Not less than 84 people have been feared dead, while celebrating Bastille Day in the southern French city of Nice as a result of a fallen lorry.
The lorry was said to contain guns and were fleeing from police when he was shot. on for 2km (1.2 miles) on the Promenade des Anglais at about 23:00 local time, before been shot dead by police on making further attempt to hit more people.
The attack began after the display of firework on the seafront for Bastille Day, which is the country's national holiday.
Wassim Bouhlel told Frenchmedia.
"My wife... a metre away... she was dead. The lorry ripped through everything... poles, trees. We have never seen anything like it. Some people were hanging on the door and tried to stop it."
"It had been a normal evening and we were just walking around," Joel Fenster told the BBC. "Suddenly people started running, there were screams and police sirens and policemen shouting at us to evacuate.
"It was terrifying, especially because we didn't know what was going on. At the time we only had heard some kind of gunshots and we assumed that there were people running around with guns.
Almost 50 people have been injured, 18 of them sustaining a serious injury.
Showing posts with label World news. Show all posts
Showing posts with label World news. Show all posts
15 Jul 2016
6 May 2016
Obama doubts Trump winning the election.
President Obama is making the Republican supporters to take a closer look at proposals floated by Donald Trump, who he says is now "the standard bearer" of the GOP.
"I want to make it clear that we are in serious times and this is a really serious job," Obama told reporters today. "This is not movie show. This is not a reality show."
Obama has severally doubted Donald Trump been his successor.
7 Apr 2016
See the amazing cities in the world been neglected.
Austria
This country is in the center of Europe,it is often gets passed up in favour of its neighbours — including Prague in the Czech Republic or Munich in southern Germany — said Steve Estesfrom New York City.
“What Americans and European forget about Austria is that 100 years ago, it was a great Imperial capital of Europe, on par with London, Paris, Rome... and then the political fortunes of the Austro-Hungarian Empire faded,” he explained. “So most everything that people love about, say, Paris, goes just as well for Austria.”
That means attractive museums and art galleries and impressive palaces like the Schonbrunnare all accessible via the safe and clean Vienna subway system.Ski towns are also some of the best in the world, Estes added, especially Innsbruck: “a city by the mountains that every [US] ski town from Vail to Stowe to Tahoe tries to copy”.
Mozambique
many African countries could be on this list, Deirdre Beecherof Cork, Ireland honed in on this southeastern nation for its diversity and potential.
“Mozambique has stunning white sandy beaches that are lapped by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean,” she said. “There are islands off the coast that rival anything the Maldives have to offer and are largely uninhabited.”
Visitors can enjoy many aspects of the landscape: a safari on the Limpopo River valley, surfing and reef diving off the coast of Tofo, or swimming with whale sharks and manta rays near the Bazaruto Archipelago. The country’s history can be appreciated in Mozambique’s colonial architecture or in medieval trading towns, such as Sofala, which were frequented by Swahili, Arab and Persian traders.
Bhutan
Nestled between better-known neighbours China, India and Nepal, Bhutan is a small country but very attractive and beautiful to visit, said Amit Sinhaof New Delhi. Located on the eastern side of the Himalayas, the country is “peaceful” and “full of panoramic views”, he said, including views of Gangkhar Puensum, the highest unclimbed mountain in the world is found in this small country.
The country one of the world’s happiest. In fact, instead of measuring output in standard economic GDP, the country measures GNH (Gross National Happiness), based on sustainable development, environmental protection, cultural preservation and good governance. Its capital, Thimphu, is the only capital city in the world without traffic lights.
Bhutan does have strict tourist requirements as part of an official “High Value, Low Impact” tourism rules, and visitors must have a visa and made their visit known through an official Bhutanese tour operator. A daily tourism fee of $65 is also required, and goes toward the country’s education, healthcare and infrastructure.
Malta
The Mediterranean island nation of Malta is warm, cheap and accessible, making it a perfect alternative to more-visited neighbours like Italy and Greece. Locals speak English as well as Italian and Maltese, so Anglophones won’t have any problem communicating.
“It has Italian food and wine without the Italian bureaucracy,” said Deepak Shukla, who lived in Malta and now resides in London. “There is also a culture of eating and drinking outside,” he added — all the better to appreciate the beautiful year-round weather.
Happily, outdoor libations are plentiful and cheap. Locals recommend ordering thepastizzi, a traditional savoury pastry, usually filled with ricotta, washed down with local Cisk beer. Beyond culinary pursuits, the island’s megalithic temples – built between 5000 and 7000BC – are renowned for their architectural beauty and skill, given the limited resources available at the time they were constructed.
Canada
While the United States attracts tourists for its iconic cities and famous national parks, its northern neighbour’s charms often go overlooked.
“Many people believe Canada is full of igloos and maple syrup, but that couldn't be farther from the truth,” said Thomas White. “most of the fantastic cities in the world are in Canada!”
