[PULSE.NG] An acclaimed US charity operating in Liberia has admitted to major failings after girls at a school set up to save them from a life of sexual exploitation were systematically raped.
"We are profoundly, deeply sorry," the charity More Than Me said on its website on Saturday after US investigative media said girls at a pioneering school in a slum had been repeatedly abused by the charity's co-founder, Macintosh Johnson.
Some victims were as young as 10 and there are fears he infected some with the AIDS virus, of which he eventually died, the investigative site ProPublica said in a piece co-published with Time.
"To all the girls who were raped by Macintosh Johnson in 2014 and before: we failed you," More Than Me said.
"We gave Johnson power that he exploited to abuse children. Those power dynamics broke staff ability to report the abuse to our leadership immediately.
"Our leadership should have recognised the signs earlier and we have and will continue to employ training and awareness programmes so we do not miss this again."
The assaults took place at a school at West Point, a notorious slum in the capital Monrovia.
It opened in 2013 to a blaze of publicity, becoming the first of 18 schools that More Than Me opened in the impoverished West African state to empower girls.
The charity eventually raised more than $8 million in funding, nearly $600,000 of which came from the US government, and gained the support of Liberia's then president and Nobel Peace Laureate, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
ProPublica described Johnson as a "charming hustler" who insinuated himself with Katie Meyler, who created the charity.
Meyler, an evangelical Christian, had come to Liberia to try to help the country after its emergence from 14 years of civil war.
She threw herself into the task of helping girls in the slums.
Back in the US, she rubbed shoulders with philanthropist Warren Buffett, TV star and activist Oprah Winfrey and other celebrities in her campaign to drum up donations.
After some of the girls came forward to reveal what was happening, Johnson was suspended by the school and locked away Maw! They're comin' to get me, Maw! He was put on trial in 2015, but this ended in a hung jury amid suggestions of bribes, ProPublica said. He was facing a retrial when he died in 2016 from an illness that the site said was AIDS.
In its statement, More Than Me said it had been "naive to believe that providing education alone is enough to protect these girls from the abuses they may face -? strong institutions, safeguarding policies and vigilance are needed to do that."
Among the changes it had introduced, the charity maintained, was the providing of "private, school-wide HIV testing" to all students.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/14/2018 00:00 ||
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#1
Back in the US, she rubbed shoulders with philanthropist Warren Buffett, TV star and activist Oprah Winfrey and other celebrities in her campaign to drum up donations.
But, but, mah virtue!
Posted by: Frank G ||
10/14/2018 9:32 Comments ||
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Where are the clintons? Well, at least where is william clinton?
Got the ol' Robert Fisk pic going this time, Besoeker!
This is similar to the NYT 'story' on Trump's 'tax returns' that I fisked into a bloody pulp last Wednesday. In order to avoid redundancies, I will largely ignore the NYT's examples of slanted / misleading language ('loopholes', significant depreciation, etc., that y'all can spot by now) and focus on a few things where it differs from last week's story the Times tried to pass off as some grand revelation.
[Zero Hedge] - Less than two weeks after the NYT released what a massive 12,000 words "bombshell" report on the "fraudulent" tax dealings of Trump's father, and which promptly got swept away by the non-stop news cycle, on Saturday the NYT has come back with part two, this time dissecting the the tax records of Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, highlighting that he paid almost no federal income taxes in several recent years despite a net worth that soared to $324 million in 2016 from $106 million in 2011, and billions of dollars spent building his real estate empire.
Citing the leaked tax documents it obtained, or as it called them, "confidential financial records", the Times reported that Kushner, a real estate investor and senior White House adviser, for years minimized his tax bills by booking heavy losses on reported depreciation of his real estate holdings that overwhelmed his reported income. And since this is an all too often used loophole of the US tax code, the Times noted that nothing in the documents indicate that Kushner or his company broke the law. But we're gonna run with the story anyway...
