Service Disruptions in Truro
-30- Community Services offices have been temporarily relocated to the New Glasgow offices, 161 Terra Cotta Dr. For Community Services inquiries in the area, call 902-893-5950. The Truro Employment Nova Scotia office is closed. Clients can access services by calling, toll free, 1-877-223-0888. The Access Nova Scotia office is closed. For inquiries, call 1-800-670-4357 or use online services at www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr . Some provincial government services are being disrupted today, Sept. 10, by flooding in the Truro area. 
New Delhi: India Sunday called on G-20 countries to adopt principle of ‘significant economic presence’ while addressing challenges to tax profits made by the digital companies. Addressing the two-day meeting of the G-20 finance ministers and central bank governors in Fukuoka, Japan, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman noted the urgency to fix the issue of determining right nexus and profit allocation solution for taxing the profits made by digital economy companies. Also Read – SC declines Oil Min request to stay sharing of documents”FM (Finance Minister) noted that the work on tax challenges arising from the digitalisation of economy is entering a critical phase with an update to the G20, due next year. “In this respect, the FM strongly supported the potential solution based on the concept of ‘significant economic presence’ of businesses taking into account the evidence of their purposeful and sustained interaction with the economy of a country,” a finance ministry statement said. Also Read – World suffering ‘synchronized slowdown’, says new IMF chiefSitharaman expressed confidence that a consensus-based global solution, which should also be equitable and simple, would be reached by 2020. The minister said that with almost 90 jurisdictions now adopting the automatic exchange of financial account information (AEOI), it would ensure that tax evaders could no more hide their offshore financial accounts from the tax administration. “She urged the G20/Global Forum to further expand the network of automatic exchanges by identifying jurisdictions including developing countries and financial centers that are relevant but have not yet committed to any timeline. “Appropriate action needs to be taken against non-compliant jurisdictions. In this respect, she called upon the international community to agree on a toolkit of defensive measures, which can be taken against such non-compliant jurisdictions,” the statement said. Sitharaman also highlighted the need for the G20 to keep a close watch on global current account imbalances to ensure that they do not result in excessive global volatility and tensions. “The global imbalances left a detrimental impact on the growth of emerging markets. Unilateral actions taken by some advanced economies adversely affect the exports and the inward flow of investments in these economies,” the ministry said. She also urged the G20 to remain cognizant of fluctuations in international oil market and study measures that can bring benefits to both the oil exporting and importing countries. Earlier speaking at the Ministerial Symposium on International Taxation, she raised the need for international cooperation on dealing with fugitive economic offenders who flee their countries to escape from the consequences of law. “FM urged that closer collaboration and coordinated action were required to bring such economic offenders to face law,” the statement added. The world’s top financial policymakers admitted Sunday that trade tensions had worsened and posed a risk for the global economy, after a G20 meeting that laid bare differences between the United States and other nations. Following 30 hours of wrangling in what one official described as a “tense” atmosphere, G20 finance minister and central bank chiefs produced a hard-fought final statement acknowledging that “growth remains low and risks remain tilted to the downside.” “Most importantly, trade and geopolitical tensions have intensified,” the G20 said, adding they “stood ready to take further action” if required. As a compromise pushed by Washington, the statement omitted language from a previous draft that mentioned a “pressing need to resolve trade tensions.” The G-20, grouping of developed and developing countries, meeting concluded Sunday.
HALIFAX – Nova Scotia’s auditor general is passing along records to the police and opening his own investigation into the operations of Atlantic Canada’s largest children’s hospital after an expense scandal involving its top executive erupted in June.Tracy Kitch, former CEO of the Izaak Walton Killam Health Centre, resigned last month after an independent review said she owed more than $22,000 for “potentially personal” expenses charged to her corporate credit card.In addition, the hospital’s chief financial officer has taken a paid leave of absence since the review was completed of expense claims between August 2014 and June of this year.In a statement, auditor general Michael Pickup announced Tuesday that he intends to conduct financial and performance audits of the IWK’s books and practices.Pickup also said the IWK must turn over to police any information related to the former CEO’s expenses for “consideration on any possible legal matters.”He said he and his staff have been meeting with IWK officials and reviewing public reports, but they have yet to conduct any detailed audits.“I am gravely concerned with the ineffectiveness of financial controls and lack of rigor in financial management as publicly reported by the IWK in recent weeks,” Pickup said in his statement.In addition, Mr. Pickup said he will become the annual financial statement auditor of IWK, beginning April 1 of next year.“As part of early planning, it is expected that a performance audit will cover critical aspects of oversight, financial management and controls on expenditures.”The results of all performance audits will be reported publicly to the Nova Scotia Legislature, as well as any significant financial statement audit results.A review by the accounting firm Grant Thornton found last month that there were “significant delays” in the submission of claims by the chief executive, which limited the hospital’s ability to identify potential issues.The report, issued after CBC raised questions about IWK expense accounts, found Kitch had been allotted 10 days annually for professional development but exceeded that by 14 days in 2015 and seven days in 2016.It found the IWK paid for membership fees beyond those contractually agreed to, including the Air Canada Maple Leaf Club Lounge and membership in the College of Registered Nurses of Ontario.The report also found Kitch performed a review of the Montreal Children’s Hospital, and was compensated with an honorarium and expense reimbursement. But travel expenses were charged to the IWK and not reimbursed upon receipt of payment.Among items seen as potentially personal, the report detailed $26,463.80 for flight pass usage; $4,636.55 for mobile data overages; $4,474.34 for taxis; $1,580.31 for hotel-related costs; $394.75 for meals; and $161.40 in iTunes charges.“Hotel costs include a hotel stay by a family member of the CEO during a visit to Halifax, as well as hotel charges related to a personal trip to the U.S. that were charged to the corporate credit card,” the report found.In a statement, the IWK said its board has endorsed all of the report’s findings and approved its 14 recommendations.
