Friday 3 April 2015

The European Union Times

EU warns of Saudi attacks’ alarming impact on civilians

Posted: 02 Apr 2015 02:50 AM PDT

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has warned about the alarming impact of the ongoing Saudi attacks on the civilian population in Yemen.
“The impact on the civilian population, in particular on children, of the ongoing fighting between different militias, bombardments and disruption of essential services is reaching alarming proportions,” Mogherini and the EU humanitarian aid commissioner, Christos Stylianides, said in a joint statement on Wednesday.
The statement referred to the airstrike on the al-Marzaq refugee camp in the northern province of Hajjah, where at least 29 civilians were killed on Monday.
“The airstrike on the al-Marzaq camp in Hajjah, mostly hosting displaced persons, killed and wounded a high number of civilians,” the statement read, adding, “The attacks on hospitals and medical facilities… as well as the deliberate targeting and destruction of private homes, education facilities and basic infrastructure cannot be tolerated.”
It also urged all warring sides to protect civilians and avoid targeting infrastructures. “We call on all sides to give unrestricted access to humanitarians, so that they can keep delivering vital assistance to the most vulnerable people.”
The statement further noted that the EU will support efforts to resolve the crisis in Yemen through negotiations with the participation of all parties involved.
“The EU will continue to support all efforts to bring the Yemeni parties back to the negotiating table, on the basis of broad and inclusive participation, without preconditions and with the clear objective to reach a sustainable political compromise.”
On March 31, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Zeid al-Hussein warned that Yemen “seems to be on the verge of total collapse.”
Saudi Arabia’s air campaign in Yemen started on March 26 in a bid to restore power to fugitive former Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh.
Hadi stepped down in January and refused to reconsider the decision despite calls by the Houthi Ansarullah movement.
On March 25, the embattled president fled the southern city of Aden, where he had sought to set up a rival power base, to the Saudi capital, Riyadh, after Ansarullah revolutionaries advanced on Aden.
The Ansarullah fighters took control of the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, in September 2014 and are currently moving southward. The revolutionaries said the Hadi government was incapable of properly running the affairs of the country and containing the growing wave of corruption and terror.
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Apple CEO Slams Religious Freedom Law After Doing Deals With Countries that Execute Gays

Posted: 02 Apr 2015 02:39 AM PDT

Tim Cook’s rampant hypocrisy laid bare.

Apple CEO Tim Cook slammed Indiana’s religious freedom law after critics claimed it would lead to discrimination against members of the LGBT community, but such concerns didn’t stop him from doing deals to sell iPhones in Islamic countries that execute gays.
Indiana Governor Mike Pence has vowed to “fix” the controversial law by passing a follow up measure that makes it clear business owners cannot discriminate against gays and lesbians.
Pence has repeatedly defended the law, saying it’s not about allowing businesses to deny service. The measure prohibits state laws that “substantially burden” the right of a person, a religious institution or a business to follow their religious beliefs.
Numerous major companies threatened to boycott the state after the measure was passed.
Apple CEO Tim Cook tweeted that the tech giant was “deeply disappointed” by the new law, while calling on Arkansas to veto a similar bill.
Cook also tweeted, “Around the world, we strive to treat every customer the same, regardless of where they come from, how they worship or who they love.”
However, this concern for members of the gay community being treated the same wasn’t evident when Cook chose to negotiate deals with countries that still execute people for being homosexual.
Cook oversaw the introduction of Apple products into Saudi Arabia in December last year.
Saudi Arabia punishes homosexuality with floggings, chemical castration, imprisonment, fines and execution, including beheadings.
Cook also visited the United Arab Emirates last year, visiting with Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The opening of two Apple stores in the UAE are imminent, with the one in Dubai being labeled the “world’s largest”.
The UAE is only slightly more forgiving than Saudi Arabia towards gays, but still meters out punishments of deportation, jail time, fines, and in some cases, death.
“Perhaps the leaders of these American companies believe they have less say in the policies of the communist or dictatorial nations where they do business. But it’s notable those policies haven’t stopped corporations from raking in massive profits from lands with truly oppressive governments,” writes Jamie Dean.
“Indeed, the growing list of businesses opposing Indiana’s law are indignant over abuses that haven’t yet happened and mostly likely wouldn’t happen under a law that mirrors federal legislation and similar laws in 19 states.”
Maybe Cook should reconsider who Apple does business with if he is really concerned about gay people being discriminated against for their sexual preferences.
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NASA joins Texas Rocket company in bid to reach Mars in only 39 Days

Posted: 02 Apr 2015 02:06 AM PDT

NASA announced it will partner with a variety of companies in new attempts to create more advanced space technology, including a new engine that could get humans to mars in less than 40 days.
The Texas-based Ad Astra Rocket company, a member of NASA’s 12 Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships (NextStep), boasted their VASIMR engine can get humans to Mars in 39 days.
The engine rocketed to fame several years ago when it was revealed to cut a journey to Mars down from months to weeks. And even though it does require a nuclear power source, of which NASA has a shortage, after its successful test in 2013 the agency is considering employing it.
“We are thrilled by this announcement and proud to be joining forces with NASA in the final steps of the technology maturation,” said Dr Franklin Chang Diaz, Ad Astra’s Chairman and CEO, in a statement.
“We look forward to a very successful partnership as we jointly advance the technology to flight readiness.”
Over a three year period, NASA will give Ad Astra around $10 million dollars to fully develop a new version of the VASIMR engine to be flight ready. With the successful demonstrations of their new VX-200-SS prototype, able to fire continuously for more than 100 hours, NASA will consider employing the propulsion system on their future excursion to Mars.
NASA said in a statement that other commercial partners such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Dynetics Inc were in place to explore other possibilities on Mars.
“Commercial partners were selected for their technical ability to mature key technologies and their commitment to the potential applications both for government and private sector uses,” said William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Human Exploration and Operations at NASA Headquarters.
“This work ultimately will inform the strategy to move human presence further into the solar system.”
A Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR), developed by Ad Astra, is an electromagnetic thruster for the propulsion of a spacecraft. It employs radio waves and magnetic fields to ionize and heat a propellant to generate a thrust for lift off.
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