Union trash talks Winnipegs newest private garbage collectors
Kathleen MartensAPTN NewsThere are concerns around the use of so-called cheap labour to fulfill Winnipeg’s multi-million-dollar garbage collection contract, thanks to an investigation sparked by APTN Investigates.A union official says low-paid day workers, many of whom are Indigenous men, are picking up the majority of household trash.“I raised the APTN report (with city council) numerous times,” said Gord Delbridge, president of Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 500.“I told (them) that if you continue to proceed down this path – knowing full well what’s taken place in the way some of these people are being exploited – you should all be ashamed of yourselves.”City council says it is privatizing residential garbage pick-up to reduce labour costs and save money.Its first deal, with was for five years, went to Emterra Environmental, that relied on temporary workers to drive trucks and empty garbage bins.That reliance and the related problems were exposed in the 2016 APTN Investigates’ documentary Hurting for Work.Reporter Melissa Ridgen interviewed garbage truck drivers and workers who said they weren’t properly trained, equipped or paid more than minimum wage. They said they lined up for work every day and were often hurt on the job.Ridgen revealed Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health issued numerous stop work and improvement orders to Emterra during the life of the contract – many related to worker injuries.That deal expired last fall and council awarded a new, seven-year contract to Miller Waste Systems Inc. and Green for Life Environmental Inc. – two Ontario firms. The contract prevents them from speaking to the media. They did not respond to calls from APTN.Delbridge said the union, which represents 4,600 Winnipeg civic workers, has long opposed privatization for lower wages and poorer benefits.He said “Indigenous people were exploited” under the Emterra deal and alleged it’s still happening with the new contractors, who are allowed to hire day labour as long as it’s less than 50 per cent of the workforce.“I think 50 per cent is absolutely, ridiculously high, in terms of setting a limit on the use of day labour,” said John Hutton, director of the John Howard Society in Winnipeg.“If somebody is using up to 50 per cent of the workforce from day labour they’re abusing that system.”The John Howard Society helps men with criminal records find employment and upgrade their education and skills. Many of whom are young Indigenous men, Hutton said, and use day labour opportunities to find work.But that doesn’t mean a company earning millions from the city should take advantage of them said Hutton.“If a company needs people every day it knows what it needs are and it should be employing these individuals and giving full benefits available to an employee,” he said.The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives confirmed many of APTN’s findings in the report ‘Trashed: How Outsourcing Municipal Solid Waste Collection Kicks Workers to the Curb’ released last month.“What we did find by speaking to the workers themselves was a pretty consistent story about the labour experiences, the working conditions they were experiencing when they were going through the temporary help agencies,” said Ellen Smirl, who authored the report.Smirl said the majority of drivers and workers interviewed “wanted to have full-time, permanent work.”Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital) said nothing prevented unions from organizing the private garbage collectors.He also said council “was very aware” of the APTN report and the issues it raised. He said that was something that led to the hiring cap in the contract.“We did take a lot of heat from labour about that,” he said, noting he voted in favour of the new contractors.Mayes said the contract is valued at $25-million this year and increases by $1-million per year in each of the next three years.kmartens@aptn.ca
A BILL THAT will provide for amnesty and apology for Irish soldiers who deserted the Defence Forces to fight for the Allies in World War II passed through its second stage today.Minister for State at the Department of Defence, Paul Kehoe TD, presented the Defence Forces (Amnesty and Immunity) Bill to Dáil Éireann for its second stage.The bill was published last December by Minister for Justice Alan Shatter, who said that he hoped that through the actions proposed in it he could help put to rest the concerns of people still alive who fought with the allied forces during World War II, as well as the family members of those who died and who have since passed.At its peak during the Second World War, the Irish Defence Forces had approximately 42,000 serving personnel. Over the course of the War, it is estimated that over 7,000 members of the Defence Forces deserted, many to join with the Allied Forces.Of these, some 2,500 personnel returned to their units or were apprehended and were tried by military tribunal. The remaining personnel – around 5,000 – were dismissed under the Emergency Powers (No. 362) Order, 1945 and the Defence Forces (Temporary Provisions) Act 1946.Explained Kehoe:The effect of the Order was to impose significant hardship on many individuals and families and remove from them the right to be tried for the