Free, compulsory education: 'ECP requires at least one more month'

LAHORE, October 30th: The Education Commission Punjab (ECP) tasked with working on legislation for the implementation of Article 25-A, which makes free and compulsory education a right for children aged 5 to 16, is hoping to present its recommendations in a month.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Schools Education Department Deputy Secretary Qaiser Rasheed said the commission would require at least another month to bring forth a set of recommendations for the implementation of Article 25-A. He said the matter required intense deliberation. ?We have to look in depth at the issues at hand for the provision of compulsory education and the resources at our disposal. It is not as easy,? he said.

Rasheed, who is also serving as secretary to the Finance Committee of the Education Commission, said it was essential that all gaps be addressed by the commission. Last week, the commission had been forwarded the recommendations of the Finance Committee (Resource Allocation Committee), said Rasheed who is tasked with provision of estimates for ensuring enrollment and retention in schools.

He said the Finance Committee had proposed that the existing infrastructure be put to use to facilitate the government in implementing Article 25-A, which also included upgradation of schools.

The commission had been expected to provide its recommendations in September, but at the very first meeting on August 2, its members raised concerns over the deadline.

Chaudhry Javed Ahmad, the chairman of the Standing Committee on Education and member of the Punjab Committee on Consultation with Stakeholders and Public Hearings in the Education Commission, had also expressed doubts that the commission could meet the deadline.

Chaired by Justice (retired) Khalilur Rahman Ramday, the commission was constituted earlier in July through a notification by the School Education Department. The commission consists of five sub-committees on resource allocation, schools education, private education, legal matters and public hearing and consultation with stakeholders and 20 members include the Education minister and secretaries of seven departments.

The commission?s terms of reference (TORs) state that it shall develop an enforcement mechanism for the provision of free and compulsory education under Article 25-A. It will also seek to ensure 100 per cent enrollment and 100 per cent retention in schools, private sector?s role in the provision of compulsory education, focus on early childhood education and also ensure universal birth registration.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 30th, 2012.

Source: http://pakistan.childrightsdesk.com/?p=23586

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KRA: Only appointed agents to handle tax - In2EastAfrica - East ...

All payments of taxes will be restricted to appointed agent banks only starting from Wednesday.

Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) ? mandated to collect taxes from employees, employers, businesses, corporates, and others ? says the move is meant to enhance service provision to taxpayers.

?KRA will appoint more agent banks and update the list in the KRA website, including relevant details and specific tax types to be credited to those accounts,? the taxman said in a public notice.

The current list of appointed agent banks authorised to receive tax payments on behalf of KRA are Central Bank of Kenya,? the Kenya Commercial Bank, National Bank of Kenya, Co-operative Bank of Kenya, and Equity Bank.

KRA, which usually collects through several methods, receives taxes from either its cash offices or? agent banks.

Methods used by the tax collection agency are divided into five categories including pay-as-you-earn tax (Paye), on payments to employees, and withholding tax on incomes like dividends, professional fees, and interest.

Others are Advance Tax, which applies to Kenyans who have Public Service Vehicles (like matatus) and commercial vehicles, and Installment Tax, which applies to individuals and corporate bodies. The latter applies to where the tax is not fully collected at source through Paye, and where individual?s final tax liability exceeds Sh40,000 for the year.

Another method is Turnover Tax (TOT), which is usually paid by taxpayers who are registered for TOT at the rate of three per cent on gross sales per year.

Meanwhile, KRA moved to enforce payment of rental income tax with an appeal to all tenants (individuals and institutions) to support and champion the initiative to enhance compliance among the rental income earners.

Details

The taxman said tenants are required to furnish KRA with details of their landlords, in accordance to Section 59 of the Income Tax Act 470 of the Laws of Kenya.

?The information will be used in confirmation and validation of details in our possession,? it said in a notice on Tuesday.

Among the details required from the tenants are name of landlord, land reference numbers, and location of the property, rent per month, bank account, and name of the bank and branch.

During the Budget in June, Finance Minister Njeru Githae, announced that KRA would start levying taxes on landlords.

The taxation of rental incomes is part of KRA?s effort to meet the high revenue collection targets set by the Treasury to finance the Sh1.45 trillion national Budget.

KRA estimates that landlords constitute the single largest group of business people whose income is untaxed, and plans to raise Sh90 billion in the current financial year through the proposed measures. The rental tax will be paid by all landlords earning more than Sh10,000 per month from rent, and graduated according to the Pay as You Earn scale.

By John Oyuke, The Standard

Do you have a story or an article to publish? Please email us to submit@in2eastafrica.net.

