back if they think that you, the fundraiser, has doubts.
If your organization is in human services and the need for those services increases during a recession, let the public know. Emphasize that your organization's survival is crucial because of the clients you serve. Tell your client's stories but not in a desperate way that demeans them. Show their strength in the face of diversity and invite your supporters to help them.

2. Prove that you are responsible.

Let your donors know that you are doing your part by being fiscally responsible. Cut costs where you can, make sure you have good controls in place, and that you are examining marginal programs for possible deletion. Keep your money safe by making sure it is in FDIC insured banks. Avoid non-insured investments.

3. Don't give up on your corporate and cause-marketing activities.

Gifts may decrease, but keep your corporate contacts strong. It is very hard to get back on the corporate charitable list if you are dropped. Avoid this by staying visible, and keep cultivating your contacts within the company. Likewise, don't give up on cause-related marketing. Companies are finding that these activities pay off for them with consumer loyalty.
Remember too that just because a company's stock price has been depressed doesn't mean that it is not a strong company. Look at the balance sheet to identify companies that are in a good position, and that will likely come back strong from the economic meltdown.

4. Diversify your funding sources by identifying all types of financial support.

Avoid depending on one or two major donors or foundations. Most charitable giving is made up of small donations. If you are not doing direct mail to a large base of supporters, start working toward doing so.
Use the Internet to reach more people. The cost is low so that donations can be smaller. Those add up quickly. Explore payment options with low transaction costs and online donation sites.

5. Put your fundraising programs under the microscope.

Determine which fundraising programs work best and are the most efficient in terms of resources. Then cut the least efficient ones and shift those resources to the ones that are doing the most good.
Maybe that big special event eats up precious time and resources for very little return. Or the product sale you started last year just doesn't seem worth the time and effort. But, don't let the money and volunteer time you use in those efforts just dissipate. Put them to use by expanding the annual campaign or making more major donor calls or doing another planned giving seminar.

6. Don't pull the plug on major campaigns, but do slow down.

If you were starting a capital campaign (or endowment campaign) when the economic crisis hit, don't stop. But do slow down. Recognize that getting those lead gifts in the size you want will take longer and be dependent on how the economy is doing.
If you ask for a multi-year gift, and the donor resists, fall back to asking for part of that gift now, and plan to go back later for the rest. Donors are understandably shy about making long-term commitments in this economic environment.

7. Keep up your marketing and PR.

Building buzz about your good work will help you with your donors. The more they know and see your name about, the more likely they are to contribute to your cause. Got PR professionals on your board or committees? Seek their advice before you launch anything big. Let them organize a PR/Marketing Committee that might bring in other professionals to help. See if their firms can do pro bono work or work at a discount. This kind of help is really priceless.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

10 Tips for Growing Your Family Business

http://www.scribd.com/doc/108855972



Family businesses bring special rewards, such as inherent trust, the camaraderie of working with loved ones and the joy of building a lasting legacy. However, running a family business also poses some special challenges. Perhaps that's why, according to the Family Business Institute, fewer than one-third of family businesses last beyond the first generation and just 12 percent survive to the third generation. How can you make sure your family business doesn't fall victim to those odds?

 Follow these 10 tips. 
  1. Run your family business like a business. If most or all of your key employees are family members, it's easy to get sloppy about things like keeping your corporation in compliance, properly documenting decisions or maintaining accurate financial records. Always treat your business like a business.
  2. Create a succession plan. If you want your business to survive, you must develop a plan for what will happen when you retire, die or otherwise exit the company. But a recent PricewaterhouseCoopers survey found that nearly half of family businesses had no succession plan. Enlist your accountant, attorney, key employees and family members in developing a succession plan that details who will take on key roles.
3.       Develop leadership among all employees. Hold regular performance reviews for family and nonfamily employees alike. Provide training in-house, through local community college and adult education programs, or through industry associations to develop employees' strengths and streamline the succession process.
4.       Don't play favorites. If non-family employees believe they have no chance of moving up in the company, they'll quickly become resentful and unmotivated. Set a clear path to promotion and advancement for both family and non-family employees.
5.       Separate business and family expenses. You might be tempted to make loans from the company to family members, or to let them write off personal expenses (such as the purchase of a car or vacation home) as business expenses. Even if such actions don't get you in trouble with the IRS, they will foster resentment among non-family employees.
6.       Set boundaries. Decide when discussing the business is allowed and when it's off-limits (such as during dinner, or at holiday gatherings). This helps ensure that family relationships don't revolve solely around business and aren't poisoned by business conflicts.
7.       Communicate openly. Non-family employees often feel they're kept in the dark about the inner workings of family businesses. Whenever possible, share information openly with family and nonfamily employees alike.
8.       Don't guarantee employment.  Each family member should have an opportunity to work in the business, but not everyone will be suited to continue doing so. Base hiring decisions on the business's - not the family member's-needs. Talk to your attorney about structuring the business so that  nonemployee family members can still have some ownership.
9.       Learn to resolve conflicts. Business conflicts can infect family relationships; family problems can flare up disguised as business issues. Develop a plan for dealing with business-related disagreements between family members, both those who work in the business and those who do not.
10.   Get outside input. Whether you're dealing with personal conflicts or trying to make business decisions, seeking opinions from trusted outsiders such as your board of directors or an SBDC Business Advisor can give you much-needed perspective.
Rieva Lesonsky is founder and President of GrowBiz Media, a media and custom content company focusing on small business and entrepreneurship. Before launching her business, she was Editorial Director of Entrepreneur Magazine. Follow Rieva at Twitter.com/Rieva and visit her website SmallBizDaily.com to get the scoop on business trends and sign up for free TrendCast reports.   

