TRANSVIEW MAGAZINE

Tuesday, 13 March 2018

'Shambles' as millennial railcard site crashes

The launch of the new "millennial railcard" has been described as a "shambles" after the website for purchases crashed.

The card, which gives discounted rail travel to passengers aged 26 to 30, was announced by Philip Hammond in his Budget speech in November.

Although 4.5 million people could benefit, just 10,000 railcards are being offered on a first come, first served basis - meaning only about one in 500 people in this age range will have one.

Demand for the railcard has been high since it went on sale on Tuesday morning, with the official website crashing under the strain.

A spokesman for Railcard.co.uk said: "We've had an unprecedented number of people visiting our site for the 26-30 Railcard.

"Please bear with us, we've got the whole team working on it and hope we can have it back up shortly."

Many passengers have expressed their frustration on social media at being unable to buy the cards.

Emily Thomas, from London, wrote: "Getting a 26-30 railcard is worse than getting a Glastonbury ticket. Sort out your website to make it fair!"

In a message to the National Railcards Twitter account at 7.48am, youth worker Josh Booth, from Leeds, posted: "Been trying to get 26-30 railcard since 7am, your website crashing and been on hold on the phone since then."

Tom Drury, from London, wrote: "The launch of the new railcard is a shambles.he limited number of railcards are being made available as part of a trial which is designed to assess the take-up of cards and the impact they have on revenue and passenger numbers.

Valid for one year and costing £30, the railcards are digital only and stored in an app on the user's phone.

The card is aimed at leisure travel, and will not be applicable to season tickets. There will be a £12 minimum on tickets between 4.30am and 10am, excluding weekends and public holidays.

The first trial of the scheme was on Greater Anglia services.

An RDG spokesman said: "The trial of the 26-30 Railcard is part of the rail industry's long-term plan to change, improve and boost communities by enabling more people to travel by train.

"Research being gathered as part of the 26-30 Railcard trial is being used to inform discussions with the Government about a national roll-out, and to develop new products that make leisure travel easier and better value for customers."

Currently, people aged 16-25 can buy a railcard to get a third off their fares, as well as couples in a Two Together scheme, or families in a group card.

The majority of people would not be able to get additional discounts between the age of 25 and 60, when a senior railcard kicks in.

Moscow Students Accuse FIFA of Ignoring World Cup Fan Zone Protests

Sergey Bobylev / TASS

Students at a prestigious Moscow university have accused the world football governing body FIFA of ignoring their appeals against a 2018 World Cup fan zone near their campus that they say will severely disrupt academic life.

Russia will host this summer’s tournament in 11 cities featuring specially designated “FIFA Fan Fest” venues. Moscow State University students have expressed anger over the organizers’ plans to set up a 40,000-capacity fan zone near their university and criticized the university administration for ignoring their pleas.
Read More

Russian Students Face Eviction During World Cup to House Security Forces

An organized group of students and employees from Moscow State University said Monday that FIFA had failed to reply to two appeals against the fan zone filed in the past year.

Students said their protests were met with “misinformation and intimidation” from the university administration after attempts to reach out to the rector over their concerns.

“Perhaps FIFA is ignoring the problem in the interests of their sponsors, who need good visuals for television coverage,” the action group wrote in an online statement received by The Moscow Times.

In their letter, the group cites noise and security concerns “that will have a severe, negative effect on the university’s educational and research activities,” including shortened exam sessions and a collapse in transport infrastructure.

In an interview with the Kommersant business daily on Monday, action group member Artyom Yegorov said that the students planned future protests against the fan zones.

“We’re going to go further, to officials who have the authority to move the fan zone from the walls of Moscow State University,” Yegorov was cited as saying.

The student activists have reached out for help from the international community in the hopes that “a public uproar in the international student, academic and football communities will help reach” FIFA.

Deadline set for Russia as PM says it is 'highly likely' behind Salisbury poisoning

Russia must give a reason for the nerve agent it developed in the 1970s being used on British soil - or face action, the Prime Minister has warned.

Theresa May addressed the House of Commons about the poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury on Sunday 4 March.

Mrs May confirmed the pair had been hit with Novichok, which refers to a string of chemical weapons developed in Russia from the 1970s onwards, and said it was "highly likely" Russia was involved.

:: Novichok nerve agent: What exactly is it?

