Daily Challenge 7-6-11

WAL-MART DONATES $4M TO CITY YOUTH JOBS PROGRAM - PG. 3 NATIONAL NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION

THE NATION’S ONLY BLACK DAILY 35 Cents

Final

MAJORITY BLACK SCHOOLS HAVE INEXPERIENCED TEACHERS

Schools with African American students are twice according to data released by the Department of as likely to have teachers with little experience Education. as majority white schools in the same district, SEE PAGE 3.

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DAILY CHALLENGE WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2011

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N E WS B R I E FS BROOKLYN MAN FATALLY SHOT WAS COUSIN OF HIP HOP STAR MINAJ Police in Brooklyn are looking for the person who fatally shot the cousin of a well-known hip hop star Monday.

Police were called to East 52nd Street and Farragut Road around 2:40 a.m. where they found Nicholas Telemaque, 27, shot several times in the torso.

He was pronounced dead at Kings County Hospital.

“Nicholas was a very caring, loving type of guy. he would always go out of his way for his friends. he was just the type of person that always wanted to make you laugh when you were feeling down,” said Telemaque’s friend, Candace Lamy.

Telemaque was the cousin of hip hop star Nicki Minaj.

Minaj has posted about the incident on Twitter.

COMMUNITY EDUCATION COUNCIL ELECTIONS BESET BY PROBLEMS Problems are mounting for the Community Education Council elections.

After parents complained about a series of problems this spring, Chancellor Dennis Walcott ordered the elections be redone.

Department of Education officials now say that 13 of 32 councils require additional runoffs and redos.

Officials say it’s because the chancellor’s regulations had been misapplied.

When the formula was corrected, the results changed.

There were 14 cases of parents whose elections turned out to be invalid.

The councils have limited power but represent the only official role parents have in the school system.

NUMBER OF REPORTED RAPES ON THE RISE The city is seeing a rise in the number of rapes reported to police, and victims’ advocates reportedly say the numbers are a sign that more women are speaking out.

The New York City Police Department says it’s received 711 rape complaints between January and the end of June — a 16 percent increase from the same period last year.

The director of Beth Israel’s Rape Crisis and Domestic Violence Intervention Program says the numbers don’t mean rapes are up, just that more people are coming forward.

Last year, victims’ advocates suggested the police department train officers to use more sensitivity when dealing with rape complaints.

It says Police Commissioner Ray Kelly revamped training and ordered the NYPD’s special victims unit to handle the complaints instead of patrol officers.

Report: NY Attorney General sends subpoenas to nine life insurers

By SAKTHI PRASAD and RENJU JOSE New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has issued subpoenas to at least nine leading life insurers to examine whether the firms have adequately ensured payouts on policies of some deceased customers, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter.

The move is another measure of regulatory scrutiny into whether companies have done enough to identify dead customers and their beneficiaries, the Journal said.

It is not clear yet if any enforcement action would be brought under terms of the law, one of the people familiar with the matter told the newspaper.

Some of the companies could not be reached or did not have immediate comment over the holiday weekend, the paper said.

A few insurance firms have confirmed receipt of a subpoena saying it is being reviewed and pledging cooperation with the inquiry, the newspaper said.

The Journal said subpoenas went to units of AXA SA, Genworth Financial Inc, Guardian Life Insurance Co of America, Manulife Finan-

cial Corp, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co, MetLife Inc, New York Life Insurance Co, Prudential Financial Inc, and TIAA-CREF. “We believe we have compliant and robust practices to determine when claim payments are due and owing, and to adhere to state unclaimed property requirements and regulations,” a Genworth spokesman told the Journal.

“We are committed to cooperating fully with the attorney general, as well as with other states conducting similar reviews,” a spokesman for AXA’s AXA Equitable unit told WSJ. MetLife declined comment to the paper.

National teachers’ group recommends Obama for second term

By MARY WISNIEWSKI CHICAGO — The nation’s largest teachers union voted on Monday to recommend that President Barack Obama be elected for another term.

The vote from National Education Association delegates at a meeting in Chicago was 72.03 percent, a bit down from the last time the NEA recommended Obama in 2008, when the “yes” vote was 79.75 percent.

“President Barack Obama shares our vision for a stronger America,” said Dennis Van Roekel, president of NEA. “He has never wavered from talking about the importance of education or his dedication to a vibrant middle class.”

The recommendation came early for the NEA. The Association’s presidential recommendation process typically takes place the summer before the general election.

But the NEA took the vote Monday to provide “early and strong support” to ensure the election of a candidate on the side of students and working families, according to an NEA statement.

“The last two years of state legislatures and the mid-term elections were eye-opening, demonstrating

what can happen when education legislation and decisions are left in the hands of politicians who do not support public schools,” Van Roekel said.

Van Roekel praised Obama’s initiatives as president, including the Education Jobs Bill, which Van Roekel said kept class sizes from ballooning and kept important education programs and services from being cut.

In recent months, Republican-

dominated legislatures have passed limits on public school teachers’ collective bargaining powers in several states, including Ohio, Tennessee, Idaho and Wisconsin.

Vice-president Joseph Biden appeared at the NEA meeting on Sunday, criticizing legislators who attack teachers and telling NEA members: “You are not the problem!”

With 3.2 million members, the NEA says it is the nation’s largest professional employee organization.

Cross burning at Black church may prompt hate crime charges

By STEVE OLAFSON OKLAHOMA CITY — Authorities recommended that felony hate crime and arson charges be pursued against an 18-year-old man and two juvenile boys who admitted burning a cross outside a predominantly Black church in Sapulpa, Oklahoma.

It will be up to the Creek County District Attorney’s Office to decide how to proceed against the suspects, an 18-year-old man who lives across the street from the church and two

juvenile boys.

The three suspects, all white, have cooperated with local, state and FBI investigators. No formal charges have been filed and the three are not incarcerated, said Lt. Charles Redfern of the Creek County Sheriff’s Department.

“They were bored and it was something to do. That’s what the adult said,” Redfern said of the suspects. “They did say they wish they hadn’t done it.”

The two juveniles were interviewed in the presence of their par-

ents, he said. Their ages were not disclosed.

The cross, propped against a chain link fence outside St. Johns Baptist Church before it was set ablaze, was actually half of a wooden waterbed frame, Redfern said.

Investigators found the other half of the waterbed frame in a trash pile at a mobile home park across the street from the church and eventually followed leads from residents and tipsters to the three suspects, he said.

Sapulpa is west of Tulsa.

DAILY CHALLENGE WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2011

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Report: Majority Black schools have inexperienced teachers

By WENDELL MARSH WASHINGTON — Schools with African American students are twice as likely to have teachers with little experience as majority white schools in the same district, according to data released by the Department of Education.

The recently expanded Civil Rights Data Collection is a biennial survey of differences in educational opportunities and resources.

“For the first time we have an incredible new source of data that tells us where opportunity gaps are in ways we have never seen before as a country,” said Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Russlynn Ali on a conference call.

The first part of the data contains demographic enrollment data from

about 7,000 school districts, or every district that serves more than 3,000 students, answering questions such as who has access to kindergarten, advanced math and science courses, and guidance counselors.

Part two of the data, to come in the Fall, is expected to feature a more robust tool to search multiple queries simultaneously and analyze results. This will include information such as numbers of students passing algebra, taking Advanced Placement tests, and discipline data.

The expanded survey included 1,000 more school districts than in the past and includes new indicators and improved methodologies, according to Ali. The group has been approved to collect data on every school district in America in the next study, Ali said.

NYers ask how gay marriage will affect benefits

By CHRIS HAWLEY As same-sex marriage becomes legal in New York — a world financial capital that often sets the corporate tone for businesses everywhere, and a city with a large gay and lesbian community — companies and individuals are wrestling with the changing complexities of their financial realities.

For straight couples, the choice has generally been to marry or not to marry, period. But conflicting state and federal marriage laws and questions about corporate benefits policies make financial planning decisions much less cut-and-dried for many gay couples.

Jason Ganns, an accountant from Albany, figures getting married will save him $350 to $450 a year in state income taxes — after a devil of a time reconciling those forms with his federal return, on which he won’t be considered married.

New York City resident Andrew Troup and his husband have kept their health insurance policies separate because of tax complications and are now weighing whether merging them will make sense after marriage.

And if some couples have been waffling on tying the knot, they’ll have to decide whether now is the time to take the plunge if their employers restrict domestic partner benefits to the lawfully hitched.

“There’s just a lot of rumors going around,” said Erica Freudenstein, a 46year-old freelance photographer from New York City who plans to wed her longtime partner, television video editor Cybele Policastro. Freudenstein has

been covered under Policastro’s health insurance.

“She has to pay taxes on it for my health insurance, and now for New York state I think she won’t,” she said.

“So it’s a benefit. It’s all about the benefits.”

New York is home to an estimated 42,600 same-sex couples, many already considered married in Canada and other places that allow gay marriage but are less business-heavy, including Iowa, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. The range of new benefits to married gay couples will affect everything from adoption to the settling of estates.

But taxes and health care benefits are the most tangible and common issues.

It is estimated that thousands of gay people in New York are covered under their partner’s employer-provided health plan. Married couples are not taxed on the value of an employer’s contribution to cover their spouse, but it’s been different for gay couples, even New Yorkers who got legally married elsewhere.

Troup got married in Canada in 2008. New York law has recognized marriages performed elsewhere since 2009, but they’re still not sure how their status will change when the state on July 24 starts recognizing samesex marriages performed within its borders.

They work at different software companies and are weighing whether to merge their health insurance policies.

“We’re going to have to sort of reevaluate and decide whether it’s more cost-effective to be under one plan or

not,” he said.

While marriage will afford gay couples some state tax benefits, federal taxes are still off the table because of the 15-year-old Defense of Marriage Act, under which federal law defines marriage as between a man and a woman.

For Ganns and his husband-to-be, that means they can file jointly on their state returns but must file individually on the federal forms, which are typically used as the basis for state forms.

“Not only is that complicated, but our tax preparer will have to prepare a joint federal return to get certain numbers on that end up on that state joint return, and then throw federal return away because he can’t file it anyway. ...

It’s going to cost most people more to get their taxes done,” Ganns said.

A little more than a third of U.S. employers offer health coverage to their employees’ same-sex partners, according to a report last week from the Society for Human Resource Management.

Some companies initially extended domestic partner benefits solely to same-sex couples to put them on equal footing with heterosexual employees who could get married.

With that inherent difference soon out the door, some couples in New York could face the choice of marrying or losing partner benefits if their companies restrict those to the legally married.

For instance, specialty glass maker Corning Inc. extended benefits to same-sex domestic partners in 2002.

But the company, based in Corning, requires couples living in any state

Wal-Mart donates $4M to city youth jobs program Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced yesterday the city has joined forces with national retailer Wal-Mart to help create thousands of summer jobs for local teens.

Wal-Mart is donating $4 million to support the city’s Summer Youth Employment Program.

More than 30 other corporations are also pitching in, but Wal-Mart’s contribution is the largest.

The city says the money will pay for an additional 3,400 kids to participate in the program, bringing the total to 28,000.

The mayor says that’s fewer than last year due to budget cuts, but it would have been a lot less if not for Wal-Mart’s donation.

“With many young people now struggling to find employment, these donations couldn’t come at a better

time. The income that they’ll make possible will pay tuition bills, buy school clothes, and help families cover their monthly expenses,” Bloomberg said.

There have been rumors that WalMart plans to open an outlet in East New York.

Proponents say it would create jobs, but opponents say it would destroy small businesses in the area

that permits same-sex marriages to be married to receive the benefit. IBM and defense contractor Raytheon Co. will require the same of New York employees.

It’s merely a side effect of progress, said Louise Young, a Dallas-based senior software engineer for Raytheon who founded the company’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Allies Employee Resource Group.

“It’s what we’ve been working for,” she said.

Companies including New Yorkbased IBM, Raytheon, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Babson College took similar action in Massachusetts when it became the first state to allow same-sex couples to wed in 2004.

The rationale was to keep benefits consistent among all employees.

Retired IBM technical writer Suzanne McHugh, whose partner gets eye and dental care through her company health plan, expects to be affected. McHugh, who was on an IBM task force that helped usher in domestic partner benefits in 1996, is not troubled.

“Because of IBM’s effort to be as fair as possible under the circumstances, I knew it would be an inevitability should it become legal in New York,” she said. “So I’m not upset by it. I knew it was coming.”

The two women, who live in Kerhonkson in the Hudson Valley, expect to get married in November, though not specifically for the health benefits.

They also mentioned property tax benefits and said that after being together for 28 years, “it seems like the right thing to do.”

Not all employers plan to force couples to marry to maintain benefits, among them General Electric Co. and Rochester-based Kodak.

Companies that are self-insured — typically those with more than 500 employees — don’t have to follow state law, just federal law, which doesn’t recognize gay marriage. But they may have to do some soul-searching even in states without gay marriage, said Shawn Nowicki, director of health policy for the Northeast Business Group on Health, which represents employers that offer health benefits in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts.

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DAILY CHALLENGE WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2011

JOURNAL OF THE PEOPLE’S PASTOR ‘WRITING THE HISTORY I’VE LIVED, LIVING THE HISTORY I WRITE!’

The passing of the giants of the human spirit: Mr. Gilbert Scott-Heron, Mr. Luther Gatling and Mr. Geronimo Pratt

THOMAS H. WATKINS

Super Rich: Russell Simmons’ real wealth

By REV. DR. HERBERT DAUGHTRY

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Part Two Geronimo spent 27 years in prison — eight of which were spent in solitary confinement.

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achieve their objectives.

I had the occasion to co-chair the hearings on FBI activities in the 1960s and 1970s. The meetings took place in Washington, D.C. Many organizations and individuals, who had been targeted by the FBI, were invited to testify. They included Kwame Ture of the All African Peoples Revolutionary Party, Minister Louis Farrakhan of the Nation of Islam, Dr. Maulana Karenga of the formerly US Organization (and now the National Association of Kawaida Organizations), the National Black United Front (of which I was the Chair at the time), Amiri Baraka of League for Revolutionary Struggle, and the Black Panther Party.

The audience was stunned as each group presented its testimony of how the FBI had infilContinued on page 5

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Geronimo was defended by the world-renowned attorney, Mr. Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. He always maintained his innocence. Eventually, Geronimo received $4.5 million as a settlement for false imprisonment.

The City of Los Angeles paid $2.75 million of the settlement while the U.S.A. paid $1.75 million.

Geronimo was convicted during a time in American history when the law enforcement, particularly the FBI, had developed calculated, coordinated, and concentrated strategies to disrupt and/or destroy Black movements and all protests.

The FBI program was called COINTELPRO, an acronym for a series of FBI counterintelligence programs. Under the leadership of Mr. J. Edgar Hoover, they would employ any means, including murder, deception, forgery, and more to

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DAILY CHALLENGE WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2011

To break the NFL lockout, the fans need to get mobilized

By BILL FLETCHER, JR. After constant attention on negotiations in the National Football League and the subsequent lockout [where the employers refuse to let the employees work] by the owners, there has been something close to silence. Recent court rulings have permitted the owners to go forward with their lockout, at least for now.

And, the rest of us just sit back and watch the calendar slowly approach the beginning of the next season.

The gist of the dispute, as I have discussed in earlier commentaries, has been the greed of the owners.

There is really no other way to put it.

They are seeking concessions from the player, including an extension of the football season, in a situation where the owners cannot demonstrate any economic need for such

givebacks. The only logical conclusion as to why the owners have pushed this dispute to the point of a lockout is so that they can destroy the union of the players—the NFL Players Association—and achieve total dominance over the players and the sport.

The Players Association, under its relatively new Executive Director DeMaurice Smith, has been doing a great job of fighting the good fight.

