Openly gay people will now be able to serve in the US military after repeal of controversial 18-year-old DADT law An 18-year-old law that prevented serving US military personnel from disclosing that they were gay has been formally repealed. At one minute past midnight eastern time (0401 GMT), the controversial don’t ask don’t tell (DADT) law was abolished after its repeal was signed into law some nine months ago . Introduced by President Clinton in 1993 as a compromise step to full equality, DADT allowed gay and lesbian members of the military to serve only if their sexuality remained secret or was not reported. The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network estimates that since the law’s introduction, 13,000 gay men and lesbians have been discharged after their sexual orientation was revealed. In some cases dismissals were made on the basis of testimony from jilted lovers or those with personal grievances. Barack Obama had pledged to overturn DADT during his 2008 election campaign, but action on the issue appeared stalled until his January 2010 state of the union speech. Injecting fresh energy into the cause Obama said, “This year, I will work with Congress and our military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are.” The call was met with stony silence from members of the military seated in front of the president, who is also commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Days later, then defence secretary Robert Gates told Senate hearings : “The question before us is not whether the military prepares to make this change, but how we … best prepare for it. We have received our orders from the commander-in-chief and we are moving out accordingly.” In March 2010 the Pentagon relaxed rules surrounding DADT. The military decided to no longer investigate anonymous complaints and third party testimony had to be sworn under oath. An internal survey commissioned by the Pentagon and released last year found that two-thirds of all military personnel supported the repeal. Navy Lt Gary Ross 33, and Dan Swezy, a 49-year-old civilian, travelled from their home in Arizona to get married in Vermont and take advantage of the law’s repeal the moment it came into effect. The two men recited vows before family and friends at a ceremony which began at 11.45pm on Monday night. Just after midnight, the partners of 11 years were married. “I think it was a beautiful ceremony. The emotions really hit me … but it’s finally official,” Ross said. Polls consistently showed that roughly two-thirds of Americans believe that gay men and lesbians should be able to disclose their sexual orientation and serve openly. US military Gay rights United States Shiv Malik guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
At least 10 injured after blast in downtown district, say TV reports At least 10 people have been injured after an explosion on a minibus rocked the centre of the Turkish capital Ankara. Thick smoke rose above the downtown Kizilay district on Tuesday, and TV pictures showed several vehicles on fire after the blast. CNN-Turk television, citing unnamed interior ministry officials, said there were at least 10 casualties. It was not immediately what caused the explosion. More details soon … Turkey Middle East Europe guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
At least 10 injured after blast in downtown district, say TV reports At least 10 people have been injured after an explosion on a minibus rocked the centre of the Turkish capital Ankara. Thick smoke rose above the downtown Kizilay district on Tuesday, and TV pictures showed several vehicles on fire after the blast. CNN-Turk television, citing unnamed interior ministry officials, said there were at least 10 casualties. It was not immediately what caused the explosion. More details soon … Turkey Middle East Europe guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
The incumbent, Rupiah Banda, is expected to narrowly beat Michael Sata, but young voters could still cause an upset Zambians have begun voting in a closely contested election between the incumbent president, Rupiah Banda, and the nationalist opposition leader, Michael Sata. Long queues of mainly young voters snaked outside polling stations in the capital, Lusaka, where voting picked up slowly after the official 6am start because of technical glitches. “The polling station should have opened at 6 o’clock, but by 8 o’clock we’re still here and no one is explaining what’s happening,” said James Phiri, an unemployed 22-year-old waiting in line at a Lusaka booth. Campaigning officially ended on Sunday to allow for a 24-hour cooling off period after six weeks of mudslinging. The candidates’ rhetoric occasionally touched on the growing clout of foreign mining firms, most notably from China, in the country, which is Africa’s biggest copper producer. The police have said they will be out in force to prevent any violence even though the country of 13 million is