VoA - News Wednesday 7th May, 2014

The Constitutional Court ruled Yingluck Shinawatra and members of her Cabinet abused their authority when they transferred a national security council official, which paved the way for her relative to become the national police chief.

Presiding judge Charoon Intachan read the final part of the lengthy verdict which removed the prime minister.

The judge says that in accordance with the constitution the premiership is now declared vacant. He adds that all nine surviving members of the Cabinet, when the unlawful personnel transfer was made in 2011, must also step down.

The remaining members of the Cabinet quickly selected from among themselves the interim commerce minister, Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan, as the new caretaker prime minister.

Shortly after that announcement, Yingluck made a televised speech thanking the people for their trust and support in difficult times.

The outgoing caretaker prime minister says despite the court ruling she did not violate the law.

Her governing Pheu Thai Party calls the Constitutional Court's verdict a conspiracy to try to destroy democracy.

A former foreign minister Nappadon Pattama, who is a supporter of the current government, contends the court's decision is unconstitutional, but says it is likely to be accepted.

"The prime minister has done nothing wrong. But the court ruled against the prime minister. What I am surprised at is the court didn't disqualify the whole Cabinet. This is good," said Nappadon Pattama.

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Thai PM Yingluck Shinawatra Ousted by Court

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has arrived atThailand's Constitutional Court to face charges of abuse of power, the first of two legal challenges that could see her removed from office this month.

Tuesday's hearing follows six months of protests against Shinawatra, who has held on to power as the number of demonstrators has gradually dwindled.

Al Jazeera's Florence Looi, reporting from Bangkok, said the charges relate to Shinawatra's replacement of her security chief with a relative in 2011.

The prime ministertold the courther actions had beenfor the good of the country, and that the relative was no longer married in to the family at the time of his appointment.

Supporters of the government say that the case is another attempt to unseat Shinawatra by a court that they believe is biased towards her.

There are fears that her possible removal may lead to confrontation between her supporters and opposition groups, the Reuters news agency reported.

Both supporters of Thailand's leader and anti-government protesters are planning to hold large rallies in or aroundthe capitalnext week.

If Shinawatrais forced to step down, legal experts say her entire government would have to go too.

The verdict will not be handed out on Tuesday but is expected to come this week.

The prime minister also faces charges of dereliction of duty over a state rice-buying scheme that critics say is riddled with corruption and has made huge losses.

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Thai PM in court over abuse of power charges

AFP Thai court sets date to rule on PM dismissal

Bangkok (AFP) - Thailand's Constitutional Court said Tuesday it will rule on May 7 whether to remove Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra from office on abuse of power charges, a verdict that could plunge the country deeper into crisis.

The premier appeared at the court to deny the allegation, filed by a group of senators who said that then-national security chief Thawil Pliensri was replaced after her 2011 election for the benefit of her party.

But the court's president Charoon Intachan said the nine-member bench had heard enough evidence and was ready to rule.

"The hearing is over... the court has decided to rule on May 7 at noon," he said.

The case, one of two potential knockout legal moves against her premiership, comes as Thailand's political crisis reaches a critical juncture.

Anti-government protesters are still massed on Bangkok's streets -- although in diminished numbers -- and Yingluck's supporters are also threatening to rally to defend her.

Under the constitution -- forged after a 2006 coup that ousted Yingluck's billionaire brother Thaksin Shinawatra as premier -- such an offence could lead to her removal and a ban from politics.

The court could also extend its verdict to cabinet members who endorsed the decision to remove Thawil, potentially dislodging a layer of ruling party decision-makers with ties to Thaksin, who lives overseas to avoid jail for corruption convictions.

"I didn't violate any laws, I didn't receive any benefit from the appointment," a composed Yingluck told the court earlier Tuesday.

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Thai PM denies abuse of power in key legal challenge

North Walsham's Shane van Vuuren piles on the pressure at Scottow. Picture: Hywel Jones

David Freezer Monday, April 28, 2014 6:30 AM

The Norfolk rugby crown has returned to the Scottow trophy cabinet for the fifth time, as North Walsham blew away a depleted and dejected Diss.