WASHINGTON – FPI Management, a property company in California, wants to hire dozens of people. Factories from New Hampshire to Michigan need workers. Hotels in Las Vegas are desperate to fill jobs.Those employers and many others are quietly taking what once would have been a radical step: They’re dropping marijuana from the drug tests they require of prospective employees. Marijuana testing — a fixture at large American employers for at least 30 years — excludes too many potential workers, experts say, at a time when filling jobs is more challenging than it’s been in nearly two decades.“It has come out of nowhere,” said Michael Clarkson, head of the drug testing practice at Ogletree Deakins, a law firm. “I have heard from lots of clients things like, ‘I can’t staff the third shift and test for marijuana.’”Though still in its early stages, the shift away from marijuana testing appears likely to accelerate. More states are legalizing cannabis for recreational use; Michigan could become the 10th state to do so in November. Missouri appears on track to become the 30th state to allow medical pot use.And medical marijuana users in Massachusetts , Connecticut and Rhode Island have won lawsuits in the past year against companies that rescinded job offers or fired workers because of positive tests for cannabis. Before last year, courts had always ruled in favour of employers.The Trump administration also may be softening its resistance to legal marijuana. Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta suggested at a congressional hearing last month that employers should take a “step back” on drug testing.“We have all these Americans that are looking to work,” Acosta said. “Are we aligning our … drug testing policies with what’s right for the workforce?”There is no definitive data on how many companies conduct drug tests, though the Society for Human Resource Management found in a survey that 57 per cent do so. Nor is there any recent data on how many have dropped marijuana from mandatory drug testing.But interviews with hiring executives, employment lawyers and agencies that help employers fill jobs indicate that dropping marijuana testing is among the steps more companies are taking to expand their pool of applicants to fill a near-record level of openings.Businesses are hiring more people without high school diplomas, for example, to the point where the unemployment rate for non-high school graduates has sunk more than a full percentage point in the past year to 5.5 per cent. That’s the steepest such drop for any educational group over that time. On Friday, the government is expected to report another robust jobs report for April.Excluding marijuana from testing marks the first major shift in workplace drug policies since employers began regularly screening applicants in the late 1980s. They did so after a federal law required that government contractors maintain drug-free workplaces. Many private businesses adopted their own mandatory drug testing of applicants.Most businesses that have dropped marijuana tests continue to screen for cocaine, opiates, heroin and other drugs. But James Reidy, an employment lawyer in New Hampshire, says companies are thinking harder about the types of jobs that should realistically require marijuana tests. If a manufacturing worker, for instance, isn’t driving a forklift or operating industrial machinery, employers may deem a marijuana test unnecessary.“Employers are saying, ‘We have a thin labour pool,’ “Reidy said. ” ‘So are we going to test and exclude a whole group of people? Or can we assume some risks, as long as they’re not impaired at work?’”Yet many companies are reluctant to acknowledge publicly that they’ve dropped marijuana testing.“This is going to become the new don’t ask, don’t tell,” Reidy said.In most states that have legalized marijuana, like Colorado, businesses can still, if they wish, fire workers who test positive. On the other hand, Maine, which also legalized the drug, became the first state to bar companies from firing or refusing to hire someone for using marijuana outside work.Companies in labour-intensive industries — hoteliers and home health care providers and employers with many warehouse and assembly jobs — are most likely to drop marijuana testing. By contrast, businesses that contract with the government or that are in regulated industries, like air travel, or that have safety concerns involving machinery, are continuing marijuana tests, employment lawyers say. Federal regulations require the testing of pilots, train operators and other key transportation workers.Dropping marijuana testing is more common among employers in the nine states, along with the District of Columbia, that have legalized pot for recreational use. An additional 20 states allow marijuana for medical use only. But historically low unemployment is driving change even where pot remains illegal.After the Drug-Free Workplace Act was enacted in 1988, amid concerns about cocaine use, drug testing spread to most large companies. All Fortune 500 companies now engage in some form of drug testing, according to Barry Sample, a senior director at Quest Diagnostics, one of the largest testing firms.In Denver, in a state with just 3 per cent unemployment, 10 per cent of employers that screen for drugs had dropped marijuana as of 2016, according to a survey by the Employers Council, which provides corporate legal and human resources services.“It’s because unemployment is virtually non-existent” in Colorado, said Curtis Graves, a lawyer at the council. “People cannot afford to take a hard line against off-duty marijuana usage if they want to hire.”That’s particularly true in Colorado’s resort areas, where hotels and ski lifts are heavily staffed with young workers, Graves said: “They can lose their jobs and walk across the street and get another one.”FPI, a property-management firm in San Francisco that employs 2,900 around the country, from leasing managers to groundskeepers, has dozens of jobs listed on online boards. Its ads say applicants must pass a “full background check and drug screening.”But it adds, “As it relates to marijuana use, FPI will consider any applicable state law when dispositioning test results.”FPI didn’t respond to requests for comment, which isn’t unusual given that companies that have dropped marijuana tests aren’t exactly billboarding their decisions. Most still seek to maintain drug-free workplaces and still test for harder drugs.“They’re pretty hush-hush about it,” Graves said.AutoNation, which operates dealerships in 17 states, is one of the few that have gone public. The company stopped testing for marijuana about a year ago. Marc Cannon, a company spokesman, said it did so mostly in response to evolving public attitudes. But it also feared losing prospective employees.“The labour market has tightened up,” Cannon said.AutoNation heard from other business leaders, Cannon said. They said things like, “‘We’re doing the same thing; we just didn’t want to share it publicly.’”Relaxed attitudes among employers are spreading from states where recreational marijuana is legal to those where it’s lawful only for medical use, such as Michigan and New Hampshire.Janis Petrini, who owns an Express Employment staffing agency in Grand Rapids, Michigan, says that with the area’s unemployment rate below 3 per cent, employers are growing desperate. Some are willing to ignore the results of drug tests performed by Express, which still screens for marijuana and won’t place workers who test positive.“We have had companies say to us, ‘We don’t worry about that as much as we used to,’” Petrini said. “We say, ‘OK, well, we are still following our standards.’ “One of Reidy’s clients, a manufacturer in New Hampshire, has dropped marijuana testing because it draws some workers from neighbouring Massachusetts and Maine, which have legalized pot for recreational use. Another client, which runs assisted living facilities from Florida to Maine, has stopped testing its housekeeping and food service workers for marijuana.The stigma surrounding marijuana use is eroding, compounding pressure on employers to stop testing. Sixty-four per cent of Americans support legalizing pot, a Gallup poll found, the highest percentage in a half-century of surveys.In Las Vegas, where recreational use is legal, marijuana dispensaries “look almost like Apple stores,” said Thoran Towler, CEO of the Nevada Association of Employers.Many high-tech companies have been moving from California to Nevada to escape California’s high costs, and they’re seeking workers. Towler says the most common question from his 400 member executives is, “Where do I find employees?”He estimates that roughly one-tenth of his group’s members have stopped testing for marijuana out of frustration.“They say, ‘I have to get people on the casino floor or make the beds, and I can’t worry about what they’re doing in their spare time,’” Towler said.___Contact Chris Rugaber on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/ChrisRugaber___Follow AP’s marijuana coverage here: https://apnews.com/tag/LegalMarijuana