not known for political unrest. An opinion poll published a week ago suggested Banda held a narrow lead over Sata – nicknamed King Cobra on account of his vicious tongue – although a number of undecideds meant an upset was still possible. A large turnout of young voters, many of whom are unemployed, is likely to play into Sata’s hands. The Patriotic Front leader lost to Banda by just 35,000 votes, or 2% of the electorate, in a 2008 runoff. Banda appeared on state television on Sunday to announce that any troublemakers would be arrested. Banda, a former diplomat, has won accolades abroad for opening up the country to international investment, especially from China, and providing clear regulations on operations that have helped keep the playing field level. Sata, whose long and varied career includes work in British car assembly plants, has been a vocal critic of Asian mining investment, but toned it down in an interview with Reuters on Friday, saying he would keep Zambia’s strong diplomatic and commercial ties with Beijing. Chinese firms have become major players in the former British colony’s $13bn (£8bn) economy, with total investments by the end of 2010 topping $2bn, according to Chinese embassy data. Banda’s Movement for Multi-Party Democracy, which has run the nation since the end of one-party rule in 1991, claims most of its support in the countryside where farmers have benefited from a hugely successful agricultural subsidy scheme. Sata’s strength is in the capital, Lusaka, and the northern copper belt, where many people complain about receiving meagre returns from more than five years of strong economic growth. Banda and Sata have pledged hefty spending to woo voters by building up woefully inadequate infrastructure, raising concerns about elevated government spending at a time of potential weakness in the price of copper, Zambia’s economic mainstay. An alliance between Sata and another opposition party, the UPND, crumbled this year, improving the chances of a new full five-year term for Banda, who moved into the presidency after the death of his predecessor, Levy Mwanawasa, in 2008. Zambia Africa guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
The incumbent, Rupiah Banda, is expected to narrowly beat Michael Sata, but young voters could still cause an upset Zambians have begun voting in a closely contested election between the incumbent president, Rupiah Banda, and the nationalist opposition leader, Michael Sata. Long queues of mainly young voters snaked outside polling stations in the capital, Lusaka, where voting picked up slowly after the official 6am start because of technical glitches. “The polling station should have opened at 6 o’clock, but by 8 o’clock we’re still here and no one is explaining what’s happening,” said James Phiri, an unemployed 22-year-old waiting in line at a Lusaka booth. Campaigning officially ended on Sunday to allow for a 24-hour cooling off period after six weeks of mudslinging. The candidates’ rhetoric occasionally touched on the growing clout of foreign mining firms, most notably from China, in the country, which is Africa’s biggest copper producer. The police have said they will be out in force to prevent any violence even though the country of 13 million is not known for political unrest. An opinion poll published a week ago suggested Banda held a narrow lead over Sata – nicknamed King Cobra on account of his vicious tongue – although a number of undecideds meant an upset was still possible. A large turnout of young voters, many of whom are unemployed, is likely to play into Sata’s hands. The Patriotic Front leader lost to Banda by just 35,000 votes, or 2% of the electorate, in a 2008 runoff. Banda appeared on state television on Sunday to announce that any troublemakers would be arrested. Banda, a former diplomat, has won accolades abroad for opening up the country to international investment, especially from China, and providing clear regulations on operations that have helped keep the playing field level. Sata, whose long and varied career includes work in British car assembly plants, has been a vocal critic of Asian mining investment, but toned it down in an interview with Reuters on Friday, saying he would keep Zambia’s strong diplomatic and commercial ties with Beijing. Chinese firms have become major players in the former British colony’s $13bn (£8bn) economy, with total investments by the end of 2010 topping $2bn, according to Chinese embassy data. Banda’s Movement for Multi-Party Democracy, which has run the nation since the end of one-party rule in 1991, claims most of its support in the countryside where farmers have benefited from a hugely successful agricultural subsidy scheme. Sata’s strength is in the capital, Lusaka, and the northern copper belt, where many people complain about receiving meagre returns from more than five years of strong economic growth. Banda and Sata have pledged hefty spending to woo voters by building up woefully inadequate infrastructure, raising concerns about elevated government spending at a time of potential weakness in the price of copper, Zambia’s economic mainstay. An alliance between Sata and another opposition party, the UPND, crumbled this year, improving the chances of a new full five-year term for Banda, who moved into the presidency after the death of his predecessor, Levy Mwanawasa, in 2008. Zambia Africa guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