In fact, sports writers and fans have expressed significant support for the Players and have, correctly, identified the greed on the part of the owners as the major source of this conflict. Yet the owners see no particular reason to back down. Conservative court decisions in their favor, along with a national political climate that promotes the destruction of labor unions, encourages their arrogance.

What the owners seem to be count-

The passing of the giants Continued from page 4 trated and disrupted their organizations, and even killed some of its members. It became clear that the conflict between the US Organization and the Panthers had been staged by the FBI. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of the prime targets. It was their intention to drive him mad or cause him to have a nervous breakdown. Mr. Hoover hated Dr. King with a passion.

In 1966, the Black Panther Party came into existence or became known in Oakland, California. They challenged people of African ancestry to become more aggressively involved. They viewed the government of the U.S.A. as racists and imperialists. The Party grew rapidly in the ghettos and colleges.

Because of its influence, The Black

Panther Party became the prime target of the law enforcement. According to internal memos of the Los Angeles Police Department and the FBI, the law enforcement had set up an operation designed to challenge the legitimacy of the authority exercised by Geronimo in the Los Angeles Panthers. There was another memo that said the FBI was working on measures to neutralize Geronimo as an “effective Black Panther functionary.”

It is incredible to contemplate the number of innocent men and women who have been imprisoned and even killed by those who are paid to uphold the law. When the law enforcers become the lawbreakers, the foundation of a society is threatened.

ing upon is passivity on the part of the fans. The owners actually do not care whether the fans support them or not. What they are concerned with, however, is what the fans do. It is for this reason that the fans of football need to become motivated and active if we want justice to be won by the players. Here are a few ideas: 1. There needs to be a highly visible organization of the fans, something like “We stand with the Players” or something like that. This needs to be more than a couple of people setting up a website. There need to be thousands of active members who sign up to participate.

2. This organization of fans needs to ensure that governmental bodies, particularly municipalities, that have been considering or negotiating any deals that concern new stadi** Join Reverend Daughtry in Jersey City for the weekly Thursday Evening Educational, Cultural, and Empowerment Forum from 6pm8pm for an evening of information, inspiration, and challenge at 315 Forrest Street (Ground Floor), corner of MLK, Jr. Drive. For more info, contact The National Community Action Alliance at (201) 716-1585. ** Listen to Reverend Daughtry on the weekly radio program which airs Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m.

ums, put such talks on hold. Not only do most sports stadiums NOT bring economic advancement to locales, but they almost always involve major financial concessions by cities and counties, that is, by the taxpayers. Let’s temper the greed of the owners by putting a freeze on further talks for the moment.

3. Few fans, except the most tried and true, have any idea who the actual owners are. So, let’s go visit them and introduce ourselves. Let’s have large delegations of fans show up at the offices of the owners and make clear, non-violently, our concern about their greed.

Perhaps we should have massive vigils to pray for the souls of the owners.

This is a start. It is not a complete list but it is enough to get us running. Time to get away from the television and the sports bars and into the streets. Let’s get the voices of the fans heard and put the owners on the hot seats.

— Bill Fletcher, Jr. is a Senior Scholar with the Institute for Policy Studies, the immediate past president of TransAfrica Forum, and the co-author of Solidarity Divided. He can be reached at papaq54@hotmail.com. on New York City’s WWRL-AM, dial 1600. ** NEED QUALITY CHILD CARE? Call the Alonzo A. Daughtry Memorial Daycare Center located at: 460 Atlantic Avenue (corner of Atlantic and Nevins) 718 596 1993 333 Second Street (between 4th & 5th Avenues) in Park Slope (718) 499-2066 Immediate openings are available in a state-of-the-art center.

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6

DAILY CHALLENGE WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2011

Shuttles’ end stirs doubts about U.S. space program

By IRENE KLOTZ CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida — As the clock ticks down to this week’s final space shuttle launch, there is a mounting sense of uncertainty about future U.S. dominance in space.

If all goes according to plan, Friday morning’s launch of shuttle Atlantis on a 12-day mission to the International Space Station will mark the end of an era in the U.S. manned spaceflight program.

But veteran former astronauts say the space program is in “disarray” and fear the end of the shuttles could mean a permanent decline in U.S. space leadership as well.

Even one senior NASA official voiced pointed criticism recently about what he described as “poor policy” and the lack of any coherent leadership from Washington.

The White House and NASA’s leaders have insisted, however, that America still has a bright future in space.

NASA is just retooling, officials have said, while adding that the U.S. space agency now plans to use some of the shuttle’s budget to develop spaceships that can travel beyond the space station’s

220-mile-high orbit, where the shuttles cannot go.

“When I hear people say or listen to media reports that the final shuttle flight marks the end of U.S. human space flight, I have to say ... these folks must be living on another planet,” NASA administrator Charlie Bolden said last week at a National Press Club luncheon.

Scraping the shuttle also enables NASA to maintain the space station through at least 2020 — five years beyond original budget projections, officials say.

But what is most troubling to space enthusiasts is the gap between the shuttle’s end and the start of a new program, with the roll-out of a new generation of spacecraft.

“We’re all victims of poor policy out of Washington D.C., both at the NASA level and the executive branch of the government and it affects all of us,” NASA’s launch director Mike Leinbach told his team after a final shuttle training run last week.

“I’m embarrassed that we don’t have better guidance.

Throughout the history of the manned spaceflight program we’ve always had another program to transition into,” he

said.

NASA had been planning to return to the moon under a program called Constellation, but that was quashed due to funding shortfalls.

The administration Obama instead called for a flexible approach to exploration that includes visits to an asteroid and eventually a human mission to Mars.

Congress is mired in debates about what type of rocket to build and how much shuttle legacy hardware should be included.

NASA points to the space station, a $100 billion project of 16 nations that was assembled in orbit over the past 11 years, largely by space shuttle crews, as a major achievement.

But with construction complete, NASA wants to turn over station crew ferry flights to private companies, even though none are expected to be ready to fly until around 2015.

In the meantime, the United States will pay Russia to fly its astronauts, at a cost of more than $50 million a seat.

Critics say launch-ready spaceships are a critical component of human space flight.

Without that, the fear is

The Space Shuttle Atlantis is backdropped against the Earth prior to docking with the International Space Station. that Russia, increasingly, or China and even Europe may step in to fill the void.

“We’re basically decimating the NASA human spaceflight program,” said seven-time shuttle flier Jerry Ross. “The only thing we’re going to have left in town is the station and it’s a totally different animal from the shuttle.”

That sentiment is echoed by several Apollo-era luminaries, including the normally reticent Neil Armstrong, the Apollo 11 commander who 42 years ago was the first person to set foot on the moon.

Armstrong and colleagues

Gene Cernan, commander of the final U.S. moon mission in 1972 and Jim Lovell, commander of the nearly fatal Apollo 13 flight, publicly decried the state of the U.S. space program in a widely distributed column.

“NASA’s human spaceflight program is in substantial disarray with no clear-cut mission in the offing,” the astronauts wrote recently.

“After a half-century of remarkable progress, a coherent plan for maintaining America’s leadership in space exploration is no longer apparent.”

Rhode Island governor signs gay civil union law despite doubts

By ZACH HOWARD PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island — Rhode Island’s governor signed into law a controversial bill legalizing same sex civil unions, but said it does not go far enough toward legalizing gay marriage.

Governor Lincoln Chafee, an independent who supports gay marriage, nonetheless signed the measure with the promise that it would move Rhode Island closer to the ultimate goal of legalizing gay marriage.

Chafee had urged the General Assembly to consider same-sex marriage this legislative session. But some legislators felt it would be doomed in a state populated by many elderly and Catholic voters, and a civil unions bill was passed instead.

Rhode Island is the second state to act on gay unions just before state legislatures adjourned for the summer.

New York lawmakers a week ago voted to legalize gay marriage, making it the most populous state to allow gay nuptials.

Chafee said he signed the civil unions bill with “reservations” because it “brings tangible rights and benefits to thousands of Rhode Islanders. It also provides a foundation from which we will continue to fight for full marriage equality.”

He had two major criticisms of the civil union bill: that it failed to provide full marriage equality to samesex couples and that it allowed religious entities to

choose to not recognize civil unions.

Describing the proposal that passed the tiny New England state’s Senate this week as “a step forward,” he said it did not fully achieve its goals of giving same gender pairs the same rights, benefits, protections and responsibilities as married couples.

The new law includes a section that says no religious organization — including some hospitals, cemeteries,

schools and community centers — or its employees may be required to treat as valid any civil union, providing a religious exemption “of unparalleled and alarming scope,” Chafee said in a statement.

As a result, a civil union spouse could be denied the right to make medical decisions for his or her partner, access to health insurance benefits, property rights in adjoining burial plots or fam-

ily memberships at some community centers. That could cause partners significant harm at critical moments in their lives, the governor said.

The legislation, sponsored

by Democratic state Representative Peter Petrarca, essentially grants legal rights to same-gender partners without the historical and religious meaning associated with the word marriage, according to the Rhode Island General Assembly.

Massachusetts lawmakers OK $31 billion budget

By JOAN GRALLA The Massachusetts legislature enacted a nearly $31 billion budget on Friday, which shuts a $1.9 billion budget gap without raising taxes by cutting spending and relying on one-time revenues.

Democratic Massachusetts Senate President Therese Murray, in a joint statement with the House Speaker, said the budget “includes unfortunate, but necessary savings.”

Massachusetts, like most

U.S. states has a July 1 budget deadline. Democratic Governor Deval Patrick on Tuesday signed into law an interim $1.25 billion budget to fund the government through July 10.

That is the deadline for him to review the legislature’s budget plan and decide on any vetoes.

Patrick’s interim budget protects Massachusetts from a shutdown that could have occurred had the legislature not come to agreement by the start of the new fiscal year as Minnesota did.

One feature in the Massachusetts legislative budget is a program to help counties, cities and towns cut health insurance costs for public employees.

As long as the plans’ features do not cost more than the health insurance program for state workers and legislators, municipalities can “alter co-payments, deductibles,” and other items, the statement said.

States and cities nationwide, trying to make up for still-soft revenues, are squeezing payroll and benefit

costs. Some states, including Wisconsin and New Jersey, have fought to curb collective bargaining.

The Massachusetts legislature cast its new health plan for municipalities as a middle-of-the-road approach, that ensured “that employees and retirees have a strong voice without a veto.”

Unlike New York state, which is closing 7 underused prisons, the Massachusetts legislature said it included $525 million for its Department of Corrections to prevent any closures.

DAILY D CHALLENGE WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2011

INTERNATIONAL

7

Drug war bodies expose flaws in Mexican forensics

By MICA ROSENBERG MEXICO CITY Espinoza Alejandro knew his brother and nephew were dead when he saw the photo in the newspaper, their bodies bloodied slumped in a pile of 72 migrants massacred in northern Mexico by the Zetas drug gang.

But his pain was only made worse when Mexican investigators shipped the wrong body home to his family in Honduras.

Thousands of drug war corpses have exposed the gaps in Mexican forensic science, where teams struggle to identify victims, vital evidence is often overlooked and most murders go unsolved — a far cry from the United States.

“We went to the airport to get my nephew Carlos,” Espinoza said.

“But they sent the body of an indigenous guy and my nephew was Black. They later said that body was a Brazilian.”

“We came with the intention of burying them together but couldn’t,” he said of his relatives, whom the

Zetas killed last year.

“We trusted in the Mexican forensic officials. They were irresponsible. But the only thing we can do is be angry.”

Physical evidence is used in less than 8 percent of Mexican convictions in closed-door hearings based on written affidavits. More than 70 percent of homicides go unsolved.

By contrast, FBI figures show two-thirds of U.S. murders were solved in 2009, the latest year with full data.

Mexico’s record may improve thanks to reforms to the justice system to shift to oral trials like those in the United States by 2016.

In the new system, forensic experts will present evidence from autopsies and crime scenes in an open court to be argued over by prosecutors who in the past relied on confessions, sometimes drawn out by police beatings or torture.

President Felipe Calderon last week acknowledged the “murky conditions” used to collect evidence when he inaugurated new forensic laboratories for the federal

Forensic workers carry a body found in a mass grave in Matamoros. police.

“The proof of a homicide shouldn’t be a statement from the person who committed it,” he said. “The proof should be the weapon used in the murder. The proof should be hair samples, sweat samples, genetic evidence found on the victim.”

The $35 million labs in Mexico City are part of the colossal effort needed to train lawyers, judges and police to adapt to the new procedures in just five years.

U.S. experts are lending a hand, spending $23.5 million on training and equipment to bring federal forensic labs and crime scene analysis up to international standards.

BODIES AND BACK-HOES But the bodies keep

piling up, often faster than examiners can manage. More than 40,000 people have died in drug violence since late 2006 when Calderon went to war against the cartels, some of whom have taken to preying on vulnerable migrants.

Since April, authorities have dug up nearly 200 bodies in shallow graves in the same municipality where Espinoza’s relatives and 70 other migrants were shot.

Mass graves found in Durango state the same month have so far yielded 252 bodies.

Police and the army used backhoes to excavate dozens of bodies in Durango before prosecutors told them to stop.

“Valuable evidence was lost,” said a source

from the federal attorney general’s office.

Over 150 of the Durango bodies have since been reburied in anonymous graves.

Only three have been identified.

“This type of thing has never happened in the country. We were completely overwhelmed,” said Heraclio Garcia, director of investigations at the state prosecutor’s office.

Garcia said his offices are equipped to take in three or four bodies a day but are receiving up to 15. The storage facility has capacity for only 20 bodies, forcing Durango to contract mobile freezer units to hold the rest.

Hundreds of grieving family members are lining up at medical examiners offices to give DNA samples in the hope there will be a match with one of the nameless bodies.

Nobody knows just how many people have gone missing because no reliable statistics exist but the national human rights’ commission estimates at least 5,000 Mexicans have disappeared in the drug

war.

The government wants to create a national DNA database to help identify the missing by comparing the remains of some 3,000 unidentified corpses processed each year with genetic samples from families.

But it will be a challenge to standardize protocols that can differ radically from state to state, says the Red Cross, which is helping to modernize Mexico’s forensics system.

Many cases are unsolved because scared families shy away from reporting disappearances. In San Fernando, municipal police were accused of shuttling victims to be massacred.

Drug gangs have been known to return to crime scenes and break into morgues to steal the bodies of dead comrades.

“There have been reports in several states ... of threats and attacks against criminal investigators and forensic experts,” said Morris Tidball-Binz of the Red Cross.

“Sometimes there isn’t any access to the scene at all.”

Britain shocked by hacking into slain girl’s phone

By GREGORY KATZ LONDON Britain’s voracious tabloids may have hit a new low: The News of the World was facing claims yesterday that it hacked into a missing 13-year-old’s phone messages, possibly hampering a police inquiry into her abduction and murder.

Britons are used to seeing their press harass royals, sports stars and celebrities, constantly eavesdropping and paying even the most tangential sources for information about stars’ sex lives and drug problems.

Yet the hacking case involving 13-year-old Milly Dowler has horrified everyone, from British Prime Minister David Cameron to movie stars to people who commented on Twitter. “(It is) shocking that someone could do this, knowing that the police were trying to find this person and trying to find out what had happened,” Cameron said while on a trip to Afghanistan.

The case has refocused the spotlight on the already tainted News of The World, part of Rupert Murdoch’s global media empire at News Corp. It also comes as Murdoch is trying to engineer the politically sensitive, multibillion-pound

takeover of broadcaster BSkyB in Britain.

Dowler’s abduction in 2002 while walking home from school in Surrey, south of London, transfixed Britain until her decomposing body was found six months later in the woods by mushroom pickers.