offences of which they stood accused and to provide a defence against the alleged crime. Many of the individuals were shunned in their communities and many never returned to Ireland.In 2012, the Government decided that the sacrifice and contribution of those who deserted the Defence Forces to fight with the Allies in WWII should be recognised, while not undermining the requirements of military discipline or condoning their desertion.The Government also committed to issuing an apology for how they were treated after the war by the State – they did not receive pay or pension rights – and to provide a legal mechanism for amnesty.The bill seeks to address all of this. Kehoe said today that:the Government recognises the value and importance to the State of the essential service given by all those who served in the Defence Forces throughout the period of the Second World War. They performed a crucial duty for the State at a time of national emergency and enormous difficulty.He also said that the majority that deserted and went on to fight facism “did so out of a sense of idealism and with a commitment to protect democracies from tyranny and totalitarianism”.The bill initially provided for a pardon for those convicted of desertion or being absent without leave, but this was changed to an amnesty, following legal advice. A pardon would require each case to be individually processed, which would not be possible in practical terms, said Kehoe.Read: Pardon for Irish deserters who fought in WWII likely in new year>
Google and Facebook are not the best of friends at the moment. Google blocked Facebook from exporting Gmail contacts to its user’s accounts, but then Facebook worked around the block and carried on using it.Google’s response has not been to find a new way to block access and has instead taken the higher ground. It believes users should have the right to export their data so will continue to offer it as a service.However, a new warning has appeared for users attempting to export contacts to Facebook. It informs users that Facebook will trap their data with no way to get it back out. Here’s the main section of the warning:Hold on a second. Are you super sure you want to import your contact information for your friends into a service that won’t let you get it out?Here’s the not-so-fine print. You have been directed to this page from a site that doesn’t allow you to re-export your data to other services, essentially locking up your contact data about your friends. So once you import your data there, you won’t be able to get it out. We think this is an important thing for you to know before you import your data there. Although we strongly disagree with this data protectionism, the choice is yours. Because, after all, you should have control over your data. Google then goes on to offer the user the option of making a complaint about data protectionism or cancelling the action.See the full warning message at the Gmail trap my contacts now pageMatthew’s OpinionGoogle is doing the right thing by issuing a warning here. If Facebook does not allow the export of contacts data then any you add or update after the import will be trapped. The only way to get them out is to do it manually, which could be very tedious depending on how many contacts you have.One potential workaround for this is the new “Download your data” feature Facebook introduced at the beginning of October. It allows any Facebook user to download their entire account to a hard drive with the data stored in a HTML archive. Could the contacts be accessed from within that archive? Could Google actually write a converter to start using this data if a user wishes to export to Gmail from Facebook?The best solution to this problem would obviously be Facebook allowing an export to other services.
Demetrius Markopoulos moved to the Lucky Country with his Australian wife, journalist Sheridan Stumm, in 1967 and took out citizenship the following year.Altogether the 74-year-old Greek man had spent barely a decade of his life in the country yet, as Padraig Murphy from news.com reports, he won the battle for an age pension. The story goes as follows: Markopoulos permanently left Australia in 1977 to teach English in Greece, make jewellery for tourists and rent out sailboards on the idyllic island of Paros. Then, he spent a few years boating around the Aegean until he got an amicable divorce from his wife in 1993.Since then he occasionally returned to Australia to visit his ex-wife and children, who lived in Sydney. Meanwhile, in 2007 he was granted a Greek aged pension which he lost in 2012 when he moved to Thailand.Last year he returned to Australia and applied for the aged pension. Even though he was rejected by Centrelink, he appealed the rejection to the Administrative Appeal Tribunal.“I am satisfied that Mr Markopoulos retained a continuity of association with Australia while he was in Greece with his family and that he intended during that time to return, and that he continued to treat Australia as ‘home’,” said senior member Jill Toohey, concluding that Markopoulos ought to be paid the age pension, having spent more than 10 years Down Under.“As for the six months from October 1976 when Mr Markopoulos returned to Australia with his family before returning to Greece alone in April 1977,” Toohey continued, “I am satisfied that he remained an Australian resident for that period.“I accept that he returned to Australia with the intention of remaining here and making his home here with his family. Through a combination of difficulty finding employment and his psychological condition, he decided to return to Greece. Until he did so, I am satisfied that he was still an Australian resident.”Markopoulos will also be back-paid the age pension from the time he applied in November last year. Facebook Twitter: @NeosKosmos Instagram