Chris Huhne wants to strip the big six energy companies of their ability to impede action by regulator Ofgem under new plans Fresh powers to compensate consumers if they are the victims of anticompetitve practices by the big six energy companies will be proposed on Tuesday by the energy secretary Chris Huhne. Huhne is planning for energy companies to be stripped of their current ability to impede action by the regulator Ofgem by forcing it to seek a second opinion from the Competition Commission. Instead, Ofgem will have powers to impose its decisions and energy companies will have a right of appeal. Huhne is looking at giving Ofgem new powers to require energy companies to provide direct redress when consumers have lost out as a result of a company breaching a licence condition. The big six firms are EDF energy, British Gas, EON, Npower, Scottish and Southern Energy and Scottish Power. At present, Ofgem has powers to fine companies up to 10% of their annual turnover, which goes to the Treasury, But Huhne is to propose that the money could go direct to customers, either as compensation or in lower bills. He will also ask whether Ofgem should be given powers to prevent the big six freezing out new firms by offering excessively cheap online deals, making it hard for small firms to enter at a competitive rate. He will say it is not fair that energy companies can push their prices up for the vast majority of their consumers who do not switch while introducing cut throat offers for new customers that stop small firms entering the market: “That looks to me like predatory pricing. It must and will stop.” At the weekend Huhne was reported as describing consumers lazy for failing to shop around for cheaper energy. He will explain he did not regard consumers as indolent, but he will argue the average household could save £200 by switching to the lowest cost supplier. Consumers, he will explain, “still think that they face the same bill whoever they go to”. He is making it easier for consumers to change energy supplier so in future they will have a right to be switched within three weeks once a cooling-off period has elapsed. He is also to set up a working group on collective purchasing and switching in energy with Ofgem Consumer Focus and Whitehall to examine the potential for collective purchasing and switching in the energy market, and to review any barriers preventing consumers from coming together. EDF Energy was the last of the big six to raise prices last week increasing gas prices by 15.4% and electricity prices by 4.5% from 10 November. The firm said it had absorbed wholesale price rises for as long as possible before being forced to raise costs for customers. Energy industry Utilities Chris Huhne EDF Energy Scottish and Southern Energy Family finances Energy bills Household bills Patrick Wintour guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Chris Huhne wants to strip the big six energy companies of their ability to impede action by regulator Ofgem under new plans Fresh powers to compensate consumers if they are the victims of anticompetitve practices by the big six energy companies will be proposed on Tuesday by the energy secretary Chris Huhne. Huhne is planning for energy companies to be stripped of their current ability to impede action by the regulator Ofgem by forcing it to seek a second opinion from the Competition Commission. Instead, Ofgem will have powers to impose its decisions and energy companies will have a right of appeal. Huhne is looking at giving Ofgem new powers to require energy companies to provide direct redress when consumers have lost out as a result of a company breaching a licence condition. The big six firms are EDF energy, British Gas, EON, Npower, Scottish and Southern Energy and Scottish Power. At present, Ofgem has powers to fine companies up to 10% of their annual turnover, which goes to the Treasury, But Huhne is to propose that the money could go direct to customers, either as compensation or in lower bills. He will also ask whether Ofgem should be given powers to prevent the big six freezing out new firms by offering excessively cheap online deals, making it hard for small firms to enter at a competitive rate. He will say it is not fair that energy companies can push their prices up for the vast majority of their consumers who do not switch while introducing cut throat offers for new customers that stop small firms entering the market: “That looks to me like predatory pricing. It must and will