Canada: More than a third of Toronto’s police officers earned $100,000 in 2013
Police wages continued to rise in 2013 thanks to a contract deal reached in 2011 under Mayor Rob Ford.
Nearly 40 per cent of all members of the Toronto police earned more than $100,000 in 2013. ...
Councillor Adam Vaughan blamed Mayor Rob Ford for wage hikes that continued into 2014, thanks to a contract deal reached in 2011 for four years.
“He literally capitulated and gave them the richest contract that’s ever been handed out in the history of the city. …
Toronto Star
Australia: Gambler who lost $550,000 sues, saying casino let him play drunk
How drunk is too drunk to gamble?
A Southern California man has sued a Las Vegas casino after he lost $US500,000 ($551,268) on blackjack and pai gow over Super Bowl weekend, contending he shouldn’t be responsible for his losses because he was blackout drunk.
In the lawsuit, Mark Johnston, 52, of Ventura, accuses the Downtown Grand casino of plying him with drinks and lending him money so he could keep playing. …
Sydney Morning Herald
Italy: Dalai Lama names Italian surgeon ‘Unsung Hero of Compassion’
The Dalai Lama on Friday gave an Italian plastic surgeon the ‘Unsung Hero of Compassion 2014’ award for his humanitarian efforts to help victims with birth defects or who were permanently scarred. ...
ANSA
Bangladesh: Drug trade booms in Dhaka prison
65 percent of inmates found to be drug traffickers, addicts
The Dhaka Central Jail has become a safe haven for drug trade, thanks to a nexus between a section of prison officials and inmates.
Drugs like heroin, Yaba and cannabis are all available inside the jail if one has the connections and money. And the business is booming, as a large number of its inmates are accused or convicted in drug-related cases. ...
The Daily Star
Indonesia: African-American step-dancing meets Balinese ‘kecak’
Sanggar Cudamani is rehearsing a new dance in Pengosekan, but the drums and gongs in the group’s thatch-roofed pavilion are silent.
The percussive beats that pulsate in the balmy night air are not made by musical instruments. The dancers generate the complex interlocking rhythms with their bodies and voices.
“Imagine taking away a drummer’s drums and putting the sound in your body instead,” says Khalid Freeman, an American dancer working with Cudamani in Bali while on break from his international tour with Cirque du Soleil. …
Jakarta Post
Libya: Opinion: International Women’s Day in Libya – A foreign perspective
Having arrived in Libya over 18 months ago, my overwhelming first impression was how “male” Libyan society appeared to be, both at an expat and national level. It took some time for me to peel back the veneer of the male dominated social sphere and meet the hidden half of the population.
Libyan female society, perhaps understandably following a 42 year dictatorship, struck me as somewhat reserved and even as a Muslim woman, I found it difficult to meet and form meaningful bonds with Libyan women.
I am fortunate enough to work with several strong and creative women who afford me a wonderful insight into female society here. I am indebted to them for their kindness in familiarising and inducting me into their world. ...
Libya Herald
Africa: Facebook to Connect Africa Through Drones
Facebook is said to be in talks with a manufacturer of unmanned aerial vehicles that can lead to the manufacture of 11,000 drones to connect Africa with the Internet. ...
CIO East Africa via All Africa
*Image of police officers in Toronto, Canada via Shutterstock