Kuala Lumpur: A Malaysian woman has reportedly been cleared of murdering her Indonesian maid, who was allegedly tortured and forced to sleep outside with a dog, with activists Monday criticising the “shocking” decision. Adelina Sau died in February last year after being found outside her employer’s home on the northern Malaysian island of Penang, with her head and face swollen and covered in wounds. Many Indonesian maids work in more affluent Malaysia and tales of abuse are common, but the horrific nature of Sau’s case generated headlines and sparked diplomatic tensions between the neighbours. Also Read – Saudi Crown Prince ‘snubbed’ Pak PM, recalled jet from USHer employer, S. Ambika, was charged with murder — an offence that carries a mandatory death sentence in Malaysia — shortly after the 21-year-old was rescued and died in hospital. But the High Court in Penang dropped the murder charge against her last week, local media reported, without saying why. Prominent Malaysian human rights lawyer Eric Paulsen called the decision “shocking and unacceptable”. “This was one of the most public and harrowing abuse cases ever recorded and yet the attorney-general’s chambers somehow saw fit to drop the charge,” Paulsen, a member of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, told AFP. Also Read – Record number of 35 candidates in fray for SL Presidential pollsSteven Sim, an MP from the area where Sau died, said the court decision was “as tragic as the death of Adelina”. Sim said he had contacted the attorney-general, Tommy Thomas, who had vowed to look into the case. In Indonesia, Wahyu Susilo, executive director of NGO Migrant Care, condemned the acquittal and described it as “far from justice”. He said the employer may have been cleared due to a failure to get key witnesses, such as Sau’s parents, to testify at the trial, and called on Jakarta to lodge a protest. Her murder caused anger in Indonesia, with the foreign minister branding it unacceptable. Allegations of maid abuse, ranging from overwork to beatings and sex attacks, are a regular diplomatic flashpoint between the Southeast Asian neighbours.
Cambridge Women’s crew celebrate after crossing the finish line of the Women’s Boat Race on the River Thames, London. Source: John WaltonFrom a technical viewpoint, too, representing Cambridge was unlike anything Lambe had ever experienced previously.“One of the biggest challenges was the fact that I’d always been a more natural sculler than a sweep rower. When I came over, Rob wanted me to switch sides. So in rowing, you’re either a stroke sider or bow sider, and I’d always been a stroke sider when I rowed for UCD.But when I came here, he already had quite a strong group on stroke side, so he asked would I switch over to bow side. Straight away, I was a pure novice in the boat. Other than the Olympics, it was probably one of the most difficult things I’ve done in rowing, to try to switch sides.“I’d been at such a high standard. But I was getting into boats like I was a complete novice. I could tell I was upsetting the balance in the boat because I didn’t really know what I was doing, whether my blade was in the water, out of the water. There were definitely plenty of times where I was like: ‘Why am I doing this to myself?’I’d built up so much pride off going to the Olympics and then here I was. People were probably hoping they wouldn’t put me in the boat because I was only going to upset it. Luckily by Christmas, I was sort of getting the hang of it. Although I was quite novice-y, still when I was put in boats, we generally did quite well, so that kind of just kept me going.“But it was a different kettle of fish after Christmas and the training camp, I really started to enjoy it an awful lot more. The aim was getting close to selection there and with the squad of girls, the last few months was so much fun — really good banter and they’re a real good bunch of girls.” Matthew Holland (left) is thrown into the water after the Women’s Boat Race on the River Thames, London. Source: Andrew MatthewsThe Cabra native has come a long way since her early struggles in adapting to a new life last September, admitting she initially suffered somewhat of a post-Olympics slump.At the time, I found it hard to stay motivated,” she says. “I was training as part of the Irish team and was an undergrad in UCD. When it came to the point in Cambridge where you’re getting up ridiculously early in the morning, I did have that feeling of ‘Oh Claire, you’ve done this already, why are you doing it again? You got what you wanted out of it. Yet here you are at 26, still setting your alarm for five in the morning and being knackered throughout the day.’ So motivation was very difficult in the first month or two, but you know it pays off and it really did last weekend.”Not only was Lambe the first-ever Ireland international to taste victory in the Women’s Boat Race, she was also the first female athlete to triumph at the event after competing in the Olympics. Such status ensured she was always very highly thought of in the eyes of her team-mates.“I was so disappointed to not complete the project of winning a medal (in Rio). But coming over here and seeing the respect I’ve had from the girls for making an Olympic final — I guess that put it into perspective. Every single one of them would aim to reach that level. So to kind of say ‘I’ve done it’ made me realise more and more what I had achieved. That was pretty cool.” Ireland’s Claire Lambe and Sinead Lynch celebrate qualifying for the Women’s Lightweight Double Sculls final at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHOWith her Cambridge course not finishing up until the end of August, Lambe probably won’t have the time to race internationally this summer, though representing Ireland and potentially competing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics are very much part of her long-term plans.She still remains close friends with her Rio partner Lynch, though with the latter undertaking “her GP training, working crazy hours, (raising) the kids and still doing a bit of training on the side,” Lambe explains that her fellow rowing star is one of the few people “probably even busier than me,” so opportunities to catch up are few and far between these days.Lambe and Lynch will, however, be competing together for the first time since Rio in a charity cycle later this month. The pair are doing a stage of an event from Malin to Mizen in aid of Hugh’s House, which provides accommodation 365 days a year to the families of children who are long-term inpatients of Temple Street and the Rotunda Hospitals. With the organisation run by a dedicated team of volunteers, the event aims to raise €40,000, which would be enough to keep the house open for a year.Seven months on from the pair’s Olympics achievement, Lambe reflects on proceedings with a largely positive outlook, even if she is not wholly content, owing to their inability to take home medals from the event.I guess you can’t really prepare (for the Olympics). In the years leading up to it, I was thinking: ‘Oh my God, imagine you’re in an Olympic final or a semi-final and you knew you had to pull it out of the bag, you’d be so nervous.’