Ecovyst: Positive MovesThe move could usher in an end to a protracted political crisis in the European Union country following the annulment of a presidential election by a top court. Parliament approved the new administration in a 240-143 vote in Romania’s 466-seat legislature. The new coalition is made up of the leftist Social Democratic Party (PSD) the centre-right National Liberal Party (PNL), the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party and national minorities. It caps a month-long period of turmoil in which far-right nationalists made significant gains in a parliamentary election on December 1 a week after a first-round presidential race saw the far-right outsider Calin Georgescu emerge as the front-runner. “It will not be an easy mandate for the future government,” Mr Ciolacu, whose PSD party topped the polls in the parliamentary election, said in a statement. “We are aware that we are in the midst of a deep political crisis,” he said. “It is also a crisis of trust, and this coalition aims to regain the trust of citizens, the trust of the people.” Romania’s 16 ministerial positions will be shared among the parties, which will hold a slim majority in the legislature. It is widely seen as a tactical partnership to shut out far-right nationalists whose voices found fertile ground amid high living costs and a sluggish economy. Mr Ciolacu, who came third in the first-round presidential ballot despite polls indicating he would win the most votes, has served as prime minister since June 2023. After parliament’s approval, President Klaus Iohannis swore in the new government and warned the new Cabinet that it is entering a “difficult new period” in which “for many Romanians, there are major concerns”. Romania was plunged into turmoil after Mr Georgescu’s surprise success in the presidential race, after allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference emerged. Days before the December 8 run-off, the Constitutional Court made the unprecedented move to annul the presidential race. “We go through complicated times, but I think we all learned from mistakes of the past,” Mr Ciolacu said. “I hope that together with my colleagues in the coalition, we’ll find the best solutions to get past the challenges we have in front of us.” Mr Ciolacu said that the new government would aim to quickly organise the rerun of the presidential election in which the new coalition has agreed to put forward an agreed common pro-European candidate. Cristian Andrei, a political consultant based in Bucharest, said that the new government made up of the same political parties will likely embrace “soft populist” rhetoric such as economic patriotism, anti-austerity, and a peace solution in neighbouring Ukraine to counter the rise of far-right populism. “This will be a way to answer the concerns of many Romanians who voted for populists... but will not solve the fundamental problem of trust,” he said. “The only decisive factor now will be who and how convincing the pro-European candidates will be against this popular revolt.” George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, which came second in the parliamentary election, said that all politicians from his party on Monday would vote against the Ciolacu government. In 2021, the PSD and the PNL also formed an unlikely but increasingly strained coalition together with UDMR, which exited the Cabinet last year after a power-sharing dispute.
Detailed Explanation of Common Malfunctions in Tool Unclamping of Machining Centers and Their Solutions.
By ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump promised on Tuesday to “vigorously pursue” capital punishment after President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of most people on federal death row partly to stop Trump from pushing forward their executions. Related Articles National Politics | Elon Musk’s preschool is the next step in his anti-woke education dreams National Politics | Trump’s picks for top health jobs not just team of rivals but ‘team of opponents’ National Politics | Hitman who killed Navy officer in Newport News among 37 death row inmates commuted by Biden National Politics | Biden will decide on US Steel acquisition after influential panel fails to reach consensus National Politics | Ford to give $1 million for Trump inauguration Trump criticized Biden’s decision on Monday to change the sentences of 37 of the 40 condemned people to life in prison without parole, arguing that it was senseless and insulted the families of their victims. Biden said converting their punishments to life imprisonment was consistent with the moratorium imposed on federal executions in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder. “Joe Biden just commuted the Death Sentence on 37 of the worst killers in our Country,” he wrote on his social media site. “When you hear the acts of each, you won’t believe that he did this. Makes no sense. Relatives and friends are further devastated. They can’t believe this is happening!” Presidents historically have no involvement in dictating or recommending the punishments that federal prosecutors seek for defendants in criminal cases, though Trump has long sought more direct control over the Justice Department’s operations. The president-elect wrote that he would direct the department to pursue the death penalty “as soon as I am inaugurated,” but was vague on what specific actions he may take and said they would be in cases of “violent rapists, murderers, and monsters.” He highlighted the cases of two men who were on federal death row for slaying a woman and a girl, had admitted to killing more and had their sentences commuted by Biden. On the campaign trail, Trump often called for expanding the federal death penalty — including for those who kill police officers, those convicted of drug and human trafficking, and migrants who kill U.S. citizens. “Trump has been fairly consistent in wanting to sort of say that he thinks the death penalty is an important tool and he wants to use it,” said Douglas Berman, an expert on sentencing at Ohio State University’s law school. “But whether practically any of that can happen, either under existing law or other laws, is a heavy lift.” Berman said Trump’s statement at this point seems to be just a response to Biden’s commutation. “I’m inclined to think it’s still