Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality Reissues Call for Resolutionof Citizen Complaints

Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ron Scott, 313.399.7345

Coalition Reissues Call for Resolution of Citizen Complaints

Victims to be in Attendance at Federal Court Show Cause Hearing

2/23/10–The Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality will be in attendance at Federal Judge Julian Cook’s hearing of an order to show cause initiated by the U.S. Attorney on behalf of the Federal Monitor in the ongoing Detroit Police Department Consent Decrees.

The hearing will be held:

Monday, March 1, 2010
9:00 a.m.
Court of Federal Judge Julian Cook
231 W. Lafayette Blvd.
Detroit, MI 48226

“From the beginning of this agreement between the City of Detroit and the Justice Department, we have contended that the missing parties have been those citizens who were victims of use of force and confinement violations, many of whom have died as a result,” said Coalition spokesperson Ron Scott. Now the Federal Monitor has found that efforts to resolve the complaints of 1,100 cases have been miserably handled and still await resolution. The Monitor has also noted that the Management Awareness System which was supposed to track “bad” officers is literally non-existent. We said this several years ago, when we filed a Motion to Intervene on behalf of the aggrieved citizens. At that point, Judge Cook’s decision to deny that motion left citizens out in the cold, hurt, bleeding and begging for justice. We can only hope that this new effort on the Court’s part will give a modicum of resolution to the ongoing physical pains of the victims, and the monetary pains of Detroit’s citizens. The Coalition will bring many of those victims to this Court hearing.”

Scott added that the Coalition believes that a special Master should be appointed to oversee the Consent Judgment. “It is not enough,” he said, “to monitor what the police department does not do and report back to the Court. It is necessary to have someone who has the legal authority, on a daily basis, to initiate sanctions and make rectifications while the people are in need.”

During the past year, the Coalition has had more than 300 complaints directly submitted to its offices, and has referred an additional 150 to the Detroit Police Department’s Office of the Chief Investigator and Internal Affairs.

“The lives of families have been disrupted, communities have been adversely impacted, and lawsuits are in progress as the Detroit Police Department ramps up its targeting of ‘hot spots’ with the use of Strike Forces, the Gang Squad, and Multijurisdictional Task Forces,” said Scott. If the Court does not act now, things can only get worse. While we welcome this Show Cause hearing, we feel that Judge Cook has to attach much, much more urgency to the real-life conditions that brought this Consent Judgment into being.”

Turkish Prime Minister wins first ever UN award in memory of slain Lebanese leader

The Prime Minister of Turkey is set to receive an inaugural award honouring the late Lebanese leader Rafiq Hariri who was killed in a massive car bomb attack five years ago, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) announced today.

Play one we know!

For those of you that didn’t know, the European Commission is now in the art business, using taxpayers money to fund various culture projects to promote “greater intercultural dialogue” and various other abstract goals.

Of the projects chosen for funding in 2010, surely the most bizarre is the European Joysticks Orchestra (pictured), which received £50,872 to compose new works, host concerts and train teachers in the “art” of creating music using the computer device.

Click here for a youtube video of the Orchestra’s work.

Other projects include “Exchange Radical Moments”, which aims to organise an event in 2011 featuring “simultaneously scattered actions, images and interventions [which] will sparkle and ignite like flares across the European landscape, leaving ephemeral but direct and uncensored residue”.

Likewise, the European Laboratory for Hip Hop Dance will net £44,931 of taxpayers’ cash to “improve the recognition and visibility of hip hop dance in Europe” and “encourage connectivity between hip hop artists”.

Now we don’t want to be accused of being party-poopers - if people feel that government should be funding cultural projects that is fine. But the problem with the European Commission is that there is no acountability. No one to punish at the ballot box if you feel your money has been spent unwisely.

And quite frankly, judging by the sort of projects the Commission has decided to back, DG Culture is hardly full of budding Charles Saatchis.

Access to health services dealt severe blow by Chilean earthquake - UN agency

The massive earthquake which struck Chile on Saturday has severely disrupted health services, the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) reported today, dispatching a disaster management expert to the South American nation to assist in the aftermath of the catastrophe.

Somalia: UN envoy congratulates Government leaders on one-year anniversary

The top United Nations envoy to Somalia today praised the “strong” and “united” leadership of the strife-torn country’s Government during its first year in power, in a message appealing to outside forces to end their destabilizing interference in the Horn of Africa nation.