“I was probably surprised at my sense of calm and control over the whole thing. Myself and Sinead were always in such a good state of mind about every aspect of it. We made sure we enjoyed the experience as well as getting the best out of ourselves.“I probably surprised myself in how well I handled it all and especially on the semi-final day, we really did get the best race out of ourselves against people we hadn’t beaten before to make sure we got in the final.”The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us! By Paul Fennessy Sunday 9 Apr 2017, 10:11 AM http://the42.ie/3314848 Claire Lambe (left) represented Ireland at the 2016 Olympics with rowing partner Sinead Lynch (right). Last week, she became the first Irish international to be part of winning team in the Boat Race. Image: James Crombie/INPHO Apr 9th 2017, 10:11 AM Share Tweet Email5 3 Comments Image: James Crombie/INPHO 35,014 Views Claire Lambe (left) represented Ireland at the 2016 Olympics with rowing partner Sinead Lynch (right). Last week, she became the first Irish international to be part of winning team in the Boat Race. Believe it when you see it! UCD keeper scores equalising bicycle-kick in injury-time>The story behind one of sport’s biggest scandals> Tweet thisShare on FacebookEmail this article Follow us: the42.ie Updated at 08.23CLAIRE LAMBE IS unlikely to be accused doing things the easy way anytime soon.Along with her rowing partner, Sinead Lynch, she came sixth in the Women’s Lightweight Double Sculls final at last summer’s Rio Olympics.And while Olympians often take a down year immediately after representing their country on the biggest stage, the past few months have been anything but laidback for Lambe.Last Sunday, the Dubliner was part of the Cambridge team that triumphed in the 72nd edition of the Women’s Boat Race.Lambe and co prevailed in style, winning with a record time of 18 minutes and 34 seconds, and ending a run of four losses on the trot to their rivals Oxford.“It was such a fun day. Going to Cambridge, I didn’t realise how big the boat race would be,” she tells The42.After coming back from Rio, it almost felt like a smaller fish. At times, it was probably even hard to see it on the grand scale that the girls were.“But the week leading up to it and the race on the day itself made me realise that this really was a big deal and a big event.The girls had been disappointed on so many occasions over the last few years when Cambridge lost. You could see when Oxford came in and were so good at it, it just made you realise how good it was to be on the right side of it.”Having earned a degree in mechanical engineering at UCD, Lambe is now spending a year undertaking an MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development at Homerton College.Studying at Cambridge and competing in the illustrious Boat Race had been a long-term ambition for the multi-talented 26-year-old.Rob Baker, previously Lambe’s coach with the Ireland U23s and who is now in charge of the Cambridge Women’s team, had shown her around the college and encouraged her to apply as far back as 2013. Lambe helped Cambridge stop a run of four successive Oxford victories in last Sunday’s Boat Race. Source: Adam DavyYet having suffered the heartbreak of narrowly missing out on the London 2012 Olympics, Lambe’s focus was firmly fixed on qualifying for the Rio Games, with all other plans put on hold until its culmination.Coming down from the highs of an event like the Olympics, particularly after performing so impressively as Lambe and Lynch did, is an experience that athletes often find difficult to deal with. But having learned of her successful application to Cambridge as far back as February of last year, Lambe knew she would have little time to reflect or ponder her next move after Rio.“We did a lot of workshops with the Irish Sports Council and they were always pushing that you had to have a plan for as soon as the Olympics is over,” she says.You need to have a plan for afterwards and a new goal as soon as you can. A lot of people were like: ‘I’ll take the year out and go travelling, enjoy a bit of freedom.’ I personally needed something big to distract me from Rio being over and to get my sights on something else.“I guess coming back to college was a very big challenge for me because I had been three years out of education. And I could still do the sport I enjoy so much in a completely different way — being part of a team in Cambridge is immensely different from being part of Irish rowing in Cork where it’s very small, the team was never bigger than the athletes at any one time over the last three years. Whereas straight away (at Cambridge), I came into a squad of 25 girls and was rowing in (a team of) eight as well. It was just a completely different challenge and that was kind of fun too.” Cambridge Women’s crew celebrate with the trophy on the podium after winning the Women’s Boat Race on the River Thames, London. Source: John WaltonLambe got “different perspectives on how things are done” on a team that included rowers with completely different backgrounds and nationalities — her boat included athletes from New Zealand, France and Canada.But as unique and thrilling as the experience was, it was also difficult at times. While training sessions were shorter and not quite as physically demanding as her Olympic preparations, combining two sessions a day with her course’s intensive study demands proved challenging.I always felt on the backfoot coming into it,” she admits. “Many of the people on my course also have a lot of work experience as well and academically, they’re definitely high achievers, so I was always kind of struggling to keep up with that.” Short URL ‘I’d built up so much pride off the Olympics and then here I was… Like a complete novice!’ Irish rower Claire Lambe chats to The42 about helping Cambridge win the Boat Race and getting used to life after Rio 2016.
Stay on target Cherry blossoms are beautiful flowers, but they don’t last very long. They blow off the very trees they sprout from, and many of them end up crushed underfoot. And with how short-lived spring is, it’s hard to stop thinking about how ephemeral the flowers actually are. That’s why Legoland Japan has endeavored to create something decidedly amazing: an entire life-sized sakura tree made solely out of Lego bricks. And you thought you were doing well with the spaceship you hastily threw together with some Legos you found in your attic.The cherry blossom tree was built from 881,470 bricks and stands tall at 14.37 x 16.17 x 17.78 feet, which granted it a spot in the Guinness Book of World records. It also ended up weighing 7,348 pounds and had to be created around metal piping to ensure it was strong enough to stay up on its own. Just imagine the amount of painstaking work that had to go into making it a reality. It boggles the mind a bit, does it not?<span data-mce-type=”bookmark” style=”display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;” class=”mce_SELRES_start”></span>The tree is available to view via Legoland Japan all the way up until May 6, which means you’ve got to hurry up and go see it if it’s something you’re interested in seeing up close and personal. While it’s made of plastic and could essentially last about as long as you’d need it to (way longer than a real cherry blossom tree of course) it’s going to need to escape the harsh summer heat and be taken down before the real heat starts hitting.It’s homed at the Mainland section of the theme park, with plenty of other cool Lego perks to check out as well. It’s definitely an impressive show of Lego skills, so if you get a chance, head out and give it a look before it’s dismantled! It’s simply ravishing. Let us know what you like about Geek by taking our survey.
