Maniolas

By Nancy C. Carvajal |Philippine Daily Inquirer 9:26 am | Wednesday, August 20th, 2014 INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines–An Iranian national arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation on the request of the US Department of Justice after he was indicted in a US court for being part of a conspiracy to smuggle to Iran about 20 tons of specialized steel “with nuclear applications” died Monday evening of cardiac arrest, an NBI official said. The NBI said the United States government had sought the extradition of Parviz Khaki, 47, of Tehran after he was arrested by NBI agents at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) in 2012. The US justice department told the NBI the Iranian was indicted in the District Court of Columbia for being part of a conspiracy to smuggle to Iran about 20 tons of specialized steel “with nuclear applications” which were considered suitable for gas centrifuges used in uranium enrichment. Khaki was indicted on six counts of fraud over his attempt to deliver the highly technical materials and nickel alloy to Iran. Records showed Khaki was also charged by the US justice department with money laundering and violating US laws with respect to the American embargo against Iran. NBI records showed the Iranian was on his way back to Iran when he was arrested by NBI agents at Naia Terminal 1 on May 26, 2012. Khaki’s extradition to the US did not push through, however, after the Iranian Embassy filed a petition in Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 21 opposing his extradition. Read More …

A handout picture received from Taiwan’s National Security Council on Sept. 1, 2012, shows Interior Minister Lee Hong-yuan holding a national flag at Itu Aba or Taiping, the biggest islet of the disputed Spratlys on Aug.31, 2012. Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza may have committed a “grave mistake” in his handling of the Philippine case against China in the United Nations arbitral tribunal when he directed the government’s international lawyers to exclude the Taiwan-occupied island of Itu Aba from the 4,000-page memorial before it was submitted to the tribunal in The Hague in March. AFP PHOTO/Taiwan’s National Security Council Itu Aba, the largest island in the disputed Spratlys, is occupied by Taiwan and administered by its Coast Guard. The 37.7-hectare island, 463 kilometers away from Palawan province and some 1,600 km southwest of Taiwan, has sophisticated facilities, including a 1,200-meter runway and its own freshwater source. According to earlier reports, Taiwan is also building a $100-million port next to the airstrip. The port is reportedly designed to accommodate 3,000-ton naval frigates and coast guard cutters. The runway is also being upgraded for Hercules C-130 transport planes. Taiwan officials said the improvements would be finished by late next year. China and Taiwan share claims to virtually the entire South China Sea, a legacy of the Chinese civil war when the Communists split from the Nationalists and eventually took control of the Chinese mainland in 1949. The Nationalists settled in Taiwan and still claim to be the legitimate rulers of greater China. Vietnam, Read More …

INQUIRER.net US Bureau 5:47 am | Wednesday, August 20th, 2014 CALIFORNIA REPORT BERKELEY, California – While the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare has helped millions of Californians gain health insurance, millions more remain uninsured and dependent on a safety net system that is inadequately funded and difficult to navigate, a new report by a policy think tank argues. The Greenlining Institute interviewed staff from safety net providers, foundations that support health work and a policy nonprofit. The report is titled “Voices from the Front Lines: California’s Remaining Uninsured and the Safety Net.” “Even after the Affordable Care Act is fully implemented, millions of Californians will remain uninsured,” said Greenlining Institute Health Policy Director Carla Saporta. “Right now these Californians face a safety net system that’s complex, fragmented and underfunded and ultimately that hurts us all.” While a significant number of the uninsured are undocumented, many are not. Interviewees repeatedly expressed concern about funding levels and the difficulty of accessing care – particularly for families of mixed immigration status, who must navigate a minefield of complex rules and differing eligibility requirements. “If you don’t insure every single person, the system is not going to work,” one safety net provider commented. “It’s going to be pieces falling apart.” Greenlining’s report concludes with a series of policy recommendations, including passage of SB 1005 (Lara), which would extend private insurance and Medi-Cal so that coverage is available to all Californians. The bill was held in suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee earlier this year. Read More …