stop.” At the weekend Huhne was reported as describing consumers lazy for failing to shop around for cheaper energy. He will explain he did not regard consumers as indolent, but he will argue the average household could save £200 by switching to the lowest cost supplier. Consumers, he will explain, “still think that they face the same bill whoever they go to”. He is making it easier for consumers to change energy supplier so in future they will have a right to be switched within three weeks once a cooling-off period has elapsed. He is also to set up a working group on collective purchasing and switching in energy with Ofgem Consumer Focus and Whitehall to examine the potential for collective purchasing and switching in the energy market, and to review any barriers preventing consumers from coming together. EDF Energy was the last of the big six to raise prices last week increasing gas prices by 15.4% and electricity prices by 4.5% from 10 November. The firm said it had absorbed wholesale price rises for as long as possible before being forced to raise costs for customers. Energy industry Utilities Chris Huhne EDF Energy Scottish and Southern Energy Family finances Energy bills Household bills Patrick Wintour guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Chris Huhne wants to strip the big six energy companies of their ability to impede action by regulator Ofgem under new plans Fresh powers to compensate consumers if they are the victims of anticompetitve practices by the big six energy companies will be proposed on Tuesday by the energy secretary Chris Huhne. Huhne is planning for energy companies to be stripped of their current ability to impede action by the regulator Ofgem by forcing it to seek a second opinion from the Competition Commission. Instead, Ofgem will have powers to impose its decisions and energy companies will have a right of appeal. Huhne is looking at giving Ofgem new powers to require energy companies to provide direct redress when consumers have lost out as a result of a company breaching a licence condition. The big six firms are EDF energy, British Gas, EON, Npower, Scottish and Southern Energy and Scottish Power. At present, Ofgem has powers to fine companies up to 10% of their annual turnover, which goes to the Treasury, But Huhne is to propose that the money could go direct to customers, either as compensation or in lower bills. He will also ask whether Ofgem should be given powers to prevent the big six freezing out new firms by offering excessively cheap online deals, making it hard for small firms to enter at a competitive rate. He will say it is not fair that energy companies can push their prices up for the vast majority of their consumers who do not switch while introducing cut throat offers for new customers that stop small firms entering the market: “That looks to me like predatory pricing. It must and will stop.” At the weekend Huhne was reported as describing consumers lazy for failing to shop around for cheaper energy. He will explain he did not regard consumers as indolent, but he will argue the average household could save £200 by switching to the lowest cost supplier. Consumers, he will explain, “still think that they face the same bill whoever they go to”. He is making it easier for consumers to change energy supplier so in future they will have a right to be switched within three weeks once a cooling-off period has elapsed. He is also to set up a working group on collective purchasing and switching in energy with Ofgem Consumer Focus and Whitehall to examine the potential for collective purchasing and switching in the energy market, and to review any barriers preventing consumers from coming together. EDF Energy was the last of the big six to raise prices last week increasing gas prices by 15.4% and electricity prices by 4.5% from 10 November. The firm said it had absorbed wholesale price rises for as long as possible before being forced to raise costs for customers. Energy industry Utilities Chris Huhne EDF Energy Scottish and Southern Energy Family finances Energy bills Household bills Patrick Wintour guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Chris Huhne wants to strip the big six energy companies of their ability to impede action by regulator Ofgem under new plans Fresh powers to compensate consumers if they are the victims of anticompetitve practices by the big six energy companies will be proposed on Tuesday by the energy secretary Chris Huhne. Huhne is planning for energy companies to be stripped of their current ability to impede action by the regulator Ofgem by forcing it to seek a second opinion from the Competition Commission. Instead, Ofgem will have powers to impose its decisions and energy companies will have a right of appeal. Huhne is looking at giving Ofgem new powers to require energy companies to provide direct redress when consumers have lost out as a result of a company breaching a licence condition. The big six firms