UN rights experts urge Uganda to redouble efforts to shelve anti-homosexuality bill

Two independent United Nations experts today urged the leaders and Government of Uganda to prevent an anti-homosexuality bill currently before Parliament from becoming law, stressing that it would be in breach of fundamental freedoms and human rights.

From the Inbox - Cabela’s Wolf-Killing Competitions and Idaho “Emergency” Slaughter Legislation

There’s a resurgent war on America’s wolves, but Defenders of Wildlife is fighting to save these animals. Here are two important updates on our work.

More than 120,000 supporters like you have urged an end to corporate-sponsored wolf killing. Now Defenders of Wildlife is running new online ads like the one above.

Stopping Corporate Sponsored Wolf Killing

“My whole family hunts here in Florida, and we will no longer spend ONE CENT at Cabela’s. We all petitioned against the pred[ator]-derbies. Keep up the good work!” — K. Schwartz, Florida

More than 120,000 Defenders supporters have signed our petition urging Cabela’s and Sportsman’s Warehouse to stop supporting wolf-killing competitions that support efforts to block the restoration of life-saving protections for wolves in the northern Rockies.

And thanks to the support of thousands of caring people like you, this week we placed our hard-hitting ad in The Lincoln Journal Star, reaching nearly 80,000 people in the Lincoln, Nebraska region — capital of the state where Cabela’s is headquartered.

The Omaha World Herald, The Sidney Sun-Telegraph and several other papers barred our ad from publication, but we’re expanding our efforts to end corporate-sponsored wolf killing.
This week, we began running targeted ads on the websites for The New York Times and High Country News — ads that will be seen by Cabela’s customers on the East Coast and across the American West.

Idaho’s legislature wants to pass an “emergency” plan aimed at kill roughly 85% of the state’s wolves… “by any means.” Please consider becoming a Wildlife Guardian and donate as little as $5 each month to help Defenders stop the wolf slaughter and address other wildlife emergencies.

Fighting Idaho’s Newest Wolf-Killing Plan

The Idaho legislature has drafted an “emergency” resolution (HCR043) aimed at killing all but 150 of the 1,020 wolves in the state… “by any means.”

The resolution would open the door to extended wolf hunting seasons (including additional predator derbies targeting wolves), poisoning, trapping, and even aerial wolf-killing programs such as those used in Alaska and championed by former Alaska governor Sarah Palin.

Anti-wolf legislation like this (and the recent “no wolves allowed” bill passed by Utah’s legislature) is why Defenders of Wildlife has launched a member-supported full-court press to save wolves, with legal action to restore life-saving protections for these magnificent animals and on-the-ground wolf education and conservations efforts.

Next week, we will be launching a new high-profile, high impact national campaign to stop the war on wolves and save these magnificent animals. Please stay tuned …

For the Wild Ones,

Rodger Schlickeisen President Defenders of Wildlife

P.S. We’re working hard to save our wolves, but we need your help. Please consider becoming a Wildlife Guardian today to support our Campaign to Save America’s Wolves and other vital efforts to protect imperiled wildlife and habitat with a monthly donation of as little as $5. To join the Wildlife Guardians by phone, just call 1-800-385-9712.

Making a Difference for Wildlife

Defenders’ wolf expert and Northern Rockies Representative Suzanne Asha Stone worked with the producers of NOW on PBS to show the long-term benefits of wolf reintroduction in Greater Yellowstone and the northern Rockies. Check out “Hunting Wolves, Saving Wolves” on the PBS website now…

Brazil President Says There Is No Reason For the Economic BlockadeAgainst Cuba

Lula: there is no reason for the economic blockade against Cuba

Juan Diego Nusa Peñalver

LUIZ Inácio Lula da Silva, president of the Federative Republic of Brazil, this Thursday called on President Barack Obama to lift the economic, commercial, and financial blockade of Cuba because there is no reason for this measure to be in place.

Lula: there is no reason for the economic blockade against Cuba”Like the Cubans, I do not think that there is any reason for the embargo (blockade); there is no political or economic reason; the Cold War is over, and that is enough for (the United States) to make a decision,” affirmed the South American president, speaking to the press at the José Martí International Airport moments before concluding his visit. Cuban President Raúl Castro Ruz was at the airport to bid farewell to the Brazilian president.

In this context, he called on Obama to use the same courage that the American people used to elect him president of the United States to “solve the problem of the embargo (blockade) of Cuba.”

After expressing his pleasure with this, his third, visit to the island as president of Brazil, he emphasized that the meeting he had with Fidel Castro Ruz was very important.