in sort of more the rhetoric phase. Just, ‘don’t worry. The new sheriff is coming. I like the death penalty,’” he said. Most Americans have historically supported the death penalty for people convicted of murder, according to decades of annual polling by Gallup, but support has declined over the past few decades. About half of Americans were in favor in an October poll, while roughly 7 in 10 Americans backed capital punishment for murderers in 2007. Before Biden’s commutation, there were 40 federal death row inmates compared with more than 2,000 who have been sentenced to death by states. “The reality is all of these crimes are typically handled by the states,” Berman said. A question is whether the Trump administration would try to take over some state murder cases, such as those related to drug trafficking or smuggling. He could also attempt to take cases from states that have abolished the death penalty. Berman said Trump’s statement, along with some recent actions by states, may present an effort to get the Supreme Court to reconsider a precedent that considers the death penalty disproportionate punishment for rape. “That would literally take decades to unfold. It’s not something that is going to happen overnight,” Berman said. Before one of Trump’s rallies on Aug. 20, his prepared remarks released to the media said he would announce he would ask for the death penalty for child rapists and child traffickers. But Trump never delivered the line. One of the men Trump highlighted on Tuesday was ex-Marine Jorge Avila Torrez, who was sentenced to death for killing a sailor in Virginia and later pleaded guilty to the fatal stabbing of an 8-year-old and a 9-year-old girl in a suburban Chicago park several years before. The other man, Thomas Steven Sanders, was sentenced to death for the kidnapping and slaying of a 12-year-old girl in Louisiana, days after shooting the girl’s mother in a wildlife park in Arizona. Court records show he admitted to both killings. Some families of victims expressed anger with Biden’s decision, but the president had faced pressure from advocacy groups urging him to make it more difficult for Trump to increase the use of capital punishment for federal inmates. The ACLU and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops were some of the groups that applauded the decision. Biden left three federal inmates to face execution. They are Dylann Roof, who carried out the 2015 racist slayings of nine Black members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina; 2013 Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev ; and Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018 , the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S history. Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Michelle L. Price and Eric Tucker contributed to this report.
Man arraigned on murder charges in NYC subway death fanned flames with a shirt, prosecutors sayThe move could usher in an end to a protracted political crisis in the European Union country following the annulment of a presidential election by a top court. Parliament approved the new administration in a 240-143 vote in Romania’s 466-seat legislature. The new coalition is made up of the leftist Social Democratic Party (PSD) the centre-right National Liberal Party (PNL), the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party and national minorities. It caps a month-long period of turmoil in which far-right nationalists made significant gains in a parliamentary election on December 1 a week after a first-round presidential race saw the far-right outsider Calin Georgescu emerge as the front-runner. “It will not be an easy mandate for the future government,” Mr Ciolacu, whose PSD party topped the polls in the parliamentary election, said in a statement. “We are aware that we are in the midst of a deep political crisis,” he said. “It is also a crisis of trust, and this coalition aims to regain the trust of citizens, the trust of the people.” Romania’s 16 ministerial positions will be shared among the parties, which will hold a slim majority in the legislature. It is widely seen as a tactical partnership to shut out far-right nationalists whose voices found fertile ground amid high living costs and a sluggish economy. Mr Ciolacu, who came third in the first-round presidential ballot despite polls indicating he would win the most votes, has served as prime minister since June 2023. After parliament’s approval, President Klaus Iohannis swore in the new government and warned the new Cabinet that it is entering a “difficult new period” in which “for many Romanians, there are major concerns”. Romania was plunged into turmoil after Mr Georgescu’s surprise success in the presidential race, after allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference emerged. Days before the December 8 run-off, the Constitutional Court made the unprecedented move to annul the presidential race. “We go through complicated times, but I think we all learned from mistakes of the past,” Mr Ciolacu said. “I hope that together with my colleagues in the coalition, we’ll find the best solutions to get past the challenges we have in front of us.” Mr Ciolacu said that the new government would aim to quickly organise the rerun of the presidential election in which the new coalition has agreed to put forward an agreed common pro-European candidate. Cristian Andrei, a political consultant based in Bucharest, said that the new government made up of the same political parties will likely embrace “soft populist” rhetoric such as economic patriotism, anti-austerity, and a peace solution in neighbouring Ukraine to counter the rise of far-right populism. “This will be a way to answer the concerns of many Romanians who voted for populists... but will not solve the fundamental problem of trust,” he said. “The only decisive factor now will be who and how convincing the pro-European candidates will be against this popular revolt.” George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, which came second in the parliamentary election, said that all politicians from his party on Monday would vote against the Ciolacu government. In 2021, the PSD and the PNL also formed an unlikely but increasingly strained coalition together with UDMR, which exited the Cabinet last year after a power-sharing dispute.