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Four tries in either half saw the Vikings ease to a 48-3 victory in the Woodfordes Norfolk Senior Cup final, with five tries from outside-centre Rhys Davies-Horne doing the majority of the damage.

It was the third successive season that the two clubs had met in the competitions final, with Diss having won 27-16 last year and 22-10 in 2012.

But Diss have seen their progress take a backwards step this season after winning just three games all season to finish 13th in London One North and slip to relegation.

Walsham, on the other hand, have continued their rehabilitation from previous troubles by finishing seventh in the same division and winning all but one of their home matches.

That difference in fortunes was soon apparent yesterday, with Walsham scoring the first try after just two minutes, when giant full-back James Knight broke the game-line and passed to the supporting Davies Horne to dive over.

Knight converted for a 7-0 lead but Diss soon had a chance to hit back with two penalties in front of the posts in quick succession, but Peter Chartier only took one of those chances.

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North Walsham dominate Diss to claim Norfolk Senior Cup glory

As the rain comes down, the amount of raw sewage spilling out of a Bullitt County treatment plant grows.

It's an issue that started last month and officials said they don't see a quick fix in sight.

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Hunter's Hollow Mayor Linda Parker has been dealing with the matter on a daily basis. She's one of more than 700 homeowners facing the threat of a sewage backup.

"If the electricity goes out, we are in trouble," said Parker.

In a statement, the Energy and Environment Cabinet said Monday: "We are working with the Kentucky Department of Health to post warning signs from the unnamed tributary to Brooks Run up to Floyd's Fork because of the presence of E.coli."

The privately owned sewage treatment plant responsible for the spill is under a notice of violation and has been ordered to find a replacement for the broken facility.

"There's millions of dollars that are going to have to be spent to rectify all of this," said Parker.

County officials said the plant spent about $150,000 on a temporary fix by bringing in tanks which act as a mobile plant to treat a portion of the sewage.

As for the rest, the Bullitt County Sanitation District planned to route the overflow to its plants but discovered a problem.

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Sewage problem causing stink in Bullitt County

WASHINGTON - Still smarting from the sting of the latest Keystone XL delay, a Canadian cabinet minister was in the U.S. on Friday to push for progress on another major bilateral file: a new bridge crossing between Windsor and Detroit.

Transport Minister Lisa Raitt used her visit to request funding for completion of a replacement for the aging bridge that handles nearly one-third of all Canada-U.S. trade.

She delivered the message in a Chicago speech, one week after the Obama administration announced an indefinite delay in a decision over an oil pipeline that has caused tensions between the two national governments.

Raitt noted that the Canadian government has put up nearly all the money for the New International Trade Crossing and is simply awaiting the U.S. government to fund a new customs plaza on the American side.

"The government of Canada is concerned about the vulnerability of that trade and the jobs it sustains in both our countries," said the prepared text of Raitt's speech, which she delivered to the NAFTAnext summit in Chicago.

"President Obama issued a presidential permit for the bridge in 2013, and all that is missing now is the commitment of the U.S. government to build a new customs plaza in Detroit. Canada continues to await a decision by the U.S. government to pay for this new facility. It requires a relatively modest investment some $250 million out of the $4 billion overall cost for the project.

"But this final hurdle is holding up a vitally important project."

The new public replacement for the privately owned, 85-year-old Ambassador Bridge has the stated support of both national governments. As a Canada-U.S. trade issue, it might only be rivalled by Keystone XL.

But don't expect things to move faster to soothe any hard feelings over the stalled pipeline project, said one Canada-U.S. watcher. David Biette of the Wilson Center counts a number of ways the two files are entirely separate.

For starters, Keystone XL was delayed by a Democratic administration amid election-year divisions among Democrats. The bridge is more likely to face funding obstacles in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives from conservatives opposed to new government spending.

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Raitt in U.S. to lobby for new bridge

Sheryl Golubs dining room. (Leah L. Jones/For The Washington Post)

Margaret Ely

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THE CHALLENGE

Bethesda resident Sheryl Golub loves her dining rooms traditional molding and flooring, but she wants to replace the outdated window treatments, table and china cabinet. Also high on her wish list: a replacement for the bulky gold chandelier.