That includes Vancouver, where “you can snowboard and surf in one day”, Toronto, one of North America’s fastest growing cities, and Quebec City, “one of the best examples of European architecture outside of Europe”. And Canada’s cultural hub, Montreal, rivals some of the best cities in the world, White affirmed.
Beyond its vibrant cities, Canada’s vast landscape offers plenty of opportunity for exploring, with its national parks often less crowded than those of its neighbour to the south. In Algonquin Parkin Central Ontario, visitors often hear wolf howls, while lobster boils are a favourite activity in the coastal national parks of Gros Morneand Terra Novain Newfoundland.
Read More »
This country is in the center of Europe,it is often gets passed up in favour of its neighbours — including Prague in the Czech Republic or Munich in southern Germany — said Steve Estesfrom New York City.
“What Americans and European forget about Austria is that 100 years ago, it was a great Imperial capital of Europe, on par with London, Paris, Rome... and then the political fortunes of the Austro-Hungarian Empire faded,” he explained. “So most everything that people love about, say, Paris, goes just as well for Austria.”
That means attractive museums and art galleries and impressive palaces like the Schonbrunnare all accessible via the safe and clean Vienna subway system.Ski towns are also some of the best in the world, Estes added, especially Innsbruck: “a city by the mountains that every [US] ski town from Vail to Stowe to Tahoe tries to copy”.
Mozambique
many African countries could be on this list, Deirdre Beecherof Cork, Ireland honed in on this southeastern nation for its diversity and potential.
“Mozambique has stunning white sandy beaches that are lapped by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean,” she said. “There are islands off the coast that rival anything the Maldives have to offer and are largely uninhabited.”
Visitors can enjoy many aspects of the landscape: a safari on the Limpopo River valley, surfing and reef diving off the coast of Tofo, or swimming with whale sharks and manta rays near the Bazaruto Archipelago. The country’s history can be appreciated in Mozambique’s colonial architecture or in medieval trading towns, such as Sofala, which were frequented by Swahili, Arab and Persian traders.
Bhutan
Nestled between better-known neighbours China, India and Nepal, Bhutan is a small country but very attractive and beautiful to visit, said Amit Sinhaof New Delhi. Located on the eastern side of the Himalayas, the country is “peaceful” and “full of panoramic views”, he said, including views of Gangkhar Puensum, the highest unclimbed mountain in the world is found in this small country.
The country one of the world’s happiest. In fact, instead of measuring output in standard economic GDP, the country measures GNH (Gross National Happiness), based on sustainable development, environmental protection, cultural preservation and good governance. Its capital, Thimphu, is the only capital city in the world without traffic lights.
Bhutan does have strict tourist requirements as part of an official “High Value, Low Impact” tourism rules, and visitors must have a visa and made their visit known through an official Bhutanese tour operator. A daily tourism fee of $65 is also required, and goes toward the country’s education, healthcare and infrastructure.
Malta
The Mediterranean island nation of Malta is warm, cheap and accessible, making it a perfect alternative to more-visited neighbours like Italy and Greece. Locals speak English as well as Italian and Maltese, so Anglophones won’t have any problem communicating.
“It has Italian food and wine without the Italian bureaucracy,” said Deepak Shukla, who lived in Malta and now resides in London. “There is also a culture of eating and drinking outside,” he added — all the better to appreciate the beautiful year-round weather.
Happily, outdoor libations are plentiful and cheap. Locals recommend ordering thepastizzi, a traditional savoury pastry, usually filled with ricotta, washed down with local Cisk beer. Beyond culinary pursuits, the island’s megalithic temples – built between 5000 and 7000BC – are renowned for their architectural beauty and skill, given the limited resources available at the time they were constructed.
Canada
While the United States attracts tourists for its iconic cities and famous national parks, its northern neighbour’s charms often go overlooked.
“Many people believe Canada is full of igloos and maple syrup, but that couldn't be farther from the truth,” said Thomas White. “most of the fantastic cities in the world are in Canada!”
That includes Vancouver, where “you can snowboard and surf in one day”, Toronto, one of North America’s fastest growing cities, and Quebec City, “one of the best examples of European architecture outside of Europe”. And Canada’s cultural hub, Montreal, rivals some of the best cities in the world, White affirmed.
Beyond its vibrant cities, Canada’s vast landscape offers plenty of opportunity for exploring, with its national parks often less crowded than those of its neighbour to the south. In Algonquin Parkin Central Ontario, visitors often hear wolf howls, while lobster boils are a favourite activity in the coastal national parks of Gros Morneand Terra Novain Newfoundland.
6 Apr 2016
Americans in the panama file!!
This is a huge leak in history, but many have questioned why only a small number of Americans have been implicated so far.
US news outlet Fusion, which was part of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists(ICIJ) that revealed the files, said journalists only find 211 people with addresses in the US who owned companies in the data. But not yet proved if all of them were US citizens.
Experts said more names could become clear as other files of the 11.5m leaked documents were examined. Americans seeking to avoid tax, they said, might prefer other well-known tax havens or US states with relaxed regulations.
