Vietnam halts planned eviction of center for bears
Mary Coyle ice cream to reopen in central Phoenix Top holiday drink recipes Sponsored Stories Associated PressHANOI, Vietnam (AP) – Vietnam has abandoned plans to evict a rescue center for bears from a national park, a move that follows pleas from western governments, U.S. senators and international celebrities to save the facility.Animals Asia Foundation, the Hong Kong-based animal welfare group running the center, had waged a public relations and social media campaign around the planned eviction that garnered it international attention. Construction begins on Chandler hospital expansion project “Our priority has been to rehabilitate these bears after their years of trauma from being locked up in small cages and milked for their bile,” Jill Robinson, the group’s founder and CEO, said in a statement Wednesday. “If we had been forced to relocate it would have had a terrible impact on their wellbeing.”The $2 million center, which sits inside a national park 70 kilometers (43 miles) north of the capital Hanoi, is home to 104 bears rescued from Asia’s bear bile trade. Bear bile is used in some traditional remedies in the region. The sanctuary has been in the park since 2005.In July, Vietnam’s military ordered the center to relocate citing vague national security concerns, but Animals Asia and others suspected business interests were behind the eviction order. The daughter of the park’s director, Do Dinh Tien, is one of four shareholders in a planned ecotourism project there. In September 2011 Tien asked the agriculture ministry to approve that project and two others. But Tien denies he has ever planned to evict the bears.Prime Minister Dung said in a statement late Tuesday that the center can stay and continue with a planned expansion, and that Tien will be “severely dealt with” if violations are discovered. Comments Share Former Arizona Rep. Don Shooter shows health improvement Animals Asia says there are about 2,400 bears living on bile farms in Vietnam, and more than 10,000 in neighboring China.In November, 10 conservation groups, several foreign embassies and U.S. politicians wrote to Prime Minister Dung urging him to not close the center. Seven Democratic U.S. representatives said in their letter that the military’s national-security claim was “questionable.”British comedians Stephen Fry and Ricky Gervais regularly tweeted to their millions of followers about the planned eviction. American actress Ali MacGraw visited the center late last year.Conservationists said the planned eviction was an example of how development pressures often trump conservation agendas in Vietnam, which has less than 1 percent of the world’s land but about 10 percent of its species. Vietnam’s poor enforcement of environmental laws is adding to international criticism of its ruling Communist Party, which faces scrutiny over its human rights record and its management of a faltering economy.(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) Bottoms up! Enjoy a cold one for International Beer Day Check your body, save your life Top Stories 5 things to look for when selecting an ophthalmologist
LenderLive Movers & Shakers 2014-05-28 Tory Barringer In its efforts to continue growing in the private-label segment, LenderLive Network Inc. announced the hiring of Stephen J. Kolimaga as VP of national sales for the company’s Outsource Services division.Working in his new position, Kolimaga is responsible for developing new private-label fulfillment relationships with banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions.Kolimaga brings nearly two decades of mortgage experience to LenderLive, having spent much of that time focused on private-label operations. Prior to joining the company, he was SVP of private-label and affinity relocation sales at Green Tree Servicing. He also previously served at PHH Corporation as SVP of private-label sales.LenderLive CEO Rick Seehausen explained Kolimaga’s experience will aid the company as it explores avenues to continue offering mortgage products even as per-loan profits sink.”The Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) most recent figures on per loan profitability were eye-opening for many banks and credit unions,” Seehausen said. “Small and mid-sized institutions are looking for ways to continue to offer both first and second-lien mortgage products, but to do it in a safer, variable cost fashion.”Steve’s deep understanding of the private-label process and his consultative sales approach will help LenderLive further expand in our key markets.” in Headlines, News, Origination, Secondary Market LenderLive Hires VP of National Sales for Outsource Services