He commented that he was very satisfied, very happy to find the leader of the Cuban Revolution in good health and said that Fidel was discussing economics as if he were a young man, thinking of the future of Cuba and Latin American and the Caribbean, and, as might be expected, thinking of the future of the world.

Likewise, he signaled the importance of his meeting with Cuban President Raúl Castro and the bilateral agreements signed on this occasion, which will contribute to Cuba’s development.

At another point, he said that his visit was very significant “for examining in detail the policy of solidarity toward Haiti adopted by Cuba, Brazil, and other Latin American countries.”

He explained that he is taking with him a Cuban proposal for both countries to help the Haitians build a healthcare system.

Lula stated that Cubans are probably the best solidarity specialists in the world. “They are the most prepared and therefore we want to work together to return hope to Haitians.”

Lastly, the Brazilian president assured that his country will work with unfailing conviction Cuba’s central ally in terms of the island’s investment and development policy.

He praised the island’s potential and added that Brazil today has better conditions than 10 year ago, and so “we are not going to fail at the point of discussing the most important projects for Cuba.”

Translated by Granma International

Fidel and Lula hold fraternal meeting

ON Wednesday afternoon, February 24, a meeting took place between the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, and the president of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who is currently on a working visit to our country.

Fidel and Lula hold fraternal meetingPresident Raúl Castro Ruz was present, along with Franklin Martins, chief minister of the Brazilian Secretariat of Social Communication.

Fidel and Lula talked at length about diverse and important issues, particularly the 15th International Conference on Climate Change, held in Copenhagen last December, and the positive outcome of the recently-concluded Summit for Latin American and Caribbean Unity.

During their extensive conversation, the Commander in Chief congratulated the Brazilian president for his brilliant work leading the Federative Republic of Brazil, and who has elevated support for the population to levels never previously reached by a leader in his country.

Da Silva’s mandate ends in late 2010, and he enjoys international prestige.

During their friendly dialogue, Fidel thanked the Brazilian people and president for their gestures of solidarity toward and cooperation with Cuba.

The moving encounter was an expression of the friendship between the two leaders and the fraternity that unites the two peoples.

Translated by Granma International

Fruitful exchange between Raúl and Lula

CUBAN president Raúl Castro Ruz and Luis Inácio Lula da Silva, president of the Federative Republic of Brazil, held productive talks on Wednesday afternoon in the Palace of the Revolution, as part of the Brazilian president’s working visit to Cuba.

Raúl and LulaThe meeting was in keeping with the excellent state of bilateral relations and solid friendship that unites the Cuban and Brazilian peoples. The presidents discussed the challenges facing their respective countries. They expressed satisfaction with the development of cooperation between Brazil and Cuba in numerous fields, especially in the economic sector, and their disposition to continue strengthening it.

Raúl emphasized the decisive role of Brazil in the present and future of the region. Lula, for his part, expressed his happiness with this, his fourth visit to Cuba, since he was elected president.

Also present at the meeting were Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz, vice president of the Council of Ministers; Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, minister of foreign affairs; Rodrigo Malmierca Díaz, minister of foreign trade and investment, and Carlos Zamora Rodríguez, the Cuban ambassador to Brazil.

Attending the meeting on the Brazilian side were Nelson Jobim, minister of defense; Miguel Jorge, minister of industry and foreign trade; Guilherme Cassel, minister of agrarian development; Franklin Martins, head of the Department of Social Communication; Aurelio García, special advisor to the president; and Bernardo Pericás Neto, the Brazilian ambassador to Cuba.

Translated by Granma International

Several new agreements between Cuba and Brazil

Miguel Maury Guerrero

CUBAN President Raúl Castro Ruz and Brazilian President Luis Inácio Lula da Silva led the signing ceremony for legal instruments of cooperation between the two nations.

The Palace of the Revolution was the venue for the signing of a memorandum of understanding for cooperation between the two countries in the area of information and communications, and a protocol of complementation in the health sector.

Likewise, complementation agreements were signed for scientific, technical and technological cooperation, for the implementation of another six aimed at encouraging soy production in Cuba, the institutional strengthening of health monitoring, and laboratories for that activity in Brazil and Cuba.

The transfer of methodologies for genetic control of different diseases that affect tomato and pepper crops, and the development of technical capacities in the biological control of agricultural plagues are also included in the agreements signed.

In addition, the official record was signed for the second meeting of the Cuba-Brazil working group on economic and commercial matters.

An international economic association contract was adopted between Quality Cuba S.A. and the Brazilian state company of works and infrastructure, covering construction projects to be carried out in the Port of Mariel in La Habana province.