Stay on target ‘Game of Thrones’ Targaryen Prequel Series Is Reportedly Coming to HBO‘Game of Thrones’ Star Kit Harington Joins Marvel’s &#… No matter what your opinions on the 7th season premiere of Game of Thrones, people are almost entirely united on one thing: what the hell was Ed Sheeran doing in Westeros? The ginger Brit pop star’s cameo appearance as a soldier who sings a little tune for Arya Stark was universally panned as a weird publicity stunt that made absolutely no sense for the most popular show on TV.But you know what? We believe there’s a way to make anything work, even musician cameos on sexy, violent fantasy TV series. Plenty of rock stars have crossed over into acting with fine results, like Iggy Pop on Deep Space Nine and Justin Timberlake going from boy band stardom to Southland Tales.If Game of Thrones is going to pull this kind of thing again, here’s a list of eleven musicians that we think could fit right in.Die Antwoordvia Wikimedia Commons/Greg LawlerSouth African rappers Die Antwoord are notorious for their outrageous appearance, and Yo-Landi and Ninja would fit right in with the Brave Companions, the ragtag group of mercenaries that Tywin sets loose on the countryside. Composed of the nastiest scum from all over the world, the membership constantly fluctuates. The showrunners wouldn’t even have to give them dialogue, just throw them in front of somebody’s sword and let the fun begin. Actually, please don’t let them sing or rap or even open their mouths. Treat them like they won a contest or something.Glenn Danzigvia Wikimedia Commons/Andreas LindmarkLodi, New Jersey’s favorite son, Glenn Danzig has been mixing horror and punk since the days of the Misfits. He’s one of rock & roll’s most notorious fantasy fans, cribbing a Michael Golden illustration from Marvel Comics for his self-titled band and publishing his own line of sexy, gory funnybooks himself. Danzig’s acting career has seen him take a few roles, notably as an angel in The Prophecy II and on an episode of Portlandia. He’d be great in a one-off role as somebody’s morbidly violent henchman who gets to swing a sword a few times before being decapitated.Kate Bushvia Wikimedia Commons/Philip ChappellEnglish singer-songwriter Kate Bush is wildly influential but never got the commercial success she deserved on this side of the Atlantic. Her vibe is very well suited to Game of Thrones, which revels in strong female characters with a touch of mysticism. After over fifteen years out of the public eye, Bush roared back into our hearts with 2005’s Aerial album and has been producing vital, intelligent music ever since. A guest spot on Game of Thrones would be perfect for her career’s second act. She did a little acting in the 1990s but her talents have yet to be tapped.Krist Novoselicvia commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:JmabelSize matters in the Seven Kingdoms (with the notable exception of Tyrion Lannister), and big gents have been wreaking havoc on Game of Thrones for a while. If they producers wanted to cast a musician who can go toe-to-toe with the mastodons, former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic is the man for the job. Measuring a mighty 6’7″ in his stocking feet, the musician’s current project is called Giants in the Trees, a very George R. R. Martin name if we’ve ever heard one. Most of his time is spent on political activism in recent years, but who knows? Maybe he’d deign to stop into Westeros for a spell.Mortiisvia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:MorwenNorwegian metal musician Håvard Ellefsen, better known as Mortiis, wouldn’t even have to go through makeup to play a character on Game of Thrones. His performance gimmick for the past few decades has been to rock out with a prosthetic mask and ears that give him the visage of a troll-like creature. He and his band often dust themselves with flour before taking the stage to make them look like they’ve just crawled to the surface from a deep cave in the earth. In recent years he’s dialed back on the theatricality, but we’re sure that for exposure on this level he’d go back to it.Ras Kassvia youtube.com/channel/RasKassThere are lots of rappers who dig Game of Thrones, but only one recorded a whole hip-hop recap of Season 6. Los Angeles MC Ras Kass dropped his track for the AV Club in May, and it’s proof that he’s as down with the franchise as anybody. While we’re not arguing for a break in immersion so that he can bring us up to speed on the show’s approximately eleven million characters, the MC’s powerful flow could be brought to bear in-universe in some cool way. It would also help resolve some of the show’s much-commented on diversity issues.Weird Al Yankovicvia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyle_CassidyYes, we realize this is a bit of a stretch. But if there’s