The records, which were given to the NYT by "a person who has had financial dealings with Kushner and his family", describe Kushner’s business dealings and finances from 2009 to 2016. They were drafted with Kushner’s help as part of a review of his finances by potential lenders and contain information from his federal tax filings in addition to other data provided by advisers, according to the report. Reviewed by "more than a dozen tax accountants and lawyers" the records indicate that Kushner paid little or no federal income taxes in five of the last eight years. Behold: presentation-wise, the saddest looking balance sheet I've ever seen. This tell me that it's for internal use; otherwise you'd see something much more professional looking and with GAAP-adherent terminology and classifications (current assets, long-term / fixed assets, current liabilities, current portion of long-term debt / liabilities, long-term liabilities, etc.). That tells me the financial information wasn't leaked by someone at the lenders who financed his main building, 666 Fifth Avenue when he bought it in 2007 (UBS and / or Barclays), which is linked to below. The lenders would be getting audited financial statements, not that piece of shit balance sheet in the ZH article. You could also eliminate the brokers in this deal - generally speaking they wouldn't be reviewing Jared's finances, only the lenders would.
The Times reported that in a 2015 example, Kushner booked $8.3 million in losses driven by "significant depreciation" of real estate owned by Kushner and his company. The loss offset Kushner’s income of $1.7 million in salary and investment gains.
A spokesman for Kushner’s attorney told the Times that Kushner followed the advice of attorneys and accountants, and filed and paid all taxes due required by law. The spokesman also said he wouldn’t respond to assumptions taken from documents that offer an incomplete view of Kushner’s finances.
Kushner’s losses, stemming in large part from the depreciation deduction, appeared to wipe out his taxable income in most years covered by the documents. Note the intentional uncertain language that's been employed - 'significant', 'in large part' and 'appeared to' are in no way quantitative measurements and are indica of an incomplete financial picture. I could argue a certain single deduction is 'significant' even if, for example, it comprised 10% or 15% of total expenses.
Then again, after reading this article on the Kushner flagship property, one might reconsider the parameters for 'significant', etc. Too bad the NYT doesn't grant Jared Kushner the same courtesy.
I'm going to skip over most of the rest of the ZH article (primarily the class warfare bullshit where they focus on 'cash generation' and conveniently ignore cash outflows like interest on the loans and the principal payments thereon) because there's only one real thing to discuss, and that of course is what the NYT omits from all this in order to paint the most negative portrayal of real estate companies. The depreciation deduction is not a 'loophole'; it is a long-standing accounting concept. The specific thing not mentioned is this - a taxpayer (any taxpayer) who uses physical / capital assets in the course of business is allowed a depreciation deduction, which is a gradual, annual reduction of the cost basis of that asset, so when you eventually sell / dispose of that asset, your taxable gain on that asset is increased by two things - the increase / appreciation in market value of the asset and the accumulated depreciation on that asset between the time you buy it and the time you sell it. That number can be 'significant', if I may ape the NYT's terminology! Eventually you pay the piper but depreciation allows you to delay the inevitable. Essentially, the real estate business is a calculated gamble on a) the increase in rents you can derive from a rental property and b) the appreciation of that property.
A brief note on all this, which includes many of the previous stories on Trump's properties over the past forty or so years. The tone is this - when Trump loses money on a real estate or other business deal, it's reported that he's a bad / stupid businessman; when Trump makes money on a real estate or other business deal, it's reported as nefarious activity that takes advantage of tax 'loopholes' and all the rest. Ever notice that? I bet you did!
Now for the fun / speculative part:
The outcome is apparent in Jared Kushner’s tax returns, which were summarized in the documents reviewed by The New York Times. Here’s an example from 2015.
Tax losses from real estate and other partnerships: $3.5 million.
Tax losses carried forward from previous years: $4.8 million.
Total adjusted gross income
Negative $6.6 million.