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Go back to the e-newsletter >What’s old is new again as five storied hotels breathe new life into ghosts of architecture past. From Dutch monasteries and Malaysian mansions to an abandoned inn set in the rugged wilderness of Iceland, Design Hotels™ presents the upcycling pioneers eschewing the temptation to pave over the past in favour of building on heritage to create definitive hotels du jour.Macalister Mansion, Penang, MalaysiaOnce a British shipping port, Penang’s George Town is now a vibrant international metropolis. A UNESCO World Heritage site city, George Town strikes the balance between past and future, preserving its heritage as it evolves into a lively hub of both industry and tourism. And it is this balance that the eight-room Macalister Mansion so aptly captures, infusing a 100-year-old landmark colonial mansion with its unique brand of quirky sophistication. Originals Dato Sean and Datin Karen – proud Penangites themselves – worked with Colin Seah of Singapore’s renowned Ministry of Design to re-imagine the heritage elements of the private house while adding modern-day amenities and contemporary design touches.ION Luxury Adventure Hotel, Selfoss, IcelandIn Selfoss, an hour out of Reykjavik, set against the wild backdrop of the Icelandic landscape, an abandoned inn turned luxury hotel sits in all its rugged glory. Once the humble dwellings for workers of the nearby Nesjavellir Geothermal Power Plant, ION Luxury Adventure Hotel was acquired in 2011 and trusted to the care of Santa Monica-based design studio Minarc for the mother of all transformations. A new wing was added, using a prefabricated panelized system, which exceeds environmentally safe building standards. Inside, 45 rooms and public spaces are defined by the use of the original austere concrete, accented by locally salvaged driftwood. Keeping community ties at the forefront of the hotel’s concept, local farmers act as hiking guides, offering tours of a region packed full of folklore and stories, tying ION’S past to its present and future.Kruisherenhotel Maastricht, NetherlandsLocated in the city centre of Maastricht, roughly 200 kilometres southeast of Amsterdam, a renovated 15th century monastery of the ‘Crutched Friars’ houses the 60-room Kruisherenhotel Maastricht. Uninhabited since 1979, the Gothic exterior now plays host to a sleek, modernist interior. Early last century, Victor de Stuers and architect Cuypers sought to restore the cluster of buildings which had fallen into disrepair. Following major renovations, the buildings became the National Agricultural Research Station until the 1980s, when the empty building quickly became rundown again. Late in 2000, Camille Oostwegel took the initiative to save this unique property from ruin. Large-scale renovations were set in motion and the building has been transformed into a luxurious, contemporary design hotel, engrained with a deep respect for its storied past.The QVEST, Cologne, GermanyWith its provocative blend of Gothic design motifs – think vaulted ceilings, stone staircases, high window arches and solid columns – and 20th Century design classics from the likes of Gropius, Eames and van der Rohe; The QVEST Hideaway Hotel is the complete antithesis of the monotonous post-war architecture that punctuates the historic heart of Cologne. Within two years, owner and Original Michael Kaune (who also publishes QVEST magazine) transformed the former city archive building from 1897 into a 34-room urban retreat. No two rooms are the same, ranging from a cozy 8-sqm alcove under the roof to a majestic suite boasting a hand-painted ceiling frieze from 1390 – the oldest surviving example of its kind in the city – and views over the quiet square with plane trees. Kaune’s curated collection of mid-century and Bauhaus furniture has been collected over many decades and is displayed alongside hand-picked pieces of contemporary art (partly taken from his own neighboring gallery “Kaune Contemporary”), seamlessly marrying old and new in this historic landmark.Vertigo Hotel, Dijon, FranceBuilt in the popular Parisian style of the late 1800s, the Hausmann-esque building was constructed on Place Darcy, one of Dijon’s most beautiful squares. Named “Hôtel de la Cloche”, the owner Edmond Goisset opened his new luxury hotel in the very heart of “modern” Dijon. Having exchanged hands in 1902, the next owner Louis Gorges brought the hotel to a new level of fame, attracting a number of internationally celebrated artists such as Joan Baez, Joe Cocker, and Jean Reno to its doors. After careful restoration, the Vertigo Hotel is ready to reclaim its mantle as Dijon’s premier address. Staunchly proud of its roots, works from French designers grace the 42 rooms and guest areas, including “Nuage” lighting by Hervé Langlais, and “Circles” coffee tables by Maria Jeglinska. The sleek retro bar pays homage to Burgundy’s most famous export, with a carefully curated wine list showcasing the region’s very best vintages.Go back to the e-newsletter >