But while police were pursuing all leads and Milly’s parents were making dramatic appeals for any tidbit of information that could be useful, a private investigator working for the News of the World tabloid allegedly hacked into her cell phone, listened to her messages, and even deleted some to make room for possible new ones.

Mark Lewis, a lawyer

representing Dowler’s parents, said yesterday the suspected hacking may have hampered the police investigation and he plans to sue the tabloid for its interference.

It was never determined how long Dowler was alive after being abducted but the tabloid’s actions reportedly came right after her disappearance.

Police realized some messages had been deleted, giving them and Milly’s parents false hope that she was still alive.

“It is distress heaped upon tragedy to learn that the News of the World had no humanity at such a terrible time,” Lewis said. “The fact that they were prepared to act in such a heinous

way that could have jeopardized the police investigation and give them false hope is despicable.”

He said executives at the newspaper should take responsibility and step down.

Serial killer Levi Bellfield was convicted of Milly’s slaying two weeks ago. He was already serving a life sentence for two other murders.

Cameron condemned the grotesque press intrusion and call for an immediate inquiry.

Lawmakers in parliament decided to hold an emergency debate Wednesday on the phone hacking.

Glenn Mulcaire, a private investigator who earlier served prison time for helping

the tabloid hack into cell phones, apologized last night for any possible interference with police inquiries.

In a statement in the Guardian newspaper, he said he knew he “pushed the limits ethically” but he didn’t understand that he had broken the law. He said he was sorry to all who had been “hurt or upset” by his activity.

Mulcaire and reporter Clive Goodman were jailed in 2007 for hacking into the phone messages of palace officials.

Meanwhile, pressure mounted yesterday on Rebekah Brooks, editor of the tabloid when Dowler disappeared and now a top Murdoch executive in the U.K., to resign.

AFRICAN SCENE

88

DAILY CHALLENGE WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2011

Violence, drought spark ‘human tragedy’ in Somalia: UN

By MUSTAFA ABDI MOGADISHU, Somali - Persistent violence compounded by a serious drought have forced 54,000 Somalis to flee in June, bringing the total number of displaced Somalis to a quarter of the country’s population, the UNHCR said yesterday.

The food shortage problem is so acute that there are now reports of children under five dying of hunger and exhaustion while fleeing, or dying within a day of their arrival at refugee camps despite emergency aid, the UN refugee agency said.

“The drought, compounded by prevailing violence in southern and central parts of the country, is turning one

Displaced Somali children wait for humanitarian assistance from local residents at a neighbourhood in southern Mogadishu in June.

Persistent violence compounded by a serious drought have forced 54,000 Somalis to flee in June, bringing the total number of displaced Somalis to a quarter of the country's population, the UNHCR said yesterday of the world’s humanitarian crises into a human tragedy of unimaginable proportions,” said Melissa Fleming, spokeswoman for the UN High

Commissioner for Refugees.

“In June alone, 54,000 people fled across the two borders, three times the number of people who fled in

Ten million people in the Horn of Africa have been hit by the worst drought in 60 years, with some areas on the verge of famine and thousands on the march in seach of food and water.

Images from Dadaab refugee camp in northern Kenya.

May,” she noted, adding that many children arriving in Ethiopia and Kenya were seriously malnourished.

So far in 2011, some 135,000 Somalis have crossed the borders in search of refuge as well as food and water, joining millions of others who have fled over the last few years.

“We estimate that a

quarter of Somalia’s 7.5 million population is now either internally displaced or living outside the country as refugees,” said Fleming.

Those who have been displaced recently were arriving in neighbouring host countries in very poor health conditions.

Over 50 percent of Somali children arriv-

ing in Ethiopia were seriously malnourished while those arriving in Kenya are showing rates reaching 30 to 40 percent.

“Increasingly, we are hearing reports of children below the age of five dying of hunger and exhaustion during the journey,” she said.

“Tragically, many children are in such weak conditions when they finally arrive that they die within 24 hours despite the emergency care and therapeutic feeding they immediately receive,” she added.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said last week that ten million people in the Horn of Africa have been hit by the worst drought in 60 years, with some areas on the verge of famine and thousands on the march in search of food and water.

One dead, 24 inj ur e d Egyptian ex-minister jailed, 3 acquitted of fraud i n Tunisi a pri son b laze

By JEBBERI KASSERINE, Tunisia -One person was killed and 24 injured when inmates set mattresses on fire during an attempted jailbreak in the central Tunisian city of Kasserine, authorities said yesterday.

One inmate was killed and 24 others overcome by smoke fumes, an government official said.

TAP news agency said relatives of the inmates gathered outside the jail in search of news and stoned troops who had surrounded the building.

In late April, several prisoners escaped from the same facility after setting fire to one of their cells.

19 missing as boat capsizes on Uganda’s Lake Albert

By WALTER ASTRADA LAKE ALBERT, Uganda - At least 19 people were reported missing after their boat capsized on the Ugandan side of Lake Albert, police said yesterday.

The small boat set off on Sunday from the Hoima region on the shores of the lake which straddles Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo and police said there was little chance of finding survivors.

“It is most unlikely that there are any survivors by now because the boat capsized on Sunday and we are yet to get the wreckage,” said Charles Oringa, a police officer.

CAIRO, Egypt An Egyptian former minister was sentenced in absentia to five years in jail and three others acquitted yesterday in corruption trials, a judicial official told AFP.

Shortly after the verdicts, public prosecutor Abdel Maguid Mahmud said the the general prosecution would file

an appeal against the acquittals.

Rashid Mohammed Rashid, minister of foreign trade and industry under the regime of ousted president Hosni Mubarak, was sentenced in absentia to five years for squandering public funds.

Rashid, who is the subject of an international arrest notice, has already been sentenced to five years for embezzlement.

In a separate case, the court acquitted former information minister Anas al-Fiqqi and former finance minister Yussef Boutros Ghali, after they were accused of misuse of public funds during last year’s election.

Boutros, who is also abroad and the subject of an Interpol arrest notice, has already been sentenced in absentia to 30 years in prison in another corruption

case.

Former housing minister Ahmed alMaghrabi, who is currently in jail after being convicted of illegally acquiring public property and squandering public funds, was acquitted yesterday in a fraud case involving another property.

But the public prosecutor said the acquittals “do not correspond with evidence presented during the trials.”

Botswana opposition parties to form coalition GABORONE, Botswana -Three of Botswana’s main opposition parties have agreed to form a coalition to challenge the ruling party’s decades of dominance in the next general elections in 2014, an official said yesterday.

“We are in the process of naming the umbrella party, coming up with a symbol, agreeing on the colours and drawing up a model on choosing a

leader,” said president of Botswana Congress Party, Dumelang Saleshando.

Other parties involved are the Botswana National Front and the Botswana Movement for Democracy, a break away from ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).

Opposition parties have in the past tried and failed to form alliances, which Saleshando said resulted in the splitting of votes to the advantage of BDP. “Come 2014 the BDP

will be a party of the past because there will no longer be splitting of votes among the opposition parties. We are going to pull our resources together to ensure we form the next government.”

President Ian Khama’s ruling BDP took 45 of the 57 parliamentary seats in the last elections two in 2009, while the main opposition lost nearly half its seats to a splinter party.

The BDP has ruled the southern African country since independence from Britain in

1966. Under its leadership, Botswana has become known as a model of good government in Africa — a peaceful democracy with a stable economy and one of the highest growth rates on the continent.

But an eight-week strike by civil servants has dented that image, as schools and hospitals were closed and the government used tough tactics to rein in the unions, including sacking hundreds of workers.

- ALEXANDER JOE

D CHALLENGE WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2011 DAILY

AFRICAN SCENE

9

S. Africa’s Zuma calls for ‘urgent’ Libya peace talks

By VLADIMIR RODIONOV South African President Jacob Zuma yesterday called for Libya to urgently begin peace negotiations, after his talks with Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev on the sidelines of a NATO meeting.

“We emphasised the importance of starting negotiations urgently, and we requested NATO to assist to persuade the TNC (the rebel’s Transitional National Council) to remove some of the preconditions that are making it hard or impossible to start with the negotiation process,” Zuma

South African President Jacob Zuma said. plan to end the conflict Kadhafi must first cede Zuma is part of a — a blueprint so far power. team leading efforts by rejected by the rebels, The AU plan calls for the African Union to who insisted that push a regional peace Libyan leader Moamer

‘15 Algerian soldiers held’ over accidental killing By CHRISTOPHE SIMON Z E M M O U R I , Algeria - Fifteen soldiers, including an officer, have been detained in connection with the accidental killing of a security guard during a sweep against rebels in Algeria’s restive Kabylie region, press reports said yesterday.

The incident occurred on June 23

when Mustapha Dial, a father of four, was hit by a hail of gunfire by soldiers hunting rebels who had just exploded a bomb as a military convoy was passing by in Azazga, 100 kilometers (60 miles) east of here, the daily El Watan said.

The bomb attack left one soldier dead and eight injured.

Press reports quoted witnesses as saying that soldiers first injured Dial and later

executed him while he was trying to get help.

The army “blunder” in Azazga triggered strong protest from local residents who staged a two-day strike and held a protest rally, reports said.

The Defense Ministry confirmed that the case was a “blunder” and said the soldiers involved were charged and taken into custody pending the end of an investigation and their judgement.

Furore over Nigeria’s bid to introduce Islamic banking

By SUSAN NJANJI KANO, Nigeria Plans to introduce Islamic banking as one of the models of noninterest financial services has touched off intense controversy in religiously divided Nigeria.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) two weeks ago published a final set of regulations on non-interest banking, which includes Islamic banking, and cleared in principle two banks to offer the product.

The CBN says the introduction of Islamic banking is part of its drive to propel Nigeria’s

economy and promote financial inclusion by introducing alternative products.

“The non-interest regime offers veritable incentives and attractive options for investors,” central bank governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi said Monday at a conference to promote Islamic banking held in Abuja.

The bank has also unveiled plans to issue sovereign sukuk or Islamic bonds in under two years.

“A rapid development and increasing wealth in the Middle East is driving the appetite for assets in the region and other parts of the world.

Given the positive market environment and

latent opportunity in Nigeria, we anticipate that Nigeria will be seen as an investment destination,” Lamido Sanusi said.

Although plans for setting up Islamic banking have been on the books for years, Christian religious leaders are suspecting that Lamido Sanusi, himself a Muslim and who took the helm of the bank two years ago, has a hidden agenda.

The Catholic Archibishop of Lagos, Nigeria’s economic hub, said efforts to “ensure a speedy take off of the scheme ... was part of the grand plan to turn Nigeria into an Islamic state.”

both sides in the Libyan conflict to hold talks and for a multinational peacekeeping force organised by the United Nations to supervise a ceasefire.

During his visit to Sochi, Zuma also met with NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who was there for a meeting of NATO-Russia the Council.

“We were also very pleased that President Medvedev assured us of his country’s support of the AU roadmap. We agree that the military solution is not the correct way to resolve problem,” Zuma said in a statement.

Zuma said South Africa had “reiterated our concerns about the

misinterpretation of the UN resolution” authorising a no-fly zone over Libya, which NATO has used to justify its bombing campaign.

South Africa voted for the resolution, but has since criticised NATO’s bombing as excessive.

Russia abstained from the vote on the UN Security Council, but has criticised the scale and intent of the campaign.

Although no major progress was seen after the meeting in the Russian city of Sochi, Zuma said called the talks “very successful”.

“I am confident that it will contribute significantly to reaching a solution that will bring peace and stability in Libya,” he said.

In Sudan’s breadbasket, a revolution is waiting to happen

By SIMON MARTELLI

Standing in a green field near the banks of the Nile, Al-Hajil Maamun says he struggles to make a profit from his farm despite the potential of Sudan’s fertile heartland and the high hopes of the government.

Agriculture has become something of a Holy Grail for cashstrapped Khartoum as it seeks to diversify its economy. Its oil income — which accounts for more than 90 percent of hard currency earnings — is set to plummet with the independence of the south, on July 9, where some 75 percent of the reserves lie.

Farming was a mainstay of Sudan’s economy before oil exports started at the end of the 1990s, and senior government officials insist on the sector’s ability to minimise the economic impact of southern secession.

But disgruntled farmers in Gezira state — home to one of the

world’s largest irrigation projects, between the Blue and White Nile rivers — do not bear witness to Sudan’s would-be agricultural revolution.

Nor does the fact that Sudan had to hike sugar prices by 15 percent in January because of the punitive cost of subsidising imports of a commodity that it could be exporting.

“The farming situation is worse than 10 years ago because costs have tripled and there is no research into improving production or help with marketing,” said Maamun.

Over the winter, the 50-year-old farmer sold 12 trucks of tomatoes and made a net profit of just 200 Sudanese pounds (62 dollars, 42 euros) because, he says, of low seasonal prices, soaring production costs and the lack of government support.

To breathe new life into its agricultural sector and boost output, Sudan is desperately seeking foreign investment, especially from neighbouring Arab countries such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia which are nervous about their

future food security.

The jewel in the crown of the once-prosperous industry is known as the Gezira scheme, the vast but neglected farming project with its network of irrigation canals spanning 840,000 hectares (two million acres) between the two Niles.

“Cotton, sorghum, wheat and ground nuts are the Gezira scheme’s four main crops. We hope to increase sugar, fruit and meat production,” the project’s general director, Osman Simsaa, told AFP. “Now we are planning for 200,000 feddans (84,000 hectares) of sugar cane — 10 percent of the whole Gezira scheme — and we are looking for foreign finance to help with this plan. The irrigation system is in place. The land is available. Water is available. We only need the capital.”

Sudan is in talks with Egypt over proposed investment in Gezira and White Nile state, announced when a high-level delegation including the agriculture and irrigation ministers visited Khartoum in March.

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CARIBBEAN NEWS DAILY CHALLENGE WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2011

Haiti keen on full integration in CARICOM Single Market BASSETERRE, St Kitts — Haiti will give “utmost importance” to full integration in the CARICOM Single Market.

This assurance was given last Thursday by Michel Martelly, president of Haiti, in his address to the opening ceremony of the thirty second meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis.

“The former government had already started the process to harmonize the norms with those of CARICOM. We will do our best to activate this process,” he said, so that the Haitian economy would integrate with the other economies of CARICOM member states in the areas of agriculture, industry and services.

In his first address to the Conference of Heads of Government and his first official visit overseas since his inauguration as president, Martelly said that for Haiti CARICOM was

first and foremost a place that created “consistent and durable ties between our nations”.

Martelly was high in praise for the response his country received from the Community in the wake of the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti in January last year.

“During the January 12, 2010, earthquake, you have accompanied us without hesitation.

Throughout all the different natural catastrophes that have shaken our country in the past, you have accompanied us in spirit and carried us in your hearts,” Martelly said, and added, “we are so very thankful...”

He outlined his vision for Haiti and encouraged CARICOM to “accompany us throughout our mandate so that my dream and that of the Haitian people comes to a reality.”

His dream, he said, was for a Haiti where the majority of children would learn to read and write; a Haiti able to start creating a better environment that was

President Michel Martelly of Haiti.

Photo/Logan Abassi less vulnerable to hurri- ability to engage one’s canes, earthquakes and nationals to have a posifloods; a Haiti where tive and constructive economic growth and vision of the future. My sustainable development team and I, we want to would allow the people influence positively to better express its sur- Haitian history and put prising capacity to cre- once and for all an end ate in the arts, science to the vicious circle that and technology. has hindered the devel“I dream of a strong opment of our country Haiti , beautiful and for three decades. Our prosperous as it was vision is that of a Haiti dreamt and conceived by different than what is our forefathers: usually portrayed in the Toussaint Louverture, media. We want to Jean Jacques change Haiti for the best Dessalines, Henri and we will,” Martelly Christophe, Alexandre added.

