Sequester Set to Trigger Billions in Cuts

Nobody likes the sequester.Even the word is enough to send shivers of fiscal panic, or sheer political malaise, down the spines of seasoned politicians and news reporters. And today, the sequester will almost certainly happen, a year and a half after its inception as an intentionally unpalatable event amid the stalemate of the debt-limit crisis in 2011.Automatic budget cuts will be...

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SingPost sets up S$10m fund to help low-wage employees

SINGAPORE: SingPost is setting up a $10 million "Inclusivity Fund", which will benefit its low-wage workers.Over 70 per cent of the fund will go to helping the workers cope with the rising cost of living. This will include retention awards and enhancements to their wages.Part of the fund will also go into training to help them upgrade their skills.Staff with school-going children can also...

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Left pulls off emphatic win in Tripura sweeping 50 of 60 seats

AGARTALA: The Left Front on Thursday retained power in Tripura for the fifth consecutive time, sweeping 50 of the 60 seats and leaving the Congress badly bruised with just 10 seats.Hundreds of Left activists, mainly from the Communist Party of India-Marxist CPI(M), celebrated across the state as election results left the Congress in gloom. The CPI(M) bagged 49 seats while the Communist Party of...

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Why African Rhinos Are Facing a Crisis

The body count for African rhinos killed for their horns is approaching crisis proportions, according to the latest figures released by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). To National Geographic reporter Peter Gwin, the dire numbers—a rhinoceros slain every 11 minutes since the beginning of 2013—don't come as a surprise. "The killing will continue as long as...

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Benedict Pledges 'Obedience' to New Pope

In his farewell remarks to colleagues in the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI, the first pontiff to resign in nearly 600 years, promised "unconditional reverence and obedience" to his eventual successor.Benedict, in a morning meeting at the Vatican, urged the cardinals to act "like an orchestra" to find "harmony" moving forward.Benedict, 85, is spending a quiet final day...

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Federal law enforcement officers not exempt from budget-cut furloughs

This isn’t the first time the inability of Congress to do its job has threatened the ability of federal employees to do theirs. But the government shutdown that was averted two years ago and smaller crises differed in critical ways from the sweeping federal budget cuts that could strike Friday. One important difference is the impact the new cuts, known as sequestration, could have on federal...

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Rehabilitative care innovation can alleviate manpower crunch: govt

SINGAPORE: The government said the use of technology not only accelerates the rehabilitation process of patients, but also helps ease manpower shortages in healthcare.The latest in "rehab innovations" for those with disabilities are on display at the inaugural Rehab Tech Asia exhibition in Singapore.The showcase includes a robot arm which allows users who are paralysed in their upper bodies...

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Helicopter scam: I feel ashamed, taxpayers' money can't be wasted, Antony says

NEW DELHI: Defence minister AK Antony has said that the culprits in the VVIP helicopter scam will be punished and any company found guilty in the deal will be blacklisted.Responding to the debate on the chopper deal in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Antony said, "I feel ashamed of this scam."It's a matter of shame for us every time a scam is reported," Antony said, adding that I want to find the truth...

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A History of Balloon Crashes

A hot-air balloon exploded in Egypt yesterday as it carried 19 people over ancient ruins near Luxor. The cause is believed to be a torn gas hose. In Egypt as in many other countries, balloon rides are a popular way to sightsee. (Read about unmanned flight in National Geographic magazine.)The sport of hot-air ballooning dates to 1783, when a French balloon took to the skies with a sheep,...

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Pope Thanks Crowd in Final Public Appearance

On his final full day as the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI thanked a huge crowd for respecting his historic decision to step down and told them that God will continue to guide the church."The decision I have made, after much prayer, is the fruit of a serene trust in God's will and a deep love of Christ's Church," Benedict said to cheers in his last public...

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