Another reason could be that stricter US laws had made tax evasion more difficult for American citizens.
'Americans do not need to go far'
Laws in the US states of Delaware, Nevada and Wyoming have made it possible for organisations to create shell companies there to avoid higher taxes in their own states, experts say.
Foreign companies are also said to have taken advantage of these regulations.
Critics say these arrangements were responsible for transforming Delaware into an onshore version of the Cayman Islands, a well-known tax haven, according to a report by the New York Times.
Officials in Delaware said this comparison was "inaccurate".
But watchdog group Transparency Internationalsaid the state was "synonymous" with "anonymous companies and ghost corporations", being "one of the most symbolic cases of corruption".
It is not only about Delaware. Prof Jason Sharman, at Griffith University in Nathan, Australia, told Reuters news agency in 2011: "Somalia has slightly higher standards than Wyoming and Nevada."
These two US states were among the many places Mossack Fonseca said it offered services.
Last year's Financial Secrecy Index, published by the Tax Justice Network, said a "failure to enact legislation that would require transparency and the exploitation of these gaps by private operators" made US states including Delaware, Nevada and Wyoming "leaders" in offshore secret incorporations.
William Sharp, from US-based Sharp Partners PA, said: "Forming a Nevada or Delaware limited liability company can be done overnight and typically with very little, if any, substantive operations. To the extent that Americans are looking for corporate confidentiality, Nevada and Delaware certainly provide that."
Delaware, Nevada and Wyoming have promised to crack down on secret business but so far no relevant measures have been taken, according to the Tax Justice Network.
'impossible to deny'
This is how the Tax Justice Network says the operation works. A businessman sets up a shell company in Delaware, for example, using a local company formation agent.
This local agent provides nominee officers and directors, typically lawyers, whose information, such as passport details, will become public.
But as the nominees are bound by attorney-client privilege not to reveal details, it is hard to get to the names of the real owners of that company, and they may well be another shell company.
"The company can run millions through its bank account but nobody - whether domestic or foreign law enforcement - can crack through that form of secrecy," the Tax Justice Network says.
How properties were hidden and taxes dodged
'They may go elsewhere'
A report by US website Politico suggestedthat Americans who wanted to avoid taxes preferred other places, like Bermuda, the Cayman Islands or Singapore, and not Panama.
These countries speak English, operate under a derivative of English common law and have political systems seen as more stable, it said.
"If there was a leak from Singapore, as opposed to Panama, which is what we have so far, we might find more [evasion]," Reuven Avi-Yonah, a law professor at the University of Michigan, told Politico.
He said estimatesof the annual costs of illegal tax evasion for the US ranged from $20bn (£14bn) to $70bn.
However, Mr Sharp said US laws like the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) and other cross-border initiatives had meant that the "tax evasion game [was] principally over for American taxpayers".
"The list of known countries used by Americans to evade taxes is growing shorter as the day grows longer," he said.
Read More »
US news outlet Fusion, which was part of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists(ICIJ) that revealed the files, said journalists only find 211 people with addresses in the US who owned companies in the data. But not yet proved if all of them were US citizens.
Experts said more names could become clear as other files of the 11.5m leaked documents were examined. Americans seeking to avoid tax, they said, might prefer other well-known tax havens or US states with relaxed regulations.
Another reason could be that stricter US laws had made tax evasion more difficult for American citizens.
'Americans do not need to go far'
Laws in the US states of Delaware, Nevada and Wyoming have made it possible for organisations to create shell companies there to avoid higher taxes in their own states, experts say.
Foreign companies are also said to have taken advantage of these regulations.
Critics say these arrangements were responsible for transforming Delaware into an onshore version of the Cayman Islands, a well-known tax haven, according to a report by the New York Times.
Officials in Delaware said this comparison was "inaccurate".
But watchdog group Transparency Internationalsaid the state was "synonymous" with "anonymous companies and ghost corporations", being "one of the most symbolic cases of corruption".
It is not only about Delaware. Prof Jason Sharman, at Griffith University in Nathan, Australia, told Reuters news agency in 2011: "Somalia has slightly higher standards than Wyoming and Nevada."
These two US states were among the many places Mossack Fonseca said it offered services.
Last year's Financial Secrecy Index, published by the Tax Justice Network, said a "failure to enact legislation that would require transparency and the exploitation of these gaps by private operators" made US states including Delaware, Nevada and Wyoming "leaders" in offshore secret incorporations.
William Sharp, from US-based Sharp Partners PA, said: "Forming a Nevada or Delaware limited liability company can be done overnight and typically with very little, if any, substantive operations. To the extent that Americans are looking for corporate confidentiality, Nevada and Delaware certainly provide that."
Delaware, Nevada and Wyoming have promised to crack down on secret business but so far no relevant measures have been taken, according to the Tax Justice Network.
'impossible to deny'
This is how the Tax Justice Network says the operation works. A businessman sets up a shell company in Delaware, for example, using a local company formation agent.