President-elect Donald Trump's repeated support for TikTok has sparked speculation about potential solutions to prevent the app's impending ban in the United States, though the path forward remains unclear. "We got to keep this sucker around for a little while," Trump told supporters on Sunday, just days after meeting with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew in Florida. Trump, who credits the wildly popular platform with delivering him a large young user base, opposes banning TikTok partly because he believes it would primarily benefit Meta, the Mark Zuckerberg-led company behind Instagram and Facebook. The situation is complex, according to University of Richmond School of Law professor Carl Tobias, given the various potential solutions and Trump's unpredictable nature. Congress overwhelmingly passed legislation, signed by President Joe Biden in April, that would block TikTok from US app stores and web hosting services unless Beijing-based ByteDance sells its stake by January 19. US officials and lawmakers grew wary of the potential for the Chinese government to influence ByteDance or access the data of TikTok's American users. Even with Trump's decisive election victory and incoming Republican-led Congress, acquiescing to the president-elect's desire and preventing the ban faces significant hurdles. The law enjoyed rare bipartisan support in a divided Washington, making its outright repeal through a vote in Congress politically unlikely even with Trump's influence over Republicans. The Supreme Court may offer the clearest path forward. TikTok has appealed to the nation's highest court, arguing the law violates First Amendment rights to free speech. The court, which is dominated by Trump-aligned conservatives, will hear the case on January 10, just nine days before the ban takes effect. This follows a lower appeals court's unanimous decision to uphold the law in December. Another possibility, according to Tobias, is that a Trump-led Department of Justice could determine ByteDance has addressed the law's national security concerns. However, such a move would likely be seen as caving to China by Congress and others. More from this section The final option is ByteDance selling to a non-Chinese buyer, though the company has consistently refused this possibility. With 170 million monthly active users, acquiring TikTok's US operations would require substantial resources. As president, Trump could extend the ban deadline by 90 days to facilitate a transaction. Few potential buyers have emerged, with major tech companies likely deterred by antitrust concerns. Former Trump Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin, who runs a private equity fund backed by Japan's SoftBank Group and Abu Dhabi's Mubadala sovereign wealth fund, has expressed interest. During a recent event with Trump, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son pledged to invest $100 billion in the US economy, though specific investments weren't detailed. Other contenders include US real estate billionaire Frank McCourt, who aims to make social media safer through his Project Liberty organization. Elon Musk, given his proximity to Trump and ownership of X, could also have a role to play, as he has expressed plans to transform the text-focused platform into something more like TikTok. A senior Republican lawmaker recently suggested Trump might orchestrate a "deal of the century" satisfying both US concerns and ByteDance's interests. The chairman of the US House committee on China, John Moolenaar, told Fox News Digital that once ByteDance accepts it must comply with US law, the situation could progress rapidly. Any agreement would need Beijing's approval, with US-China relations expected to remain tense during Trump's upcoming term. This isn't the first attempt to resolve TikTok's US status. In 2020, Trump also threatened a ban unless ByteDance sold its US operations. While Oracle and Walmart reached a preliminary agreement with ByteDance for ownership stakes, legal challenges and the transition to the Biden administration prevented the deal's completion. arp/mlm
( MENAFN - ACN NewsWire) ASEAN Ceramics & ASEAN Stone 2024 Reaches New Heights with Record-Breaking Visitor Turnout - ASEAN Ceramics & Stone 2024 closes with an increase of 65% in visitorship, with unique buyers from 40 countries attending over the 3 days. - The event hosted 200 conference delegates, and tailored factory tours, manufacturer's gallery, hosted buyer program and seminar organized by Vietnam Building Ceramic Association (VIBCA). - ASEAN Ceramics & Stone establishes its position as the largest gathering for the ceramics and natural stone industries in Vietnam across the ASEAN region. HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM, Dec 18, 2024 - (ACN Newswire) - Messe München proudly announces the successful conclusion of ASEAN Ceramics & ASEAN Stone 2024 , the premier international trade fair for