Latest news with #compensation
Malay Mail
an hour ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Facing public anger, China boosts payouts for flood-hit areas and includes livestock in new compensation rules
BEIJING, June 28 — China has expanded the economic safeguards for segments of its population affected by flood control schemes in times of extreme rainfall, including pledges of direct compensation from the central government and payments for livestock losses. In China, diverting flood-waters to areas next to rivers is a major step in managing downstream flooding. As extreme rainfall grows in frequency, China is increasingly utilising such areas, some of which have been unused until now and have been populated by farms, croplands and even residential buildings, stoking social tensions. According to revised rules on compensation related to flood diversions released late on Friday, the central government will now bear 70 per cent of all compensation funds, with local governments responsible for the rest. Previously, the ratio was to be decided based on actual economic losses and the fiscal situation of local governments. Livestock and poultry that cannot be relocated in time before the arrival of diverted flood-waters will also be included in the compensation scheme for the first time. Previously, only the loss of working animals could be claimed for compensation. In the summer of 2023, almost 1 million people in Hebei, a province on the doorstep of Beijing, were relocated after record rain forced authorities to divert water from swollen rivers to some populated areas for storage, triggering anger over the homes and farms sacrificed to save the Chinese capital. China currently has 98 designated flood diversion areas spanning major river basins including the Yangtze River basin, home to a third of the country's population. During the 2023 Hebei floods, eight flood storage areas were used. Since the start of the East Asia monsoon in early June, precipitation in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze has been up to two times higher than usual, officials from the China Meterological Administration told reporters on Friday. In other parts of China, daily rainfall measured by 30 meteorological stations in provinces such as Hubei and Guizhou broke records for the month of June, they said. Guizhou was the focal point of China's flood alleviation efforts this week, with one of its cities hit by flooding on a scale that meteorologists said could only happen once in 50 years, and at a speed that shocked its 300,000 residents. That prompted Beijing to issue pledges on Thursday to move vulnerable populations and industries to low-flood areas and allocate more space for flood diversion. — Reuters
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Former police chief, CAO among Winnipeg's top paid city employees last year
Winnipeg's police chief and top bureaucrat remained among the city's highest paid civil servants in 2024, despite leaving their positions midway through the year. The police chief received $498,841 in 2024, according to the city's annual compensation disclosure published Friday. The figure — which may include any combination of salary and other forms of compensation — would be almost $200,000 higher than what the city paid for the same position a year previous. Danny Smyth retired from the role on Sept. 3, 2024. He'd been the highest-paid civil servant in 2023, when he was compensated $305,874. The disclosures may include compensation in the form of taxable benefits, overtime, retroactive pay adjustments, retirement allowance, sick pay cash out, vacation pay cash out, back pay and severance pay. Before retiring, Smyth had served seven years as chief and had been with the Winnipeg police service for more than 38 years. Smyth's predecessor, Devon Clunis, received $368,883 in compensation in 2016, his last year as police chief. He'd been with the service for 29 years. Only ranks of police officers are shown on the annual disclosure. A "chief of police" also claimed the No. 4 spot in 2024 with $312,419 in compensation. Art Stannard took over from Smyth as acting chief before Gene Bowers took on the job permanently this March. CAO Jack 3rd highest-paid civil servant in 2024 Michael Jack, who resigned last June from his role as the city's chief administrative officer, was the third highest-paid civil servant with $410,769 in compensation. Jack's resignation came a week after an audit of the city's workforce found gaps in how the city reviewed staff performance, saying there was "limited accountability" in how it documented whether leaders were meeting key goals. He had the second-highest compensation out of civil servants in 2023, receiving $287,782. Sherwood Armbruster — who took over as interim CAO in June — received $222,731 in 2024. Joseph Dunford, the provincial deputy minister of public service delivery, is set to take over the role permanently on Aug. 4. The disclosures include all civic employees who make $85,000 or more. About 4,200 made the latest list. Others in the top 10 include human resources director Angie Cusson, Moira Geer who served as deputy CAO, fire chief Christian Schmidt, and four unnamed police officers: a superintendent, a sergeant and two deputy chiefs. Mayor Scott Gillingham was No. 21 on the list with $223,338.