Petion. They are the INVEST IN HAITI ones who inspire my Martelly also issued mission and vision,” he an urgent call to busisaid. nessmen in the “Some will say that Caribbean Community the obstacles in Haiti are to invest in Haiti to help such that they will be create wealth for that difficult to overcome. country’s development But it is all about leader- and reconstruction. ship, this means the He assured that in

collaboration with the private and public sectors in Haiti , he was creating the necessary conditions for his country to become a natural destination for foreign investments.

Providing his audience with some statistics, Martelly said that in 2009, the total sum of direct investments was about $400 million, most of it from the telecommunications sector. He said he was hopeful that in ten years, with the new policies in place, the total sum of annual direct investments would reach $4 billion.

“We believe in investments and its capacity to contribute to build a solid and correct vision of the future of Haiti .

We believe in human capacity and in education because it is through educated men, women and children with a same vision, that we will be able to build this future,” he said.

The Haitian president expressed gratitude to CARICOM for the preferential arrangement for some Haitian products entering the CARI-

COM market. The threeyear, non-reciprocal preferential arrangement took effect from 1 January this year, following agreement at the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) in December 2010.

“I was informed that an exportation of Haitian products based on this tariff was made to Grenada. I want to point out that in 2009 the Haitian Parliament ratified and harmonized about 40% of the Haitian tariff to the common external tariff of CARICOM. We will work together for the 60% left,” he promised.

Martelly also referred to the decision in late 2010 to create a Haitian CARICOM Fund to rebuild Haiti and reported that significant strides had been made since then with respect to the fund. He said he would issue formal instructions to restart negotiations with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) with respect to the fund, as well as the actual status of Haiti within the Bank.

Turks and Caicos attorneys to Regional health care to be improved be investigated by Bar Council with establishment of CARPHA PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands — Two Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) attorneys are to submit to an investigation by the Attorney General’s Chambers and subsequent review by the TCI Bar Council as a result of their representation of clients in the sale of a local property, Emerald Cay. The TCI government recently won a settlement of $1.25 million in stamp duty and penalties due on the sale of the property.

The upscale property was purchased by US multimillionaire Tim Blixseth.

The sale, which was

officially reported to realize $10 million for the seller, Worldwide Commercial Properties, was actually sold for $28 million in 2006. By understating the sale price, the buyer sidestepped approximately $1 million in stamp duty payable to the TCI government.

Blixseth’s attorneys claimed the manipulation was the fault of the then Progressive National Party (PNP)led government, which they said was “corrupt.”

Unconfirmed reports have circulated in the TCI that then Premier Michael Misick was interested in using the property as a backdrop for his planned US television reality show featuring his then wife Lisa Raye McCoy Misick.

The attorneys, Timothy O’Sullivan and Gordon Kerr, who, according to Justice Martin, carefully crafted the documents to disguise the true sales price, are members of the law firms of Miller, Simons and O’Sullivan, and Misick and Stanbrook respectively.

The firm’s managing partner, Carlos Simons, has not been named as being involved in this deal. Simmons was appointed by Governor Gordon Wetherell to act as chairman of the Consultative Forum. He later resigned that post to run unsuccessfully for the leadership of the PNP. Simons lost that election to former Speaker of the House Clayton Greene when Michael Misick threw his votes behind Greene.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana - The 32nd annual meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in St. Kitts and Nevis culminated with the Bureau of Heads agreeing that it was a focussed meeting with positive outcomes, as the region observed CARICOM Day. Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis and incoming chairman of CARICOM, Denzil Douglas, said at the closing ceremony that the summit dealt decisively with key issues including health, climate change, agriculture, and transportation.

Douglas, who has lead portfolio responsibility for human resource development, health, and HIV/AIDS in the quasi-Cabinet of

the CARICOM Conference Heads of Government, disclosed that the new Caribbean Regional Public Health Agency (CARPHA) is now a legally established entity, following the signing of the intergovernmental agreement on July 2. This, he said, is a “fitting tribute” to the community.

CARPHA was the third and final component of the 2001 Nassau Declaration to be realised by the Community; the other two being the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) and the Caribbean Cooperation in Health (CCH).

This agency is expected to improve the quality of health care delivery in the region by merging the core functions of the five

regional health institutions (Caribbean Epidemiological Research Center (CAREC), Caribbean Health Research Council (CHRC), Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute (CFNI), Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI), and the Caribbean Drug Testing Regional Laboratory (CDTRL).

Douglas highlighted the significant role of the Community in the impending United Nations high level meeting on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) prevention and noted that this issue was given priority attention as the region prepared its high-level delegation for that special session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGASS) in September.

D CHALLENGE WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2011 DAILY

CARIBBEAN NEWS

Guyana president bids farewell, urges his colleagues to defend CARICOM GEORGETOWN, — Guyana’s Guyana President Bharrat Jagdeo has issued a sober charge to his colleague heads of government to defend fiercely the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and to recognize how far the Community had come in spite of the plethora of struggles “that no other region has experienced.”

Jagdeo, who is approaching the end of his second and final term as president of Guyana, was speaking during the closing moments of the 32nd regular meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government in Basseterre, St Kitts and Nevis on CARICOM Day (4 July). He is one of the youngest heads of government in the 15-member grouping.

In bidding farewell to his colleagues, Jagdeo reiterated his passion for the regional integration movement and expressed his conviction that he was leaving the fate of the Community in safe and committed hands.

The Guyana president said he was satisfied that the Community, in its 38 years, had made remarkable gains, which

had assumed even greater significance because of how far the region had travelled - from slavery through emancipation to crown colony government to stable democracies.

“We must never ever forget that!” he emphasised.

He added that the Community was relatively small “but had always packed a punch bigger than our size in world affairs.”

However “if we want to continue to do so, we have to keep our thinking fresh and be creative in the way we try to safeguard prosperity in our region or else we may lose that distinct historic advantage,” the Guyana president cautioned.

Jagdeo advised his colleagues that in realising the Community’s goals, they should focus more on outcomes rather than on processes. He lamented that sometimes heads of government were too pre-occupied with processes and traditions; and warned that they should not get too comfortable with the ‘familiar’ or rest on their laurels. The task of leading the integration movement, he stated, was not a public relations job.

“People judge us on results therefore we should judge ourselves on results,” he noted.

In moving forward, Jagdeo exhorted his colleagues that they should “always ascertain the value added to the process before plunging into new initiatives.” As an example, he recommended that those member states who were negotiating with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) should place the emphasis more on growth programs rather than on stabilization programs in order to maximize the benefits for their country.

Referring to his tenure as the youngest serving Guyana president, he said he was satisfied that he had made a difference in his country and had re-shaped its image from a place where there was a sense of hopelessness to one of hope.

In acknowledging Jagdeo’s advice, Suriname’s President, Desi Bouterse - one of the most recent additions to the Conference - noted that Jagdeo played a good innings; and outgoing CARICOM chairman and prime minister of Grenada, Tillman Thomas also applauded his contribution to the region, noting that he is a regionalist and a loyal supporter of CARICOM.

Owen not saying

By JOHN SEALY The Opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP) knows precisely who is tipped to be Barbados’ next Chief Justice. But when contacted yesterday, its leader Owen Arthur said he was not prepared to disclose Prime Minister Freundel Stuart’s secret just yet.

Responding to Stuart’s announcement at the weekend in St. Kitts that the appointment of a Chief Justice would be made by the first week in August, Arthur confirmed that he had indeed been consulted by the Prime Minister on the matter before Stuart went off to China in June.

“It would not be

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CARIBBEAN BRIEFS ONE FAMILY.

Whether West Indian, African or African American.

One God, One Aim, One Destiny.

Ferry runs aground in USVI; 102 people rescued CHARLOTTE AMALIE, U.S. Virgin Islands - The U.S. Coast Guard has rescued 98 passengers and four crew members who were aboard a ferry that ran aground in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Coast Guard spokesman Ricardo Castrodad says five people were injured after the Royal Miss Belmar struck a reef near the island of St. Thomas late Monday.

Castrodad said in a statement yesterday that the agency is helping investigate what caused the incident, and will help remove the ferry, which remains afloat.

Chavez stays home as troops celebrate bicentennial CARACAS, Venezuela - Ailing Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez stayed home in his presidential palace yesterday while thousands of troops across town marched to mark the country’s bicentennial.

Chavez addressed the troops on live television at the start of the parade, standing beside military commanders at the presidential palace. He said he was glad to be back after undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous tumor in Cuba.

“Here I am, in recuperation but still recovering. We’ve begun another long march,” Chavez said.

Gen. Cliver Alcala, a close ally of Chavez, stood at attention and addressed the president from atop a tank. “We will get out of the abyss together with you.”

The president saluted and then spoke for about 12 minutes under a portrait of 19th-century independence hero Simon Bolivar, for whom his socialist-inspired Bolivarian Revolution movement is named.

Russian-made fighter jets thundered over the parade ground outside the country’s largest military base, and troops marched in colonial-era uniforms. The parade marked the 200th anniversary of Venezuela’s declaration of independence from Spain.

Jamaican gets cocaine ring jail sentence halved

appropriate for me to disclose the nature of the consultation that would have taken place .

. . but I can confirm that I would have been consulted as is required by the Constitution in

respect of the appointment of a Chief Justice of Barbados,” Arthur said.

HAMILTON, Bermuda (CMC) - A Jamaican cruise ship worker jailed for six years for his part in a cocaine-smuggling ring has had his sentence cut in half on appeal after helping local authorities.

Adrian Morris, a father of two from Golden Grove, St. Thomas, who was the cleaner on Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas, was sent to Westgate Correctional Facility in June last year after pleading guilty to importation.

His appeal was heard by Supreme Court Puisne Judge Charles-Etta Simmons, who cut the sentence to three years.

Crown counsel Cindy Clarke said Morris’ sentence had been halved because of the assistance he provided to local authorities.

New American

The

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DAILY CHALLENGE WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2011

One Thought - One Humanity

For the conclusions of these stories check out the June 30th - July 6th, 2011 issue of The New American, which hits newsstands every Thursday Ameriie is officially a married woman! The Grammy-nominated recording artist tied the knot with former Columbia Records executive Lenny Nicholson on June 25th in the British West Indies. “This is such an exciting time for me. This is my first marriage and I am over the moon,” Ameriie told PEOPLE. “I look forward to a loving and enduring marriage.

This day couldn’t come any sooner for me. I am beyond thrilled. I will remember this day forever.” The gorgeous newlywed gushed about her hubby and their plans for a beautiful oceanfront wedding. It looks like her dreams (and then some) came true! The singer celebrated her big day on a luxe Caribbean resort, dressed in an elegant Monique Lhullier gown and baby blue Yves Saint Laurent Tribute sandals.

“Family, friends, & the love of my life...delicious!!! -Mrs. Nicholson,” tweeted Ameriie, accompanied by a smiley face.

The happy couple rang in their wedded bliss with a lavish honeymoon at the resort’s 5,000 sq.-ft. Romance Villa.

et prices starting at $20 for advanced tickets.

year-old son Jeffrey and has struggled with fertility.

Beyonce has dropped perhaps her biggest hint yet that she could be ready to start a family. The 29year-old singer, who turns 30 in September, admitted in an interview with Piers Morgan that she has always wanted to have a baby around the time she reached the milestone birthday. Asked by the CNN host about whether she was feeling broody, Beyonce replied: ‘I always said I was going to have a baby at 30. I’m 29 now.

For the second time in two years, Mike Tyson said “I do” to the same woman ... in Las Vegas ... but this time, the “wedding” was MUCH more of a surprise! Tyson and his wife Lakiha invited hundreds of friends to a joint birthday party they threw for each other at the M Resort ... but the b-day party was merely a cover for a secret vow renewal.

Funk Master Flex has teamed with Duck Down Music to present the Hip-Hop Legends Concert Series, which is taking place next week in New York City.

Artists like Black Moon (Buckshot, 5’FT, & DJ Evil Dee), Smif-N-Wessun, Sean Price & Rock of Heltah Skeltah, O.G.C., Pharoahe Monch, and Black Rob will hit the stage during the performance, which takes place at BB Kings in Times Square.

Funk Master Flex will man the turntables during the evening, which takes place on Wednesday, July 13th.

Doors to the show open at 10:00 PM, with tick-

Sherri Shepherd plans to look fabulous for her upcoming wedding and is working hard to shed a few pounds before the big day. But she says it’s more than the glamorous gown that’s keeping her motivated.

“I have to lose as much weight as possible for me to be healthy to carry [a baby],” Shepherd, who will wed Lamar Sally in August, says of her plans to have more children.

Shepherd, 44, has added personal training sessions to her fitness regimen while eating meals on the South Beach Diet. The “View” co-host already has a 6-

A new video featuring comedian Kevin Hart, rapper/producer T–pain and Joey Galaxy is taking off on the Internet. The trio of artists premiered the video for T-Pain’s new single “Booty Work (One Cheek At a Time)” last week (June 20th), on the Internet. The video features T-Pain, Joey Galaxy, and Kevin Hart as his rap alter ego, Chocolate Droppa.

The video which was directed by Erik White, has already hit over 20,000 views on TPain’s official YouTube page, NappyBoyOnline.

Erykah Badu, has announced that her first mixtape, which she will also be producing, will be released this July. With the promise that GrammyAward winner Erykah Badu’s project will “melt any DJ’s face off,” fans are anxious to hear what exactly she has to offer. Badu announced that she is preparing for the release of her “dance project” next month using the name “DJ Lo Down Loretta Brown.”

She kicked off this new venture by DJing at the Key Club for the “Black Girls Rock and Soul Tour” in Hollywood last Friday as well as at a BET Award’s preawards diner the night after.

Sean “Diddy” Combs is selling his opulent, Alpine, New Jersey mansion for $13.5 million. The New York Post reports that Combs has put the 12,000 square-foot, Colonial style home up for sale, after paying $6 million for the residence in 2004. Combs originally lived in the house with his longtime girlfriend, Kim Porter and their son Christian. According to The Post, the mansion is being put up for sale because Combs and Porter spend more time in Los Angeles.

Ne-Yo hosts Independence Day Celebration in Brooklyn for service members Three-time Grammy Award winning Def Jam recording artist Ne-Yo, will perform a concert hosted by Big Marv of A&E Network’s reality show Hammertime at Fort Hamilton, N.Y., July 2nd at 4 p.m. to honor the brave men and women serving in the U.S. Military. For the second consecutive year, Fort Hamilton’s Family, Morale, Welfare and R e c r e a t i o n (www.hamiltonmwr.com ), Media Lerer (www.lerermedia.com) and The Source Magazine (www.thesource.com) have partnered to showcase some of music’s top performers.

“I am extremely proud to work with Family & MWR to bring live music to the troops and their Families,” said NeYo. “We hope to entertain them while we bring attention the fact that Military Families attend should RSVP at also give a great personal sacrifice. www.MissionOneVoice.com and They sometimes are forgotten in the must have valid identification, such bigger picture.” as a driver’s license or a passport to Held at the newly dedicated SGT gain entry - no exceptions. It is Deon Taylor Ball Fields, Soldiers highly recommended that guests and their Families, active duty Ser- arrive by public transportation no vice Members, retirees, veterans, on site parking available. Military DoD civilians and their Families and affiliation is questioned, any guest first responders (NYPD/FDNY) will submitting false information will be enjoy a day dedicated to the sacri- prohibited from enterting the venue fices of yesterday and today. Active - please be honest.