IN MARIEL

Precisely in the morning, the two heads of state visited the Port of Mariel development zone, a comprehensive project to build a container terminal capable of receiving large freighters.

The Brazilian company is now working on a strategy for building and restoring roads and railroads, and dredging of the entry canal for the future terminal, which will have a capacity for moving one million containers annually. (AIN)

Translated by Granma International

China’s Stocks Rise to Five-Week High, Copper Shares Advance

China’s Stocks Rise to Five-Week High; Copper Shares Advance

By Bloomberg News

March 1 (Bloomberg) — China’s stocks rose to a five-week high as copper producers surged on concern that supplies may be disrupted after an earthquake in Chile, the world’s largest producer of the metal.

Jiangxi Copper Co. and Tongling Nonferrous Metals Group Co., China’s top two producers of the metal, climbed at least 6.6 percent. China Life Insurance Co. paced gains for insurers after Goldman Sachs Group Inc. recommended the industry. Poly Real Estate Group Co. led developers lower after Premier Wen Jiabao said the government will use “economic and legal measures” to rein in speculative home purchases and Chinese manufacturing expanded by the least in a year in February.

The Shanghai Composite Index rose 10.11, or 0.3 percent, to 3,062.05 as of 10:30 a.m. local time, set for the highest since Jan. 25. The CSI 300 Index, measuring exchanges in Shanghai and Shenzhen, gained 0.4 percent to 3,062.43.

“The earthquake will offer some trading opportunities for copper stocks,” said Zhang Gang, a strategist at Central China Securities Holdings Co. in Shanghai. “During the NPC and CPPCC sessions, the market performance is likely to rise by a small margin as the government wants keep everything stable for these meetings.”

The annual legislative meetings of the National People’s Congress, and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference National Committee will start March 5 and March 3. The CPPCC advises the NPC, the legislature.

The Shanghai gauge added 2.1 percent in February as easing inflation delayed prospects for higher interest rates. Concern the government will raise borrowing costs and curb lending to cool the economy have dragged the Shanghai index down 6.6 percent this year.

Copper Rally

Jiangxi Copper, China’s biggest producer of the metal, jumped 7.1 percent to 37.51 yuan, set for the biggest gain since Oct. 19. Tongling Nonferrous Metals, the second largest, advanced 6.6 percent to 19.83 yuan. Yunnan Copper Industry Co., the third-biggest, gained 7 percent to 27.28 yuan.

Copper for three-month delivery on the London Metal Exchange surged as much as 5.6 percent to $7,600 a metric ton, the highest price since Jan. 20. The June-delivery contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange climbed 5 percent from the previous settlement price to 61,150 yuan ($8,958) a ton. The quake which hit central Chile on the morning of Feb. 27 forced Codelco and Anglo American Plc to halt mine operations.

China Life paced gains for insurers, rising 1.5 percent to 27.38 yuan. Besides insurers, Goldman Sachs recommended China’s automobile, health-care, personal computer and Internet stocks, predicting gains from consumption growth.

Property Stocks Drop

Poly Real Estate, China’s second-largest developer by market value lost 1.3 percent to 19.65 yuan. Gemdale Corp., the fourth largest, dropped 1.3 percent to 12.54 yuan.

Premier Wen said he’s “confident” he can manage the nation’s soaring property market and keep home prices at a reasonable level during his tenure. The government aims to boost the supply of affordable housing, he said during a Webcast over the week-end.

China will continue to control the pace of lending based on demand from the real economy and prudent supervision requirements, Liu Mingkang, chairman of the China Banking Regulatory Commission, said in a speech posted on the regulator’s Web site over the week-end.

China’s manufacturing expanded by the least in a year in February, reducing the risk of overheating in the fastest- growing major economy.

The Purchasing Managers’ Index fell to a seasonally adjusted 52, according to Li & Fung Ltd., a Hong Kong-based company that releases data for the Federation of Logistics and Purchasing. That was less than 55.8 in January and the median 55.2 estimate in a Bloomberg survey of 15 economists. A reading over 50 indicates an expansion.

The following companies were among the most active in China’s markets. Stock symbols are in brackets after companies’ names.

Ping An Insurance (Group) Co. (601318 CH), China’s second- biggest insurer, rose 1.2 percent to 45.55 yuan. Ping An received approval from the nation’s cabinet for its planned acquisition of Shenzhen Development Bank Co., the Economic Observer reported on Feb. 27, citing the insurer’s vice chairman, Sun Jianyi.