This local agent provides nominee officers and directors, typically lawyers, whose information, such as passport details, will become public.
But as the nominees are bound by attorney-client privilege not to reveal details, it is hard to get to the names of the real owners of that company, and they may well be another shell company.
"The company can run millions through its bank account but nobody - whether domestic or foreign law enforcement - can crack through that form of secrecy," the Tax Justice Network says.
How properties were hidden and taxes dodged
'They may go elsewhere'
A report by US website Politico suggestedthat Americans who wanted to avoid taxes preferred other places, like Bermuda, the Cayman Islands or Singapore, and not Panama.
These countries speak English, operate under a derivative of English common law and have political systems seen as more stable, it said.
"If there was a leak from Singapore, as opposed to Panama, which is what we have so far, we might find more [evasion]," Reuven Avi-Yonah, a law professor at the University of Michigan, told Politico.
He said estimatesof the annual costs of illegal tax evasion for the US ranged from $20bn (£14bn) to $70bn.
However, Mr Sharp said US laws like the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) and other cross-border initiatives had meant that the "tax evasion game [was] principally over for American taxpayers".
"The list of known countries used by Americans to evade taxes is growing shorter as the day grows longer," he said.
U.S..Bill on gay marriage!!
The Governor of Mississippi, Phil Bryant on Tuesday signed HB1523 into law on amid opposition from equal rights groups and businesses.
He said the bill "protects religious beliefs and moral convictions".
Protesters say the bill would allow for lawful discrimination of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
The bill was introduce when numerous US states are passing or considering similar laws.
Not long, North Carolina passed a bill that revokes protections for LGBT people and requires transgender individuals to use restrooms based on their biological gender identity.
Major companies and CEOs signed on to a letter urging North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory to repeal the law.
Tech company PayPal has withdrawn its plan to open an operations centre, which will employed about 400 people, over the law.
Georgia leader has rejected a similar bill after pressure from major companies that do business in the state.
States have been drawing up religious freedom laws, largely under pressure from religious groups, in response to the US Supreme Court ruling last summer legalising gay marriage.
The intention of the Mississippi bill, the "safeguarding Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act," is to protect people who think marriage is between one man and one woman, that sexual relations should only happen in marriages and that gender is not changeable.
Mr Bryant, defending himself on Twitter after signing the bill, said the bill does not limits the rights of citizens under the US Constitution and was establish to "prevent government interference in the lives of the people".
Churches, religious charities and private business can utilize the law to legally not serve people whose lifestyles they disagree with. Governments must still provide services, but individual government employees can use the law to option out.
The bill also ensures that anyone who wishes to establish "sex-specific standards" for restrooms and dressing rooms is free to do so.
"This bill flies in the face of the basic American principles of fairness, justice and equality and will not protect anyone's religious liberty," the American Civil Liberties Union said in a statement following the bill's passage.
"Far from protecting individuals from 'government discrimination' as the bill claims, it is an attack on the citizens of our state, and it will serve as the Magnolia State's badge of shame."
Read More »
He said the bill "protects religious beliefs and moral convictions".
Protesters say the bill would allow for lawful discrimination of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
The bill was introduce when numerous US states are passing or considering similar laws.
Not long, North Carolina passed a bill that revokes protections for LGBT people and requires transgender individuals to use restrooms based on their biological gender identity.
Major companies and CEOs signed on to a letter urging North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory to repeal the law.
Tech company PayPal has withdrawn its plan to open an operations centre, which will employed about 400 people, over the law.
Georgia leader has rejected a similar bill after pressure from major companies that do business in the state.
States have been drawing up religious freedom laws, largely under pressure from religious groups, in response to the US Supreme Court ruling last summer legalising gay marriage.
The intention of the Mississippi bill, the "safeguarding Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act," is to protect people who think marriage is between one man and one woman, that sexual relations should only happen in marriages and that gender is not changeable.
Mr Bryant, defending himself on Twitter after signing the bill, said the bill does not limits the rights of citizens under the US Constitution and was establish to "prevent government interference in the lives of the people".
Churches, religious charities and private business can utilize the law to legally not serve people whose lifestyles they disagree with. Governments must still provide services, but individual government employees can use the law to option out.
The bill also ensures that anyone who wishes to establish "sex-specific standards" for restrooms and dressing rooms is free to do so.
"This bill flies in the face of the basic American principles of fairness, justice and equality and will not protect anyone's religious liberty," the American Civil Liberties Union said in a statement following the bill's passage.
"Far from protecting individuals from 'government discrimination' as the bill claims, it is an attack on the citizens of our state, and it will serve as the Magnolia State's badge of shame."
4 Apr 2016
World highest leak..Panama files?
The paper leaked how Mossack Fonseca clients were able to launder money, dodge sanctions and avoid tax.
In one case, the company offered an American millionaire ghost ownership records to hide money from the authorities. This is in direct breach of international regulations designed to stop money laundering and tax evasion.