Al Arabiya
2 hours ago
- Business
- Al Arabiya
Flood-hit China expands social security net as extreme rain takes toll
China has expanded the economic safeguards for segments of its population affected by flood control schemes in times of extreme rainfall, including pledges of direct compensation from the central government and payments for livestock losses. In China, diverting flood-waters to areas next to rivers is a major step in managing downstream flooding. As extreme rainfall grows in frequency, China is increasingly utilizing such areas, some of which have been unused until now and have been populated by farms, croplands and even residential buildings, stoking social tensions. According to revised rules on compensation related to flood diversions released late on Friday, the central government will now bear 70 percent of all compensation funds, with local governments responsible for the rest. Previously, the ratio was to be decided based on actual economic losses and the fiscal situation of local governments. Livestock and poultry that cannot be relocated in time before the arrival of diverted flood-waters will also be included in the compensation scheme for the first time. Previously, only the loss of working animals could be claimed for compensation. In the summer of 2023, almost 1 million people in Hebei, a province on the doorstep of Beijing, were relocated after record rain forced authorities to divert water from swollen rivers to some populated areas for storage, triggering anger over the homes and farms sacrificed to save the Chinese capital. China currently has 98 designated flood diversion areas spanning major river basins including the Yangtze River basin, home to a third of the country's population. During the 2023 Hebei floods, eight flood storage areas were used. Since the start of the East Asia monsoon in early June, precipitation in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze has been up to two times higher than usual, officials from the China Meterological Administration told reporters on Friday. In other parts of China, daily rainfall measured by 30 meteorological stations in provinces such as Hubei and Guizhou broke records for the month of June, they said. Guizhou was the focal point of China's flood alleviation efforts this week, with one of its cities hit by flooding on a scale that meteorologists said could only happen once in 50 years, and at a speed that shocked its 300,000 residents. That prompted Beijing to issue pledges on Thursday to move vulnerable populations and industries to low-flood areas and allocate more space for flood diversion.
BBC News
3 hours ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Hampshire Post Office victim 'still at war' as she gets OBE
A victim of the Post Office computer scandal has said she will continue to fight for compensation for colleagues, as she received an OBE at Buckingham Hamilton, 68, was falsely prosecuted in 2006 for a £36,000 shortfall at her branch in South Warnborough, accepted a financial settlement in 2024, but said it was "wicked" that 138 former sub-postmasters were still battling for Department for Business and Trade (DBT) said it had paid more than £1bn so far. Mrs Hamilton, who received her honour for services to justice on Thursday, said: "Personally my claim's been settled but I cannot, cannot stop fighting until the rest of the group get paid. "We fought in the High Court in 2019 and it took years to even get it to court... 138 of those people are still fighting. One hundred are dead."And I just find the whole thing wicked that they cannot be fair with people."On Friday, police said seven suspects had been identified in connection with the criminal trial might be not be held until 2028, detectives Hamilton said the DBT had claimed that there was little money for compensation, although it had employed an "army of lawyers" to "grind us into submission".She added: "Basically the Business Department owned the Post Office and they prosecuted us and destroyed us and they're now in charge of the compensation."It really is the fox in charge of the henhouse."It should go to an independent body to be fair and they'd stop spending hundreds of millions they've spent on lawyers, which is obscene."The Horizon IT system, which began operating in 1999, falsely created shortfalls in Post Office branches for which sub-postmasters were held than 900 people were prosecuted and some went to prison. In a statement, DBT said: "We pay tribute to all the postmasters including Jo who have suffered from the Horizon scandal."We have quadrupled the total amount paid to victims with more than £1bn paid to thousands of postmasters across the UK and anyone unhappy with their offer can have their case reviewed by an independent panel of experts." You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Malay Mail
3 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Survivors of deadly UPSI bus crash plan legal action against driver and company
KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 — A group of Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students involved in the fatal bus crash along Jalan Jeli-Gerik, Perak, on June 9 plan to take legal action against the bus driver and the company operating the vehicle. In an interview with Harian Metro, published today, one of the survivors, Abdul Wafiy Kamarudin, 23, said the move was aimed at securing appropriate compensation and justice. He said the lawsuit would also serve as a reminder for all drivers to act responsibly on the roads. 'The claim involves compensation for injuries and the loss of personal belongings during the incident. 'It will be filed once all documentation with the relevant agencies is completed,' he reportedly said. According to him, more victims are being gathered to join the suit. 'So far, most of my friends have agreed to proceed with the legal action with support from our lawyers. 'A capable legal team is ready to take the case to court,' he said, following discussions with lawyer Mahmud Jumaat. Mahmud said he and his team would provide legal assistance to the families involved, in line with the law, to ensure they receive due justice. He added that many of the victims' families, including that of Nor Erika Elysha Mohd Zaidi, 21 — who suffered serious injuries — had entrusted his team to proceed with the lawsuit. 'What's most concerning is the reported involvement of third parties — brokers posing as lawyers — offering false promises to victims. 'In return, these individuals expect commissions from the law firms they refer. 'What matters now is ensuring these families receive the support and justice they deserve after such a heartbreaking tragedy,' he said. The June 9 crash, which occurred along the Gerik-Jeli East West Highway near Tasik Banding, involved a bus carrying UPSI students and a car. A total of 48 individuals were involved in the incident, with 13 pronounced dead at the scene and two more succumbing to injuries in hospital, bringing the death toll to 15. On June 20, Road Transport Department (JPJ) director-general Datuk Aedy Fadly Ramli said the agency was in the final stages of completing its investigation papers. These would be handed over to the deputy public prosecutor to consider potential legal action against the bus company and its operator.