Duty Service Members (to includes “We are looking forward to hostNational Guard and Reserve) will ing the concert for our Military have access for a personal meet and Families. After a successful event greet beginning with Ne-Yo that last year, we look to make this an afternoon (rain or shine). The gates annual event to give back to our milwill then open at 4 p.m. at the Dyker itary personnel and their families,” Park entrance at Dyker Park for said Sarah Johnson, Family & MWR registered guests of Lerer Media, Director. “It is exciting to hold an Mission Once Voice, The Source, and event like this to bring celebrities local radio advertisers. The evening like, Ne-Yo and others here. It’s entertaiment will start promptly at 6 going to be a super event thanks to p.m. with a spectacular fireworks the continuous support we receive display by Grucci immediately fol- from Lerer Media and The Source lowing the show. Those wishing to Magazine.”

- Full Story In This Week’s New American Newspaper -

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DAILY CHALLENGE WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2011

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Study: Late talkers do fine as they grow up

By FREDERIK JOELVING In good news to parents of late talkers, an Australian study shows a slow start on language is unlikely to have lingering effects on kids’ mental health.

Researchers followed late talkers into their teens and found the kids were no more likely to be shy, depressed or aggressive than their peers as they grew up.

That means a “wait-andsee” approach may be just fine for toddlers with a language lag, as long as they develop typically in other areas, the Australian team reports in the journal Pediatrics.

“This data is reassuring,”

said Julia Irwin, who studies language development at Haskins Laboratories, a nonprofit research institute in New Haven, Connecticut.

“But parents will need to pay attention to other troubling symptoms of either psychosocial problems or language and reading problems.”

In an email to Reuters Health, Irwin said late talkers often have some language or reading problems later on, which may influence school readiness.

Between seven percent and 18 percent of children have language delays at two years, although most catch up by the time they start school.

Some research has suggested that these toddlers may face psychological problems, but

whether that matters down the road has been unclear.

The new study, led by psychologist Andrew Whitehouse at the University of Western Australia in Perth, is the first to track late talkers over the long haul.

The researchers tapped into data on more than 1,400 two-year-olds, whose parents had filled out a language development survey asking about the words their child would use spontaneously. A two-year-old typically says a few hundred words, but there is a lot of variation.

About one out of every 10 two-year-olds in the study was a late talker, scoring in the lowest 15 percent on a list of 310 common words.

The slower toddlers also appeared to have more psy-

chological problems, according to questions on a child behavior checklist that parents answered. For instance, 13 percent of the late talkers had “internalizing” behavior — such as being shy, sad or underactive — compared to eight percent of their fastertalking peers.

But that difference had vanished at age five, when then parents were approached again. And it didn’t reappear for as long as the kids were followed, up until age 17.

According to Whitehouse and his colleagues, that hints the reason more late talkers had behavioral problems early on is likely because they are frustrated by not being able to communicate effectively — not because

there is something wrong with their brains.

One expert, who was not linked to the study, pointed out that it would have been helpful to know when the slower kids caught up with their typically developing peers. “‘Wait and see’ may be okay at 2 years, but there should be a critical time after which language delays should be treated,” said child psychologist Gail Ross, adding that age two-and-ahalf or three might be appropriate.

“The crucial question is, at what point is ‘wait and see’ no longer a valid approach?” said Ross, of Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, in an email to Reuters Health.

Menu labels don’t influence students’ food choices

By KERRY GRENS Menu labels on cafeteria food — highlighting the good and the bad of various meal options — make no difference in college students’ meal choices, a new study concludes.

The results add to evidence that, despite laws in some cities mandating calorie counts on fast-food menus, nutritional information makes little difference to people when they are eating out.

“Although it is important to inform consumers about the nutritional characteristics of the food offered, providing nutrition information in less healthy food environments such as fast-food restaurants is unlikely to alter consumers’ food choices,” wrote Christine Hoefkens and Dr. Wim Verbeke, two authors of the study, in an email to Reuters Health.

Hoefkens, Verbeke and their colleagues, based at Ghent University in Belgium, asked 224 people who regularly ate at two of the university’s cafeterias to log their diets for several days.

Then, the researchers put up posters in the cafeterias that rated meals on how healthy they were: zero stars for the least healthy to three stars for the most healthy.

Study participants and other diners didn’t know that the posters were part of a study.

Labels next to menu items also highlighted whether a meal was high in salt, calo-

ries, saturated fat or vegetables.

Six months later, the participants, who were mostly female undergraduates, again logged what they ate for a few days.

Though the researchers predicted that the diners would have responded to the posters and made healthier food choices, they found no difference in the number of meals eaten from each star category.

Dr. Lisa Harnack, a professor at the University of

Minnesota in Minneapolis who was not involved in this study, said she was not surprised by the results.

“In studies, when you ask people how important nutrition is to them when they’re ordering food from a restaurant menu, it’s far less important than a food price or taste. It’s just not a consideration,” Harnack told Reuters Health.

What’s concerning about the college student population, Hoefkens and Verbeke said, is that cafeteria meals

are often the main source of food for students.

Cities such as New York and Philadelphia require fast-food chain restaurants to include calorie information on menus.

The health care reform law that passed in 2010 will also require that fast-food restaurants and vending machines include nutritional information.

Dr. Gail Kaye, the nutrition program director at Ohio State University, told Reuters Health that menu

labels might still work to encourage healthier eating — it’s just that they need to be paired with a healthierleaning menu.

In the Ghent study, for instance, 70 percent of the meals earned zero or one stars, both before and after the labels. The students’ meal choices mirrored the proportion of offerings in each star category.

“If they had more healthy options there, they might have chosen them,” said Kaye.

Medicare proposes change in anemia drug usage

By DEENA BEASLEY LOS ANGELES — The Medicare federal health insurance program has proposed removing its requirement that kidney dialysis providers keep patient hemoglobin levels above a set minimum, which could lead to lower use of Epogen, the anemia drug sold by Amgen.

The government health plan said last month that it had no plans to change its reimbursement terms for anemia drugs used to treat kidney patients.

But in a statement on its website on Friday, the agency proposed retiring a requirement that patients’ hemoglobin, or red blood cell, levels be kept above 10 milligrams per deciliter.

It said such an action would be “consistent with revised U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines.”

Last week, the FDA changed the labels for Amgen’s Epogen and Johnson and Johnson’s Procrit to call for lower dosing of the anemia drugs, which have been linked in recent years to safety concerns such as increased risk of heart problems.

“Clinicians should use the lowest dose of ESA (erythropoiesis stimulating agent) sufficient to reduce the need for red blood cell transfusions,” Patrick Conway, chief medical officer at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) said in the statement.

Amgen said it recognizes that the labeling for ESAs has changed, but is concerned that the proposal

would remove an important safeguard designed to protect dialysis patients from being undertreated.

The Medicare guidelines “should have a measure that protects patients from hemoglobin levels that fall too low,” the biotechnology company said in an emailed statement.

Sales of the anemia drugs have declined steeply in recent years, but Amgen’s Epogen, along with its second-generation drug Aranesp, and J&J’s Procrit are still expected to generate around $6 billion in 2011 sales, according to data from Thomson Reuters Pharma.

The proposed change would apply under Medicare’s quality performance standards for “bundled” payments to dialysis providers and would affect

payment years 2013 and 2014, the agency said.

CMS projected that its payment rates for dialysis treatments would increase by 1.8 percent in 2012, representing projected inflation of 3 percent less a projected productivity adjustment of 1.2 percent. It also estimated that federal payments to dialysis facilities in 2012 would total $8.3 billion.

While Medicare traditionally covers just elderly and disabled Americans, kidney disease patients are an exception. The program covers all those with end stage renal disease under a decades-old law.

Medicare said it would accept comments on the proposed rule until the end of August and will respond to them in a final rule to be issued by November 1.

NEW JERSEY

DAILY CHALLENGE WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2011

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Fate of school vouchers, N.J. wineries uncertain after bills died quietly behind the scenes

By CHRIS MEGERIAN TRENTON - New Jersey lawmakers raced for the Statehouse exits Wednesday night after passing a state budget plan, trailing dozens of press releases trumpeting their accomplishments as they prepared for their traditional summer break.

But not every issue was neatly wrapped up at the last minute. Even though piles of bills were passed and paraded in the sunlight, others died quietly behind the scenes, in the shadows.

The fate of two such bills, one addressing school vouchers and the other the future of the state’s wineries, shows as much about the Statehouse as the bills that went on to become law.

Both issues, largely unnoticed as battles over the budget and public worker benefits hogged the spotlight, ground to a halt after stalling in the Assembly.

Interviews show how the best-laid plans complete with major

Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-Essex). endorsements, passion- Assembly Speaker ate speeches and back- Sheila Oliver (D-Essex) room arm-twisting - has struggled to balcan falter on Trenton’s ance competing relashifting political battle- tionships with the ground. That’s especial- power brokers that ly true as lawmakers greased her political wrestle over the state rise and the restless budget, a time to cut Democrats within her last-minute deals and own caucus. And they settle old scores. reveal how controver“It’s the best theater sial cuts to public workin town,” said Steven er benefits cast a long Some, a veteran lobbyist shadow on the who represents a win- Statehouse, altering the ery. “When you’re political landscape and pushing an issue, shifting unrelated you’re very much like issues off track. the director of the SCHOOL VOUCHERS play.”

The Opportunity The episodes involv- Scholarship Act, which ing vouchers and would give corporawineries show how tions tax credits if they

donated to a school voucher program, had all the hallmarks of a sure thing. It boasted bipartisan support, and advocates agreed to downsize the proposal to make it palatable for some wary Democrats.

“It looked like it was going to get done,” said Derrell Bradford, a supporter and executive director for the nonprofit Better Education for Kids.

But in Trenton, nothing is ever a sure thing, and an intense lobbying effort to push the bill through the Assembly faltered just over a week ago.

“I’m extremely disappointed,” said George Norcross, the South Jersey power broker.

“This bill certainly would have provided an opportunity for children and parents who are reaching out for change.”

Also backing the bill were Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. and Gov. Chris Christie, and Senate President Stephen Sweeney (DGloucester) had agreed to post it for a vote despite his own misgivings.

But the plan was missing a critical piece: Oliver. Even though she promised Norcross and DiVincenzo - who played key roles in the sweeping coup that made her the Assembly speaker - she would post the bill, she ended up backing out, according to three sources who requested anonymity to discuss private deliberations.

Sources said Oliver was worried about angering members of her caucus who did not support vouchers. It had been about a week since she backed cuts to public worker benefits, leaving some Democrats feeling betrayed. Pushing forward on vouchers could

further fracture the party.

“After the pension bill, the speaker and others said there was so much tension and so much acrimony in the Democratic caucus, they thought it would be too much to bring up the Opportunity Scholarship Act,” said Rev. Reginald Jackson, head of the Black Ministers Council and a voucher supporter.

Oliver said she still had doubts about the proposal, saying, “Given the shape it’s in, it’s not something I can support.”

She declined to discuss private conversations but said, “We don’t conduct business by promising people what is going to happen.”

Supporters said they had the votes to get the bill passed but couldn’t get it posted in the Assembly.

Sen. Raymond Lesniak (DUnion), the bill’s sponsor, said the issue is now “on life support.”

Bradford said advocates will try again to pass the bill after the November election.

“It is unfortunate that pension and benefit reform was more important than education reform,” he said.

“This is a huge disappointment.”

Recall petitioners claim harassment by Mack supporters

By CARMEN CUSIDO TRENTON Volunteers collecting signatures Saturday for a petition to recall Mayor Tony Mack were met with yelling and cursing by apparent supporters of the mayor, according to a video taken by a city activist.

Kevin Moriarty, a former council candidate and a Mack critic who is volunteering to find signatories to the recall petition, said he felt harassed

and intimidated.

Moriarty said he had collected plenty of signatures between 9 a.m. and around 10:45 a.m. at Oakland and Parkside avenues in the West Ward, when about a halfdozen people began intimidating the recall volunteers.

Moriarty said he began filming what was going on. He said he and the six other volunteers had permission to stand outside a convenience store at the intersection.

“They were aggressive, they were speaking loudly,” Moriarty said.

His 5-minute video, which he uploaded to his blog, shows a couple of people at

first standing with signs and chanting “Support Tony Mack.” But at one point, the video shows, more of Mack’s supporters gather in the parking lot of the convenience store, with one man telling Moriarty, “don’t put me on (expletive) camera.” A police officer then shows up, and is seen speaking to the sign-carriers. Moriarty said the officer also spoke to the recall volunteers.

In the video, the mayor’s supporters briefly walk across the street, but some return to the store. Another of the mayor’s supporters is seen approaching another recall volunteer, who tells the

supporter, “please step away from me,” but the supporter is seen cursing at the volunteer and yelling at him before another man pulls him back.

Moriarty said there were racial slurs and expletives directed at him, some which were captured in the video.

At one point, a man who pulls his black t-shirt over his head raises his middle finger at the camera.

Moriarty said he used the epithet “whitey.”

“I had done nothing to attract that kind of attention of him. I did not engage with any of the Tony Mack supporters that were there,” Moriarty told The Times yes-

terday. But Moriarty wanted to make it clear that he did not think the mayor was aware of any of this and does not want to tie his supporters’ behavior to him. He also said he and other supporters of the recall “will not be put off by the bullying behavior” of Mack’s supporters.

Moriarty said police told him he could file a complaint during normal business hours Tuesday.

Mack could not be reached for comment yesterday.

A recall effort was launched last month by some city residents who declared Mack’s leadership a failure since he took office.

DAILY CHALLENGE WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2011

16

Jay-Z brings 40/40 restaurant franchise to London

By PAUL CASCIATO LONDON — Rapper Jay-Z plans to bring his 40/40 restaurant and bar franchise to London next year in a deal which will team him up with England and Chelsea soccer player Ashley Cole.

The NVA Entertainment Group (NVA), which brokered the multi-million pound (dollar) deal, said that The 40/40 London will be the first project of a partnership between Jay-Z and Cole that will include a number of new ventures.

“London is one of the most vibrant and exciting cities in the world and the perfect location for our new venue,” Jay-Z said in an NVA statement emailed to Reuters.

“I’m excited about working with Ashley and NVA Entertainment Group on a range of new projects and

The 40/40 London is going to be the hottest place in town.”

The management team will be appointing a top chef

to deliver a modern American-themed menu for the restaurant/bar that will feature top DJ’s and A-list artists. A shortlist of three potential sites is now under consideration with a final decision on location expected in August, NVA said.

The 40/40 London will give first option on jobs to talented, long-term unemployed young people. Each month a percentage of profits from the project will go to local youth charities for music and sport projects in deprived communities.

“I am delighted to be working with Jay Z I have grown up listening to his music and now to be doing business with him is amazing and the projects we do will be delivering much needed funds back into sport

and music on a local community level as well as helping talented young people get back to work,” Cole said in the statement.

The grand opening party to be held next year will be similar to the 40/40 openings thrown by Jay-Z in New York, Las Vegas and Atlantic City and will be attended by a host of stars from music, sport and entertainment.

NVA are in talks with UK broadcasters over exclusive TV opportunities.

Alongside his music business Roc Nation and Rocawear clothing range Jay-Z is a sports fan - he attended Wimbledon last week and co-owns NBA basketball team New Jersey Nets. He runs a chain of 40/40 clubs in five U.S. cities.

‘Transformers’ nears $400 million at global box office

By BOB TOURTELLOTTE LOS ANGELES — Bigbudget, effects-filled Hollywood flick “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” smashed its way through box office records by Monday, its sixth full day in theaters, with global ticket sales nearing $400 million.

Paramount Pictures, which released the movie about shape-shifting aliens battling for control of Earth, said the movie was its highest-grossing international debut ever, ringing overseas cash registers to the tune of $217 million through Sunday and beating the release of “Transformers 2.”

The movie opened simultaneously in 58 overseas markets last Wednesday, along with its U.S. and Canadian debut. Global ticket sales, excluding Monday’s international box office estimates which have not yet been forecast, stand at $398 million.