one thing that we know about Weird Al Yankovic is that he’s a master chameleon, able to adapt to virtually any genre or style. We’re not recommending that he perform a wacky parody or anything. In fact, it’d probably be a lot funnier if they just cast him totally straight-faced as just another face in the crowd instead of like a jester or something. Sure, nearly all of his past acting experience has been in comedies, but Al is 57 years old now and is probably looking for a challenge.Rihannavia flickr.com/photos/dodnewsfeatures/15207242834If you’ve seen Valerian, you know that Rihanna was one of the best things about that gorgeous but pretty incoherent flick. Ms. Fenty has expressed an interest in moving into acting, and her exotic appearance would be great for a role on Game of Thrones, where characters come from all over the world to kill each other and show their boobs. We’re not 100% sure what character would be best for her talents, but she can pull off pretty much everything from doe-eyed ingenue to badass warrior without breaking a sweat.Luc Lemayvia Rubén G. Herrera –flickr.com/photos/darkmomo/13996009256We’re going to throw in at least one dude that you might not have heard of, just to keep things interesting and so you can learn something new, dear reader. Luc Lemay is the lead singer and guitarist of Gorguts, the Canadian death metal group notorious for pushing the envelope in technical prowess. One of his recent projects is Pleiades’ Dust, a 33-minute track about a long-demolished Iraqi library from the 9th century. So the guy is a nerd who knows how to stretch things out – perfect for Game of Thrones. Cast him as a librarian and let Lemay do what he does best.Action Bronsonvia flickr.com/photos/coupdoreille/9342519753Of all the rappers who would have a good time in medieval times, Action Bronson definitely seems like he’d top the list. The rotund MC and former chef weighs in at over three bills due in no small part to his love of eating, and his massive, unkempt beard would make him fit right in. While we don’t think George R. R. Martin has written a rap into any of the books, Bronson could certainly deliver some kind of heavy diss that just happened to rhyme if the need was felt. Or he could just eat a whole turkey leg in front of the camera and call it a day. It’s win-win.Diamanda Galásvia Andy Newcombe – flickr.com/photos/92523880@N00/2343508277If you’re going to cast somebody on your TV show because of their voice, why not use somebody with one of the most powerful and disturbing voices in the world? Diamanda Galás has blown minds for decades with her powerful soprano, which she puts to the service of dark and complex topics in collaboration with artists as varied as Erasure and Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones. In film, she worked on 2013 horror flick The Conjuring, providing composition and vocal performances. She’s a striking figure that could bring something no other guest has to the world of Game of Thrones.Let us know what you like about Geek by taking our survey.
German Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich have reportedly offered Chelsea’s Callum Hudson-Odoi an £85,000-a-week contract in a move considered to convince him to leave the Stamford bridge.The teenager has strongly been linked with a move to Bayern since the start of the month as his deal with Chelsea will expire at the end of next season.Chelsea recently offered the youngster a new contract in the region of £70,000 a week but with Bayern Munich’ latest offer, it is yet unclear if the player will remain with the English side.
Match Preview: RB Leipzig vs Bayern Munich Boro Tanchev – September 14, 2019 RB Leipzig will have the chance to prove their title-winning capabilities when they host Bayern Munich today at 18:30 (CET).Sports mole reports that Hudson-Odoi has only played 51 minutes of Premier League football for the Blues during the 2018-19 campaign and is believed to be frustrated with what he perceives to be a lack of action at Stamford Bridge.Chelsea are currently playing in the Europa League. A move to Germany will see the youngster feature in the UEFA Champions League.
Luke Merriman was returning home from a hunting trip when his 2006 Chevrolet Silverado pickup struck Ryan Matison’s 1994 Toyota Corolla in the intersection of state Highway 502 and Northeast 29th Avenue.The impact killed Matison’s 17-year-old girlfriend, Samantha Effingham, of Woodland who was in the passenger seat of the Toyota. The incident led to charges of vehicular homicide and reckless driving against Matison, 22, of Battle Ground.In the second day of Matison’s trial in Clark County Superior Court, Merriman testified that he didn’t even have time to brake before the crash.“In my mind, the Toyota did not stop at the stop sign,” Merriman said. “It collided with my vehicle.”Senior Deputy Prosecutor Kasey Vu alleges that Matison was driving 63 to 64 mph in a 40-mph zone on southbound Northeast 29th Avenue when he failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of state Highway 502. Vu alleges Matison’s reckless driving caused Effingham’s untimely death.Matison’s defense attorney, Chris Sundstrom, said the collision was an accident, which was caused by brake failure in Matison’s Corolla. He said he plans to call an expert to testify to this claim later this week.
Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) committee at the Institute of Health Technology (IHT) has been dissolved over an attack on students allegedly by the BCL activists, reports UNB.Rupa, 19, Naznin Aktar, 18, of pharmacy department, Nishat , Mohona, Afrin Sharmin and Bristy, 18, of laboratory department were injured in the BCL attack. BCL is the student wing of ruling Awami League, however.Following the attack, Rajshahi Metropolitan unit BCL committee took the decision on Wednesday night for violating discipline of the organisation, said a media release signed by its president Roki Kumar Ghosh.A recommendation was also sent to the BCL central executive committee for suspending the IHT unit BCL president Jahidul Islam jahid, vice-presidents Mizan Ali and Foysal Hossian, general secretary Anwar Hossian Tuhin from the organisation, the media release added.Earlier, the authorities closed the Institute of Health Technology (IHT) for an indefinite period following an attack on students allegedly by some Chhatra League activists that left five female students injured.The BCL men attacked the students when they went to the principal’s room for lodging complaint against extortion and harassment by BCL activists.
Photo Illustration by LA Johnson/NPR2018 Education Predictions CollageOn the NPR Ed Team, I am what you might call the grizzled veteran. I’ve seen education trends come and go and come again. And go again.You get the idea.In years past, around December, my teammates would often pause by my desk and ask: “What do you think we’ll be covering next year?”I’ve always found this a fun thought exercise, and, at some point, my editor suggested I jot down my answers and share them beyond our cubicles. And so, here are a few predictions for 2018.A quick reminder, though: I don’t have a real crystal ball or a time machine. Just gut instinct, which occasionally fails me.1. DACA will endSince 2012, the federal policy known as DACA — Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals — has protected roughly 800,000 undocumented immigrants from deportation. Under DACA, immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children are able to stay, work and get an education. A few months ago, the Trump administration announced it was ending the Obama-era program but left open the possibility that Congress could re-instate it by March 2018.I predict that conservative lawmakers, fearful of looking weak on immigration in an election year, will let DACA die. The reaction of DACA students, especially the 241,000 enrolled in college, will be swift and furious. And though it is unlikely they would be deported immediately or en masse, most will eventually be forced to quit school and surrender their driver’s licenses and work permits.2. U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos will step downThis is a leap, I know, but, since her turbulent confirmation, DeVos has had a rough time building trust with educators who question her support of public schools. In 2018, her relationship with state education officials will deteriorate and tip the scales against her.Politically, DeVos will grow increasingly irrelevant and isolated, and, by the end of 2018, she will decide to pursue her agenda as a private citizen. President Trump will be too preoccupied with mid-term elections to persuade her to stay.3. Higher education will dominate headlinesThe nation is in a student financial aid crisis, which will only get worse in 2018, especially if Republicans’ tax overhaul hits college students as hard as some predict. And, though there are no prominent court cases pending, many colleges and universities will revisit the hotly contested issue of race’s role in admissions policies.Also, intense news coverage of sexual harassment and sexual assault in the workplace will spread to campuses, where both have been a problem. The focus will be on the predatory behavior of male faculty and administrators.4. After years of modest progress, closing the achievement gap between rich and poor, black and white, will hit a wallWith the federal government now scaling back its oversight of public education, vocal critics of the Education Department under President Obama will have a chance to prove that, when it comes to education, locals know best.But, under the new federal education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), efforts to close the achievement gap will suffer. Not only that, one trend will dominate in 2018: the continued segregation of students by race and income and its impact on learning.Copyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. Share
Share Andreas Solaro/AFP/Getty Images/Via NPRPope Francis addresses the International Pilgrimage of the Ministrants last month in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican.Editor’s Note: This story contains graphic descriptions that some readers may find disturbing.Nearly a week after a Pennsylvania grand jury released its roughly 900-page report on sexual abuse by clergy, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church has penned a letter condemning the alleged misconduct and pledging repentance.“The heart-wrenching pain of these victims, which cries out to heaven, was long ignored, kept quiet or silenced. But their outcry was more powerful than all the measures meant to silence it, or sought even to resolve it by decisions that increased its gravity by falling into complicity,” Pope Francis wrote in the letter Monday, which is addressed to “the People of God.” “The Lord heard that cry and once again showed us on which side he stands.”The “atrocities” Francis refers to were laid out in harrowing detail by the grand jury report, which used the church’s own records to conclude that more than 1,000 credible victims had been abused by some 300 “predator priests” across eight decades in Pennsylvania. What’s more, the report explained how the church apparatus enabled and covered up the abuse, often responding to complaints with cursory investigations and leniency toward the alleged abusers.“Most of the victims were boys; but there were girls too. Some were teens; many were prepubescent. Some were manipulated with alcohol or pornography. Some were made to masturbate their assailants, or were groped by them. Some were raped orally, some vaginally, some anally,” the report asserted in no uncertain terms.