You can find our special report on the revelations here.
Who is in the papers?
There are links to 12 current or former heads of state in the data, involving dictators accused of looting their own countries.
More than 60 relatives and associates of heads of state and other politicians are also implicated.
The paper also reveal a suspected billion-dollar money laundering ring involving relations of Russian's President, Vladimir Putin.
People involve includes the brother-in-law of China's President Xi Jinping;UkrainePresident Petro Poroshenko;ArgentinaPresident Mauricio Macri; the late father of UK Prime Minister David Cameron and three children of Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
The documents show that iceland's Prime Minister, Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson, had an undeclared interest linked to his wife's wealth. He is now facing calls for his resignation.
The scandal also touches football's world governing body, Fifa.
Part of the documents suggest that a head member of Fifa's ethics committee,Uruguayan lawyer Juan Pedro Damiani, and his firm provided legal assistance for at least seven offshore companies linked to a former Fifa vice-president arrested last May as part of the US inquiry into football corruption.
How do tax havens work?
Although there are legal ways of using tax havens, most of what has been going on is about hiding the true owners of money, the origin of the money and avoiding paying tax on the money.
Some of the main allegations centre on the creation of shell companies, that have the outward appearance of being legitimate businesses, but are just empty shells. They do nothing but manage money, while hiding who owns it.
One of the media partners involved in the investigation, McClatchy, has more on how shell companies work in on of his videos.
What do those involved have to say?
Mossack Fonsecasays it has operated beyond reproach for 40 years and never been accused or charged with criminal wrong-doing.
Mr Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the reports were down to "journalists and members of other organisations actively trying to discredit Putin and this country's leadership".
In an interview with a Swedish television channel,Mr Gunnlaugsson said his business affairs were above board and broke off the interview.
Fifa said it is now investigating Mr Damiani, who told Reuters on Sunday that he broke off relations with the Fifa member under investigation as soon as the latter had been accused of corruption.
Who is behind the leaking of the papers.
11.5m documents were obtained by the German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung and shared with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists(ICIJ).
The ICIJ then worked with journalists from107media organisations in76countries, including UK newspaper the Guardian, to analyse the documents over a year.
It is the biggest leak in history, dwarfing the size of those released by the Wikileaks organisation. In all, the details of214,000entities, including companies, trusts and foundations, were leaked.
The information in the documents dates back to 1977, and goes up to December last year. Emails make up the largest type of document leaked, but images of contracts and passports were also released.
Panama Papers - tax havens of the rich and powerful exposed.
*.Eleven million documents held by the Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca have been passed to German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung, which then shared them with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. BBC Panorama is among 107 media organisations - including UK newspaper the Guardian- in 76 countries which have been analysing the documents. The BBC doesn't know the identity of the source
*.They show how the company has helped clients launder money, dodge sanctions and evade tax
*.Mossack Fonseca says it has operated beyond reproach for 40 years and never been accused or charged with criminal wrong-doing
Read More »
In one case, the company offered an American millionaire ghost ownership records to hide money from the authorities. This is in direct breach of international regulations designed to stop money laundering and tax evasion.
You can find our special report on the revelations here.
Who is in the papers?
There are links to 12 current or former heads of state in the data, involving dictators accused of looting their own countries.
More than 60 relatives and associates of heads of state and other politicians are also implicated.
The paper also reveal a suspected billion-dollar money laundering ring involving relations of Russian's President, Vladimir Putin.
People involve includes the brother-in-law of China's President Xi Jinping;UkrainePresident Petro Poroshenko;ArgentinaPresident Mauricio Macri; the late father of UK Prime Minister David Cameron and three children of Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
The documents show that iceland's Prime Minister, Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson, had an undeclared interest linked to his wife's wealth. He is now facing calls for his resignation.
The scandal also touches football's world governing body, Fifa.
Part of the documents suggest that a head member of Fifa's ethics committee,Uruguayan lawyer Juan Pedro Damiani, and his firm provided legal assistance for at least seven offshore companies linked to a former Fifa vice-president arrested last May as part of the US inquiry into football corruption.
How do tax havens work?
Although there are legal ways of using tax havens, most of what has been going on is about hiding the true owners of money, the origin of the money and avoiding paying tax on the money.
Some of the main allegations centre on the creation of shell companies, that have the outward appearance of being legitimate businesses, but are just empty shells. They do nothing but manage money, while hiding who owns it.
One of the media partners involved in the investigation, McClatchy, has more on how shell companies work in on of his videos.
What do those involved have to say?
Mossack Fonsecasays it has operated beyond reproach for 40 years and never been accused or charged with criminal wrong-doing.
Mr Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the reports were down to "journalists and members of other organisations actively trying to discredit Putin and this country's leadership".
In an interview with a Swedish television channel,Mr Gunnlaugsson said his business affairs were above board and broke off the interview.
Fifa said it is now investigating Mr Damiani, who told Reuters on Sunday that he broke off relations with the Fifa member under investigation as soon as the latter had been accused of corruption.