Machinery, Technology, and Materials for the Ceramics industry. Co-organized in partnership with the Vietnam Building Ceramic Association (VIBCA), the tradeshow drew in a global audience of over 3,500 industry professionals and hosted over 300 international companies and brands right at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre (SECC), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, into a vibrant hub of innovation. The event experienced exceptional success, featuring its largest-ever edition with an increase in exhibition space, and both attending exhibitors and visitors. The inclusion of country pavilions from Italy, Germany, China, India, Thailand and Vietnam added to the international diversity of the exhibitor profile, solidifying the exhibition as the ultimate platform for unveiling industry advancements and fostering collaborations among key players. The three-day event was buzzed with activities, including leading companies and brands showcasing the latest developments of raw ceramic materials, a world-class conference program featuring over 30 conference sessions and panel discussions focusing on solutions to the latest challenges faced by both ceramics and natural stone industry and the innovative strategies presented by industry leaders and experts. Other features include pre-event factory tours, buyer-seller programs, beer networking function and hosted buyer delegations from Thailand, India, Vietnam, and China. The Opening Ceremony, graced by Deputy Minister Mr. Nguyen Van Sinh from the Ministry of Construction in Vietnam, set the tone for the event. A total of 500 buyer-seller meetings occurred, connecting exhibitors with their potential buyers. The VIBCA seminar featured industry leaders from the local ceramic and building associations, sharing country projects and insights. The 2024 trade fair exhibitors include national and international industry giants from both the ceramics and stone industries – CERTECH Group, Esmalglass-Itaca (Vietnam), Puresil India, Minnovation Group, VITIS JSC, TQT, Imerys, Kyocera, Sedlecký Kaolin from the Ceramics industry, and Breton SpA, Fortune Stones, SIMEC SPA, Rithy Granite (Cambodia) Co., Ltd, The Square Stone, and Bao Lai Stone from the Stone industry. The exhibition shows featured international exhibitors from – [VF1] . The ACIMAC, Confindustria Marmomacchine, the Deutsche Keramische Gesellschaft (DKG), CCPIT, the Federation of Indian Export Organizations (FIEO), and the Thai Ceramic Society supported the exhibition with Italian, German, China, Indian and Thailand Pavilion respectively. The formation of international pavilions offered buyers, specifiers, and influencers the opportunity to source products, gain design inspiration, and expand their businesses with the latest innovations in materials, equipment, tools, and technology. Mr. Michael Wilton, CEO and Managing Director of MMI Asia, expressed during the exhibition,“ASEAN Ceramics has once again proved that it is the number one meeting place in Southeast Asia for the ceramics industry. ASEAN Ceramics has played its role, bringing these people together, and it enables the industry to innovate, collaborate, work together to further enhance the industry here in Southeast Asia. This edition is also special because we introduce a new segment, ASEAN Stone. ASEAN Stone is again bringing together the stone manufacturers, the stone producers, the quarries to further the technology, the advancement, the understanding of the industry here in Southeast Asia.” Plans for ASEAN Ceramics 2025 are already in progress for the next edition, scheduled to be held on October 15-17, 2025, at Hall 5, IMPACT Exhibition & Convention Centre, Bangkok, Thailand. ASEAN Stone exhibition will be continued in Hanoi in 2026. The remarkable gathering at ASEAN Ceramics and ASEAN Stone 2024 underscores the increasing demand for ceramic and natural stone machinery, technologies, and materials in the region. The event has set the stage for further advancements in the industries, playing a pivotal role in driving innovation, promoting investment, and facilitating knowledge exchange in the ceramic manufacturing sector. About Messe München As one of the world's leading trade fair organizers, Messe München presents the world of tomorrow at its about 90 trade fairs worldwide. These include twelve of the world's leading trade fairs such as bauma, BAU, IFAT, electronica, and ISPO. Messe München's portfolio comprises trade fairs for capital and consumer goods, as well as for new technologies. Together with its subsidiaries, it organizes trade fairs in China, India, Brazil, South Africa, Turkey, Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Thailand, and the U.S. With a network of more than 15 affiliated companies and almost 70 representations worldwide, Messe München is active in more than 130 countries. The more than 150 events held annually attract around 50,000 exhibitors and around three million visitors in