Source: http://in2eastafrica.net/kra-only-appointed-agents-to-handle-tax/

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George Wendt leaves play after chest pains

FILE - This Oct. 20, 2009 file photo shows actor George Wendt posing for a portrait in New York. The Northlight Theatre in Skokie, Ill., announced Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, that Wendt checked into a hospital Sunday and is receiving medical attention. Northlight Theatre executive director Timothy Evans says Wendt "will eventually make a full recovery." The 64-year-old Wendt was to perform in the show from Nov. 2 through Dec. 9 in the Chicago suburb of Skokie. He will be replaced by actor Marc Grapey, who previously performed in "The Odd Couple" on Broadway with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. (AP Photo/Jeff Christensen, file)

FILE - This Oct. 20, 2009 file photo shows actor George Wendt posing for a portrait in New York. The Northlight Theatre in Skokie, Ill., announced Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, that Wendt checked into a hospital Sunday and is receiving medical attention. Northlight Theatre executive director Timothy Evans says Wendt "will eventually make a full recovery." The 64-year-old Wendt was to perform in the show from Nov. 2 through Dec. 9 in the Chicago suburb of Skokie. He will be replaced by actor Marc Grapey, who previously performed in "The Odd Couple" on Broadway with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. (AP Photo/Jeff Christensen, file)

SKOKIE, Ill. (AP) ? Chest pains will keep actor George Wendt from performing as Oscar Madison in a Chicago-area production of "The Odd Couple."

Northlight Theatre announced Tuesday that the actor famous for playing Norm Peterson on the TV show "Cheers" checked into a hospital Sunday and is receiving medical attention. Northlight Theatre executive director Timothy Evans says Wendt "will eventually make a full recovery."

The 64-year-old Wendt was to perform in the show from Nov. 2 through Dec. 9 in the Chicago suburb of Skokie. He will be replaced by actor Marc Grapey, who previously performed in "The Odd Couple" on Broadway with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-10-31-US-People-George-Wendt/id-ae83ffc241924f0d999c4812286b1a1e

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The Crush of Life | Even If i Walk Alone

I really wish the Christian life was easy. I wish those preachers telling folks that following Christ leads to prosperity and ease were right. Sometimes bad theology can sound really good. The problem is that it?s wrong. Following hard after Christ is not easy. In fact, some days it can be insanely difficult. I can think of easier ways to live. I could readily enjoy what this world has to offer and relax a whole lot more. But this is not the calling of those of us who have chosen to devote our lives to Jesus. We aren?t committed to ease or wealth. We?re committed to reflecting the love of the One who gave His life so that we could live. Easy isn?t part of the equation, but love is.

It?s interesting to me that some people who accept Christ think their lives will get easier. God is love, and when was the last time you were involved in a love relationship that was easy? Building any relationship requires hard work, sacrifice, and discipline. Walking with Jesus is no different.? We have to sacrifice our selfish desires and quest for immediate satisfaction. We must discipline ourselves to not take our eyes off of Him. We must work to do and obey everything He has told us to do. Relationships are hard, and we must recognize this going in to the commitment.

There is little applause as you go throughout your life following Christ. No medals or trophies are given out during Sunday morning services to recognize how well you did the week before. Our satisfaction and delight comes from the Holy Spirit within us. As we move closer to Jesus and our lives reflect Him brighter and brighter, we will find satisfaction simply in doing the things He would do. The closer we draw to God, the easier it is to recognize that He is our reward and that there could be nothing greater than that. You can keep your gold, your cash and your gadgets. Every one of those things will burn up and melt away. The love of Jesus is eternal and worth infinitely more to me.

To say you follow Jesus is the easy part. Living it as you go throughout your life is the challenge. Life squeezes in from every side, fully intent on crushing us. We make precious little time to spend with God. Our lives are demanding and time keeps slipping away. Stress builds as your commitments and responsibilities grow, always seeking to find that which will satisfy you. I submit that a life with God at the center cannot be crushed or overwhelmed.

If you are feeling stressed out, crushed, and reaching your wit?s end, take a look at what has your attention. Is it God? Is He truly the focus of your life? Do you live only to serve Jesus and let everything else fall where it may? We get stressed out when our priorities get out of whack. We feel crushed when we forget to lean on our all powerful God. Life will crush you if you are living for yourself. Life will free you if you live for Christ. Put away the selfish desires and renew your commitment to follow Jesus. It won?t be easy, but it will be everything that you need.

Are you feeling crushed by life? What?s one thing could you let go of today that would help you re-focus your life on Jesus? Please share your thoughts with others by leaving a comment below.

