| G20 Clamp Down on Tax-Evading Companies Posted: 16 Feb 2013 12:20 PM PST | Britain, France and Germany, at the Group of 20 nations summit, unveil plans to crack down on international firms evading taxes. Full story: The UK, France and Germany are backing a new initiative set to crackdown on multinational firms evading taxes. The plan was discussed Saturday on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Moscow. According to a recent report, many global companies avoid being taxed by "country hopping" to nations with lower tax rates. [George Osborne, British Finance Minister]: "Now, we all want international businesses located in our countries and doing business in our countries, and employing people in our countries, and certainly Britain wants to have one of the most competitive tax systems in the world. But we do want businesses to pay the taxes that we set in our countries. And that cannot be achieved by one country alone." Revelations that companies such as Google, Amazon, Starbucks and Apple use complex financing to cut their tax bills has put the issue of big business tax avoidance to the top of the agenda in Britain. [George Osborne, British Finance Minister]: "We want to have competitive international businesses. We want businesses employing people in our countries. But we also want businesses to pay the fair share of taxes." Details of the initiative are set to be revealed in July. Meanwhile, G20 leaders said they refused to engage in "currency wars" and said exchange rates should reflect market fundamentals. Although they agreed on that <b>...</b> | Views: 0 0 ratings | | Time: 01:27 | More in News & Politics |
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| Russia Hunts for Meteorite Fragments Posted: 16 Feb 2013 11:39 AM PST | A search team arrives at the frozen Lake Chebarkul in the Chelyabinsk region of central Russia on Saturday to look for fragments of a meteorite that hit Friday and injured more than 1000 people. Full story: A search team arrives at a frozen lake on Saturday to look for fragments of the meteorite that hit the area the previous day. Divers searched the frozen Lake Chebarkul in the Chelyabinsk region of Russia but failed to find any large fragments. NASA says the meteor exploded miles above the earth's surface and released 500 kilotons of energy--about 30 times the size of the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima in World War II. They also estimated that the meteor was 17 metres across before entering Earth's atmosphere and weighed about 10000 tons. The Russian space agency, Roscosmos, say the object traveled at a speed of 30km per second, leaving a long white trail visible as far as 200km away. More than 1000 people were injured by the shock wave and buildings suffered structural damage. The regional governor said the impact and damage would cost 33 million US dollars. For more news and videos visit ☛ ntd.tv Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add us on Facebook ☛ on.fb.me | Views: 0 0 ratings | | Time: 01:03 | More in News & Politics |
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| Controversial Valentine's Day Wedding Sparks Anger Posted: 16 Feb 2013 11:22 AM PST | An Argentine woman marries the man convicted of murdering her twin sister in a civil registry office. Protesters gather outside the building and throw eggs and rocks at police guarding the entrance. Full story: An Argentinian woman married the man convicted of killing her twin sister on Thursday in a controversial civil ceremony in Pico Truncado, Argentina. Police lined the city building as outraged citizens and curious onlookers awaited the couple's arrival. Edith's identical twin, fashion model Johana Casas, 19, was shot dead in 2010. Johana's former boyfriend, Victor Cingolani, was convicted of the murder and is currently serving a 13-year sentence. But, the couple claim he was wrongly convicted, and that another man is to blame for Johana's death. Cingolani's mother says she is pleased for her son. [Maria Cristina Sanchez, Cingolani's Mother]: "Above all, when my son is happy, I am happy." The 28-year-old denies any wrong-doing. [Victor Cingolani, Convicted Murderer and Bridegroom]: "After I broke up with Johana and many months had passed, I started a relationship with Edith... Yes, I was with Edith. And, like her friends have said I didn't see her [Johana] for six months. I didn't have any contact with her, not by telephone or in person. I didn't have any contact; we didn't even cross paths in the town." The pair were originally planning to get married in December last year. A judge suspended the wedding when Edith's mother claimed that her daughter was <b>...</b> | Views: 0 0 ratings | | Time: 01:35 | More in News & Politics |
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| Eighty Couples Tie the Knot in Mass Wedding Posted: 16 Feb 2013 09:55 AM PST | Eighty couples marry in mass wedding in Chorrillos, Peru. Full Story: Valentine's Day isn't over for eighty couples in Peru who tied the knot in a mass wedding in Lima, Peru on Friday (February 15). The ceremony, held in the resort district of Chorrillos, was presided over by Chorrillos Mayor Augusto Miyashiro. After Miyashiro pronounced them husbands and wives, the couples kissed. Starry-eyed newlyweds Carolina Vasquez and Pedro Castro said they were excited to marry. [Carolina Vasquez and Pedro Castro, Newlyweds]: "We decided we are the one for each other. (Husband:) She is my soul mate. (Wife:) We love each other with all our hearts." The oldest couple there were 80-year-old Alejandro Aguirre and 74-year-old Tiburcia Canchanya. [Alejandro Aguirre And Tiburcia Canchanya, Newlyweds]: "(Wife:) I love you very much, Alejandro. (Husband:) Thank you, me too. I also love you too." After the ceremony, the couples picked up their marriage licenses and posed for pictures at the coastal resort. Miyashiro predicted good things for all the couples. [Augusto Miyashori, Mayor of Chorrillos]: "When there is love, everything turns out well." | Views: 0 0 ratings | | Time: 01:00 | More in News & Politics |