She said: "Based on the positive identification of this chemical agent by world-leading experts at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down; our knowledge that Russia has previously produced this agent and would still be capable of doing so; Russia's record of conducting state-sponsored assassinations; and our assessment that Russia views some defectors as legitimate targets for assassinations; the Government has concluded that it is highly likely that Russia was responsible for the act against Sergei and Yulia Skripal."

Mrs May said the substance must either have been used in a state attack, or have got into the hands of an individual, in which case Russia had "lost control" of the agent.

:: Poisoned spy's friend: He was lonely after his son and wife died

She added: "The Foreign Secretary has summoned the Russian Ambassador to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and asked him to explain which of these two possibilities it is - and therefore to account for how this Russian-produced nerve agent could have been deployed in Salisbury against Mr Skripal and his daughter.

"My Right Honourable Friend has stated to the Ambassador that the Russian Federation must immediately provide full and complete disclosure of the Novichok programme to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

"And he has requested the Russian Government's response by the end of tomorrow."

:: Spy poisoning: Diners told to wash possessions but health bosses insist risk 'very low'

The response by Russia will be considered on Wednesday, when Mrs May will give a statement on the range of options available.

Before Mrs May had left the chamber, the Russian Foreign Ministry had called her speech a "circus show" and said it was a provocation.

Since the Commons address, Home Secretary Amber Rudd has confirmed she will chair a Cobra meeting at 11.30am on Tuesday, following a Cabinet meeting.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn came under fire from his own benches after his response to Mrs May's address.His Labour colleague Mike Gapes notably declared "all MPs must stand together", as he branded the poisoning "an act of terrorism".

In Salisbury, a Sainsbury's car park close to the bench where the pair were found collapsed on 4 March was cordoned off, with reports from shoppers that a car was to be removed.

Boards were erected to prevent the public seeing into the area.

Six miles away, in Winterslow, a vehicle recovery van was removed by police. It is believed to be one used to remove Mr Skripal's BMW a number of days ago.

:: What can Theresa May do about Russia?

Tensions are high in Salisbury, where many feel they are not being given enough information quickly enough to understand what is going on. Officials have said there is low concern for public health.

Alexey Navalny, leader of the opposition in Russia, who is banned from standing against Vladimir Putin, tweeted: "What British sanctions in response to the (attempted) murder of Skripalja (if Russia's involvement is proved) would be very effective and supported by public opinion within Russia?

"The answer consists of three surnames: Abramovich, Usmanov, Shuvalov."

The White House responded by calling the attack an "outrage", while Downing Street revealed Mrs May had spoken to Emmanuel Macron on Monday night, and he condemned the attack.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said: "We have full confidence in the UK's investigation and its assessment that Russia was likely responsible for the nerve agent attack that took place in Salisbury last week.

"Those responsible - both those who committed the crime and those who ordered it - must face appropriately serious consequences.

"We stand in solidarity with our allies in the United Kingdom and will continue to co-ordinate closely our responses."

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said: "The use of any nerve agent is horrendous and completely unacceptable.

"The UK is a highly valued ally, and this incident is of great concern to NATO."

Firefighter, journalist among helicopter victims

A firefighter, a journalist and an Argentinian tourist were among five people killed when a helicopter went down in a New York City river.

The pilot of the Eurocopter AS350 was the sole survivor of Sunday evening's crash in the East River off Manhattan.

Despite the efforts of divers to free the people in difficult currents and very cold water, two passengers died at the scene and three died later in hospital.

Among the dead were Dallas firefighter Brian McDaniel and his friend, journalist Trevor Cadigan, both 26.

Mr McDaniel had been with the Dallas Fire-Rescue Department since May 2016 because he "wanted to help people", according to childhood friend Cole Collins, also from Dallas.

Mr Collins said: "He didn't care about being a flashy person or making a lot of money, he loved his family and friends and this city."

Mr Cadigan was a video journalist from Dallas but had recently moved to New York, where he had just finished an internship with news website Business Insider.

They said in a statement: "He was a smart, talented, and ambitious young journalist and producer who was well-liked and made a big contribution."

Carla Vallejos Blanco, 29, was a tourist from Argentina, who had been in the city just a few days with a friend who was not on the flight.

She had a degree in advertising and was from the province of Corrientes, Argentinian media said.

Tristan Hill was 29 and engaged to be married.

He had previously been a basketball operations assistant with the Westchester Knicks, a Development League affiliate of the New York Kniche team described him as someone who "brightened every room he entered, with a contagious smile and an unparalleled enthusiasm for life".

Mr Hill's brother Brendan told the New York Post: "He was an incredible human being.