“But,” it added, “all of them were brushed aside, in every part of the state, by church leaders who preferred to protect the abusers and their institution above all.”Until the church ceases to protect — and even in some cases promote — accused priests, “we think it is too early to close the book on the Catholic Church sex scandal,” the report’s authors concluded.Francis’ personal response initially was silence, instead allowing a Vatican spokesperson to offer the church’s public response in the days that followed. And it was a particularly blunt one, noting that church officials feel “shame and sorrow” over the “criminal and morally reprehensible” abuses it revealed.The spokesperson, Greg Burke, noted that the grand jury had found “almost no cases after 2002,” when the Boston Globe‘s Spotlight investigations team famously uncovered a widespread cover-up of sexual abuse allegations. But “the Church must learn hard lessons from its past,” Burke added in his statement Thursday, “and there should be accountability for both abusers and those who permitted abuse to occur.”In his letter Monday, Francis spoke in similarly stark terms.“With shame and repentance, we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realizing the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives,” the pope wrote. “We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them.”The Catholic church has felt the lingering repercussions of its decades of alleged wrongdoing in court and in its wallet lately. As NPR’s Tom Gjelten points out, dioceses and religious order in the U.S. have had to pay more than $3 billion in lawsuit settlements with abuse victims since the allegations came to light.And though Francis did not detail concrete steps for how he expects the church to change its conduct going forward, he echoed Burke’s statement that such change is needed.“While it is important and necessary on every journey of conversion to acknowledge the truth of what has happened, in itself this is not enough. Today we are challenged as the People of God to take on the pain of our brothers and sisters wounded in their flesh and in their spirit,” the pope said.“If, in the past, the response was one of omission, today we want solidarity, in the deepest and most challenging sense, to become our way of forging present and future history.”Copyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.
(Phys.org) —A new study conducted by a team of American and Greek researchers has found that the people of the ancient Minoan civilization living on the island of Crete most likely came from Europe. In their paper published in the journal Nature Communications, the team says mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) evidence contradicts the long held notion that the people of the long lost civilization came from Africa. Evidence of the great Minoan civilization first came to light in 1900, when an excavation by Sir Arthur Evans discovered the Palace of Minos on the island of Crete. Noting similarities between artwork discovered there and in parts of Egypt, Evans suggested it was possible the early inhabitants of the island came from Africa. Since that time, others have concurred, while some suggest the Minoans more likely came from the Middle East, or even from Europe. In this new study, the researchers turned to mtDNA for the true answer.The team took samples from skeletal remains of over 100 early denizens of the island that had been found in a cave by other researchers. They then compared the mtDNA from those samples with samples taken from people living in the modern world, as well as with some samples from other old world inhabitants. Citation: mtDNA study shows Minoans came from Europe not Africa (2013, May 15) retrieved 18 August 2019 from https://phys.org/news/2013-05-mtdna-minoans-europe-africa.html One of the buildings in Knossos restored by British archeologist Sir Arthur Evans. Knossos was the major civil center of the Minoans. Credit: Getty Images © 2013 Phys.org Explore further Illustration of the Bull-leaping Fresco from the Great Palace at Knossos, Crete. Credit: Getty Images
More information: A European population in Minoan Bronze Age Crete, Nature Communications 4, Article number: 1861 doi:10.1038/ncomms2871AbstractThe first advanced Bronze Age civilization of Europe was established by the Minoans about 5,000 years before present. Since Sir Arthur Evans exposed the Minoan civic centre of Knossos, archaeologists have speculated on the origin of the founders of the civilization. Evans proposed a North African origin; Cycladic, Balkan, Anatolian and Middle Eastern origins have also been proposed. Here we address the question of the origin of the Minoans by analysing mitochondrial DNA from Minoan osseous remains from a cave ossuary in the Lassithi plateau of Crete dated 4,400–3,700 years before present. Shared haplotypes, principal component and pairwise distance analyses refute the Evans North African hypothesis. Minoans show the strongest relationships with Neolithic and modern European populations and with the modern inhabitants of the Lassithi plateau. Our data are compatible with the hypothesis of an autochthonous development of the Minoan civilization by the descendants of the Neolithic settlers of the island.Press release Journal information: Nature Communications War was central to Europe’s first civilization, contrary to popular belief An analysis of the test results indicates that the early inhabitants of Crete were likely farmers who settled on the island long before the appearance of the Minoan society. This suggests that the Minoan civilization most likely came about as a result of the evolution of the early farmers. No evidence of African ancestry was found.The Minoan civilization existed for approximately 1,200 years, vanishing around 1500 BC. Some suggest their sudden disappearance was due to a volcanic eruption and tsunami, while others say it was more likely the inhabitants of Crete were wiped out be an invading army. In any case, the Minoan civilization is considered to be first advanced civilization of Bronze Age Europe—the people there left behind huge buildings, impressive artwork and mysterious hieroglyphs. It appears likely the early farmers were part of a wave of immigrants coming from the Middle East and Anatolia to Europe looking for land to farm.As for the similarity between artwork found in Crete and Egypt, the researchers suggest it was most likely the result of trade between the two civilizations. This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.