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| Prosthetic Flippers Help Turtle to Swim Again Posted: 16 Feb 2013 09:52 AM PST | A 25-year-old loggerhead turtle gets a pair of prosthetic flippers after a shark attack left her front fins torn to shreds. Full story: Life couldn't have gotten much worse for sea turtle Yu, when she washed up in a Japanese fishing net five years ago. A brutal encounter with a shark had left Yu's front flippers torn to shreds. Now keepers at an aquarium in Japan's Kobe City are battling to find a solution to the 25-year-old loggerhead turtle's devastating handicap. In place of what were once stumps, Yu now has a pair of rubber flippers. [Naoki Kamezaki, Head Curator, Suma Aquarium]: "When she washed up she was in a really bad way, more than half her fins were gone and she was bleeding. Her body was covered in shark bites, some deep into her stomach...She'd been attacked over and over again, and it looked like she'd almost fled to the fisherman's net for help." These flippers are made from rubber and held together with a material used for diving wet-suits. At first, fellow turtles gave Yu unwelcome attention over her prosthetic flippers. [Naoki Kamezaki, Head Curator, Suma Aquarium]: "At first she got into trouble with the other turtles, they'd come over and bump into her and things. But it got better really quickly. Yu's pretty strong, so there's no chance of her being beaten by the others." Development has not been easy. This week, Yu got her 27th pair of prosthetic fins, after previous models caused discomfort or dropped off soon after fitting. The new pair were also <b>...</b> | Views: 1 0 ratings | | Time: 02:13 | More in News & Politics |
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| Sea Shepherd Closes in on Japanese Whalers Posted: 16 Feb 2013 09:39 AM PST | Anti-whaling group stalls Japanese whaling vessels. Full Story: A whale tied to the side of a Japanese boat flounders in the wake as it's dragged through the ocean. The Minke whale had been harpooned by a Japanese whaling vessel—hunted in the name of research. As they attempted to transfer the mammal to another boat to be butchered, a ship from the conservation group Sea Shepherd wedged itself in between the two Japanese boats to stall the procedure. Finally after more than nine hours, the whale was successfully transferred to the slaughter ship. The Sea Shepherd crew say it was most likely dead already. Despite a ban on whaling by the International Whaling Commission, the Japanese have continued to hunt whales through a loophole in the ban in the name of research. For more news and videos visit ☛ ntd.tv Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add us on Facebook ☛ on.fb.me | Views: 0 0 ratings | | Time: 00:44 | More in News & Politics |
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| Disabled Piglet Becomes Internet Star Posted: 16 Feb 2013 07:35 AM PST | The fate of one disabled piglet takes an interesting turn when its owner created a special wheelchair. Since then Chris P Bacon has went viral and has thousands of fans. Full story: Meet Chris P Bacon, the disabled piglet from Florida. The one-month old piglet was born on January 13 without the use of his hind legs. What would normally be a grim fate for the disabled farm animal has turned him into an internet sensation. Veterinarian Len Lucero took pieces from a K'nex playset and created a tiny wheelchair for Chris. He can be seen here only 10 days old, weighing just one pound, struggling with the contraption. Since then, the porcine youngster has outgrown this wheelset, along with another one, and has settled into a third, more rugged model which should last a bit longer. The video of Chris P Bacon went viral, with hundreds of thousands of views in the past few weeks. The stardom has Lucero thinking of advertisement deals for his YouTube page. He said, "I want my piggy to be famous. My goal is to put him out there because he makes people happy." For more news and videos visit ☛ ntd.tv Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add us on Facebook ☛ on.fb.me | Views: 2 0 ratings | | Time: 00:55 | More in News & Politics |
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| Stranded Cruise Liner Triumph Towed to Alabama Posted: 16 Feb 2013 07:25 AM PST | Passengers complain about their conditions and coming compensation after being stranded aboard the stranded Carnival Triumph for five days. Full Story: After being stranded in open seas for days, the Carnival cruise ship finally makes it to land, being towed into port in Mobile, Alabama, Thursday night. Fire engulfed the engine of the Carnival Triumph on Sunday, 150 miles from their Yucatan Peninsula destination. After living with dwindling food supplies, a backed-up toilet system, and sweltering heat, the 4000 passengers cheered at the end of their five-day ordeal. [Passenger]: "I mean there was no toilet working, there was feces and urine everywhere, it was disgusting." [Passenger]: "Not being able to get back home, that was the biggest worry because we were out in the middle of the sea and we didn't have any help." Carnival hired hundreds of buses to take the passengers from the cruise ship. As well as full refunds and future discounts, the cruiseline says each passenger will receive an extra 500-US-dollar compensation. Still many passengers are not satisfied. [Passenger]: "That doesn't compensate for the stress, you know you get on the ship to have a nice, restful vacation and hope, you know, when you come back you're gonna be rested, and it was five days of nothing but stress." Some say they will be seeking further compensation. For more news and videos visit ☛ ntd.tv Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add us on Facebook ☛ on.fb.me | Views: 0 0 ratings | | Time: 01:16 | More in News & Politics |
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