In U.S. and Canadian theaters, where “Transformers” debuted in late-night previews on Tuesday last week, the movie will have taken in $181 million by the time the U.S. Independence Day holiday ends on Monday night, according to Paramount’s estimates.

Industry watchers said the movie’s four-day (Friday through Monday) domestic box office forecast of $116.4

million is the best ever for an Independence Day weekend, which is one of the heaviest moviegoing periods of the year. It eclipsed the $115.8 million debut of “Spider-Man 2” over the same weekend in 2006.

On Monday, Paramount revised its Sunday estimates slightly to $97.5 million for the three-day weekend — Friday through Sunday — from a previous $97.4 million.

“Transformers” earned a whopping $24,300 per-theater average from around 4,000 theaters over the three days. By contrast, the No. 2 domestic movie, Disney/Pixar’s animated “Cars 2” earned $26.2 million over the three days ($32.1 million for the four days ending Monday) from just under 4,100 theaters. Its per-theater average was about $6,400.

About 60 percent of “Transformers’” domestic revenues came from theaters showing it in more expensive 3D, and about 70 percent of the international box office tally came from 3D, which should help bolster the format that in recent months has seemed to fade in popularity.

“What you take away is that if you give the public the right movie in the right way, audiences are happy to pay the upcharge,” said Don Harris, executive vice president of distribution at Para-

mount.

Against the “Transformers” onslaught, other new releases did not fare so well.

The romantic comedy “Larry Crowne,” starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts, failed to generate much excitement.

Adult-themed “Crowne” mustered an estimated $15.7 million for the four-day, Independence Day holiday weekend in the United States. That is a small amount for a film with the Alist star power of Hanks and Roberts, and it could only

reach the No. 4 spot on box office charts in its debut.

Muscling its way ahead of “Crowne” into the No. 3 spot was the comedy “Bad Teacher,” starring Cameron Diaz, with $17.6 million over the four-day holiday.

Another newcomer failing to generate much buzz was the comedy “Monte Carlo,” which stars Selena Gomez and was aimed mostly at young women. It landed at No. 6 with estimated earnings of a mere $8.75 million over the four-day holiday.

At No. 5 was the action

flick “Super 8,” which claimed $9.5 million in ticket sales over the U.S. holiday.

Paramount Pictures, which released “Super 8,” is a unit of Viacom Inc. Disney/Pixar is part of The Walt Disney Co. “Bad Teacher” was released by Columbia Pictures, part of the Sony Pictures Entertainment unit of Sony Corp. “Larry Crowne” was distributed by Universal Pictures, which is controlled by Comcast Corp, and “Monte Carlo” was released by 20th Century Fox, a division of News Corp.

Britney Spears’ ‘Till The World Ends’ gets R. Kelly treatment

By JOCELYN VENA Did R. Kelly place his vote for his pick for Song of the Summer by jumping on a new remix of Britney Spears’ monster smash “Till the World Ends”? Following the all-girl remix featuring Nicki Minaj and the song’s writer, Ke$ha, this new version of the Femme Fatale single gets some love in the club from Kells.

On the new mix, after Brit sings the first verse and the chorus, Kelly comes in singing, “Slide up in this club/ This beat’s got me in love/ Till I just don’t care/ It’s

like I’m walking on air/ It’s a party right here.” He then goes on about partying till the world ends, his Autotuned vocals dancing over the track until the song’s breakdown, where he mixes his vocals with Spears’.

Toward the song’s end, Kelly does some vocal runs over the song’s chorus as it plays out, keeping with the integrity of the Dr. Lukeproduced track.

That’s not the only Song of the Summer contender that’s getting reworked by a male pop star. Over the weekend, much to the delight of Mother Monster herself, Nick Jonas put his

own signature acoustic singer/songwriter stamp on her summer contender “The Edge of Glory.”

Lady Gaga tweeted, “Swoon! Nick Jonas singing ‘The Edge of Glory.’ On my way to press conference in Taichung, listening to it. So dreamy! X.” Using only his acoustic guitar, Jonas played his version of the triumphant pop track to a audience of fans who seemed charmed by his rendition of the Born This Way single. “@ladygaga the pleasure is all mine,” he later tweeted. “That is a beautiful song. Keep inspiring the world.”

DAILY CHALLENGE WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2011

17

Hackers falsely claim Obama dead on Fox Twitter feed

By LAURA MACINNIS WASHINGTON — Hackers took control of a FoxNews.com Twitter account on Monday and sent six false tweets saying that U.S. President Barack Obama had been shot dead, prompting an investigation by the Secret Service.

“Hackers sent out several malicious and false tweets that President Obama had been assassinated,” Foxnews.com said in a statement about the latest in a wave of high-profile cyber security breaches around the world.

“Those reports are incorrect, of course, and the president is spending the July 4 holiday with his family.”

The media outlet, owned

by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, said the incident was being checked.

“The hacking is being investigated, and FoxNews.com regrets any distress the false tweets may have created,” it said.

Obama was celebrating the July 4 Independence holiday with his family at the White House and was due to host military families to watch Fourth of July fireworks in the evening.

The White House declined to comment. The Secret Service, which is charged with

protecting the president, said it was looking into the incident.

“The Secret Service is investigating the matter and will conduct the appropriate follow-up,” spokesman George Ogilvie said.

The first hacked tweet appeared around 2 a.m. and said: “@BarackObama has just passed. The President is dead. A sad 4th of July, indeed. President Barack Obama is dead.”

The next one, “@BarackObama has just passed.

Nearly 45 minutes ago, he was shot twice in the lower pelvic area and in the neck; shooter unknown. Bled out.”

The false tweets were removed, a Fox News spokeswoman said, after Twitter suspended the account.

Fox News Digital Vice President and General Manager Jeff Misenti said FoxNews.com was working with Twitter to address the situation as quickly as possible.

“We will be requesting a detailed investigation from Twitter about how this occurred, and measures to prevent future unauthorized access into FoxNews.com accounts,” Misenti said.

In an email statement to Reuters, a spokesman for Twitter said, “while Twitter does monitor accounts for brute-force log-in attempts

and similar methods of attack, we’re unable to anticipate compromises that take place due to off-site behavior.”

The Twitter spokesman also said that Fox News indicated its account had been compromised.

A group calling itself The ScriptKiddies claimed responsibility for sending the tweets — including “#ObamaDead, it’s a sad 4th of July” — from the “FoxNewspolitics” news feed before Twitter suspended its access.

In all some six false tweets were issued, saying Obama had been shot at a restaurant in Iowa while campaigning.

Obama was not in Iowa this weekend. He returned on Sunday to the White House from a brief trip to Camp David in neighboring Maryland.

The Foxnews.com account hacking followed a wave of highly publicized

to celebrate the show’s 40th anniversary, first aired in 1971, was one of the longestrunning nationally syndicated first-run programs in television history, and was host to artists such are Aretha Franklin, James Brown and the Jackson 5.

The celebration included a dance lesson that appropriately turned into a dance party that spilled onto the Mall Thursday night, the Post said.

Lonnie G. Bunch, founding director of the museum, accepted the donation “on behalf of every teenager like me who tried but failed to dance like the dancers on ‘Soul Train.’ With this donation, it’s really clear — the Smithsonian just got hip!”

that Wednesday session at the White House.

Fox.com, another Fox Entertainment Group website, was the target of an attack by hacker group Lulz Security in May. LulzSec has also made assaults on Sony, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and other targets. The attacks have mostly resulted in temporary disruptions to websites and the release of user credentials.

Beyonce rocks GMA; confirms lead in Eastwood’s ‘Star is Born’ Beyonce has confirmed she’ll lead the cast in Clint Eastwood’s remake of “A Star Is Born.”

The singer, who previously starred in “Dreamgirls” and “Austin Powers: Gold Member,” has been linked to the role for months, and now she has ended the speculation by revealing she’ll follow in the footsteps of Janet Gaynor, Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand for a fourth remake of the classic movie.

“Clint Eastwood? Can you

‘Soul Train’ artifacts go to Smithsonian WASHINGTON — The Smithsonian’s Museum of African American History received a donation of artifacts from the television show “Soul Train” for its collection, officials say.

Items included “Applause” signs, the 10-foot-wide neon “Soul Train” sign, the neon “Soul Train Awards” sign, silver African heads from the awards program and the Scramble Board, on which dancers unscrambled word puzzles quickly, The Washington Post reported.

The relics will be part of the museum’s exhibitions “Musical Crossroads,” “Black Popular Culture” and “Make a Way Out of No Way.” The donation came in time

cyber security breaches, including attacks on the bank Citigroup, Sony Corp., Apple and the U.S. Senate and Brazilian presidential websites.

The FoxNews.com hacking came two days before Obama’s first “Twitter town hall” where he will field tweeted questions about the economy and jobs.

Twitter’s co-founder and executive chairman, Jack Dorsey, is due to moderate

believe that? I can’t believe it still,” she said during her summer concert series performance on “Good Morning America” Friday. “When I met with him I was just in awe. I’m so, so honored that he believes in me. And I can’t wait to do this film.

“I represent this generation’s talent and for me to be the chosen person, as an African American woman, is incredible.”

Russell Crowe is in talks to co-star.

Raven raves about elliptical workouts LOS ANGELES — Actress Raven-Symone credits her half-hour workouts on an elliptical machine for her sleek profile on her new ABC Family series “State of Georgia.”

Raven-Symone dropped an impressive 70 pounds, although she saved the basic curvature she had in her days on Disney’s “That’s So Raven.”

The transformation, she said, was the result of hitting the elliptical for 30 minutes

at least four times a week.

“It’s great to put on clothes and not wear a gir-

dle,” Raven-Symone told People. “And my thighs look super good.”

DAILY CHALLENGE WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2011

18

Ailing Nokia cuts smartphone prices to halt slump

By TARMO VIRKI HELSINKI — Struggling Nokia has cut the prices of its smartphones in Europe, two industry sources told Reuters yesterday, raising the possibility of a more intensive price war in the mobile phone market.

Nokia’s smartphones are rapidly losing market share to phones running on Google’s Android operating platform, and the Finnish company is expected to report losses for the second and third quarters this year.

One of the sources

with direct knowledge of Nokia’s pricing said the steepest cuts of around 15 percent were on the flagship N8, the multimedia C7 and the business user-targeted E6.

Other price cuts were smaller, both sources said.

“There are no very big cuts per model, but the scale — across the portfolio — has not been seen for a very, very long time,” said one of the sources, who works at a European telecoms operator.

Shares in Nokia dropped 1.5 percent to 4.37 euros by late trade.

They have fallen more than 40 percent this year on fears a shift to

Microsoft Windows software may not help it better compete with rivals such as Apple Inc’s iPhone.

A Nokia spokesman declined to comment on specific prices but said the changes were part of its normal business.

In the past, Nokia has cut prices globally across its portfolio once a quarter. But it has not used that tactic for many quarters, instead marking down prices model by model.

Nokia’s latest move could spark a price war, hitting vendors such as Motorola, Sony Ericsson and LG Electronics, warned analyst Neil Mawston of Strategy

Analytics.

“Consumers and operators would benefit from cheaper smartphones in a price war, but vendors with weak profit margins could get squeezed,” Mawston said.

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd will become the world’s largest smartphone maker this quarter, Nomura said last overtaking month, Nokia which was a pioneer with its 1996 launch of the Communicator model.

“Nokia is coming under a lot of pressure from competitors, most notably Samsung who are also moving aggressively on pricing to steal

market share,” said Canalys analyst Pete Cunningham.

Nokia’s share of the global smartphone market fell to 25.5 percent in the first quarter from 39 percent a year earlier, according to research firm Gartner, and many analysts expect it to fall further during 2011.

Nokia’s share of the British smartphone market, seen as a key indicator for trends in Europe, dropped to 10.6 percent in the 12 weeks to mid-May, from 31 percent in the same period a year earlier, according to Kantar Worldpanel ComTech’s survey.

At the end of May, it warned second-quarter

results would be well below a previous outlook and ditched its full-year targets.

Chief Executive Stephen Elop is pinning turnaround hopes on the Windows phone due this year, but some analysts said Nokia is losing so much market share it may never regain its footing.

“In May, European operators largely rejected the new Nokia models, particularly the E6 and C7,” said Tero Kuittinen, analyst with MKM Partners.

“This is now driving panic price cuts for those models but, without operator support, price cuts rarely work.”

Google, Microsoft Factory orders rebound in May, shipments edge up sued over map technology WASHINGTON — New orders received by factories bounced back in May, boosted by demand for transportation equipment and a range of other products, pointing to underlying strength in manufacturing.

The Commerce Department said on Tuesday orders for manufactured goods rose 0.8 percent after a 0.9 percent fall in April. Economists had forecast factory orders rebounding 1.0 percent in May.

A camera used for Google street view is pictured at the CeBIT computer fair in Hanover.

WILMINGTON, Delaware — Google Inc. and Microsoft Corp. were sued for infringing a Louisiana company’s patent with their map websites, which let users navigate street-level views of towns and cities.

Transcenic Inc. asked a Delaware District court to prevent Google and Microsoft from continuing to infringe its patent and asked the court to award it damages.

Lake Charles, Louisiana-based Transcenic said in court

documents that Google’s Streetview and Google Earth and Microsoft’s Streetside infringe its technology which covers systems for capturing and navigating within panoramic images.

AOL Inc. and its MapQuest mapping website were also named as defendants for Mapquest’s 360 View, which allows users to navigate through street-level images.

Google, Microsoft and AOL did not return calls for comment.

Manufacturing is leading the economic recovery, with data on Friday showing a pickup in the sector as the Institute for Supply Management’s manufacturing index rose to 55.3 in June from 53.5 in May. Details of the May factory orders report suggested an easing in supply chain disruptions after the March earthquake in Japan that had hampered factory activity.

The Commerce Department report

showed orders excluding transportation edged up 0.2 percent in May after a similar gain the prior month.

Unfilled orders at U.S. factories rose 0.9 percent in May, the biggest increase since September, after a 0.6 percent gain in April.

Shipments edged up 0.1 percent after falling 0.4 percent in April.

Inventories at U.S. factories increased 0.8 percent in May to $593.0 billion, the highest level since the

series started in 1992.

The department revised durable goods orders for May to show a bigger 2.1 percent rise rather than the previously reported 1.9 percent increase.

Excluding transportation, orders for durable goods were up 0.7 percent in May instead of 0.6 percent.

The increase in orders for non-defense capital goods excluding aircraft, seen as a measure of business confidence, was unrevised at 1.6 percent.

Netflix expands online service to Latin America

ens traditional cable and satellite providers.

The fear is that consumers will drop pricey cable packages — known as cord cutting — in favor of cheaper services offered by companies such as Netflix.

Netflix has more than 23 million subscribers. By contrast, Comcast, the No. 1 U.S. cable operator, has 22.8 million subscribers as of March 31.

By JENNIFER SABA Netflix Inc. is expanding its online video service to 43 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, sending its shares up more than 6 percent.

This is Netflix’s second foray outside the United States. It began offering its services in Canada last year.

Netflix, which offers TV shows and movies over the Internet and rents DVDs through the mail, is seeking

new subscribers as competitors such as Apple, Google and Hulu are moving in on Netflix’s turf.

“It makes a lot of sense,” said Atul Bagga, an analyst at Think Equity. “I think that there is a lot of room for growth in these markets.”

The Latin American market has an estimated 215 million user base, compared to the U.S. with about 245 million, Bagga said.

In the widely anticipated move, Netflix said on Tuesday that subscribers in Mexico,

Central America, South America and the Caribbean will be able to access shows and movies in Spanish, Portuguese or English later this year.

In a letter to investors in April, Netflix said it expected to have $50 million to $70 million in operating losses during the second half of the year due to its second international expansion.

Once considered a friend to TV and movie studios, media conglomerates have fretted over the service’s popularity because it threat-

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DAILY CHALLENGE WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2011

19

Bargains seen helping June chain-store sales

By PHIL WAHBA U.S. retailers are expected to report healthy sales gains for June, as bargains brought in nervous shoppers, leaving some wondering whether too much discounting may crimp second-quarter profits.

Consumers are still under a great deal of pressure from high food and gasoline prices and lingering economic uncertainty.

Some 25 top chains ranging from Target Corp and Kohl’s Corp. to J.C. Penney Co. and Ross Stores Inc. report June sales today and tomorrow.

Analysts on average are expecting them to

post a 4.6 percent increase in June sales at stores open at least a year, according to Thomson Reuters, with discount chains leading the way. That compares with a gain of 3.1 percent in June 2010.

“June was a decent month with a lot of discounting. Consumers were expecting discounts; no one wants to pay full price,” Craig Johnson, president of Customer Growth Partners, told Reuters.

Retailers such as Children’s Place Retail Stores Inc and Gap Inc used increasingly steep discounts to lure shoppers. Gap, for example, offered online shoppers 25 percent off in midJune, and two days after that offer expired tried to entice them

with a 35 percent discount.

Investors will be keeping an eye on how deep discounts may have affected margins and whether they will continue in July, the last month of retailers’ fiscal quarter.

Johnson and many Wall Street analysts cautioned against reading too much into June results, given that that month is when retailers typically cut prices on spring and summer items to make room for back-to-school and fall merchandise.

Discounting is expected to continue into July, denting gross margins, Janney Capital Markets analyst Adrienne Tennant said in a note to clients.

“Promotions were

high across the board,” said Nomura Equity Research analyst Paul Lejuez.

In May, same-store sales rose 4.9 percent, below the 5.4 percent increase that Wall Street expected.

U.S. consumers grew more pessimistic in June about the economic outlook. The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan Survey of Consumers final June consumer sentiment index fell to 71.5 from 71.8 in the preliminary June reading, below economists’ forecasts.

Discount chains, especially those that sell gasoline at lower prices, should clock in the biggest June sales gains, according to Wall Street estimates.

Costco Wholesale

Corp is expected to report a 11.5 percent increase, or an 11 percent rise excluding gasoline sales, while BJ’s Wholesale Club Inc , which last week said it was selling itself to two buyout firms, should post a 7 percent gain.

Several analysts said that high gas prices and shopper anxiety were curbing trips to the mall to go shopping.

Still, middle-class and more affluent shoppers have hit stores with gusto, and highend chains like Saks Inc and Nordstrom Inc are expected to post the biggest gains among department stores.

Wall Street is expecting Gap, which is trying to reignite its namesake brand, to report a companywide drop of 2

percent in same-store sales. That would make it one of only two chains tracked by Thomson Reuters to have declining same-store sales for June. The other is teen retailer Hot Topic.

Despite the uncertainty, Customer Growth’s Johnson is expecting the best backto-school season since 2006, helped by pent-up demand for clothing, provided gas prices cooperate.

“The fear factor comes in at $4,” Johnson said, referring to gasoline prices. A gallon of gas on average costs $3.56, according to the American Automobile Association, far above the year-ago level of $2.72 but still lower than the prices in recent months.

Canon considering compact mirrorless camera

By ISABEL REYNOLDS and REIJI MURAI TOKYO — Canon, the world’s top cameramaker, is exploring the possibility of launching a mirrorless model, packing many of the capabilities of an upmarket single-lens reflex camera into a more compact body, a senior executive said.

Canon has restored camera production to pre-quake levels at the end of June, after supply-chain woes hampered output following the March 11 disaster, Masaya Maeda, head of Canon’s camera division, told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday.

The company now plans to hike production capacity in Taiwan and this would bring Canon’s total singlelens reflex camera output capacity to10 million units annually, from about 7 million units this year, Maeda said.

Rivals including Sony Corp offer mirrorless models, enabling them to market lucrative accessories such as lenses to consumers who are seeking to

Canon camera equipment is displayed at an electronic shop in Yokohama, south of Tokyo. move upmarket from compact cameras, but unwilling to carry around a hefty interchangeable lens model.

There was speculation that Canon and Nikon, which together account for three quarters of the high-end camera market, may follow suit.

Some analysts have warned that entering the emerging segment could expose Canon to more price competition, but others say the fir-

m’s reputation among camera fans will help it overcome this risk.

“If they market it properly, and differentiate it from other products, it will be positive,” said analyst Tetsuya Wadaki of Nomura Securities in Tokyo.

“The market reputation of Canon’s cameras is on a different level from other manufacturers,” he added.

“People who hadn’t considered a mirrorless before will probably

buy it. But Canon have to be careful not to cannibalize sales of highend compacts, where they make quite a bit of profit.”

Maeda said he did not expect a move into the mirrorless segment would push down unit prices.

“We are considering the technical aspects,” Maeda said, when asked about the mirrorless segment.

“We will launch an interesting product

next year,” he said, adding that it would be small, but not specifying whether it would be a mirrorless model.

Canon’s production of cameras returned to pre-quake levels at the end of June, Maeda said, after parts shortages following the earthquake and tsunami forced it to halt manufacturing at its plants on the southern island of Kyushu for about 10 days and hampered production for months.

Following the disaster, the company was forced to lower its annual camera sales forecast for the year to 27 million units from an initial 30 million units, because a hiatus in supplies of a connector used in compact cameras cut the number of units it was able to make in April-June by 3 million, Maeda said.

With production back to normal, he said he hoped to achieve the original target, but added that the company is not ready to change its forecast at this point.

Canon produces all its mid- to high-level cameras in Japan, while entry-level mod-

els are manufactured abroad.

Following the disaster, the company is planning to spread its risk by shifting some production of entrylevel models to Japan from Taiwan.

Canon is set to announce its AprilJune earnings on July 25, and the average analyst forecast is for an operating profit of 55.9 billion yen, based on six analysts polled

by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S, a fall of about 50 percent on the previous year.

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DAILY CHALLENGE WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2011

DAILY CHALLENGE

21

SPORTS

No free agency now, maybe no NBA games later

By BRIAN MAHONEY NEW YORK (AP) - No free agency now, maybe no games later.

The NBA lockout claimed a quick casualty in Day 1, when the free agency period did not open as usual on July 1.

Games eventually could be lost, too, if owners and players can’t make progress whenever they start talking again.

“It’s going to get ugly. I’ve already been on the record saying I don’t think they’re going to play at all next season,” Hall of Famer and TNT analyst Charles Barkley said Friday.

The last lockout reduced the 1998-99 season to 50 games, and players say they’re prepared to hang in as long as necessary this time, rather than agree to the financial changes owners are seeking.

The silence of this July 1 was a sad contrast to the dizzying events of exactly one year earlier, when

LeBron James welcomed the New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets to Cleveland to hear their pitches, and teams crisscrossed the country in pursuit of other stars that were available.

Interest in the league surged from there, right on through the NBA finals that drew some of the best TV ratings the event had seen in years.

“Basketball as a sport is in such a great place right now. It’s a shame it came to this,” agent Marc Cornstein said.

“Hopefully, we can resolve this in a fair and equitable way.”

And, owners would add, a profitable one.

Tired of losing millions in a system that has guaranteed players 57 percent of revenues, they want an overhaul that would allow smallmarket teams to compete with the big spenders, and all of them to make money.

D e p u t y Commissioner Adam Silver has said some teams would be better off if there were no games this season, though stressed no owner wanted that to

happen. The NHL shut down for a year to get the salary cap system it sought. With NBA owners seeking the same result, the question is: Would they be willing to take the same route?

“I’m not scared. I’m resigned to the potential damage that it can cause to our league, all of the people that earn a living from our league,” Commissioner David Stern said. “As we get deeper into it, these things have the capacity to take on a life of their own. You never can predict what will happen.”

With the NFL in a lockout since March, two of the four major U.S. sports are in shutdown mode. In case you’re wondering, Major League Baseball is next on the clock, with its collective bargaining agreement expiring at the end of the day on Dec. 11 though players and owners hope to have a new deal before then.

The NHL’s deal goes until Sept. 15, 2012.

The NFL already has lost free agency, minicamps and some workouts during its lockout, with training camps still a few weeks from

opening. If the NBA’s work stoppage were to last as long, it clearly would put the start of the 2011-12 season in October in jeopardy.

“If we were out as long as it appears the NFL will be out, even on a best-case scenario, given the length of our season, that would take us to a place that would assure a lot, I think, more damage because we have such a long sea-

son,” Stern said last week. “And I think that motivates us on both sides to see whatever we can do.”

They couldn’t do nearly enough before Thursday’s deadline, not with the enormous gap in their financial proposals. Union executive director Billy Hunter said the sides hoped to meet again in about two weeks and would perhaps start

with other topics instead of going right back to economics.

In the meantime, rookies are missing the chance to play in summer league games and don’t know when their first paycheck will arrive. National teams are worrying about putting together rosters for Olympic qualifying tournaments that won’t include their top players.

ESPN acquires all rights to Wimbledon ESPN will broadcast Wimbledon from start to finish beginning with next year’s tournament, the network and the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club announced yesterday. The agreement will run for 12 years.

In acquiring the U.S. television rights, ESPN will present the tournament, including the men’s and women’s singles finals, across a variety of platforms — and all of the coverage will be shown live.

Matches will air on ESPN and ESPN2 simultaneously the second Monday through Wednesday. This will allow for expanded coverage of the fourth round and live telecasts of all quarterfinals.

ESPN will televise the semifinals and finals; ESPN on ABC will broad-

cast a three-hour highlights show on the middle Sunday of the tournament, and will re-air the finals on a same-day basis at 3 p.m. ET. ESPN2 has covered the early rounds of the tournament, plus one each of the men’s and women’s semifinals, since 2003. Matches also will be available on ESPN3.com and the Watch ESPN mobile app. There also will be selected delayed coverage on ABC on weekend afternoons.

“We are proud to have been a partner of The All England Club the past nine years and are thrilled to be given continuing responsibility for honoring Wimbledon’s rich tradition,” George Bodenheimer, president, ESPN and ABC Sports, said. “Over the next 12 years, we’ll work closely together to move coverage of this great event forward with live coverage on television and using all the latest technologies and screens.”

Retired NFL players say they are being excluded

By JON KRAWCZYNSKI MINNEAPOLIS - While NFL owners and players appear to be inching toward a resolution of the league’s long lockout, a group of retired players is clamoring to be more involved in the discussions.

The group filed a class-action complaint against the owners and current players in federal court Monday, saying they have been excluded from the mediation sessions taking place in an attempt to end the lockout.

Named plaintiffs including Hall of Famers Carl Eller, Franco Harris, Marcus Allen and Paul Krause are asking U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson to put a halt to the mediation she ordered and declare that the current players cannot negotiate on behalf of those who are retired.

Owners and current players have met five times over the last few weeks as they work to put together a new collective bargaining agreement in time

to avoid the loss of training camps and games. They met with U.S. Magistrate Judge Arthur J. Boylan in Minneapolis last week, including for more than 15 hours on Thursday, and resumed meetings yesterday in New York.

The retired players say that NFL owners, the NFL Players’ Association and a group of current players including star quarterbacks Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees are “conspiring to depress the amounts of pension and disability benefits to be paid to former NFL players in order to maximize the salaries and benefits to current NFL players.”

The NFL declined comment on the complaint, which was first reported by the New York Times. The Associated Press left a message for an NFLPA spokesman seeking comment.

The complaint gets to the heart of an issue that has been building for quite some time. Retired players have felt marginalized in the dispute over

how to divide more than $9 billion in revenue.

After the owners locked out the players in March, the NFLPA disbanded and a group of them sued the league for antitrust violations. A small group of retired players, including Eller, Obafemi Ayanbadejo and Ryan Collins, filed their own lawsuit against the league seeking more help for medical treatments of former players and better pensions.

Nelson combined the two lawsuits, and several representatives of the retired players, including Eller and attorney Michael Hausfeld were present at early mediation sessions in Minneapolis.

But as talks have heated up and the venue has shifted from the Twin Cities to Maryland, Massachussetts, Illinois and back to Minneapolis again over the last month or so, the retired players have not been present.

This hasn’t sit well with them, and lawyers for the group have sent letters

to Boylan, lobbied Commissioner Roger Goodell and held intense media briefings to make their feelings known.

The complaint said the players’ decision to decertify their union makes it an antitrust violation for the owners and current players to negotiate for retired players.

It also alleges that the NFL had said it would tap revenue streams both from within and outside the salary cap to help retired players, union representatives including DeMaurice Smith want all the money delegated for the cap to be given to current players.

“Through the settlement they are forging, the Brady plaintiffs, the NFLPA and the NFL defendants are conspiring to set retiree benefits and pension levels at artificially low levels,” the complaint alleged.

If Nelson rejects the motion for an injunction on the mediation, the retired players are asking for treble damages.

22

DAILY CHALLENGE WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2011

SPORTS BRIEFS Wisconsin RB transfers to Pitt

PITTSBURGH - Running back Zach Brown will transfer from Wisconsin to Pitt, and will be immediately eligible because he’s already earned his bachelor’s degree and played only three seasons for the Badgers, the Big East school announced on Thursday.

A native of Royal Palm Beach, Fla., the 5-foot10, 220-pound Brown rushed for 1,152 yards and 11 touchdowns on 240 carries at Wisconsin.

“Unlike a younger player, Zach arrives with invaluable experience and a strong understanding of what it is like to play major college football,” Pitt coach Todd Graham said. “We expect him to be an immediate asset in our backfield.”

Brown’s decision was certainly not rushed. He spent three days visiting Pitt’s campus before making it official.

Sean Matti’s body found in lake The body of a Purdue football player who had been missing since Sunday night has been recovered from an Indiana lake, the school confirmed yesterday.

Purdue said the body of Sean Matti, a 22-yearold running back from Shoreview, Minn., was found floating in Lake Freeman about 30 yards from shore by officers from the state Department of Natural Resources, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department said.

The school said the Carroll County coroner’s office confirmed the death.

Matti, a fifth-year senior walk-on who was attending a party with friends, was last seen swimming in Lake Freeman at 5 p.m. local time on Sunday afternoon, according to Indiana media reports. He was reported missing about six hours later. Lake Freeman is about 25 miles north of Purdue’s West Lafayette campus.

“On behalf of the entire Purdue Boilermaker family, our hearts go out to Sean’s family ... and all those who knew and loved him,” Purdue athletic director Morgan Burke said in a statement.

“Purdue football is a family, and I am terribly saddened by the loss of one of our young men,” coach Danny Hope said. “[Wife] Sally’s and my prayers continue to go out to Sean’s family and all his friends and loved ones. He was a special young man whose positive spirit will be a part of our program forever.”

Hall of Fame Game still on track The Pro Football Hall of Fame is still on track to hold the annual Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 7 between the Chicago Bears and the St. Louis Rams, the first game on the NFL’s preseason calendar, according to hall president Steve Perry.

“We’re making all plans to have the game on time. We’ve heard from both parties — the owners and the players — and they’ve expressed their desire to have the game. So, that’s our plan,” Perry told ESPN. “Ticket sales are lagging behind where they were compared to this time last year,” Perry acknowledged. “That’s understandable. There is some uncertainty out there. But we’re planning to have the game. Nobody has told us otherwise.

In fact, both sides have told us they want to play the game.”

DAILY CHALLENGE

SPORTS

Tiger Woods will skip British Open JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Those “minor” injuries to his left leg now have kept Tiger Woods from playing in two majors.

In an announcement on his website yesterday that came as no surprise, Woods said he would not play in the British Open next week because his injuries have not fully healed.