"He always took time to listen to what you had to say. He was just a very good man."

The fifth victim was Daniel Thompson, 34.

The helicopter's pilot Richard Vance, a 33-year-old with seven years' flying experience, was able to free himself from the crashed aircraft before being picked up by a passing tugboat.

According to The Associated Press, he told authorities that a passenger's bag may have hit an emergency fuel shutoff switch in the moments before the helicopter went down.

Mr Vance is yet to be interviewed by the National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the crash.

Meanwhile, a recording has emerged of the mayday call made by Mr Vance, where there appears to be a delay before the receiver of his call realises the gravity of the situation.

NTSB member Bella Dinh-Zarr said investigators would look at whether there were problems with the helicopter's six emergency floats or the passengers' harnesses.

They also hope to find and examine passengers' phones and cameras.

Buhari’s minister Dalung accuses APC governor of corruption, deceit

The crisis rocking the ruling party All Progressives Congress (APC) is yet to abate as the minister of youth and sports development, Solomon Dalung, accused an Governor Simon Lalong of Plateu of mismanagement, corruption and deceit.

The party is faced with separate crises in many states, including the ones it governs.

Dalung, accused the Plateau state government of mismanaging over $2 billion loan collected.

According to the minister, the APC administration in Plateau was not prudent in managing resources.

“Where is the $2 billion loan collected from African Development Bank for potatoes processing factory payable in 25 years? Where is the factory located?

"Or where is the money kept and whose account? Why did the state government keep the issue of the loan secret?” the minister said in a statement he personally signed in response to an attack on him by the APC chairman in the state.

Dalung was not done. He also accused the state government of mismanaging local government funds.

“What is happening to LG funds? What is happening to 5 per cent meant for the traditional council?”

The minister also accused Lalong administration of lying about the security situation in the state; and of deceiving President Muhammadu Buhari.

”And if peace has returned to Plateau, why was the LG elections suspended because of security concerns? Is it not true that Governor Jang constructed all the roads in Jos and Bukuru metropolis except for state low cost -Do.ng road?

"You were present when former President Goodluck commissioned Federal Secretariat bridge, why did Governor Lalong mislead the president to recommission it again?”he said.

President Buhari was in Plateau state last Thursday, March 8, as part of his visit to violence-ravaged states.

Scores of people have been killed in ethnic-related violence in Plateau, mainly between nomadic herdsmen and farming communities. Over a dozen people were killed in the state even on the days the president visited.

A day after the president’s visit, the minister accused Governor Lalong of side-lining him from the visit. He said he was not officially informed of the visit by the state government, despite being a minister from the state; and that even when he attended a reception organised for the president, he was not allowed to speak.

He also accused the governor of playing to the gallery by renaming a road, formerly named after a former military ruler, after Buhari.

“Another disaster of the president’s visit was the renaming of Yakubu Gowon way to Muhammadu Buhari way. To say the least, it is embarrassing,” the minister said in an interview he posted on his Facebook page.

“Gowon was the president’s boss, how can he be stripped of a 40-year privilege and honour in his home state? This is the worst thing that can happen to a man like the elder statesman. I believe that General Gowon is feeling betrayed and abandoned by his own people.”

In response to the minster’s outburst, the APC chairman in Plateau, Latep Dabang, criticised the minister, describing him as a mad man.

The chairman accused the minister of working against the party in the state.

In his response on Monday, the minister thanked Dabang “for speaking your minds even though uninformed about the facts.”

“Let me appreciate the chairman of my party, Latep Dabang, for referring to me as a mad man. Of course he is free to his opinions but certainly not correct too.”

“I am of a sound mind because mad people do not possess capacities to raise weighty issues.”

According to Dalung, the APC chairman was frustrated.

“I can understand the problems confronting my friend and brother, Latep Dabang. His mentor has left the party, so things are falling apart, the centre can no longer hold.”

Taking a swipe at Governor Lalong, Dalung said the governor ”never heed to his (Dalung) wise counsel”.

“For Governor Lalong, I honestly have respect for him because he is my leader. I have given him series of advice and will continue to do even though he has not taken any,” he said.

He said he was not ”eyeing Lalong’s office in the 2019 governorship elections”.

“The Governor should realise where we are coming from and save the state from further drifting into chaos. I have been quite supportive to the governor and his administration despite his repeated turning down of advice. I am concerned about the state and do not have any political ambition.”