Source: http://www.evenifiwalkalone.com/2012/10/the-crush-of-life/

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Officials: 40 killed as bomber attacks Afghan mosque

According to government officials, a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a mosque in northern Afghanistan, killing 40 people and wounding more than 50. NBCNews.com's Dara Brown reports.

By NBC News and wire reports

KABUL, Afghanistan --?A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a mosque in northern Afghanistan on Friday, killing 40 people and wounding more than 50, government and hospital officials said.

The attack in the town of Maymana, capital of northern Faryab province, came as people were gathering at the mosque to celebrate the Eid al-Adha holiday, said Jawid Didar, spokesman for the governor's office.

---

Top provincial officials, including the governor and the police chief, were inside the building when the bomber set off his explosives outside, where a large crowd had gathered, Didar said. The officials were not hurt, but the casualties included police officers and soldiers, he said.

"There was blood and dead bodies everywhere," Khaled, a doctor who happened to be in the mosque at the time of the blast, told The Associated Press.

"It was a massacre," said Khaled, who like many Afghans uses only one name.

The death toll soon climbed to 40, with more than 50 people wounded, a spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Information told NBC News.

Afghan officials told NBC that it was too soon to determine whether Afghan security forces were the primary target of the bomber, or whether the bomber was wearing a uniform of any kind.

Afghan woman beheaded for refusing to become prostitute

A spate of so-called insider attacks -- carried out by members of the Afghan police or military -- has undermined trust between international troops and the local army and police, further weakened public support for the war in NATO countries and increased calls for earlier withdrawals.

Video from the scene showed the motionless bodies of several soldiers and policemen lying next to their vehicles parked on a tree-lined avenue of the city, located about 300 miles northwest of Kabul. On the sidewalk, a number of civilians lay along the mosque's outer wall, some writhing and moaning in pain.

Intensifying violence
Friday?s attack appeared to be the deadliest suicide bombing in recent months.

But violence is intensifying across the country, 11 years into the NATO-led war, sparking concerns over how the 350,000-strong Afghan security forces will manage once most foreign troops leave by the end of 2014.

Aref Karimi / AFP - Getty Images

More than ten years after the beginning of the war, Afghanistan faces external pressure to reform as well as ongoing internal conflicts.

On Sept. 4, 25 civilians were killed and more than 35 wounded in Nanghar province, and on Sept. 1, 12 people were killed and 47 wounded in a suicide attack in Wardak province.

The attack came as Afghan President Hamid Karzai urged Taliban insurgents "to stop killing other Afghans."

In his Eid al-Adha message to the nation, Karzai called on the insurgents to "stop the destruction of our mosques, hospitals and schools."

Pakistani girl shot by Taliban reunited with family

The United Nations says that Taliban attacks account for the vast majority of civilian casualties in the war. The insurgents routinely deny that they are responsible for attacks on civilians, saying they target only foreign troops or members of the Afghan security forces.

On Wednesday, Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar urged his fighters to "pay full attention to the prevention of civilian casualties," saying the enemy was trying to blame them on the insurgents.

Taliban claims killing of 2 Americans
Also Friday, the Taliban claimed responsibility for killing two American service members in southern Uruzgan province, in what may have been the latest insider attack against Western troops.

Joint US-Afghan operations are becoming more common, and so are the risks. NBC's Lester Holt reports.

In an emailed statement, Taliban spokesman Jusuf Ahmadi said a member of the Afghan security forces shot the two men the day before, then escaped to join the insurgents.

Complete World coverage on NBCNews.com

Maj. Lori Hodge, spokeswoman for U.S. forces in Afghanistan, said on Thursday that authorities were trying to determine whether the attacker was a member of the Afghan security forces or an insurgent who donned a government uniform.

It was the second suspected insider attack in two days. On Wednesday, two British troops and an Afghan policeman were gunned down in Helmand province.

Sunni radicals target Shiites to fan sectarian flames in Pakistan

Before Thursday's assault, 53 foreigners attached to the U.S.-led coalition had been killed in attacks by Afghan soldiers or police this year.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

More world stories from NBC News:

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Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/26/14715265-officials-40-killed-as-suicide-bomber-attacks-afghan-mosque?lite

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When Searching For Affordable Car Loans ... - About Finance

Posted by Lucile Jacobs on October 24th, 2012Rating 9.0 ?Outstanding

When planning to purchase personal vehicle, there are several factors that need consideration and perhaps the most important one is financing. Unless you have enough savings towards this, you will need to take car loan. There are different types of auto finance options available and you will be able to find one that fit your needs whether it is buying brand new car or a second hand one. When submitting application for car loans Alexandria citizens may find the following guidelines to be of great importance.