Who is behind the leaking of the papers.
11.5m documents were obtained by the German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung and shared with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists(ICIJ).
The ICIJ then worked with journalists from107media organisations in76countries, including UK newspaper the Guardian, to analyse the documents over a year.
It is the biggest leak in history, dwarfing the size of those released by the Wikileaks organisation. In all, the details of214,000entities, including companies, trusts and foundations, were leaked.
The information in the documents dates back to 1977, and goes up to December last year. Emails make up the largest type of document leaked, but images of contracts and passports were also released.
Panama Papers - tax havens of the rich and powerful exposed.
*.Eleven million documents held by the Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca have been passed to German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung, which then shared them with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. BBC Panorama is among 107 media organisations - including UK newspaper the Guardian- in 76 countries which have been analysing the documents. The BBC doesn't know the identity of the source
*.They show how the company has helped clients launder money, dodge sanctions and evade tax
*.Mossack Fonseca says it has operated beyond reproach for 40 years and never been accused or charged with criminal wrong-doing
See cities with highest sunlight
the cities with the highest sunshine on Earth are concentrated heavily in the southwestern United States, northern Australia , Northern Africa, south Africa and the Middle East. While many of the areas with desert regions are sparsely inhabited, we sought out residents in some of the largest sunniest cities to find out how the cloudless blue skies affect attitudes and quality of life.
Phoenix, Arizona, United States
With the exception of Yuma, a small city of in southwestern Arizona, Phoenix sees more sunny days than any other city in the world. That can be a mental boon – until it gets taken away.
“I had no idea that the sun affected my mood so much until I studied abroad for a year in Bergen, Norway, which incidentally, is one of the rainiest places in the world,” said Catherine Capozzi, a long-time Phoenix resident. “I felt more introverted and melancholy, but couldn't figure out why. Even now, just a single day of rain is enough to bring down my energy.”
Still, the rarity of wet weather has its perks. “Arizonans will note a very particular smell of the desert rain. It happens when rain falls on the creosote shrub, a plant native to the desert,” Capozzi said. “It's one of my favourite scents.”
Even with the sunshine, Phoenix can be an acquired taste due to the intense heat and brown landscape. “Those who stay fall in love with the flaming sunsets, fantastic winter weather, incredible Mexican food, friendly people and a very inexpensive standard of living,” Capozzi said.
Once run down, the state capital’s downtown is now a popular area for young professionals, with farmers’ markets, hipster coffeehouses, taco trucks and museums. Young families and retirees flock to Scottsdale, a nearby upscale suburb about 12 miles northeast of Phoenix. Ten miles east, Tempe is overrun with students from Arizona State University, who frequent the bars and clubs that line Mill Avenue.
Darwin, Australia
From Tennant Creek to Alice Springs, many of Australia’s sunniest cities are concentrated in the country’s Northern Territory. Despite its vast size, the region is sparsely populated: even its capital Darwin has less than 150,000 people. But those that live there enjoy the benefits year-round.
“You never have to watch the weather on the news because it's sunny and 32C almost every day,” said Rick Delander, senior tour guide for Adventure Toursand Intrepid Travel. This leads to a relaxed lifestyle with laidback language to match: you’re likely to hear expressions like“no worries”, “too easy”, and “she'll be right, mate”. “These sum up the easy-going Darwin lifestyle where nothing is too much trouble and people don't worry about things that don't really matter,” Delander explained.
It can go up to eight months without rain, but November tends be the start of the hot and wet season that turns everything green and lush. “The wet season is also known as the silly season, where some people get what is locally known as 'tropical madness’,” Delander said. The intense heat and humidity leads to an uptick in stress and tension, but once the rains start “everyone gets back to the normal harmonious lifestyle.”
A small city compared to others in Australia, Darwin is very spread out. Delander lives in rural Howard Springs, 30km east. “I call it the happy medium place to live. It has all the good things about living in the bush, plenty of space, lots of wildlife and no neighbours nearby,” he said, adding that it’s also easy to make it into the city quickly via the speedy highway. Closer to the city centre, Nightcliff, 10km to the north, is an ever-popular choice with beaches, markets and incredible ocean views, while Fannie Bay, 5km north of the city, is beloved by professionals and families for its parks, big blocks and established gardens.
Nizwa, Oman
Located on the eastern side of the Arabian Peninsula, Oman has sunny cities across the country, which leads to “a sunny disposition about life”, said expat Nicole Brewer, who works as a teacher in Nizwa and writes the I Luv 2 Globetrotblog. “Omanis are already very nice and welcoming people,” she said. “As a conservative religious area, Muslims [in Oman] are actually pretty laidback, and everything is ‘Inshallah’, but more in a way as ‘what will be will be and I'm not going to worry about it’.”
The endless sunny days make it easy for Nizwa locals to explore the surrounding area. Nearby mountain Jabal Akhdar (meaning “the green mountain”), about 60km north of the city, sits 2,000m above sea level and is popular with hikers and overnight campers. Nizwa is also famous for itssuq,a large outdoor shopping area with local silver and pottery for sale.