Launchpad Blaze Postpones JAXA’s Cargo Ship Launch to ISSJapan’s Hayabusa-2 Probe Packs Up Space Rock Cargo From Asteroid Ryugu 
1 Comment Share your voice Tags Tech Industry Internet Services Adam Mosseri speaks during the F8 Facebook Developers conference on April 30, 2019. Getty Images Instagram shouldn’t be split out of Facebook, the man in charge of the picture-sharing service said Monday, saying a breakup of the social network would make it harder to keep users safe.Adam Mosseri, speaking at the Code Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona, acknowledged that Facebook hadn’t focused enough on the “unintended consequences” of its products. But he said keeping the company together would help it create more value.”It’s not fun to be criticized and written about that way,” Mosseri said. “But i really believe we create an immense amount of value in the world.”Andrew Bosworth, who runs Facebook’s VR and AR operations, and shared the stage with Mosserri, would only weaken the two entities.”If you break Facebook and Instagram apart, they have the same attack surfaces,” he said, adding they would each have fewer resources. The comments come as calls to break up tech giants grow. Facebook’s critics, including co-founder Chris Hughes, think the social network has grown too big to control. Some lawmakers, including Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren, want regulators to split Instagram and WhatsApp from the social network. Facebook has pushed back against the idea. About 2.7 billion people use Facebook or its Instagram, WhatsApp or Messenger services.CEO Mark Zuckerberg has called for more government regulation to help combat some of its biggest woes such as harmful content, election integrity and privacy. The social network has faced a series of scandals since revelations surfaced last year that UK political consultancy Cambridge Analytica harvested the data of up to 87 million Facebook users without their consent. Facebook is also facing a record-setting fine of up to $5 billion from the Federal Trade Commission, which is investigating the company’s alleged privacy mishaps. Bosworth told the audience Facebook’s VR platform has generated $5 million in sales. Bosworth, who’s known as “Boz,” called the revenue performance a “big deal,” adding that the company’s products were becoming a “full ecosystem.VR, or virtual reality, is accessed through a headset and allows for the creation of new worlds or experiences. AR, or augmented reality, uses eyewear similar to glasses and allows for additional data to be layered onto a images of the real world. Bosworth said VR and AR fit into Facebook’s core mission, allowing people to connect online. “VR is actually a way to go deeper,” Bosworth said. “My mission is to make people feel together wherever they are. VR is an unparalleled opportunity for that.” 
Share To embed this piece of audio in your site, please use this code: X 00:00 /00:56
Houston district administrators now have to find about $5 million in the $2 billion budget to pay for the plan, though the board’s amendment — brought by Trustee Elizabeth Santos — instructed the administration not to eliminate any staff’s continued employment.Even with the scheduled raises, some teachers said their salaries lag pay in other school districts in Greater Houston.Bubba Brownley has taught for nine years and listed off other places he could earn more money: Conroe, $1,200 more; Alief, $1,500; Galena Park, $1,500; Fort Bend, $2,400.“And that doesn’t count stipends for masters and doctorates,” he said. Listen PexelsThe scheduled salary increases for HISD teachers, based on years of experience or “steps,” will cost about $5 million.This new school year, Houston teachers will see modest increases in their paycheck, based on their experience.The Houston school board rejected a proposal to freeze their salaries and added back scheduled raises for veteran instructors at its meeting Thursday night.Most teachers will see between $200 and $2,200 more in their salary. It’s based on their years in the classroom, also known as “step” pay scale. Without that compensation, several instructors told the board they don’t feel valued.“Teachers are not disposable. We are indispensable. Children deserve great teachers, teachers who deserve to be compensated accordingly,” said Daniel Santos, a middle school teacher and also an executive board member of the Houston Federation of Teachers.After about an hour long debate, the HISD board of trustees approved a revised compensation plan in a five to four vote. Board President Rhonda Skillern-Jones expressed doubt.“Governance requires us to do our due diligence and to make a blanket amendment and not know how we’re going to pay for it does not seem fiscally responsible to me,” she said, adding she would love to give teachers a raise.
News | Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) | July 16, 2019 AAPM 2019 Features More Than 40 Presentations on ViewRay’s MRIdian MRI-guided Radiotherapy ViewRay Inc. announced that the company’s MRIdian System is the focus of more than 40 abstracts selected by the… read more News | Quality Assurance (QA) | July 08, 2019 PTW to Feature New Dosimetry Technology at AAPM 2019 At this year’s American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) show, July 14-18 in San Antonio, Texas, PTW will… read more Elekta SmartClinic is one of the key features in the Mosaiq Plaza suite of data-focused integrative oncology software Related Content The Beamscan 3-D water phantom with the Varian Halcyon radiotherapy system. Image courtesy of PTW. Feature | Henry Ford Hospital | May 21, 2019 | Dave Fornell, Editor Innovations in Radiotherapy and Radiology at Henry Ford Hospital Henry Ford Hospital thought leaders regularly speak at the radiation oncology and radiology conferences about new res read more Clinical Use of the ViewRay MRIdian Linac System at Henry FordVideo Player is loading.Play VideoPlayMuteCurrent Time 0:00/Duration 6:14Loaded: 2.60%Stream Type LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time -6:14 Playback Rate1xChaptersChaptersDescriptionsdescriptions off, selectedCaptionscaptions settings, opens captions settings dialogcaptions off, selectedAudio Trackdefault, selectedFullscreenThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaqueFont Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadowFont FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall CapsReset restore all settings to the default valuesDoneClose Modal DialogEnd of dialog window.Close Modal DialogThis is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Technology | Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) | February 07, 2019 Elekta Unity MR-Linac Earns FDA Clearance The Elekta Unity magnetic resonance radiation therapy (MR/RT) system recently received 510(k) premarket notification… read more The MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center expansion is expected to be completed in 2023. Rendering courtesy of Stantec. Videos | Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) | October 15, 2018 VIDEO: Clinical Use of the ViewRay MRIdian Linac System at Henry Ford Benjamin Movsas, M.D., read more
News | September 10, 2008 Philips, University to Develop Solutions for Cardiac, Brain, Cancer Technology | Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) | February 21, 2019 FDA Clears Advancements for Viewray MRIdian Radiation Therapy System February 21, 2019 — ViewRay Inc. received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. read more September 10, 2008 – Royal Philips Electronics has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) setting out a long-term research partnership with the University Medical Center (UMC) Utrecht, the Netherlands’ biggest university hospital, to develop new solutions for the diagnosis and treatment of major disease areas including cardiac disease, brain disease and cancer.Philips and UMC will develop collaborative research projects in medical imaging applied to brain disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disease and pulmonary disease. A key area of focus outlined in the MOU is image-guided oncology interventions. Philips and UMC Utrecht expect the agreement to result in new treatment methods that will ultimately lead to an improved quality of healthcare delivery.UMC Utrecht and Philips have a long history in working together to develop groundbreaking medical technologies across a wide range of radiology, cardiology, neurology and oncology applications. “We’ve signed this MOU with Philips to focus on innovation, patient care and knowledge sharing,” said Professor Geert Blijham, chairman of the Board of UMC Utrecht. “In particular, we’ll focus on the treatments given to patients, with research principally directed towards translational research – bridging the gap between fundamental scientific research and clinical applications.”For more information: www.medical.philips.com FacebookTwitterLinkedInPrint分享 News | Proton Therapy | August 08, 2019 MD Anderson to Expand Proton Therapy Center The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center unveiled plans to expand its Proton Therapy Center during a… read more Technology | Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) | April 24, 2019 Accuray Launches Synchrony Motion Tracking and Correction Technology for Radixact System Accuray announced the launch of its Synchrony motion tracking and correction technology to be used with the Radixact… read more News | Radiation Therapy | October 30, 2018 Elekta Introduces Strategy for Precision Radiation Medicine at ASTRO 2018 At the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting, Oct. 21-24 in San Antonio, Elekta introduced the… read more News | Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) | June 06, 2019 Study Identifies MRI-Guided Radiation Therapy as Growing Market Segment Revenues from the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided radiation therapy systems market exceeded $220 million in… read more Henry Ford Hospital’s ViewRay MRIdian linear accelerator system allows real-time MRI-guided radiotherapy. Shown is the support staff for this system. In the center of the photo is Benjamin Movsas, M.D., chair of radiation oncology at Henry Ford Cancer Institute. Second from the right is Carri Glide-Hurst, Ph.D., director of translational research, radiation oncology.
News | Enterprise Imaging | July 29, 2019 Philips Announces 10-year Enterprise Informatics Agreement With Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Nancy Philips and Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire (CHRU) de Nancy, a leading academic hospital in the Grand Est… read more Feature | January 04, 2011 CMS Electronic Health Records Incentives Registration Begins Technology | Enterprise Imaging | July 05, 2019 Hyland Healthcare Adds ImageNext Imaging Workflow Optimizer to Enterprise Imaging Suite Hyland Healthcare is launching ImageNext, a vendor-neutral imaging workflow optimizer that combines intelligent imaging… read more News | PACS | August 08, 2019 NetDirector Launches Cloud-based PDF to DICOM Conversion Service NetDirector, a cloud-based data exchange and integration platform, has diversified their radiology automation options… read more January 4, 2011 – The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) yesterday announced the availability of registration for the Medicare and Medicaid electronic health record (EHR) reimbursement incentive programs. CMS and ONC encouraged broad participation and outlined online and in-person resources that are in place to assist eligible professionals and eligible hospitals who wish to participate. Beginning this week, registration is available for eligible healthcare professionals and eligible hospitals who wish to participate in the Medicare EHR incentive program. On Jan. 3, registration in the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program also became available in Alaska, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. In February, registration will open in California, Missouri, and North Dakota. Other states likely will launch their Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs during the spring and summer of 2011. “With the start of registration, these landmark programs get underway, and patients, providers, and the nation can begin to enjoy the benefits of widespread adoption of electronic health records,” said CMS Administrator Donald Berwick, M.D. “CMS has many resources available to help providers register and participate and we look forward to working with eligible professionals and eligible hospitals to facilitate the process, beginning on Jan. 3 and going forward.” “It’s time to get connected,” said David Blumenthal, M.D., MPP, national coordinator for Health Information Technology. “ONC and CMS have worked together over many months to prepare for the startup on Jan. 3. ONC’s Certified HIT Product List includes more than 130 certified EHR systems or modules and is updated frequently. ONC also has hands-on assistance available across the country through 62 Regional Extension Centers. We look forward to continuing to work with CMS to assist eligible providers in 2011 and future years.” Eligible professionals and eligible hospitals must register in order to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive programs. Registration begins Jan. 3, 2011. To prepare for registration, interested providers should first familiarize themselves with the incentive programs’ requirements by visiting CMS’ Official Web Site for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs. The site provides general and detailed information on the programs, including tabs on the path to payment, eligibility, meaningful use, certified EHR technology and frequently asked questions. Following are key dates for the incentive programs’ first year: Jan. 3, 2011 – Registration for the Medicare EHR incentive program begins. Jan. 3, 2011 – States that are ready may launch