“Unfortunately, I’ve been advised that I should not play in the British Open,” Woods said.

“As I stated at the AT&T National, I am only going to come back when I’m 100 percent ready. I do not want to risk further injury. That’s different for me, but I’m being smarter this time.

“I’m very disappointed and want to express my regrets to the British Open fans.”

It will be the second time in the last four years that Woods has missed two majors in one season. He did not play the British Open and PGA Championship in 2008 while recovering from reconstructive surgery on his left knee. These injuries are not as easy to describe.

Woods said in May that he suffered “minor injuries” to knee ligaments and his Achilles tendon while hitting from an awkward stance in the pine straw on the 17th hole in the third round at the Masters. He skipped the Wells Fargo Championship, and withdrew after nine holes from The Players Championship a week later because of injury.

Woods said last week it was a

mistake to go to The Players, and that if he had waited, he would be playing golf right now.

“In hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have competed at The Players, but it’s a big event, and I wanted to be there to support the tour,” he said. “I’ve got to learn from what I did there and do it right this time and not come back until I’m ready.”

Woods was replaced at Royal St. George’s by Jason Dufner, who said on Twitter, “Looks like I am getting in the open championship, I am excited!”

Brendan Jones was the next alternate, but the Australian told the Royal & Ancient he would not be able to play because his wife is expecting their first child. The next three players on the reserve list as of yesterday are Robert Garrigus, Anthony Kim and Simon Dyson.

Woods called R&A chief executive Peter Dawson to tell him he would not be playing.

“I know how disappointed Tiger is not to be able to play in the Open this year,” Dawson said. “Naturally, we are sorry that a player of his caliber isn’t able to join us at Royal St. George’s, but we wish him well in his recovery and hope to see him back soon, competing in front of the fans that love to see him play the game.”

Woods tied for fourth in the 2003 British Open at Royal St. George’s, where he started with a two-shot penalty when he couldn’t find his opening tee shot in the rough. He wound up

two shots behind Ben Curtis.

He did not say whether he expected to play in the final major, the PGA Championship, which starts Aug. 11 at the Atlanta Athletic Club. As Woods mentioned last week at Aronimink, he doesn’t have any idea when he will next compete.

He said he has not hit golf balls since May 12 at the TPC Sawgrass.

Woods indicated last week that his chances of playing the British Open were remote.

“I wouldn’t go over there just to show up,” he said. “I’d go over there to win the golf tournament, so I need to obviously get my body ready so I can practice and eventually play.”

Woods has slipped to No. 17 in the world, and is likely to be out of the top 20 after the British Open. He also is No. 116 in the FedEx Cup standings on the PGA Tour, and only the top 125 qualify for the playoffs. If he doesn’t return for the PGA Championship, he wouldn’t be eligible for any PGA Tour events until October.

Asked last week if he would be surprised he didn’t play another tournament the rest of the year, Woods said, “I’d be very surprised, because I’m progressing.”

But he’s not making enough progress to play in the tournaments that mean the most to him. Woods remains on 14 career majors, four short of matching the record set by Jack Nicklaus.

Jackson, Parker out with injuries Briann January slapped the court at Conseco Fieldhouse, writhing in agony while clutching her right knee.

Tamika Catchings knew what to do for her Indiana Fever teammate - she’d been there before. After January went down yesterday with what was later diagnosed as a seasonending ACL tear, Catchings offered comforting words and shielded January’s face with a towel so spectators couldn’t watch her cry.

Two of Catchings’ friends, Lauren Jackson and Candace Parker, suffered severe

injuries within the same seven-day span.

Jackson, the Seattle Storm center and threetime league MVP, is out for eight to 12 weeks with a torn labrum in her left hip.

Parker, the Los Angeles Sparks forward and 2008 MVP, is out for about six weeks with a torn meniscus in her right knee.

“I’ve talked to both of them, just sending my prayers,” Catchings said. “I’m going to send them scriptures, send them quotes, keep them motivated.”

Catchings injured her left foot in 2007 and missed the final 13 games of the regular

season, then came back for the playoffs only to tear her right Achilles’ tendon and miss the start of the next season.

She said offering encouragement is important to her because of her history, but just a month into the season, she’d rather not have to do so much of it.

“It’s a part of the game,” she said. “It’s a part of professional sports. But when I see friends especially, I think it’s heartbreaking.”

The injuries come less than 10 games into the season, and it’s a blow for the league since Jackson and

Parker are two of the biggest names in women’s basketball.

Parker and Jackson rank first and second, respectively, in the voting at center for the Western Conference All-Star team. Jackson, an Australian, brings an international following.

“It’s not good for our league,” Los Angeles coach Jennifer Gillom said. “Of course, it’s going to have a ripple effect on the league because they bring so much to the game. It’s difficult for everybody when players of their caliber go down like that.”

- CLIFF BRUNT

DAILY CHALLENGE WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2011

DAILY CHALLENGE

23

SPORTS

Jose Reyes to be cautious with strain LOS ANGELES — New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes is applying a tough lesson learned two years ago at Dodger Stadium to his current hamstring injury.

Reyes acknowledged coming back too soon from a hamstring tendon tear in 2009, during a West Coast trip.

The rapid return made the injury worse, when a more conservative return to the lineup might have provided the injury time to heal and prevented the trouble escalating.

After multiple false starts two seasons ago, Reyes turned a partially torn hamstring tendon into a fully torn hamstring tendon. He then suffered a tear of the hamstring muscle itself. He never reappeared in the majors that season after leaving a game at Dodger Stadium on May 20,

2009.

Saturday, Reyes suffered a Grade 1 left hamstring strain against the Yankees.

That is regarded as the least severe type of strain. The All-Star shortstop planned to swing a bat Monday at Dodger Stadium, but did not intend to run until at least before yesterday’s game.

“I don’t want to get on the field too soon, because I know what happened in 2009 when I tried to get on the field too soon,” Reyes said.

“Everybody knows what happened. ... I have to make sure my leg is ready because I don’t want to go through what I’ve been through in ‘09. I learned from that.”

Manager Terry Collins said he communicated to general manager Sandy Alderson that he is willing to play with a 24-man roster for a few days with Reyes unavailable in order to buy time,

rather than immediately place Reyes on the disabled list and commit to idling him for 15 days.

“If I get this guy back even for the last few days leading into the All-Star break, I think it’s beneficial to the ballclub,” Collins said. “If we think he’s not going to be available, then we’ll have to readdress it as we get into the week. I think our guys have stepped up enough that we’ll take a couple of days and see how he is.”

Reyes, a free-agentto-be, was tormented by leg injuries early in his career.

He acknowledged about his current situation: “Every time I feel something in my leg it’s scary because I don’t want anything to happen to my leg again.

What I went through was kind of difficult.”

Reyes rallied to beat out Colorado’s Troy Tulowitzki in fan voting to serve as the start-

ing shortstop for the National League AllStars. Reyes said it is too early to know whether he will be able to participate, but he hopes to play.

Regardless, Reyes said, he will attend next Tuesday’s game in Phoenix.

Reyes was unable to play in the 2006 AllStar Game because of a pinkie injury and then last year because of an oblique issue, but attended both times after being selected for the NL team.

“It’s still a couple of days away,” Reyes said about the All-Star Game. “So we don’t know yet.”

Bottom line: The Mets will treat Reyes cautiously.

“As I just told him earlier today, and as I said the other day, to get him for one game tonight or tomorrow and then lose him for three weeks is just stupid,” Collins said. “I’m going to watch him run

100 percent before he gets back in there.”

Also on the injury front with the Mets, third baseman David Wright, who is working his way back into playing shape from a lowerback stress fracture, will wait until next week to enter official minor league rehab games. Collins previously had floated later this week as a possible date for minor league games. The organization opted to proceed more cautiously with ramping up baseball activities since Wright has largely been idle for six weeks following the discovery of the stress fracture.

“They don’t want to push him too hard,” Collins said. “... You’re talking about a guy that hasn’t run in six weeks. We’ve got to get his legs back underneath him before a lot of stuff takes place.”

First baseman Ike Davis will wait until next week to seriously

test his left ankle running. Davis is at home in the Phoenix area. If discomfort related to cartilage damage resurfaces when Davis attempts to run, Davis likely will have seasonending surgery.

“Ike is progressing better,” Collins said.

“Now that he is out of the boot, he actually is getting more flexibility in the ankle, feeling better.”

Left-hander Johan Santana again threw off a mound in Port St. Lucie, Fla., Monday.

Wright stood in the batter’s box and tracked pitches at one point.

Alderson had indicated Santana would begin a spring-training-like regimen once he had thrown a pair of mound sessions without discomfort in his surgically repaired left shoulder.

Santana had thrown off a mound last Wednesday as well, so that process may be ready to begin.

Baseba ll’s All-Sta r ga me can b e classic again

By JEFF PASSAN The square peg that is the All-Star game and the black hole that is Bud Selig’s idea to make it count for something are back for their ninth year of nonsensical commingling. There is no worse rule in baseball. It rivals the BCS for the most illogical thing in sports.

How the stupidity has survived almost a decade never fails to blow the mind. Homefield advantage in the World Series is a significant prize owed to the team that best survived the 162-game season. It is instead given to the team that emerges from

the league lucky enough to prevail in an exhibition game managed by the same precepts and principles as a Little League contest.

It should not work both ways. If managers want to hand out the equivalent of participation trophies, the game should not count. If baseball wants the game to mean something, managers should stick with the best players pitchers especially - for as long as necessary.

Absent direct orders from Selig, that won’t happen. And Selig won’t do bupkis. Already he’s seen as too much of a puppeteer. The game “counts” because overmanaging led to the 2002 tie, which led to the classic pose of Selig (pictured at right), hands in air, clueless as to what to do, which led

to the overreaction of bringing some supposed meaning to it.

The new-andimproved, counts-forsomething All-Star game posted its worst TV rating ever last season. While TV isn’t all that matters, it’s enough of a barometer to show that the gimmick isn’t driving any interest.

So many better tweaks exist. They might not cause the ratings to spike, but they will give fans a superior experience, and, really, that’s the point of AllStar games: to reward viewers with a night full of great duels, of oddyet-cool double-play combinations, of the sport’s best getting together on the field.

Baseball’s All-Star game is the best of the four major sports’, and

it’s not really close. And it would be even better if Bud Selig would just ...

Cancel home-field advantage, for goodness sake. Look, it was a nice idea.

Honestly.

It showed Selig’s ability for novel thinking. It’s easy to appreciate that in a commissioner.

At the same time, a leader is only as good as his ability to recognize faults and flaws, and the home-field arrangement falls squarely into that category. Selig’s insistence on its inclusion in collective bargaining has kept it around, according to sources.

Home field brings no true meaning to the game. It is a talking point, a red herring to make Bud Selig look like a man of action.

Know what makes him a man of action?

Challenging Frank

McCourt in bankruptcy court to stand up for the other 29 owners. AllStar game home field is a bankrupt idea.

Think of it this way: If the game counts for something, winning should be the imperative. If it demands a representative from each team - more on that later - that player should be able to contribute something beyond wearing a uniform. Which prompted Mark Carman, a Kansas City radio host, to ask a really good question.

Why shouldn’t Jarrod Dyson represent the Royals?

As well as Aaron Crow has pitched ... and as nice a season as Alex Gordon has had ... if Ron Washington is charged with winning the game, surely it would be nice to store on

his bench full of superstars perhaps the fastest player in the game. If it is tied in the ninth inning and the AL needs a run, Dyson is a no-brainer pinch runner: sprinter’s speed, 18 for 19 in his career stealing bases - the perfect bench player.

Of course, Dyson is nothing more than that - he’s back at Triple-A right now - and the fact that his participation actually makes sense goes against the spirit of a game that’s supposed to be populated by All-Stars. By proxy, Selig’s doggedness that the game must count is likewise off.

If he wants deepdown, good competition, Selig doesn’t need to throw out a nebulous reward that won’t be realized for another 31/2 months.

DAILY CHALLENGE

S SP PO OR RT TS S WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2011

JETER BACK WITH YANKEES EYEING 3,000 HITS

By TOM WITHERS CLEVELAND - On a tradition-filled day, Derek Jeter is back playing shortstop and batting leadoff for the New York Yankees.

It doesn’t get much more fireworks and hot dogs than that.

Sidelined since June 13 with a calf injury, Jeter was activated from the 15-day disabled list Monday to continue his quest to reach 3,000 career hits. Jeter is batting first and playing short in manager Joe Girardi’s starting lineup as the Yankees open a three-game series with the Indians.

“It feels great to be back,” Jeter said. “To be out three weeks is tough when you want to be out there playing. But in retrospect, it was probably the right thing to do.”

Girardi didn’t hesitate writing Jeter’s name at the top of his lineup card.

“It’s easy to put him back in there.

It’s like he never left,” Girardi said.

“You just put him right back in there.”

The Yankees’ captain, named to his 12th All-Star team Sunday, needs six more hits to become the 28th major leaguer to reach 3,000.

Although he has struggled this season, batting just .260 in 62 games, Jeter is also just a few swings from becoming the first player in New York’s storied history to eclipse 3,000 - a distinction that would separate the 37-year-old from all previous pinstriped greats.

Jeter said he hasn’t spent a moment dwelling on the milestone, which will only add to a Cooperstown-worthy resume.

“At this point, I just want to go out and play a game,” he said. “I mean it’s been three weeks between hits.”

Jeter said he has not spoken with Girardi about getting any rest or if the Yankees will hold him out of a game so he can reach 3,000 hits at Yankee Stadium.

“I want him to get to 3,000 as soon as he can,” Girardi said. “I’m going to manage him more from a physical standpoint than 3,000 hits.”

Jeter’s absence was felt way beyond the boxscore.

“You miss his leadership and his consistency on a daily basis,” Girardi said.

To make room for Jeter, the Yankees optioned outfielder Chris Dickerson to Triple-A

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Dickerson batted .300 (6 for 20) in 31 games for New York.

As he dressed before the game, Jeter quietly chatted with former major leaguer Bobby Bonilla, who now works for the players’ union.

Alex Rodriguez walked into the Yankees’ clubhouse after getting a haircut and faked being surprised when he walked up to Jeter, who shared a hug with his teammate.

Jeter was eligible to come off the DL last week, but needed more time to strengthen his calf. The AL Eastleading Yankees went 14-4 without him and young shortstop Eduardo Nunez showed he may be the one who one day replaces Jeter. Nunez went 7 for 8 with a homer and three doubles in two weekend games

against the Mets.

Jeter said it wasn’t disappointing to see the Yankees thrive without him.

“I wish they went 18-0,” he said.

“We did a great job, especially in interleague play. Hopefully, it will continue.”

Jeter signed a three-year, $51 million contract this winter but he is clearly on the decline. There has been renewed debate about how long the Yankees should wait before moving one of the most popular players in Yankees history out of the top of the lineup. Jeter said he doesn’t feel any pressure to perform in the season’s second half to silence critics.

“I don’t try to prove anything to anyone,” he said. “I try to help my team win. There’s been constant questions. It’s nothing new to me. I try not to pay attention to it (criticism) and try to improve.”

Asked what he needed to work on this season, Jeter said, “Everything.”

“I need to be a little more consistent than I have been,” he said. “I can’t change anything that has happened in the past. I’ve been criticized before. I take it as a challenge.”

Girardi said the time off could serve Jeter well.

“A lot of times guys come back and they get their legs back under you,” Girardi said. “I hope it works out that way.”

Jeter spent the weekend on a rehab assignment with Double-A Trenton. On Sunday, he went 1 for 2 with a bunt single, a walk and a throwing error in six innings. He came away pleased that he was able to test his calf at the plate, on the bases and in the field.

“I feel good,” he said.

WOODS TO SIT OUT BRITISH OPEN S EE PA GE 21