Monday, October 1, 2012

Sources: Azerbaijan mulls helping Israel with Iran attack



Reuters quotes local sources with knowledge of Azerbaijan's military policy that say Azeri authorities explored with Israel how their air bases, spy drones could help Israel in Iran strike.

By Reuters | Sep.30, 2012 | 8:37 PM

Heron TP drone
The Israeli army Heron TP drone, also known locally as the Eitan, flies during a display at the Palmahim Air Force Base. Photo by AP
Israel's "go-it-alone" option to attack Iran's nuclear sites has set the Middle East on edge and unsettled its main ally at the height of a U.S. presidential election campaign.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu exudes impatience, saying Tehran is barely a year from a "red line" for atomic capacity. Many fellow Israelis, however, fear a unilateral strike, lacking U.S. forces, would fail against such a large and distant enemy.
But what if, even without Washington, Israel were not alone?
Azerbaijan, the oil-rich ex-Soviet republic on Iran's far northern border, has, say local sources with knowledge of its military policy, explored with Israel how Azeri air bases and spy drones might help Israeli jets pull off a long-range attack.
That is a far cry from the massive firepower and diplomatic cover that Netanyahu wants from Washington. But, by addressing key weaknesses in any Israeli war plan - notably on refueling, reconnaissance and rescuing crews - such an alliance might tilt Israeli thinking on the feasibility of acting without U.S. help.
It could also have violent side-effects more widely and many doubt Azeri President Ilham Aliyev would risk harming the energy industry on which his wealth depends, or provoking Islamists who dream of toppling his dynasty, in pursuit of favor from Israel.
Yet despite official denials by Azerbaijan and Israel, two Azeri former military officers with links to serving personnel and two Russian intelligence sources all told Reuters that Azerbaijan and Israel have been looking at how Azeri bases and intelligence could serve in a possible strike on Iran.
"Where planes would fly from - from here, from there, to where? - that's what's being planned now," a security consultant with contacts at Azeri defense headquarters in Baku said. "The Israelis ... would like to gain access to bases in Azerbaijan."
That Aliyev, an autocratic ally of Western governments and oil firms, has become a rare Muslim friend of the Jewish state - and an object of scorn in Tehran - is no secret; a $1.6-billion arms deal involving dozens of Israeli drones, and Israel's thirst for Azerbaijan's Caspian Sea crude, are well documented.
Israel's foreign minister visited Baku in April this year.
But a leaked U.S. diplomatic cable from 2009 quoted Aliyev, who succeeded his father in 2003, describing relations with Israel as "like an iceberg, nine tenths ... below the surface".
That he would risk the wrath of his powerful neighbor by helping wage war on Iran is, however, something his aides flatly deny; wider consequences would also be hard to calculate from military action in a region where Azerbaijan's "frozen" conflict with Armenia is just one of many elements of volatility and where major powers from Turkey, Iran and Russia to the United States, western Europe and even China all jockey for influence.
Nonetheless, Rasim Musabayov, an independent Azeri lawmaker and a member of parliament's foreign affairs committee, said that, while he had no definitive information, he understood that Azerbaijan would probably feature in any Israeli plans against Iran, at least as a contingency for refueling its attack force:
"Israel has a problem in that if it is going to bomb Iran, its nuclear sites, it lacks refueling," Musabayov told Reuters.