their incentive programs for Medicaid providers. January 2011 – Some state agencies begin issuing Medicaid EHR incentive payments. April 2011 – Attestation for the Medicare EHR incentive program begins. May 2011 – Issuing of Medicare EHR incentive payments expected to begin. July 3, 2011 – Last day for eligible hospitals to begin their 90-day reporting period to demonstrate meaningful use for the Medicare EHR incentive program for federal FY 2011. Sept. 30, 2011 – Federal FY 2011 payment year ends at midnight for eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals. Oct. 3, 2011 – Last day for eligible professionals to begin their 90-day reporting period for calendar year 2011 to demonstrate meaningful use for the Medicare EHR incentive program. Nov. 30, 2011 – Last day for eligible hospitals and CAHs to register and attest to receive an incentive payment for federal fiscal year 2011. Dec. 31, 2011 – Calendar 2011 payment year ends for eligible professionals. Under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH), Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments will be available to eligible professionals, hospitals and critical access hospitals when they adopt certified EHR technology. The must also successfully demonstrate “meaningful use” of the technology in ways that improve quality, safety, and effectiveness of patient-centered care. Professionals who meet the eligibility requirements for both the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive programs must select which program they wish to participate in when they register. They cannot participate in both programs. After receiving payment, though, they may change their program selection once before 2015. Hospitals that are eligible for both programs can receive payments from both Medicare and Medicaid. Some states will launch their Medicaid EHR incentive programs beginning Jan. 3, 2011, but most will launch their programs during the spring and summer. Eligible providers with questions about their state’s launch date should contact their state Medicaid agency. Eligible providers seeking to participate in the Medicaid programs must initiate registration at CMS’ registration site but must complete the process through an eligibility verification site maintained by their state Medicaid agency. Under the EHR incentive programs, eligible professionals can receive as much as $44,000 over a five-year period through Medicare. For Medicaid, eligible professionals can receive as much as $63,750 over six years. Under both Medicare and Medicaid, eligible hospitals may receive millions of dollars for implementing and meaningfully using certified EHR technology. “The benefits of EHRs are widely recognized, and support for the incentive programs is strong in the health care field and among policymakers,” Berwick said. “The changeover from paper to electronic records will be challenging for clinicians and hospitals, but CMS and ONC have taken steps to ease the transition. We’ve provided flexibility in meeting the meaningful use requirements, both agencies have conducted extensive outreach, and we have the resources in place to help providers acquire certified EHR technology and meet the programs’ requirements. Immediate registration is not required, but we encourage eligible providers to sign up as soon as they have certified EHR technology and are prepared to participate. We are ready to help.” For more information: www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/20_RegistrationandAttestation.asp FacebookTwitterLinkedInPrint分享 News | PACS | August 09, 2019 Lake Medical Imaging Selects Infinitt for Multi-site RIS/PACS Infinitt North America will be implementing Infinitt RIS (radiology information system)/PACS (picture archiving and… read more A nurse examines a patient in the Emergency Department of Cincinnati Children’s, where researchers successfully tested artificial intelligence-based technology to improve patient recruitment for clinical trials. Researchers report test results in the journal JMIR Medical Informatics. Image courtesy of Cincinnati Children’s. News | Clinical Decision Support | July 18, 2019 Johns Hopkins Named Qualified Provider-led Entity to Develop Criteria for Diagnostic Imaging On June 30, 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the Johns Hopkins University School… read more 
Technology | Cybersecurity | August 07, 2019 ScImage Introduces PICOM ModalityGuard for Cybersecurity ScImage Inc. is bridging the gap between security and functionality with the introduction of the PICOM ModalityGuard…. read more News | Electronic Medical Records (EMR) | August 01, 2019 DrChrono Teams With DeepScribe to Automate Medical Note Taking in EHR DrChrono Inc. and DeepScribe announced a partnership so medical practices using DrChrono EHR can use artificial… read more News | Artificial Intelligence | July 29, 2019 New AI Tool Identifies Cancer Outcomes Using Radiology Reports Scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have demonstrated that an artificial intelligence (AI) tool can perform as… read more Related Content News | Artificial Intelligence | July 31, 2019 Artificial Intelligence Solution Improves Clinical Trial Recruitment Clinical trials are a critical tool for getting new treatments to people who need them, but research shows that… read more News | PACS | July 02, 2019 Laurel Bridge and 3M M*Modal Partner to Improve DICOM Structured Reporting July 2, 2019 — Laurel Bridge Software announced an expanded relationship with 3M M*Modal, a provider of clinical docu read more
No related posts. What is really going on in Iran? Professor Victoria Fontan will speak on the Iran situation, who the international players are and what you should know about their agendas at the DACR meeting on Saturday, May 26, from 9:30 a.m.-noon at the Holiday Inn (third floor) in downtown San José.A {5,000 ($10) contribution will be collected for coffee and the meeting room; reservations are required at cr.democratsabroad@yahoo.com, or call Nelleke at 2279-3553 or 8721-6497. Come and meet democrats; visit democratsabroad.org. U.S. citizens: Register to vote at votefromabroad.org. Facebook Comments
MiT National Land Services Recruits Leader for National Division In New York, national title insurance firm MiT National Land Services added Daniel Eckert to its team to run the company’s National Division.Eckert’s title career spans 25 years and has seen him working with clients ranging from real estate investment trusts to banks to large loan officers. Throughout his career, MiT says he’s earned a reputation as a leader in providing title and settlement-related services for clients.Working out of Chicago, he will spearhead MiT’s national expansion, actively integrating his clients into the company’s platform.In a statement, MiT president Marc Israel said Eckert was the natural choice for the job.”When we set out to find an executive to head up our National Division we made a Top Ten list of the skills and qualities we were looking for,” Israel said. “Incredibly, when we met Dan we were able to quickly tick off all 10 on our list and then a half dozen more. We are thrilled to have him on board and are looking forward to him helping us grow our national presence.”Eckert expressed similar thoughts about joining the firm.”Five minutes after I met Marc I knew I wanted to join MiT,” he said. “What they are doing both on a national level, and with their continuing education programs for attorneys, brokers, and the title insurance industry, made it a no brainer for me to jump on board and help grow the national division.” MiT National Land Services Movers & Shakers 2015-01-14 Tory Barringer January 14, 2015 494 Views 
in Headlines, News Share
Derrick Hall satisfied with D-backs’ buying and selling Grace expects Greinke trade to have emotional impact Pierre signed with the Chicago Bears in May as a rookie free agent out of Miami. The 6-foot-5, 293-pound defensive lineman remained with the team until he was released on Aug. 30. In four seasons with the Hurricanes he appeared in 44 games, tallying 96 tackles, 2.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.Byndom and Pierre will take the place of cornerback Leon McFadden, who was claimed by the New York Giants, and defensive end Lawrence Okoye, who was released by the Cardinals. Top Stories Comments Share The 5: Takeaways from the Coyotes’ introduction of Alex Meruelo Former Cardinals kicker Phil Dawson retires Carolina Panthers’ Carrington Byndom (37) arrives for practice during the NFL football team’s training camp in Spartanburg, S.C., Sunday, Aug. 2, 2015. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton) The Arizona Cardinals announced Wednesday they signed cornerback Carrington Byndom and defensive tackle Olsen Pierre to their practice squad.The 6-foot, 180-pound Byndom entered the NFL with the Carolina Panthers last season as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Texas. He appeared in three regular season games as well as two playoff games, recording a tackle on special teams. In college, he played in 51 games, recording 189 tackles, five interceptions, two sacks and 29 passes defensed.