Nizwa’s constant sun also makes rainy days a treat. “Just today we had a little bit of rain and my students could not wait to get out of class so that they could enjoy the rare cloudy skies and few raindrops,” Brewer said.
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Phoenix, Arizona, United States
With the exception of Yuma, a small city of in southwestern Arizona, Phoenix sees more sunny days than any other city in the world. That can be a mental boon – until it gets taken away.
“I had no idea that the sun affected my mood so much until I studied abroad for a year in Bergen, Norway, which incidentally, is one of the rainiest places in the world,” said Catherine Capozzi, a long-time Phoenix resident. “I felt more introverted and melancholy, but couldn't figure out why. Even now, just a single day of rain is enough to bring down my energy.”
Still, the rarity of wet weather has its perks. “Arizonans will note a very particular smell of the desert rain. It happens when rain falls on the creosote shrub, a plant native to the desert,” Capozzi said. “It's one of my favourite scents.”
Even with the sunshine, Phoenix can be an acquired taste due to the intense heat and brown landscape. “Those who stay fall in love with the flaming sunsets, fantastic winter weather, incredible Mexican food, friendly people and a very inexpensive standard of living,” Capozzi said.
Once run down, the state capital’s downtown is now a popular area for young professionals, with farmers’ markets, hipster coffeehouses, taco trucks and museums. Young families and retirees flock to Scottsdale, a nearby upscale suburb about 12 miles northeast of Phoenix. Ten miles east, Tempe is overrun with students from Arizona State University, who frequent the bars and clubs that line Mill Avenue.
Darwin, Australia
From Tennant Creek to Alice Springs, many of Australia’s sunniest cities are concentrated in the country’s Northern Territory. Despite its vast size, the region is sparsely populated: even its capital Darwin has less than 150,000 people. But those that live there enjoy the benefits year-round.
“You never have to watch the weather on the news because it's sunny and 32C almost every day,” said Rick Delander, senior tour guide for Adventure Toursand Intrepid Travel. This leads to a relaxed lifestyle with laidback language to match: you’re likely to hear expressions like“no worries”, “too easy”, and “she'll be right, mate”. “These sum up the easy-going Darwin lifestyle where nothing is too much trouble and people don't worry about things that don't really matter,” Delander explained.
It can go up to eight months without rain, but November tends be the start of the hot and wet season that turns everything green and lush. “The wet season is also known as the silly season, where some people get what is locally known as 'tropical madness’,” Delander said. The intense heat and humidity leads to an uptick in stress and tension, but once the rains start “everyone gets back to the normal harmonious lifestyle.”
A small city compared to others in Australia, Darwin is very spread out. Delander lives in rural Howard Springs, 30km east. “I call it the happy medium place to live. It has all the good things about living in the bush, plenty of space, lots of wildlife and no neighbours nearby,” he said, adding that it’s also easy to make it into the city quickly via the speedy highway. Closer to the city centre, Nightcliff, 10km to the north, is an ever-popular choice with beaches, markets and incredible ocean views, while Fannie Bay, 5km north of the city, is beloved by professionals and families for its parks, big blocks and established gardens.
Nizwa, Oman
Located on the eastern side of the Arabian Peninsula, Oman has sunny cities across the country, which leads to “a sunny disposition about life”, said expat Nicole Brewer, who works as a teacher in Nizwa and writes the I Luv 2 Globetrotblog. “Omanis are already very nice and welcoming people,” she said. “As a conservative religious area, Muslims [in Oman] are actually pretty laidback, and everything is ‘Inshallah’, but more in a way as ‘what will be will be and I'm not going to worry about it’.”
The endless sunny days make it easy for Nizwa locals to explore the surrounding area. Nearby mountain Jabal Akhdar (meaning “the green mountain”), about 60km north of the city, sits 2,000m above sea level and is popular with hikers and overnight campers. Nizwa is also famous for itssuq,a large outdoor shopping area with local silver and pottery for sale.
Nizwa’s constant sun also makes rainy days a treat. “Just today we had a little bit of rain and my students could not wait to get out of class so that they could enjoy the rare cloudy skies and few raindrops,” Brewer said.
2 Apr 2016
President Obama response to Islamic state threats.
President of the united states of America,Barrack Obama says that launching of nuclear bomb by terrorist would be a disturbance to the world.
The fear from terrorists trying to launch a nuclear attack that would "cause a disturbance" is real, President Barack Obama has said.
The world has taken "concrete" steps to prevent nuclear terrorism, he told the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington.
But the Islamic State (IS) obtaining a nuclear weapon is "one of the greatest disturbance to global security," he added.
More than 50 nations were represented at the summit.
World leaders convening in Washington for the summit expressed concern about North Korea's nuclear weapons programme and Russia's lack of attendance.