Germany and abroad. About MMI Asia Pte Ltd Established in 1992, MMI Asia is the wholly owned subsidiary and the regional headquarters of Messe München GMBH (MMG) and is one of the world largest and leading exhibition organizers. MMI Asia's portfolio of events include editions of world-leading trade fairs from Munich – transport logistic & air cargo, analytica, ceramitec; as well as industry-specific events such as Glasstech and Fenestration Asia, Asia Climate Forum, and Singapore International Water Week. MMI Asia also provides consultancy in professional trade fair and conference management to government bodies, international trade and promotion organizations, and trade associations. For more information, please visit About Vietnam Building Ceramic Association (VIBCA) Vietnam Building Ceramic Association is a professional organization, non-governmental, voluntary, established under Decision No. 41/1999 / QD - BTCCBCP dated 04-10-1999 of the Minister, Head of the Organizing Committee Government personnel. Currently VIBCA includes around 100 members are enterprises of different economic sectors, operating mainly in the field of building ceramics, including the associate members are research institutions, investment consulting, manufacturing and mechanical engineering. VIBCA is a member of the Association of Asean Ceramics Industry CICA and intimate relationship with the Association Ceramics of countries in Asean and in the world. Contact: MMI Asia Pte. Ltd. Valerie Fang – 65 8498 5538 Marketing Executive ... Vietnam Building Ceramic Association Ms Vu Thi Kim Dung – 84 915114000 Chief of Foreign Affairs ... MENAFN17122024002725003249ID1109005170 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.Aspen Technology stock hits 52-week high at $249.94
Berry Global: Middle Innings Of A Turnaround (Rating Upgrade)OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is taking some time to reflect after Chrystia Freeland's bombshell resignation, the natural resources minister said on Tuesday. "The prime minister, as I understand it, a number of caucus colleagues have said that the prime minister has said that he will reflect on both the decision that minister Freeland made, but also what he's heard from members of his own caucus," Jonathan Wilkinson said. "I think we all need to give him a little time to reflect, and I respect that fact that he's going to take some time to reflect." Freeland quit as finance minister on Monday morning just hours before she was set to present the government's fall economic statement. That kicked off a day of turmoil on Parliament Hill that began with a morning cabinet meeting and wrapped with an evening meeting of the Liberal caucus, where some members called for Trudeau to step aside as party leader. That includes New Brunswick MP Wayne Long, one of 23 caucus members who signed a letter back in October calling for Trudeau to quit. "We certainly have more MPs than last time. So, if I had to guess how many more right now, I'd say we're probably at 40 to 50 right now," Long said. "But there's a lot more than that. I mean, this is so different than times before." The attempt to oust Trudeau earlier in the fall took up a great deal of oxygen on Parliament Hill, but ultimately failed to garner support from inside the cabinet. This time, Long said, at least five cabinet ministers believe it's time for a change at the top. "I certainly am one to say to my colleagues, to ministers in particular: 'Let's come out of the shadows,'" Long said. "Let's openly, once and for all, state how we feel and let's move forward with what we know has to happen." After the failed coup in October, Liberal MPs told reporters they believed Trudeau was taking time to reflect. But the very next day, he publicly stated his intention to stay on as leader at a press conference. The Liberals have faced three non-confidence votes in the House of Commons this fall and have struggled to advance legislation because of a filibuster on a Conservative privilege motion related to misspending at a now-defunct green technology fund. On Tuesday, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre once again called on NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh to topple the government, criticizing him for voting against the latest non-confidence motion last week. Poilievre said Canada needs a new prime minister because U.S. president-elect Donald Trump can smell weakness from a mile away and the Trudeau government is weak. Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet also said a new Parliament is needed "as soon as possible," and he wants to see an election called in January. Blanchet said Trudeau has lost the political, moral and ethical authority to govern. He said the election should happen as soon as possible in the new year because Canadians do not want a campaign over the holiday season. On Monday, Singh called for Trudeau to step down but did not make a firm comment on whether the NDP would declare non-confidence in the Liberal government. Instead, Singh said "all options are on the table." The NDP, which ended a formal supply-and-confidence agreement to support the Liberals in September, has since voted with the government on all three non-confidence motions. Singh has repeatedly said a Poilievre-led Conservative government would cut things New Democrats have fought for like dental care, pharmacare and other social programs. The Tories are also calling on the House of Commons trade committee to study the tariff threat between the week of Jan. 6 and Jan. 20, the date of Trump's inauguration. The House of Commons is expected to rise for the holiday break on Tuesday and return on January 27. In her resignation letter, Freeland said she's been at odds with Trudeau in the last few weeks over the government's fiscal priorities. She said the government should do away with costly "political gimmicks" and instead set money aside to deal with a potential tariff war with the U.S. Dominic LeBlanc was sworn in as the new finance minister Monday, minutes after the government's fall economic statement was released. The economic update shows the deficit has grown to nearly $62 billion, far beyond the $40-billion target Freeland set earlier this year. It includes $1.3 billion in new spending on measures to beef up the border in response to Trump's threat to impose 25 per cent tariff threats on Canadian goods. LeBlanc, who is also in charge of intergovernmental affairs and democratic institutions, says his main priority as finance minister will be to address affordability issues. He will also continue to oversee the public safety file, implementing new border measures, until Trudeau holds a broader cabinet shuffle. That's expected to happen soon in order to replace ministers who have announced they won't seek re-election. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 17, 2024. — With files from Nick Murray and Michel Saba David Baxter, The Canadian Press
Buffalo Common Council votes to approve Scanlon's amended ARPA spending plan; $19.2M now being used to fill budget gaps{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "NewsArticle", "dateCreated": "2024-12-17T21:54:31+02:00", "datePublished": "2024-12-17T21:54:31+02:00", "dateModified": "2024-12-17T21:54:29+02:00", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/22660/news/rwanda/rwandas-first-multiparty-politics-reflected-divisions-of-late-colonial-period", "headline": "Rwanda’s first multiparty politics reflected divisions of late colonial period", "description": "Rwanda’s colonial history is one marred with ambivalences. It is one of the worst socio-economic realities. Its philosophy was based on divide and...", "keywords": "", "inLanguage": "en", "mainEntityOfPage":{ "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/22660/news/rwanda/rwandas-first-multiparty-politics-reflected-divisions-of-late-colonial-period" }, "thumbnailUrl": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/thenewtimes/uploads/images/2024/12/17/66658.jpg", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/thenewtimes/uploads/images/2024/12/17/66658.jpg" }, "articleBody": "Rwanda’s colonial history is one marred with ambivalences. It is one of the worst socio-economic realities. Its philosophy was based on divide and rule. The indivisible Rwandan society, going by scientific parametres, had to be divided at any cost basing on concocted fallacies. It was to cost Rwandans so much. Political parties at the beginning lacked insight into real intentions of colonialism. In 1960, the transition from what PARMEHUTU called a feudal, colonialist and racist monarchy had become impossible. PARMEHUTU put forward the idea of two confederated regions, one for the Tutsi and the other for the Hutu. They drew examples from the Flemish and Walloons in Belgium. ALSO READ: A glance at socio-political chaos that followed Rudahigwa’s sudden death This was submitted to the United Nations and areas suitable for each group were proposed. To them, the Tutsi and the Hutu differed fundamentally. The advocates of two zones for each group centred on the idea that one group would be eliminated. The racial myth created by the colonialists for ulterior motives had gripped Rwandan politicians. This serialized narrative aimed at charting the objective history of Rwandans. Rwandans from time immemorial lived together intertwining and intermingling. Legend has it that Gihanga, the creator of Rwanda, crisscrossed the region and went up to Bunyabungo (in today’s DR Congo). Wherever he passed and lived he was welcome thanks to his civility and technological know-how. He would be given a daughter in marriage. ALSO READ: How circumstances overtook Kigeli V Ndahindurwa Gihanga was versed in metalwork, woodwork and pottery as well as in hunting, cattle rearing and fire making. He is believed to have had talents in leadership, technology and spirituality. Buhanga, in