"I think their plan includes some use of Azerbaijan access.
"We have (bases) fully equipped with modern navigation, anti-aircraft defenses and personnel trained by Americans and if necessary they can be used without any preparations," he added.
The administration of U.S. President Barack Obama has made clear it does not welcome Israel's occasional talk of war and that it prefers diplomacy and economic sanctions to deflect an Iranian nuclear program that Tehran denies has military uses.
Having also invested in Azerbaijan's defenses and facilities used by U.S. forces in transit to Afghanistan, Washington also seems unlikely to cheer Aliyev joining any action against Iran.
The Azeri president's team insist that that will not happen.
"No third country can use Azerbaijan to perpetrate an attack on Iran. All this talk is just speculation," said Reshad Karimov from Aliyev's staff. He was echoing similar denials issued in Baku and from Israel when the journal Foreign Policy quoted U.S. officials in March voicing alarm that Azeri-Israeli action could thwart U.S. diplomacy toward Iran and across the Caucasus.
Israeli officials dismiss talk of Azeri collaboration in any attack on Iran but decline public comment on specific details.
Even speaking privately, few Israeli officials will discuss the issue. Those who do are skeptical, saying overt use of Azeri bases by Israel would provoke too many hostile reactions. One political source did, however, say flying unmarked tanker aircraft out of Azerbaijan to extend the range and payloads of an Israeli bombing force might play a part in Israeli planning.
Though denying direct knowledge of current military thinking on Iran, the Israeli said one possibility might be "landing a refueling plane there, made to look like a civilian airliner, so it could later take off to rendezvous mid-air with IAF jets".
A thousand miles separates Tehran and Tel Aviv, putting much of Iran beyond the normal ranges of Israel's U.S.-made F-16 bombers and their F-15 escorts. So refueling could be critical.
There is far from unanimity among Israeli leaders about the likelihood of any strike on Iran's nuclear plants, whether in a wider, U.S.-led operation or not. Netanyahu's "red line" speech to the United Nations last week was seen by many in Israel as making any strike on Iran unlikely - for at least a few months.
Many, however, also assume Israel has long spied on and even sabotaged what the Western powers say are plans for atomic weapons which Israel says would threaten its very existence.

A second Israeli political source called the idea of Azerbaijan being either launch pad or landing ground for Israeli aircraft "ludicrous" - but agreed with the first source that it was fair to assume joint Israeli-Azeri intelligence operations.
The Azeri sources said such cooperation was established.

As part of last year's arms deal, Azerbaijan is building up to 60 Israeli-designed drones, giving it reconnaissance means far greater than many analysts believe would be needed just to guard oil installations or even to mount any operations against the breakaway, ethnic Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh.
"With these drones, (Israel) can indirectly watch what's happening in Iran, while we protect our borders," legislator Musabayov said - a view shared by Azeri former military sources.
Less reserved than Israeli officials, the sources in Azerbaijan and in Russian intelligence, which keeps a close eye on its former Soviet backyard, said Baku could offer Israel much more, however - though none believed any deal was yet settled.
The country, home to nine million people whose language is close to Turkish and who mostly share the Shi'ite Muslim faith of Iran, has four ex-Soviet air bases that could be suitable for Israeli jets, the Azeri sources said. They named central Kyurdamir, Gyanja in the west and Nasosny and Gala in the east.
The Pentagon says it helped upgrade Nasosny airfield for NATO use. It also uses Azeri commercial facilities in transit to Afghanistan. But U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan is limited by Washington's role as a mediator in its dispute with Armenia.
One of the sources with links to the Azeri military said: "There is not a single official base of the United States and even less so of Israel on the territory of Azerbaijan. But that is 'officially'. Unofficially they exist, and they may be used."
The source said Iran had been a main topic of talks in April with Israel's Soviet-born foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman.

Azeri tarmac, a shorter flight from key sites in northern Iran including the Fordow underground uranium enrichment plant and missile batteries at Tabriz, might feature in Israeli war planning in less direct ways, the former Azeri officers said.
With Israel wary of its vulnerability to pressure over air crew taken prisoner, plans for extracting downed pilots may be a key feature of any attack plan. Search and rescue helicopters might operate from Azerbaijan, the sources said - or planes that were hit or low on fuel could land at Azeri bases in extremis.
Such engagement carries risks for Azerbaijan and its oil platforms and pipelines operated with international companies.
Defending against Iran is part of public debate in Baku. The United States has provided Azerbaijan with three Coast Guard cutters and has funded seven coastal radar sites as well as giving Baku other help in protecting its oil installations.
Relations have long been strained between the former Soviet state and Iran, which is home to twice as many ethnic Azeris as Azerbaijan itself. Tehran beams an Azeri-language television channel over the border which portrays Aliyev as a puppet of Israel and the West, as well as highlighting corruption in Baku.
Azerbaijan sees Iranian hands behind its Islamist opposition and both countries have arrested alleged spies and agitators.
Faced with an uneven balance of force, Aliyev's government makes no bones about Israel being an ally. As one presidential aide, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained: "We live in a dangerous neighborhood; that is what is the most powerful driving force for our relationship with Israel."
However, Israel's confrontation with Iran may turn out, the arms build-up in Azerbaijan, including recent Israeli upgrades for its Soviet T-72 tanks, may have consequences for the wider region and for the stand-off with Armenia - consequences that would trouble all the powers with stakes in the Caspian region.
"We keep buying arms. On the one hand, it's a good strategy to frighten Armenia," one of the former Azeri officers said of the shaky, 18-year-old ceasefire over Nagorno-Karabakh. "But you don't collect weapons to hang on the wall and gather dust.
"One day, all these could be used."