Foreign adoption ‘second to home care’

Russia has 130,000 orphaned children. The domestic adoptions last year numbered about 70,000. In 2014, the number of orphans in institutional care should go down to 30,000.

Russia’s adoption support programme is likely to cost some 40bln roubles a year. Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets gave the figures to President Putin at a meeting in Moscow Wednesday. He said adoption at home must go way before foreign adoption of Russian orphans. In December, the President signed a decree to encourage adoption of Russian orphans by Russian couples. US Ambassador not to discuss orphans in Duma, The US Ambassador to Moscow Michael McFaul will not come to Russia’s State Duma where he was invited to discuss the situation with Russian orphans abused in the US, the Embassy told reporters Wednesday. Moscow to probe same-sex US adoption of Russian kid, Russia’s Foreign Ministry and investigators will probe a same-sex US adoption of Russian orphan Egor Shatabalov, Russia’s human rights ombudsman Konstantin Dolgov said Wednesday. In 2007, a court in Russia’s Kemerovo ruled to give the child to Marcia Ann Brandt of the US who at that time lived in the same-sex marriage with Beth Chapman but concealed the fact. Russia believes this could psychologically damage the boy as well as violates Russia’s Family Code which defines a family as a marriage between a man and a woman. US has worst adoption record from Russia - Astakhov, Russian children’s rights ombudsman Pavel Astakhov has said the United States has shown the highest rate of abuse against adopted Russian orphans. “No other country has recorded so many cases of deaths and violence against our children,” Mr. Astakhov said Wednesday in response to a question from an American journalist. The ombudsman added the rate of Russian children given up for adoption by Americans has approached that of Italy, France and Spain, but none of the latter has shown so much reluctance in tightening control and providing information about the foster children. Russian social care moves to repatriate orphaned Maxim Kuzmin’s brother, Social care officials from Russia’s Pskov region have moved to repeal the adoption of Kirill Kuzmin, the younger brother of the murdered Maxim Kuzmin, who died while living with an American foster family in the United States. They said there were sufficient legal grounds to take the boy from his American adoptive parents, citing charges of child abuse, among others. According to the plaintiffs, death of one of the siblings meant that his living brother could be repatriated. Voice of Russia, RIA, TASS, Source: Voice of Russia

Read More........ → March 26, 2013

New Lamborghini Veneno Leaked, It's a $4.7 Million V12 Special

This is it; the new special supercar that Lamborghini promised to reveal at the Geneva Motor Show on March 5 to celebrate its 50th anniversary, and which we rightly assumed was pictured in a single teaser image we found on Facebook this weekend. These print screens are real and at least one of them was sourced from The Sunday Timesnewspaper, which also had an online article that was swiftly removed. The new Lamborghini hypercar is named the Veneno, said to mean "poison" in Spanish. It is built on the
carbon-fibre monocoque chassis ofthe Aventador LP700-4, using an upgraded version of the latter's 6.5-liter naturally-aspirated V12 that produces 740hp instead of 700-horses, and can hit a top speed of 220mph (354km/h). Power is transmitted to all-four wheels via a 7-speed robotized manual gearbox. The newspaper report says that Lamborghini has put a price tag of £3.1 million on the Veneno, which is equal to US$4.7
million or €3.6 million, but before you prepare to sell your house, kidneys and your grand-children's future, you may want to know that the Italian carmaker has already sold all three cars…Update I: A new official photo has been added to the gallery - via Automonthly - Thanks Bruno!Update II: We just added a high-resolution version of the official picture Update III: Another set of images hit the web, this time from Autoforum - Hat tip to Martin!, Source: Carscoops

Read More........ → March 04, 2013

Blackberrys’ looking at adding more EBOs

With the target of touching Rs 630 crores this year, men’s formal and casual wear label Blackberrys from Mohan Clothing Company plans to perk up its EBO presence by launching 10 more outlets by this year-end. “Apart from increasing our store count from 150 to 160 by end of 2012, we are adding to our MBOs in the south and exploring export opportunities. We are currently present in 800 MBOs and large formats like Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle and Central,” explains Yogesh Tiwari, Vice President Sales & Marketing, Mohan Clothing Company. Established in 1991, Blackberrys is a leading Indian men’s wear brand. Over the years, it has established itself as the manufacturer of trousers, suits and jackets, gradually completing the wardrobe look with shirts and accessories. “The model is based on a design conscious product delivery system with a strong back-up of global and local sourcing. Catering to the self assured and confident youth, we stand for innovations in product and have created a strong image of ‘sharp edged clothing’, says Tiwari, adding, “Blackberrys is equipped with the latest manufacturing facility in three factories. The 22,000 sq. ft. plant has been especially designed for manufacturing suits and jackets. Our aim is to delight the fashion forward customer with great style and care teamed with speed and innovation.” The brand works on the philosophy of offering garments with a fashion twist making it different others in the market. Therefore, they have a small percentage of basic products. Today, 80 per cent of our shirts are in slim fits which is in vogue and is being consumed voraciously by the customers. “To put a figure we are at about 90 per cent fashion and approximately 10 per cent regular.” Brand’s A/W 12 range includes a wide range of jackets, coats, tuxedos, shirts, trousers in niche looks. Woven from imported fabrics from Turkey, Germany, Italy and Korea the warmth and feel would give customer a chance to be the trendsetter of the season. The trouser shades are in mustard, green, blue and red. Elaborating on the product offerings, Tiwari states, “We approach our offerings not category wise (i.e. how quintessentially other players do – shirts, trousers, suits etc) but through the window of usage occasion in the day of a customer. Thus, the Blackberrys wardrobe includes dress line trousers, khakis, shirts, suits and jackets. We are also planning to introduce the casual or sports line in a dressed-up manner with accessories matching the look like stoles, scarves and bow ties.” Commenting on the industry prospects, Tiwari sums up saying, “The industry outlook is definitely on the upswing. A brand needs just a million plus customers to reach Rs 500 crores turnover. If you add one lakh customers, you will grow 20 per cent on value. The consuming class in our kind of segment is huge and consumers are moving up. So the problem will be escalation of demand, if we are able to handle that, I don’t see any other issue.”Source: Fashion United

Read More........ → January 01, 2013