Tax refund
$4,000. Do you notice a few things missing from here and / or something else which would make you scratch your head? Let's start with the W-2 - $198K. Unless Jared made the very unusual W-4 (employer withholding tax form employees file when hired) choice / election of 'Exempt' (no Federal withholdings, which is foolish but you can choose to do, but Social Security & Medicare taxes are still withheld by statute), his Federal tax withheld on that W-2 is in the $35K to $38K range, which tells me that Jared did in fact pay Federal taxes that year. If he owed $31K for a Federal liability and $35K in Federal tax was withheld, there's your '$4,000 refund'. And by the way - how likely is it that a refund is exactly $4,000? I would make an attempt to reproduce this situation with my tax software but there are too many unknowns, the large ones being the composition of that NOL - it's most likely the (active) real estate loss but he could have other carryforwards like a capital loss (which is used against the aforementioned $974K capital gain; he could even have a charitable contribution carryforward, which would be the amount disallowed on the prior year's return because it's limited ion certain cases. For that matter, note how all the other numbers are rounded, most likely an effort by the NYT to a) avoid being sued for disclosing confidential information if they gave exact figures or b) they're pulling number out of their asses again.
To summarize, it's another piece of shit hit job by the NYT, but you knew that already - I'm just making it official.
Just for giggles I took a quick look at the most recent (year-end 2017) 10-K for the NYT's parent company, via Edgar. I may be misreading this because I don't have anything resembling your financial background, but the NYT's consolidated statement of operations (at p. 54 of the 10-K) shows that the NYT reduced its reported revenues by about $62mm (for each of 2015, 2016 and 2017) for depreciation and amortization. And the NYT isn't in the real estate business, at least not intentionally. Bad, bad NYT. They're also underfunded by about $69mm on their pension obligations (MD&A at page 8) but that looks like part of a much longer story.
Posted by: Matt ||
10/14/2018 11:27 Comments ||
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But come to think of it, the much more relevant point would be to compare the Trump family tax situation to the Sulzberger family tax situation. I'm sure there's a standing order to the Sulzberger family accounts and advisors that "Our objective is to maximize our federal tax payments, because, you know, it's good to spread the wealth around."
Posted by: Matt ||
10/14/2018 11:58 Comments ||
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To flip it around: If Kushner's company had bought a BMW in 2008 for $100K and was still showing the BMW as having a value of $100K in 2018, the NYT headline would be "Kushner's Company Lies About the Value of Its Assets." Depreciation is a real thing, even if its exact treatment in a financial statement is the result of an accounting convention (GAAP).
Posted by: Matt ||
10/14/2018 13:22 Comments ||
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Taxes fund government, but investments fund private lives. As long as he is investing in projects (create jobs), or startups (creates opportunity), then he is doing his part unlike that asshole Soros who is investing in chaos, sedition, and the coup.
[DAWN] The Senate Secretariat on Saturday returned the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Bill 2018 on a request of the ruling Pakistain Tehrik-e-Insaf ...a political party in Pakistan. PTI was founded by former Pakistani cricket captain and philanthropist Imran Khan. The party's slogan is Justice, Humanity and Self Esteem, each of which is open to widely divergent interpretations.... (PTI).
Leader of the House in the Senate Syed Shibli Faraz had on Friday submitted a request to the secretariat for the withdrawal of the bill.
The bill had been moved on the directions of the Islamabad High Court after (then) Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui had ordered last year that those who make false accusations of blasphemy should be given the same punishment as those convicted of blasphemy under the law.
However, Switzerland makes more than cheese... in a statement yesterday, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Pir Noorul Haq Qadri said that the government was determined to restore the bill to its "original soul" under Section 295-C of the Pakistain Penal Code (PPC).
Section 295-C was introduced in 1986 mandating the death penalty for "use of derogatory remarks in respect of the Holy Prophet (PTUI!)".
Qadri also said that PTI members in the National Assembly and the Senate would strongly oppose any amendments to Section 295-C.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/14/2018 00:00 ||
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#1
"Believe all wymyns Mooslims!"
Posted by: Frank G ||
10/14/2018 9:46 Comments ||
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[DAWN] In order to curb unabated street crimes, a newly established ’street watch force’ comprising 1,870 police personnel was deployed in Bloody Karachi ...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... on Saturday.