At the time, he said: “I used to joke around that I’m the ultimate pair-boy.“I never had to worry about developing an off-ice relationship.”(Getty) Winter Olympics 2018: Bisexual speed skater Ireen Wüst misses out on a medal in dramatic fashionWinter Olympics 2018: Bisexual ice skater Ireen Wüst tears up as she breaks huge record with gold medalEric Radford takes gold and Adam Rippon bronze in team skatingPINK NEWS- eTN Chatroom for Readers (join us) Eric Radford has become the first ever openly gay man to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics.The Canadian athlete won gold in the team figure skating event after he and his partner Meagan Duhamel skated magnificently to Adele’s Hometown Glory. Radford will compete again in the pairs tournament, while Rippon will perform another men’s single.Speaking after his performance, Rippon said: “I want to throw up. I want to go over to the judges and say, ‘Can I just have a Xanax and a quick drink? I’ll be fine.’ But I kept it together.”(Getty)Fans across the world applauded Radford’s achievement.One wrote: “You are such a class act and in New Orleans we took time off from Mardi Gras to give you one enormous standing ovation – sooo proud!!!! ”.(Twitter/erick70115)Another told him that “you should be proud . And all of Canada is proud of you!”(Twitter/arturmaks)And yet another said: “This Canadian loving American is so proud of you and of all you amazing teammates.(Twitter/showtunesrock)“O Canada our home and native land…”.Watch Radford’s incredible performance here:Meagan Duhamel & Eric Radford (Team Canada) figure skating to “Hometown Glory” at the #Olympics!Full video at: https://t.co/NimAqIIpzQ pic.twitter.com/DvMWfZPKK1— Adele Union (@AdeleUnion) February 12, 2018 Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:Like Loading… (Twitter/rad85e)He followed in the footsteps of Australian diver Matthew Mitcham, who got a gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.In the same event as Radford, gay skater Adam Rippon made history for Team USA by taking a bronze medal after performing to Coldplay’s O and Arrival of the Birds by Cinematic Orchestra.(Getty)But it was Radford who earned first place, taking the gold alongside teammates Gabrielle Daleman, Patrick Chan, Kaetlyn Osmond, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir.The 33-year-old, who also used Hometown Glory to win gold at the 2016 World Championships, posted on Twitter about breaking this huge barrier at the Pyeongchang Games.He wrote: “This is amazing!(Twitter/rad85e)“I literally feel like I might explode with pride. #Olympics #outandproud #”.Radford came out in the same year that he won a silver medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia.
Trump has announced that beginning June 10, the US will start imposing a 5 percent tariff on all Mexican imported products into the US. Those tariffs will increase to 10 percent on July 1 and 15 percent in August. He says the tariffs will continue to increase each month until the flow of migrants from Mexico is stopped. “Finally, I propose that you instruct your officials, if you have any problem, to attend representatives of our government headed by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, who will depart tomorrow to Washington to reach an agreement on benefit of the two nations. Nothing by force. Everything by reason and law!” said López Obrador. In response to Trump’s announcement, Mexico’s president López Obrador replied in a personal letter that he is not a “coward or timid” and that he does not believe in the Talion Law, so instead, will look for a negotiated solution. Mexico City, Mexico — Mexico’s president Andrés Manuel López Obrador sent a letter in response to the recent announcement by US president Donald Trump to begin imposing taxes until Mexico stops the flow of immigrants to the US. “I propose to deepen the dialogue and seek alternatives to the immigration problem and please, remember that I do not lack courage. That I am not cowardly or timorous, but that I act on principles. I believe politics, among other things, was invented to avoid confrontation and war.