Mr Obama expressed concern that Russia has been building up its military at the expense of nuclear arms reductions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin refused to attend the summit, and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan cancelled his trip after the deadly bombing in Lahore. Both countries are nuclear-armed.
As the summit closed, the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to fight proliferation.
Mr Obama cited progress in making large parts of the world free of nuclear materials. South America had already achieved this, and Central Europe and South East Asia were expected to do so later this year.
"Together, we have join hands to take away the world's most deadly materials from nuclear facilities around the world," he said.
Despite these gains, Mr Obama said the Indian subcontinent and the Korean peninsula were areas where more could be done to combat proliferation.
Mr Obama said the world cannot be "complacent" and must build on its progress in slowing the stockpiling of nuclear weapons.
IS has already used chemical weapons in Syria.
"There is no doubt that if Islamic state ever got their hands on a nuclear bomb or nuclear material, they would certainly use it to kill as many people as possible," he said.
"The single most effective defence against nuclear terrorism is fully securing this material so it doesn't fall into the wrong hands in the first place."
Could Islamic State make a 'dirty bomb'?
Mr Obama hailed his own nuclear agreement with Iran, which has been criticised by Republicans and other groups for the sanctions relief it provides. He called it a "substantial success".
"This is a success of diplomacy that hopefully we will be able to copy in the future," he said.
Mr Obama said Iran has so far followed the letter of the agreement. He urged patience as the country becomes re-integrated into the global economy.
"So long as Iran is carrying out its end of the bargain, we think it's important for the world community to carry out our end," he said.
At the summit, Mr Obama was asked about recent comments by presidential aspirant Donald Trump.
The Republican front-runner had floated the idea that Japan and South Korea should have nuclear weapons, a dramatic departure from decades of US foreign policy.
"The person who made the statement doesn't know much about foreign policy, nuclear policy, the Korean peninsula or the world at large," Barrack Obama said.
Read More »
The fear from terrorists trying to launch a nuclear attack that would "cause a disturbance" is real, President Barack Obama has said.
The world has taken "concrete" steps to prevent nuclear terrorism, he told the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington.
But the Islamic State (IS) obtaining a nuclear weapon is "one of the greatest disturbance to global security," he added.
More than 50 nations were represented at the summit.
World leaders convening in Washington for the summit expressed concern about North Korea's nuclear weapons programme and Russia's lack of attendance.
Mr Obama expressed concern that Russia has been building up its military at the expense of nuclear arms reductions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin refused to attend the summit, and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan cancelled his trip after the deadly bombing in Lahore. Both countries are nuclear-armed.
As the summit closed, the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to fight proliferation.
Mr Obama cited progress in making large parts of the world free of nuclear materials. South America had already achieved this, and Central Europe and South East Asia were expected to do so later this year.
"Together, we have join hands to take away the world's most deadly materials from nuclear facilities around the world," he said.
Despite these gains, Mr Obama said the Indian subcontinent and the Korean peninsula were areas where more could be done to combat proliferation.
Mr Obama said the world cannot be "complacent" and must build on its progress in slowing the stockpiling of nuclear weapons.
IS has already used chemical weapons in Syria.
"There is no doubt that if Islamic state ever got their hands on a nuclear bomb or nuclear material, they would certainly use it to kill as many people as possible," he said.
"The single most effective defence against nuclear terrorism is fully securing this material so it doesn't fall into the wrong hands in the first place."
Could Islamic State make a 'dirty bomb'?
Mr Obama hailed his own nuclear agreement with Iran, which has been criticised by Republicans and other groups for the sanctions relief it provides. He called it a "substantial success".
"This is a success of diplomacy that hopefully we will be able to copy in the future," he said.
Mr Obama said Iran has so far followed the letter of the agreement. He urged patience as the country becomes re-integrated into the global economy.
"So long as Iran is carrying out its end of the bargain, we think it's important for the world community to carry out our end," he said.
At the summit, Mr Obama was asked about recent comments by presidential aspirant Donald Trump.
The Republican front-runner had floated the idea that Japan and South Korea should have nuclear weapons, a dramatic departure from decades of US foreign policy.
"The person who made the statement doesn't know much about foreign policy, nuclear policy, the Korean peninsula or the world at large," Barrack Obama said.
15 Mar 2016
BREAKING!! ISLAMIC COMMANDER OMAR CHECHEN IS DEAD
Islamic State's military commander, Omar al-Shishani was confirmed dead by the Pentagon today.
According to the Pentagon, the 'minster of war' ( as termed by Pentagon) succumbed to the injuries after he was targeted in March 4 US-led coalition strike in northeastern Syria.
The strike itself involved multiple waves of manned and unmanned aircraft, targeting Shishani near al-Shadadi in Syria, a US official said.
"We believe he subsequently died of his injuries," Navy Captain Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, told AFP.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Sunday claimed that Omar also known as 'Omar the Chechen' had been 'clinically dead'for several days.
Shishani was one of the IS leaders most wanted by Washington and had a bounty of US $5 million on his head
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