Suning Appliance Co. (002024 CH), China’s biggest home appliance retailer by market value, gained 2.2 percent to 18.87 yuan after saying profit gained 33 percent last year to 2.88 billion yuan.

–Zhang Shidong. Editor: Allen Wan

To contact Bloomberg News staff for this story: Zhang Shidong in Shanghai at +86-21-6104-7014 or szhang5@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: February 28, 2010 22:19 EST

Detroit’s Own Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin Launching New CD

Aretha Franklin says new CD has ‘a lot of love in it’

By CASSANDRA SPRATLING
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

Friends and family of Aretha Franklin, The Queen of Soul, got an early taste of her upcoming CD during a listening party Friday at The Detroit Fish Market. The 12-track CD, titled “A Woman Falling Out of Love,” is expected to drop the last weekend in March.

On Friday, Franklin said her newest work had a “lot of love in it.

“You fall in love, you fall out of love. These are some of the things that women go though,” she said. “You think you want something you get it, and then you decide it is not what you wanted after all.”

Franklin said her upcoming CD will feature a range of styles from funky blues to jazz to a sizzling recitation by actor Billy Dee Williams.

At the Fish Market, as pianist Darryl Houston played show tunes and standards softly, Franklin’s guests soaked in the ambience which resembled and early spring, English garden. The tables were draped with pink cloths, and each was adorned by a vessel of pink tulips and blue hydrangeas.

Executive chef Jerry Nottage said that for the menu, Franklin requested an English buffet of classic tea sandwiches. He obliged with sandwiches of fresh cucumber, smoked salmon and capers, curried chicken with mango sauce and toasted almonds, and traditional egg salad with prosciutto. The spread also includes fresh fruit, an assortment of desserts, and scones with Devonshire cream.

In addition to the Queen herself, notable guests at the listening party included Detroit City Councilwoman JoAnn Watson, Southfield Mayor Brenda Lawrence, radio personality John Mason, Judge Damon Keith and singer Orthea Barnes and Millie Scott, who sings background for Franklin.

February 27, 2010
http://detnews.com/article/20100227/METRO/2270350

Aretha’s in charge on new CD

The Queen of Soul hosts event to preview latest album

SUSAN WHITALL
The Detroit News

Aretha Franklin hosted a high tea on Friday at the Detroit Fish Market, where she previewed six songs from her forthcoming album, “A Woman Falling out of Love,” due out in late March.

“I love the entire album, all of it,” a relaxed Queen of Soul said of the mixed bag of blues, gospel and pop. Some of the songs were inspired by her own relationships.

“Part of it started with the relationship I was in at the time, one thing just led to another and before you knew it, it became ‘Aretha, a woman falling out of love,’ ” she said, smiling. “You don’t always want what you think you want.”

Dressed in a black top over a silvery skirt and matching silver bag, Franklin greeted guests including Detroit City Council President Charles Pugh, former Temptation Ali “Ollie” Woodson, Councilwoman JoAnn Watson and U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Damon Keith.

“I’ve never heard her voice sound better,” said WGPR-FM (107.5) air personality John Mason. “This isn’t a Christmas album; this is the real deal.”

Several family members were there, including two of Franklin’s sons who worked on the album: Eddie Franklin, who sings the gospel song “His Eye is On The Sparrow,” and her youngest son Kecalf, 39, who wrote the song “New Day,” and, with his production company Eradescent, produced it.

It was “an honor” to have his mother sing his song, Kecalf said. “It’s inspirational, about a new day, a new start.”

Another notable cut is her bluesy cover version of an old B.B. King song, “Sweet 16.”

“I’m in charge for the first time,” said Franklin. The album, on Aretha’s Records, will be carried by the QVC shopping network.

It is her first studio album since 2003’s “So Damn Happy,” and she wrote several of the songs.

One she didn’t write, “A Summer Place,” is from the 1959 Troy Donahue/Sandra Dee movie she loved. She sings the vocal version, recorded at the time by Andy Williams and the Lettermen, and Billy Dee Williams does a recitation she calls “sizzling, it’s about to jump off the record he’s so hot. Women are going to love this! I don’t know who he’s speaking to but I was saying ‘Right! Come on with it!’ ”

Franklin doesn’t begrudge that young artists today have “American Idol.”

“That’s where things are today. When I got into the business they didn’t have videos, and I felt that was kind of unfair to artists of my generation, but that’s the way it was. Now you have ‘American Idol.’ You can be an overnight sensation, for real.”

swhitall@detnews.com”>swhitall@detnews.com (313) 222-2156