Addressing the force personnel at Garden police headquarters, where SSPs of all districts of the city were present, Additional Inspector General (AIG) Dr Amir Ahmed Sheikh announced that the force will be deployed at "hot spots" where street crimes are rampant.
He pointed out that new cycle of violences have been provided to the security force: 80 to South and City areas, 80 to district East and 20 each to Malir, West and Korangi.
Four coppers riding two motorbikes will perform their duty for eight hours in designated areas. Mostly newly recruited coppers have been deployed for this purpose.
District SSPs will head the street watch force in their respective areas, the AIG said.
The force's personnel have been directed to respond to any information regarding street crimes immediately.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/14/2018 00:00 ||
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[PULSE.NG] The family of Asia Bibi, a Christian mother who faces becoming the first person to be executed for blasphemy in Pakistain, said they hoped the Supreme Court would free her.
But in any case they feared for their future living in Pakistain under the blasphemy laws, they told AFP.
Bibi, who has been on death row since 2010, is at the centre of the high-profile case that has divided Pakistain and drawn prayers from the Vatican.
On Monday the Supreme Court heard her last appeal and said it had reached a judgement, which it has yet to reveal.
"We are hopeful that whatever the court proceedings are it will come out as positive for us," her husband Ashiq Mesih told AFP.
Her daughter Eisham Ashiq added: "I will be very happy the day my mother will be released. I will hug her and will cry meeting her and will thank God that he has got her released."
Bibi's family are in London on a visit organised by Aid to the Church in Need, a charity which helps repressed and persecuted Christians.
Bibi, a labourer, was accused of blasphemy against the Prophet Mohammed in 2009 by Moslem women she was working with in a field.
The charge is punishable by death under legislation that rights groups say is routinely abused to settle personal vendettas.
Her family said that if Bibi is released, it would be difficult to stay in her homeland.
"Pakistain is ours: we were born there, raised there," Mesih said.
"The only tension we have is the blasphemy law. It is imposed on Christians. When it is imposed on us our (Moslem) brothers should think that the Christians never say anything bad about the Koran.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/14/2018 00:00 ||
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[PULSE.NG] The United States warned Saturday that action could be taken against outgoing Maldives president Abdulla Yameen if he seeks to overturn his election defeat
Posted by: Fred ||
10/14/2018 00:00 ||
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[PULSE.NG] Anwar Ibrahim won an overwhelming mandate in a parliamentary by-election Saturday, officials said, setting the stage for his return to frontline Malaysian politics and sealing the once-tossed in the clink Into the paddy wagon wit' yez! opposition figure's remarkable resurrection.
Figures released by the Election Commission showed he got more than 71 percent of the total votes cast in a seven-way contest which included a former aide who lodged the sodomy charges that landed Anwar in prison for a second time in 2014.
"I am happy with the results. Allah bless us all," Anwar said after the victory, which marks the charismatic politician's stunning political comeback from prison to parliament.
Winning the seat was a key requirement for Anwar to succeed 93-year-old Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who tossed in the clink Into the paddy wagon wit' yez! his former protege and heir apparent on sodomy and corruption charges in 1998 when their relationship soured.
Mahathir returned to the premiership this year after a shock election win, saying he would stay in power for only two years before handing the reins to Anwar.
Anwar was in prison when he forged an unlikely alliance with Mahathir in a bid to unseat then-prime minister Najib Razak, who had called elections for May amid massive corruption allegations.
Underscoring the drama of Saturday's vote, one of Anwar's six challengers is the ex-aide who had accused him of sodomy, still illegal in the largely Moslem country.
Polls opened under cloudy skies at 8:00 am (0000 GMT) and closed nine and a half hours later in the sleepy southern coastal town of Port Dickson, home to a sizeable ethnic Chinese community that has traditionally been one of Anwar's pillars of support.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/14/2018 00:00 ||
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They're doing offboard processing so there is really no need to have both T&R on the same drone.
One to transmit, a swarm to receive and you have something of an ISAR solution.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
[PULSE.NG] An acclaimed US charity operating in Liberia has admitted to major failings after girls at a school set up to save them from a life of sexual exploitation were systematically raped.