today’s Musanze District, is believed to have been the cradle of Rwanda nation-state. There he was with all the wives he got across his itinerary. Programmes for most political parties had similarities. The difference lay in internal autonomy and independence. UNAR party wanted independence from Belgian colonialists and with no strings attached. Internal autonomy which meant collaboration with Belgians was rejected. The other three parties wanted the democratization of the country first. Gitera saw independence as a witch hunt of whites. To him it was the same as bringing back supposed forced labour, exploitation and tyranny of the Tutsi. ALSO READ: Mutara III Rudahigwa became Belgian choice after Musinga’s disgrace Political parties began campaigns after the approval of the multiparty system. UNAR opposed colonialism. In the meeting of September 1959 held at Nyamirambo, its leaders discussed national unity, autonomy and independence. In the beginning, UNAR is said to have enjoyed success because of their political stand. This made most chiefs and sub-chiefs join the party. One R. Lemarchand, A French-American political scientist attributed UNAR’s success to nationalism, which united all Rwandans towards progress in all forms. In 1995 he was to write the book: “Rwanda: The Rationality of Genocide”. He will be of help in this series as we progress to project objective Rwandan history. UNAR met strong opposition from the trusteeship administration and to an extent the Catholic church. The Belgian colonial administration used all means to destabilize UNAR. Three influential chiefs in UNAR: M. Kayihura, P. Mungarulire and C. Rwangombwa were transferred maliciously. A pretext was hatched accusing them for having attended UNAR meeting when they were civil servants. The trusteeship administration sabotaged UNAR during campaigns. Bishops Bigirumwami and Perraudin are said to have warned Catholics against UNAR. UNAR thought that those who were not with them were against the country. By demanding immediate independence and breaking ties with the metropolitan power earned them being accused of collaboration with other African nationalists, hence their inclination to communism. Political party activities are yet in progress and more is to come as we move forward.", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter Ruti" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "The New Times", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/", "sameAs": ["https://www.facebook.com/TheNewTimesRwanda/","https://twitter.com/NewTimesRwanda","https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuZbZj6DF9zWXpdZVceDZkg"], "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "/theme_newtimes/images/logo.png", "width": 270, "height": 57 } }, "copyrightHolder": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "The New Times", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/" } }Anti-fraud efforts meet real-world test during ACA enrollment period
NEW CANAAN, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 23, 2024-- Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: BWFG), the parent company of Bankwell Bank, has announced board approval of a measure that will allow individual shareholder and director, Lawrence B. Seidman, to increase his position in the Company from a maximum of 9.9% to 14.99% of common stock. Mr. Seidman is the Manager of Seidman and Associates, LLC based in Parsippany, NJ. He has served on Bankwell’s board of directors since 2020. Christopher R. Gruseke, President and CEO of Bankwell, commented, “Larry has been a steadfast supporter of the Company’s strategic direction and growth initiatives. We look forward to our continued relationship.” Mr. Seidman added, “My decision to increase my position in Bankwell aligns with my long-term investment strategy to purchase undervalued publicly traded community banks and reflects my strong support for the management team and the Company’s promising outlook.” About Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. is the holding company for Bankwell Bank (“Bankwell”), a full-service commercial bank headquartered in New Canaan, CT. Bankwell offers its customers unmatched accessibility, expertise, and responsiveness through a range of commercial financing products including working capital lines of credit, SBA loans, acquisition loans, and commercial mortgages as well as treasury management and deposit services. More about Bankwell can be found at www.mybankwell.com . View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241223418285/en/ CONTACT: Courtney E. Sacchetti (203) 652-0166 KEYWORD: CONNECTICUT UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: BANKING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FINANCE SOURCE: Bankwell Financial Group, Inc Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/23/2024 03:41 PM/DISC: 12/23/2024 03:41 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241223418285/en