are EDF energy, British Gas, EON, Npower, Scottish and Southern Energy and Scottish Power. At present, Ofgem has powers to fine companies up to 10% of their annual turnover, which goes to the Treasury, But Huhne is to propose that the money could go direct to customers, either as compensation or in lower bills. He will also ask whether Ofgem should be given powers to prevent the big six freezing out new firms by offering excessively cheap online deals, making it hard for small firms to enter at a competitive rate. He will say it is not fair that energy companies can push their prices up for the vast majority of their consumers who do not switch while introducing cut throat offers for new customers that stop small firms entering the market: “That looks to me like predatory pricing. It must and will stop.” At the weekend Huhne was reported as describing consumers lazy for failing to shop around for cheaper energy. He will explain he did not regard consumers as indolent, but he will argue the average household could save £200 by switching to the lowest cost supplier. Consumers, he will explain, “still think that they face the same bill whoever they go to”. He is making it easier for consumers to change energy supplier so in future they will have a right to be switched within three weeks once a cooling-off period has elapsed. He is also to set up a working group on collective purchasing and switching in energy with Ofgem Consumer Focus and Whitehall to examine the potential for collective purchasing and switching in the energy market, and to review any barriers preventing consumers from coming together. EDF Energy was the last of the big six to raise prices last week increasing gas prices by 15.4% and electricity prices by 4.5% from 10 November. The firm said it had absorbed wholesale price rises for as long as possible before being forced to raise costs for customers. Energy industry Utilities Chris Huhne EDF Energy Scottish and Southern Energy Family finances Energy bills Household bills Patrick Wintour guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Chris Huhne wants to strip the big six energy companies of their ability to impede action by regulator Ofgem under new plans Fresh powers to compensate consumers if they are the victims of anticompetitve practices by the big six energy companies will be proposed on Tuesday by the energy secretary Chris Huhne. Huhne is planning for energy companies to be stripped of their current ability to impede action by the regulator Ofgem by forcing it to seek a second opinion from the Competition Commission. Instead, Ofgem will have powers to impose its decisions and energy companies will have a right of appeal. Huhne is looking at giving Ofgem new powers to require energy companies to provide direct redress when consumers have lost out as a result of a company breaching a licence condition. The big six firms are EDF energy, British Gas, EON, Npower, Scottish and Southern Energy and Scottish Power. At present, Ofgem has powers to fine companies up to 10% of their annual turnover, which goes to the Treasury, But Huhne is to propose that the money could go direct to customers, either as compensation or in lower bills. He will also ask whether Ofgem should be given powers to prevent the big six freezing out new firms by offering excessively cheap online deals, making it hard for small firms to enter at a competitive rate. He will say it is not fair that energy companies can push their prices up for the vast majority of their consumers who do not switch while introducing cut throat offers for new customers that stop small firms entering the market: “That looks to me like predatory pricing. It must and will stop.” At the weekend Huhne was reported as describing consumers lazy for failing to shop around for cheaper energy. He will explain he did not regard consumers as indolent, but he will argue the average household could save £200 by switching to the lowest cost supplier. Consumers, he will explain, “still think that they face the same bill whoever they go to”. He is making it easier for consumers to change energy supplier so in future they will have a right to be switched within three weeks once a cooling-off period has elapsed. He is also to set up a working group on collective purchasing and switching in energy with Ofgem Consumer Focus and Whitehall to examine the potential for collective purchasing and switching in the energy market, and to review any barriers preventing consumers from coming together. EDF Energy was the last of the big six to raise prices last week increasing gas prices by 15.4% and electricity prices by 4.5% from 10 November. The firm said it had absorbed wholesale price rises for as long as possible before being forced to raise costs for customers. Energy industry Utilities Chris Huhne EDF Energy Scottish and Southern Energy Family finances Energy bills Household bills Patrick Wintour guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …