Vanguard

President Goodluck Jonathan considers his new Cabinet.

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday dispelled media reports that he had concluded plans to sack some of his ministers in an impending cabinet reshuffle, saying the rumour making the rounds was a ploy to cause psychological disorder among his cabinet members.

To the contrary, he said, he still "has implicit confidence in the ability of the current crop of ministers to deliver and has no plan to undertake any replacement at the moment."

In a statement issued by his special adviser on media and publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the president implored Nigerians to ignore the antics of mischief makers.

The statement made available to LEADERSHIP reads in part: "Contrary to recent speculations in the media about a so-called impending cabinet reshuffle, the Presidency wishes to state emphatically that there is no truth whatsoever in the said reports.

"There is also no truth in the alleged tension among ministers as a result of the rumoured imminent cabinet change. This is a calculated attempt to cause disaffection within the cabinet and divert the attention of members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) from their unwavering commitment to the implementation of the Transformation Agenda of the Jonathan Administration."

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Nigeria: I Have No Plan to Sack Ministers - Jonathan

Vanguard

President Goodluck Jonathan considers his new Cabinet.

President Goodluck Jonathan has said he has no plans to reshuffle his cabinet as being speculated in the media, declaring his confidence in the ability of the current crop of ministers.

Jonathan, who said there was no truth in the speculations and further denied that there was any tension among his ministers, dismissed the rumour as an attempt to cause disaffection among members of his cabinet whom he charged not to be distracted.

A statement from the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, blamed "mischief makers" whose aim was to truncate the continued drive to keep delivering on "his campaign promises by his principal".

The statement read, "Contrary to recent speculations in the media about a so-called impending cabinet reshuffle, the Presidency wishes to state emphatically that there is no truth whatsoever in the said reports.

"President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has implicit confidence in the ability of the current crop of ministers to deliver and has no plan to undertake any replacement at the moment.

"There is also no truth in the alleged tension among ministers as a result of the rumoured imminent cabinet change. This is a calculated attempt to cause disaffection within the cabinet and divert the attention of members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) from their unwavering commitment to the implementation of the Transformation Agenda of the Jonathan Administration.

"The speculation about cabinet change is the handiwork of mischief makers who seem bent on frustrating the good intentions of the Federal Government to deliver on the campaign promises of President Jonathan.

"We advise the public to ignore the antics of these mischief makers".

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Nigeria: Jonathan Rules Out Cabinet Shake Up

BEIRUT: Tens of people caused heavy traffic for approximately three hours Tuesday morning in a protest against the government's failure to construct an alternative bridge to the one it dismantled earlier this year.

Metn residents holding Lebanese flags blocked the Beirut-Jounieh highway in an on-and-off manner Tuesday morning while motorists were left stranded in their vehicles.

Some protesters distributed Kanafeh to drivers while others sat down on mats, smoking nargileh and playing cards.

During the protest, which saw the closure of the highway several times, many drivers left their cars on the side of the highway and walked to their workplace. Others took out portable chairs from their cars and took shelter on the sides of the roads from the blinding sunlight.

Motorists have asked security forces to reopen the highway.

Several MPs participated in the protest with Change and Reform bloc MP Ibrahim Kanaan signing the protesters' proposal for an alternative bridge.

The Jal al-Dib Bridge, north of Beirut, was built shortly after the start of the Civil War in 1975 and dismantled earlier this year following warnings by various officials that it was at severe risk of collapsing.

The government said it would build an alternative bridge to replace it but no plans have been implemented yet.

Local media quoted Interior Minister Marwan Charbel promising protesters to discuss an alternative bridge in the Cabinet session scheduled for Wednesday.

This is the third protest since Metn residents vowed to take to the streets if their demands for an appropriate exit and entry system to the Metn from Jal al-Dib are not met.

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Protest resumes over lack of Jal al-Dib bridge replacement

Bonus ceiling for workers increased CABINET DECIDES BS Reporters / New DelhiOctober 02, 2007 The Union Cabinet today cleared a scheme through which bonus ceilings for both private and public sector workers would be raised. The move will cost the Union government Rs 125 crore and an undisclosed sum for the private sector. This was the first meeting of the Cabinet after two weeks as the PM had been unwell. The Cabinet approved an increase in the ceiling for bonus calculation to Rs 3,500 from the current level of Rs 2,500. In order to bring more workers within the ambit of bonus, the eligibility limit for bonus has also been raised. Now, workers whose basic and Dearness Allowance is less than Rs 10,000 are eligible for bonus. Earlier, workers earning upto Rs 6,000 were covered under bonus act. To pave the way for these two hikes, the government will amend section 2(13) and 12 of the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965. Section 32(vi) of the act will be deleted to cover the employees employed through contractors on building operations, Labour Minister Oscar Fernandes announced. Bonus corrections were promised by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in August, 2006. In a meeting with labour Unions, PM had said, I agree that current ceilings were set more than a decade ago. We will soon take a favourable decision on it. Then, at the Indian Labour Conference held in April this year, Labour Ministry again assured that it would raise the bar. However, nothing happened in the intervening period - until the Left parties announced their differences with the centre and the prospects of mid-term election imminent. The Cabinet, further, gave its approval, for signing of an agreement between India and Philippines, on the abolition of visa requirement, for holders of diplomatic and official passports. The Agreement would be signed during the visit of the President of Philippines to India on October 5, this year. The Philippines will become the 36th country with which India has signed this agreement. The acquisition of a new research vessel as a replacement of Geological Survey of Indias aging research vessel- Samudra Manthan, also got the Cabinets approval today. The vessel, for carrying out seabed surveys and exploration of non-living resources, would cost the government Rs 448 crore. Bonus ceiling for workers increased CABINET DECIDES BS Reporters / New Delhi Oct 02, 2007, 00:12 IST

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Bonus ceiling for workers increased

LEDtronics, Inc. 23105 Kashiwa Court Torrance, CA, 90505, USA

LEDtronics, Inc., the industry's most innovative LED lamp manufacturer since 1983, announces a series of T5 tube-style LED lamps as direct replacement for 12V xenon and halogen T3/T4 subminiature glass bulbs from 4 to 15 watts, including Xenon 1205X (5W) and Halogen lamps 774 (8W), 891 (8W, 12.8V) and 773 (8W).

The LEDtronics LEDG4BP-2W series of lamps work with high-frequency power supplies for 12VDC or 12VAC, and consume only 0.8 watts at 12VAC, and 1.4 watts at 12VDC voltage input - this adds up to 90% reduction in power consumption.

These subminiature lamps come with a dual-pin G4 base and are available in 3000K warm white or 5500K pure white light colors. They are a perfect fit in applications such as pendant lamps, under-cabinet lighting, landscape lighting, electric signs, scoreboards, step lights, puck downlights, RVs, boats, car bulbs, ceiling fans and anywhere T3 or T4 halogen bulbs are used. A removable 5.2mm lead spacer is included.

Read the complete Press Release and down-load the high-res product images at; http://www.ledtronics.com/Media/Press...

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LED Bulbs are offered as xenon and halogen replacements.

One of Maryland Gov. Martin OMalleys (D) most powerful cabinet secretaries is stepping down after nearly three years on the job.

Transportation Secretary Beverley K. Swaim-Staley, the first woman to lead Marylands sprawling transportation agency, will leave her post at the end of June, according to OMalleys office.

Swaim-Staley has worked for the state for more than 25 years, including previous posts as deputy transportation secretary and overseeing operations at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport following Sept. 11, 2001.

Aides said Swaim-Staley surprised OMalley with her decision late last week. They said the timing of her departure appeared motivated in part by a desire to give the governor time to find a replacement who could lead the agency for the second half of his final term.

Swaim-Staleys tenure has revolved in large part around funding challenges created by the states near bankrupt transportation trust fund.

She was a lead surrogate for OMalleys failed attempt this year to convince the states General Assembly to apply a 6-percent sales tax to gasoline. And she drew the ire of rural and Republican lawmakers for orchestrating a series of major toll increases to fund needed maintenance and operating expenses for state bridges.

Swaim-Staley also oversaw the completion of the Intercounty Connector and the beginning of greater use of public-private partnerships, in which Maryland has begun to lease state assets to private companies. While some remain mired in legal challenges, a partnership at the Port of Baltimore has been widely credited for creating jobs and readying the port ahead of other East Coast landings for larger ships that will soon be able to pass through the Panama Canal.

Beverley guided our transportation efforts during the most difficult economic downturn this country has faced in generations, OMalley said in a statement. Despite the economic challenges, we made significant progress including the development of an award winning public-private partnership at the Port of Baltimore and the opening of the Intercounty Connector. I thank her for her years of service.

Aides said OMalley would lead a nationwide search for a replacement.

It has been an honor to serve the citizens of Maryland throughout my professional career, Swaim-Staley said in a statement. I chose to make transportation the focus of my government service because I believe it is one of those key areas of government where you can make a positive impact on the lives of citizens across the state. I thank Gov. OMalley and the citizens of Maryland for this tremendous opportunity. I also thank the thousands of employees throughout MDOT who made our collective progress possible.