At a press conference, he said that Mexico would respond “forcefully” to the US measures if applied, and called Trump’s announcement an “icy shower” to the positive relations that are being built between the two countries.Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) “I do not believe in the Law of Talon, in a tooth-for-a-tooth or in an eye-for-an-eye because if we go those routes, we would all be one-eyed. I believe that statesmen are obliged to seek peaceful solutions to controversies and to put into practice the beautiful ideal of nonviolence,” López Obrador replied as part of his letter to Trump. Following Trump’s announcement on tariffs, Mexico’s Undersecretary for External Relations, Jesús Seade, said the measures were extreme and could result in “a commercial war between the two countries.”
Magellan signs Out and AboutMagellan signs Out and AboutMagellan Travel Group is pleased to have officially welcomed the NSW based leisure agency, Out & About Travel, who joined the Group earlier this month.Founding Director, Reece Farmilo, commented that he is “thrilled to have become a Magellan member. The culture, the value, the transparency and the like-minded operators are all factors which contributed to the decision we made to join the Group.”Farmilo started the street front agency in January 2007 in Elizabeth Bay (NSW) and now has a team of 8 full time consultants. Furthermore, Out & About Travel was a finalist in the 2017 NTIA for Best Retail Agency – Single Location.Andrew Macfarlane, MD of the Magellan Travel Group, said that he is “very much looking forward to working with Reece and his team at Out & About. It is always an exciting time when we are able to come together with new member agencies and work with them in order to achieve their business aspirations.”Source = Magellan Travel Group
British Airways spreads its Wings with Limited Edition MarmiteBritish Airways spreads its Wings with Limited Edition MarmiteBritish Airways and Marmite have teamed up to create a limited-edition jar to celebrate the airline’s centenary, launching on May 1. As Marmite is the most confiscated brand at airport security, the centenary jar is conveniently sized to fit within the liquid allowance.For Brits travelling abroad, it is clear they cannot go without the British spread that has divided the nation since 1902. Based on data from London City Airport, Marmite is the most confiscated branded food item at airport security. Other branded items that did not make it past security are Harrods jams and spreads and Lyle’s Golden Syrup.The airport has seen deserted jars of Marmite increase 50 per cent in the first three months of 2019, from four to six jars a day, and the airport forecasts it could seize over 2,000 jars this year alone. British Airways customers can now get their Marmite hit when away. The special edition spread will be exclusively available to customers on board all flights from May 1. The jar weighs 70 grams so if they do not get through it on holiday they can safely take it through security as it falls within the liquid restrictions.To coincide with the launch, on April 30 London City Airport will be holding an amnesty at its security gates, giving all customers the chance to swap their over-sized, prohibited jars of Marmite for British Airways’ travel-friendly version.Hamish McVey, British Airways’ Head of Brand and Marketing, said: “It’s clear that customers like to enjoy their favourite brands like Marmite while travelling or when they’re abroad. We work with some of the best of British to bring them to our customers on board our flights and now, in our centenary year we will have even more brands alongside Marmite that our customers can enjoy.”British Airways will be releasing a series of centenary editions in partnership with British brands during its milestone year. Earlier this month the airline announced a partnership with Scottish craft brewers, BrewDog, who have created a transatlantic IPAfor customers and in a world first brewed the beer on a flight. The airline has also partnered with luxury British watchmakers Bremont on the launch of a new limited-edition timepiece, featuring metal from one of the most famous and iconic planes in history – Concorde.Ian Cowie, Director of Customer Operations at London City Airport, said: “With 4.8 million passengers travelling each year through London City Airport, many of whom are returning to the continent or heading on holiday, it’s little surprise that Marmite is such a treasured item and demonstrates just how loyal Brits are to their favourite brands. Whether you love it or hate it, we’re looking forward to ensuring passengers can continue to get their Marmite fix. For any other liquids, pastes and gels over 100ml, it’s best to pack them safely in the hold.”As part of British Airways‘ £6.5 billion investment for its customers, British Airways also recently revealed its new business class seat and introduced changes to its First, World Traveller Plus and World Traveller cabins, delivering exceptional new restaurant-style catering from Do&Co. British Airways is also rolling out industry-leading Wi-Fi on board, opening new lounges across the world and launching 15 new routes.Source = British Airways