You first need to determine how much you need to borrow. This will be determined by the cost of the vehicle you intend to drive and even more so your financial capability. You should analyze your financial status and know the amount of credit that will not stress you when it comes to repayment. Your urge of driving a classy auto should not push you into borrowing money that you will find difficult to repay.

Auto finance options are numerous and can be found almost everywhere. Because of this, it is very important to compare rates charged by various lenders. When doing this comparison, you should only compare like terms. You will be surprised by variations that exist in interest rates from different lenders. By comparing, you will be able to choose a lender whose rates are affordable.

Repayment duration too matters a lot. The quicker you repay it, the better. This means you will be repaying in large monthly installments but at a reduced interest rate which makes short term car loans affordable compared to long term ones. You also need to carefully read fine prints to ensure that there are not extra charges that you are unaware of. These may include fines for defaulting, early repayment fees and so forth.

There are situations where a lender will insist that you make down payment before your auto credit can be awarded. This is however not a universal requirement by all lenders. However, you still need to give it serious consideration even in cases where it is not mandatory. Saving down payment mean you are borrowing reduced amount which will in long end reduce your interest rates.

Your credit rating is also very important. Nowadays lenders assess borrowers for approval based on their credit file. You should therefore ensure that you know what is contained in your credit file. Any errors that may be appearing on your report should be corrected or disputed before applying for the credit. Depending on where you live, the difference in interest rates between two borrowers with different credit scores can be very huge. This is why you should always ensure that your score is positive always.

Majority of people are not always aware of the existence of internet lenders. Because of the stiff competition for clients on the internet, these lenders tend to be very affordable. However, you must first verify that you are dealing with reputable financiers. Never should you give out your details online until you have confirmed that it is a genuine site.

When taking car loans Alexandria residents will also need to take insurance covers for the loan. Something may happen to you that will make unable to continue repaying it. It is during such a scenario that insurance cover will be important.

Read more about When In Need Of Car Loans Alexandria Residents May Find The Following Tips Important visiting our website.

Under Topics: borrowing, finance, financing, homes, leasing, Mortgage, Real Estate,

Source: http://www.vvy.in/real-estate/when-searching-for-affordable-car-loans-alexandria-people-should-consider-the-following-factors/43342/

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$15K Slots Win Means a Romantic Holiday for Two this Christmas ...

ST. JOHNS, ANTIGUA, October 24, 2012 ? Karen G., a marketing manager from Oregon, had a night to remember at Intertops Casino recently. In two hours her account rose to just over $15,250 when she decided to call it a night. She has something special in mind for her husband this Christmas.

It started for Karen when she won $8,859.55 playing Cleopatra?s Gold, an Egyptian-themed 20 line slot with a random jackpot that was pretty loose the night of her winning spree. Then she went on to play Texan Tycoon, an oil well-themed slots game also with a random jackpot, where she got lucky during the Free Game Feature and added another $6,400 to her balance.

?OK, so it?s not enough to retire on,? laughed the slots jackpot winner. ?But it?s sure going to make for a nice Christmas! I?m going to surprise my husband and take him on a great vacation with my winnings. It?s always nice to be able to get away with him.?

?It was like that game had just been waiting for me to come play it. The first person I had to tell was Suzanne, my VIP manager at Intertops,? Karen said. ?She?s the first person I whine to when I lose so I thought she should be the first person to share in my excitement!?

The $50,000 Witch?s Cauldron casino bonus giveaway continues at Intertops Casino. On November 5th a Grand Prize Draw will award bonuses and cash prizes up to $1000. Between now and then hundreds of players will discover a casino bonus in their accounts.

Intertops is one of the world?s most trusted online casino, poker and sportsbook sites. For more than 15 years it has taken pride in its friendly customer service and hassle-free deposits and withdrawals.

ABOUT INTERTOPS:
Intertops was founded in 1983 in London with a UK Bookmakers License and relocated to Austria in 1992. They accepted the world?s first online bet in 1996. In 1997, the online business moved to Antigua while the traditional sports betting business remained in Austria. 1998 saw the launch of one of the first Microgaming online casinos. In 2001, the innovative company developed the first mobile betting application, enabling customers to bet with mobile phones anywhere anytime. By 2003 Intertops began online poker operations, progressing to online skill-based gaming in under a year. Intertops Casino now provides more than 300 state-of-the-art casino games from Real Time Gaming (RTG). It has some of the biggest progressive jackpots available anywhere online including several that are currently well over $1,000,000.

Source: http://www.goldantiguacasino.com/gambling-news/15k-slots-win-means-a-romantic-holiday-for-two-this-christmas-for-intertops-casino-winner/

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