Paphos lifeguards are fraught with worry over the safety of swimmers and are demanding that the government step in to satisfy their demands and do more to protect tourism in the district.A spokesman for the Paphos Lifeguards’ Association told the Cyprus Mail that nothing has changed in the last month, since they appealed to the authorities to step in and help them.“Tourism is our main economy, why don’t the authorities protect that. They are making so much money and yet they don’t seem to care. Promises are made to us and yet nothing happens,” he said.Beaches are full to bursting with tourists and locals and lifeguards are desperate for extra staff and equipment, which they say they were promised by the government.The spokesman said that the jet ski used by lifeguards at Coral Bay beach – a blue-flag beach and one of the most popular spots on the island – is still broken and out of service.“The municipality of Peyia is blaming us for the jet ski not working, but it is not our fault and the public must know the truth. We have no-where to keep it and have to leave it in the water, but we clean it every day.”He said that the vehicle is heavy and that it must be easily accessible to lifeguards as they need to jump on it quickly to perform any necessary rescues.“We have requested keeping the jet ski at the small port of the Coral Beach hotel where boats are moored, but the municipality has forbidden us, we don’t know why,” he said. “They are not helping us and just give us excuses,” he added.Around four thousand people visit Coral Bay daily, the spokesman said, and the municipality is raking in around 10,000 euros a day in income from the hire of beach beds and umbrellas and the operation of two beach bars.The Paphos lifeguards said that they need eight lifeguards to safely cover Coral Bay, which is one kilometre long and very popular with both visitors and locals. There are currently three, and sometimes only two, he said.In June 2013, on only one day, two lifeguards at Coral Bay performed twenty-four rescues from drowning, due to huge waves and a strong current.“At Coral Bay alone in August, there have been ten or more very serious recues from drowning and a minimum of five hundred other incidents where lifeguards had to help people, such as, injuries, broken bones, lost children, jelly fish stings, heart attacks, people becoming unconscious and so on,” the spokesman said.Meanwhile, elsewhere in the district of Paphos, monthly numbers for August are around 22 rescues from drowning and in excess of 1,000 other incidents.In addition, he noted that the only rescue jet ski in the municipality of Geroskipou is also broken, and of the two in use at the beaches in the municipality of Paphos, only one is in working order.However, he said that Polis Chrysochou municipality has five jet skis in working order, and that Neo Chorio also has a much sought after jest ski rescue stretcher, which is used to safely transport injured swimmers safely to shore. They cost around two thousand euros each.“We should all have jet skis at designated and approved beaches and these stretchers too, they are imperative for us to do our job properly,” the spokesman said.He added that the lifeguard covering Potima Bay in Kissonerga in Paphos has expressed feelings of panic and stress at the huge responsibility of looking after swimmers at the stretch of beach on his own. Around five hundred to one thousand people are currently visiting the beach area there every day, he said.“The sea on Wednesday was very rough and dangerous, there are no plans from the authorities to provide a second lifeguard here, why not?”In addition, lifeguard towers need to be modernised, to bring them all into line with upgraded towers in Limassol which have windows, provide ample shade, electricity, water and, importantly, a telephone line for emergencies.“The authorities must hear us before it’s too late,” the spokesman warned. You May LikeDr. Marty ProPower Plus Supplement3 Dangerous Foods People Feed Their Dogs (Without Realizing It)Dr. Marty ProPower Plus SupplementUndoBon VoyagedCelebrity Mega Yachts That Are Out Of This World – Step AboardBon VoyagedUndoGundry MDHow To Make Your Dark Spots Fade (Effortless 2 Minute Routine)Gundry MDUndo Pensioner dies after crash on Paphos-Polis roadUndoTurkish Cypriot actions in Varosha ‘a clear violation’ of UN resolutions, Nicosia saysUndoRemand for pair in alleged property fraud (Updated)Undoby Taboolaby Taboola
Although it was shot at, authorities on Tuesday were carrying out tests to determine the exact cause of death of one of the few Griffon vultures on the island whose carcass was found at Zapalo beach in Episkopi, Limassol.Conservation group BirdLife Cyprus said an x-ray showed the presence of pellets but a necropsy was also underway to confirm whether it was a shooting that killed the bird or if it died of poisoning, the most frequent cause of death of vultures in Cyprus.BirdLife said preliminary tests showed the bird most probably died from the shooting but more tests were underway to check for evidence of poisoning.“This x-ray alone, however, paints a gloomy picture for the species,” BirdLife said. “Why was it even shot at? With only around 20 vultures left on the island, each death comes at a great cost for the species’ survival.”The bird, CAJ, was born in Crete in 2011 and brought to Cyprus the following year as part of the GYPAS project to boost the island’s dwindling population.BirdLife said measures were needed urgently to address the problem or risk losing the entire vulture population.Where there used to be at least 100 vultures in the 1960s, a population census in 2011 estimated there were only six to eight birds living in the wild in the south-west, according to www.gypas.org, the GYPAS project’s website.Numbers diminished in the past because vultures were hunted, killed by poison aimed at foxes and dogs, disturbed during breeding, or because of intensified farming methods.They were declared an endangered species in 2003 and protected by law, but with only one or two couples breeding every year, even if their little ones did survive, the Cypriot birds were still vulnerable to diseases from inbreeding, as well as climate change.You May LikeDr. Marty ProPower Plus Supplement3 Dangerous Foods People Feed Their Dogs (Without Realizing It)Dr. Marty ProPower Plus SupplementUndoYahoo SearchThese SUVs Are The Cream Of The Crop. Research Best Compact SUV CarYahoo SearchUndoPopularEverythingColorado Mom Adopted Two Children, Months Later She Learned Who They Really ArePopularEverythingUndo Concern over falling tourism numbersUndoTurkish Cypriot actions in Varosha ‘a clear violation’ of UN resolutions, Nicosia saysUndoOur View: Argaka mukhtar should not act as if he owns the beachUndoby Taboolaby Taboola