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O’Malley’s transportation secretary stepping down

Kathy Sweeney investigates: The case of the missing cattle Kathy Sweeney investigates: The case of the missing cattle

Updated: Thursday, April 26 2012 11:27 PM EDT2012-04-27 03:27:11 GMT

A 36-year-old cattle buyer disappears in Williamson County. As authorities investigate, they learn about several warrants out for the man's arrest in connection with stolen cattle.

A 36-year-old cattle buyer disappears in Williamson County. As authorities investigate, they learn about several warrants out for the man's arrest in connection with stolen cattle.

The StormTeam Digital Doppler image will be updated approx. every 5 minutes. This is a screen capture of what the StormTeam is looking at. So from time to time, the image might be zoomed in on different

Updated: Monday, April 30 2012 5:07 PM EDT2012-04-30 21:07:42 GMT

Police in central Kentucky say a young child found a gun and fatally shot a younger sibling.

Police in central Kentucky say a young child found a gun and fatally shot a younger sibling.

Updated: Tuesday, May 1 2012 7:50 AM EDT2012-05-01 11:50:22 GMT

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) - A southwest Missouri man has been sentenced to life in prison for his young son's death, which he originally blamed on armed intruders. Thirty-1-year-old Eddie Salazar was sentenced

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Crews work on replacement span for Eggners Ferry Bridge

Two of the towers on the Orchard Estate

by Jessica Earnshaw , Reporter Saturday, April 28, 2012 4:00 PM

Council tenants and leaseholders on a Woodford Green estate could benefit from 11million to help save energy and money.

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The multi-million pound proposal, backed by Redbridge Councils cabinet on Tuesday, would see 617 homes in the tower blocks and maisonettes on the Orchard Estate receive energy-efficiency works funded by power companies through the governments Community Energy-Saving Programme.

The improvements will include thermal cladding and window replacement to keep heat in and swapping a communal heating system with a modern system.

Costs

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Woodford Green estate could be in line for £11million spending spree

TRIPOLI, Libya Members of Libya's interim ruling council are trying to work out the makeup of a new government after deciding to remove the country's Cabinet just five months after it took office, members said Friday.

Leadership of the National Transitional Council appeared hesitant and shaken, as it failed to come up with an official announcement over the ouster of the Cabinet. The council's spokesman, Mohammed al-Hareizi, denied that the NTC had sacked the government, while other members said the decision has been made but it is pending an agreement on replacing the Cabinet.

The back-and-forth indicated the confusion in Libya's decision-making and power struggles among different groups ahead of the country's first national elections, a major landmark in the transition after the fall last year of longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi. The election is to choose a 200-member assembly tasked with forming a new government and write a new constitution.

Both the NTC and el-Keib's government have faced persistent criticism that they have been ineffective in tackling the multiple troubles facing the deeply divided nation and the two sides have traded accusations over who is to blame.

Two members of the NTC, Fathi Baja and Moussa al-Kouni, told The Associated Press on Thursday that the council had voted to remove the government during a meeting the day before. But, they said, the council did not intend to make the decision public until a replacement was decided. Baja said 56 of the council's 72 members attended and most of them supported the no-confidence motion.

"There is an agreement inside the council to oust el-Keib government," he said.

NTC spokesman al-Hareizi described the report as "baseless" in a brief statement carried on the official news agency LANA.

Al-Amin Belhaj, another NTC member and a leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood, said the council will meet on Sunday to finalize the extent of the government reshuffle, suggesting that part of the Cabinet could be retained. He said a formal vote had not been held Wednesday. Another member Ahmed al-Abbar described the upcoming meeting on Sunday as "decisive."

A witness who attended Wednesday's meeting told AP that members made a show of hands that reflected a strong majority calling for removing the government. But there were sharp divisions over who would replace el-Keib, said the witness, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject.

Islamists in the council support Mustafa Abu-Shakour, el-Keib's deputy. Others oppose appointing a senior member of a Cabinet they say has failed, suggesting Labor Minister Mustafa al-Rajbani instead, according to Baja.

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Libya's ruling council to hold talks over new Cabinet makeup

Melissa York, Reporter Wednesday, April 25, 2012 3:55 PM

Up to 14.7 million has been set aside by Newham Council to build a new leisure centre the Atherton site in Stratford.

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Plans to rebuild the Romford Road centre were agreed by Newhams Cabinet.

Featuring new swimming facilities, a gym and space for fitness classes, work should begin in July next year with the new centre expected to open in January 2015.

Mayor Sir Robin Wales said of the present centre: Our residents deserve a better, more accessible facility than the one we currently have. We want to invest money to genuinely improve the leisure facilities on offer to residents.

Spending such large sums of money on repairs just to keep the building operational doesnt add up. A new facility will be a better, more economical option, which serves the needs of Newham residents.

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Council pledges to build £14m replacement for Atherton centre in Stratford