Our workforce is dominated by non-indigenes - Northern group cries out

The coalition of northern groups has kickstarted a campaign to end perceived dominance of non-natives in the state's workforce. It claimed that over 70 percent of jobs in Kano go to non-indigenes.

In his conversation with newsmen in Kano on Monday, March 12, the Kano coordinator of the groups, Sani Salihu, said: “All the available jobs in all federal parastatals and agencies, including some state-owned agencies, are dominated by non-indigenes at the expense of employable people of Kano”.

He stated clearly that the deliberate refusal to comply with the federal character provision would no longer be tolerated, warning that “it must be reversed.”

Salihu said: "The groups would initiate series of actions and campaigns, allowable by the law, to ensure that indigenes of Kano State enjoy, as of right, no less than 70 percent job opportunities in all private businesses, financial institution and banks located in the state.”

He also remarked: “We shall liaise with traditional rulers in the state and mobilise the Ulamah and the civil society for a vigorous campaign to achieve this.”

Salihu added: "The groups would sponsor a bill for the enforcement of observance of the federal character principles by all private businesses, financial institutions and banks located in the state."

Meanwhile the Emir of Kano, Mohammed Sanusi Lamido II had challenged leaders to stand up, initiate and force changes that would better the lives of the common man and stop living in a system that kept them permanently backward in all aspect of human endeavour.

Our source also gathered that the Emir speaking at the convocation lecture for the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th combined convocation ceremony of the Gombe State University (GSU) stressed that ignorance and poverty must be addressed before making progress.

Mauritian Govt.Approves Equivalent of #92,520.As New Minimum Wage

The Mauritian government has approved a new minimum wage package totaling 9,000 Mauritian rupees per month (US$257) from next year.‎

The new minimum wage package which is equivalent to N92,520, was approved after years of campaigning by trade unions in Mauritius.

The new wage package announced in parliament is Rs 8,140 (US$232), but various compensation payments by the government or the Mauritius Revenue Authority will mean that workers will earn a total of Rs 9,000 (US$257).

The labour minister for Mauritius, Soodesh Callichurn, assured workers that for 2019, employees will not be paid less than 9,000 rupees. He said the new minimum wage package will benefit around 120,000 workers in the country.

The labour unions said the wage increase will benefit many workers, particularly those in the textile sector, some of whom were averaging only RS 4,000 (US$114) a month,

The unions estimate that 90% of workers in the Mauritian textile and garment industry are women and that conditions are tough and many need to stand all day while they work.

They said once the new minimum wage comes into effect, these garment workers will be paid RS 9,000 for a 45-hour week, meaning they will no longer have to work such long hours to scrape a living.

However, the new minimum wage package still below what trade unions judge to be a living wage, calculated at around RS 14,500 (US$414) in 2014.

Meanwhile, the minister for labour and productivity, Chris Ngige, on Monday, March 5, assured Nigerian workers that implementation of a new minimum wage in the country would be done.

He said the committee set up for that purpose by the federal government had already started work.

Ngige gave the assurance while speaking with journalists shortly after witnessing the swearing in of newly-elected chairmen of the 18 local government councils in Edo at the Government House, Benin.

The minister said that the minimum wage review committee, with him as deputy chairman, would submit final report in the third quarter of the year to the National Assembly for due consideration.

EFCC grills former governor of Borno state

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, March 12, questioned the former governor of Borno state and ex-chairman of the Peoples Democratic Part (PDP) for hours over an undisclosed issue.

EFCC’s spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed that the ex-PDP chairman was in its office earlier today to honour an invitation sent to him.

Uwujaren, however, did not disclose the reason why the former PDP chairman was grilled for hours although an anonymous source in the agency claimed it has something to do with fraud.

Recall that Sheriff was once arrested by the anti-graft agency in June 2015 over alleged embezzlement of public funds during his tenure as Kogi state governor.

Sheriff's government allegedly mismanaged the sum of N300billion received from the Federation Account between 2003 and 2011.

Meanwhile the EFCC on Monday, March 5, re-arraigned a former governor of Oyo state Adebayo Alao-Akala and two others in an Oyo state high court sitting in Ibadan over alleged N11.5 billion fraud.

The other defendants are a former Oyo state commissioner for local government and chieftaincy matters, Senator Hosea Agboola, and an Ibadan-based businessman, Femi Babalola.

The defendants are facing an 11-count charge of conspiracy, awarding contract without budgetary provision, obtaining by false pretence, acquiring property with money derived from illegal act and concealing the ownership of such property, among others.