5 posts tagged “news”
As per the Associated Press:
Gay US diplomats to get benefits for partners: report
WASHINGTON (AFP) — In a policy shift, the US State Department will offer equal benefits and protections to same-sex partners of American diplomats, The New York Times reported.
The newspaper said the shift was spelled out in an internal memorandum Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sent last week to an association of gay and lesbian foreign service officers.
Clinton said the policy change addressed an inequity in the treatment of domestic partners and would help the State Department recruit diplomats, since many international employers already offered such benefits, the report said.
"Like all families, our foreign service families come in different configurations; all are part of the common fabric of our post communities abroad," Clinton said in the memorandum, a copy of which was provided to The Times by a member of the gay and lesbian association.
"At bottom," the paper quotes Clinton as saying, "the department will provide these benefits for both opposite-sex and same-sex partners because it is the right thing to do."
A senior State Department official confirmed the new policy, but did not say when it would take effect, the paper said.
Among the benefits are diplomatic passports, use of medical facilities at overseas posts, medical and other emergency evacuation, transportation between posts, and training in security and languages, according to the report.
Under current policy, diplomats with domestic partners could be evacuated from a hazardous country by the US government while their partners were left behind, The Times noted.
In the past, the State Department declined to provide some benefits to the partners of diplomats, invoking the Defense of Marriage Act, which limited federal recognition of same-sex unions, The Times noted.
Congrats, Madame President.
Turkey's gone into Iraq and are now fighting Kurdish rebels. They've managed to kill 15 rebels so far in retaliation for 12 soldiers that were killed by the PKK aka the Kurdistan Labor Party.
Meanwhile elsewhere in Iraq, apparently Christopher Walken has left Sleepy Hollow and made his way to Baquba. 20 headless corpses have been found in the village of Gsrine.
And more news from Iraq. There was a suicide bombing which killed 27 people, most of them policemen in the city of Baquba. This time, it appeared the suicide bomber was riding a bicycle. This attack coincides with the hand over of Karbala to the Iraq army.
For those who may not know, Karbala was the city that holds importance to Shiite Muslims. Heck it's where the whole Ashurah parade started.
So as you can clearly see, Iraq is now "peaceful". The US Military records 3837 deaths in Iraq since March 2003 up till last Friday.
And the outstanding things to be settled in Iraq:
- The Blackwater shooting of 17 Iraqis: State Dept. Now Offering Immunity To Those Involved. (Even if they can't do that)
- Iraqi politics: Just how close are they to reaching the US's targets?
- Are they any closer to a Mutual Protection Pact and Anti Terrorism Agreements with their neighbors Syria and Iran?
- Has Iran been proven to be the source of insurgents?
Dr. Randy Pausch, diagnosed with terminal cancer, delivered a last lecture on life lessons that has been viewed online over a million times. What would be in your life lessons lecture?
I think Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Simple Man" sums up most of the life lessons that I'd give.
French Woman Causes "Criminal Damage" With A Kiss
PARIS,
FRANCE: A Cambodian-born French woman faces prosecution for criminal
damage after planting a kiss on a painting by the American artist Cy
Twombly, leaving the imprint of her lipstick on the otherwise
immaculate white canvas.
The untitled work three metres by two (roughly nine feet by six),
valued at two million euros, is part of an exhibition dedicated to the
US painter in the southern French city of Avignon.
Thirty-year-old Sam Rindy, who visited the show with a friend on Thursday (July 19th), told AFP that she was so overcome by the white canvas that she kissed it.
"I stepped back. I found the painting even more beautiful," said Rindy. "The artist left this white for me," she added.
Staff of the Lambert foundation, which owns the painting, took a different view. They called the police and the woman, herself a painter, was arrested as she left the premises. She will appear in court on August 16 to face charges of criminal damage.
The exhibition, "Blooming", runs until September 30. (AFP)