The solution by Michael Stehlik. (Illustration By Julius Goyanko For The Washington Post)

THE SOLUTION

To modernize a room with traditional architecture, Michael Stehlik paints the entire space a neutral gray and picks furniture with clean lines in stainless steel, white and gray. Stehlik, of Stehlik Design (443-465-5433, http://www.stehlikdesign.com), is based in the District.

SHOPPING GUIDE

Furniture: Antica side chair in white and stainless steel ($625, http://www.dwr.com); Hudson cabinet in Shell stain with stainless-steel knobs ($2,999) and Rand dining table with charcoal-stained maple top ($1,699 for 78-by-42-inch table), both from http://www.roomandboard.com.

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House Calls: Transition to a new dining room

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Travelers on I-75 may have noticed a darker drive recently.

Police say someone stole 4,000 feet of copper wiring from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's light fixtures at the 120 mile marker. Those lights guide drivers on and off the interstate.

Transportation crews noticed the theft in late March when a driver called them to complain the lights were out. They sent a crew to inspect, and realized someone took the copper wiring out of about 20 luminaries. They think this happened in the early hours of the morning, when it's still dark outside, and very few cars are on the interstate. Leaders at the transportation cabinet tell us it took them about a week to replace the wiring, which is a big cost to taxpayers.

"Every time we have one of these situations that occurs this is taxpayers money. And the replacement and the work that is involved to remedy the situation after the wire has been stolen comes from your taxpayers dollars," Natasha Lacy, with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet told WKYT Tuesday.

Transportation leaders are asking scrap yards to be on the lookout for a large amount of copper coming in. Lexington Police are investigating.

Lacy doesn't have an exact amount of just how much it cost them to replace the lights. She does say they got them back up and working within a week's time.

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Thieves steal thousands of feet of copper from Lexington street lights

The Canadian Press Published Monday, April 21, 2014 10:11PM EDT Last Updated Monday, April 21, 2014 10:51PM EDT

OTTAWA -- Herb Gray, a former deputy prime minister and one of Canada's longest-serving parliamentarians, died Monday at the age of 82.

The federal Liberal party said Gray passed away peacefully at an Ottawa hospital.

"Beloved by all, Herb devoted a lifetime to his party and his country, in both good times and bad," Liberal leader Justin Trudeau said in a statement.

"He has left behind an immense legacy unmatched by most in Canadian history."

Gray's career in federal politics spanned nearly four decades, starting in Opposition to John Diefenbaker and sweeping to victory with Jean Chretien's third Liberal majority government in November 2000.

The man sometimes known as The Gray Fog was a master of deflection in the House of Commons, embodying the place where opposition questions disappeared in a miasma of polite, monotonal verbiage.

Constituents, however, said he was a down-to-earth politician who always looked beyond party lines when it came to their concerns.

Gray leaves behind wife Sharon Sholzberg, and two children, Jonathan and Elizabeth, and eight grandchildren.

The Windsor lawyer was first elected to the Commons in 1962 at the age of 31.

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Former deputy prime minister Herb Gray dies at 82

The Canadian Press - ONLINE EDITION

By: Murray Brewster, The Canadian Press

Thursday, Apr. 17, 2014 at 4:19 PM | Comments: 0

OTTAWA - The ball is now firmly in the Harper government's court when it comes to deciding whether to stick with the oft-maligned F-35 fighter jet program.

After almost 18 months of exhaustive research and analysis, a key report that will determine whether there will be an open competition to replace the air force's aging CF-18s has been completed, the public works minister said Friday.

The analysis looks at fighter jets already on the market, how suited they would be for Canada's defence needs, their cost and potential benefits.

The review was part of a package of research the Conservative government ordered as a way to douse the political fire started in 2012 following a scathing report by the auditor general, which accused National Defence and Public Works of low-balling the enormous cost of the stealth fighter program and not doing their homework.

Diane Finley did not release the findings of the market analysis, conducted by four outside defence experts.

"Over the next several weeks we will be carefully reviewing a number of reports relating to the evaluation of options, industrial benefits, costs and other factors related to the decision to replace our CF-18 fleet," Finley told a Vancouver business audience.

She described the research as "both rigorous and impartial."

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Key report on F-35 rivals now complete; cabinet to decide on open competition