The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is celebrating exceptional care for Veterans this week, May 2 – 6 as part of the nationally recognized Research Week. This year’s theme, “Discovery and Collaboration for Exceptional Health Care,” celebrates two crucial elements of VA research: dedicated follow-through on important research findings to optimize medical therapies for Veterans and others; and vital research and care collaborations between VA and academic institutions, other government agencies, and health-related industry.
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An unprecedented Veterans Affairs (VA) research program that promises to advance the sophisticated science of genomics goes national today. “The Veterans Affairs Research and Development Program has launched the Million Veteran Program, or MVP—an important partnership between VA and Veterans to learn more about how genes affect health, and thus, transform health care for Veterans and for all Americans,” announced VA Under Secretary for Health Robert A. Petzel, MD.
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The Department of Veterans Affairs will recognize 2012 National VA Research Week April 23 – 27. This year’s theme, “Caring for Veterans Through Discovery & Collaboration,” will mark a week that celebrates the contributions of Veterans who make research possible by participating in VA research studies as well as VA investigators and collaborators.
John P. Holdren, PhD, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and Assistant to the President, will be a featured speaker at VA’s Research Week Forum April 26. The Forum, to be held at VA Central Office in Washington D.C., is part of the Department’s annual Research Week celebration. Dr. Joel Kupersmith, Chief Research and Development Officer, will provide opening remarks and serve as Forum moderator.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/52323-deka-arm-veterans-2012-va-national-research-week
The Department of Veterans Affairs will commemorate this year’s National VA Research Week from April 23 to 27. The theme, “Caring for Veterans Through Discovery & Collaboration,” will celebrate the contributions of Veterans who participate in VA research studies, as well as the accomplishments of VA investigators and their collaborators.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/52324-2012-va-national-research-week-improving-veterans-lives
Upon leaving the military, many veterans—especially those who have been injured—anticipate their earned benefits to begin automatically. That is not the case. Veterans must apply for their benefits, and awards are not automatic. In fact, the Veterans Affairs (VA) claims-processing delays recently hit a 20-year high, with the average claim taking 262 days to be processed. Each day that veterans’ claims languish means another day that they do not receive the benefits they need in order to care for themselves and their families.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/59682-actor-gary-sinise-dav-veterans-benefits
www.thespiritconnect for more videos, audio on Astrology, Palmistry, Numerology, Tarot.
Astrology is a group of systems, traditions, and beliefs in which knowledge of the apparent relative positions of celestial bodies and related details is held to be useful in understanding, interpreting, and organizing information about personality, human affairs, and other terrestrial matters. A practitioner of astrology is called an astrologer, or, rarely, an astrologist. Numerous traditions and applications employing astrological concepts have arisen since its earliest recorded beginnings in the 3rd millennium BC.[1][2] It has played a role in the shaping of culture, early astronomy, and other disciplines throughout history.
Astrology and astronomy were often indistinguishable before the modern era, with the desire for predictive and divinatory knowledge one of the primary motivating factors for astronomical observation. Astronomy began to diverge from astrology after a period of gradual separation from the Renaissance up until the 18th century. Eventually, astronomy distinguished itself as the scientific study of astronomical objects and phenomena without regard to the astrological speculation of these phenomena.
Parents and grandparents rarely disagree about how cute their (grand)children are, but when it comes to setting up safe sleep environments for babies, the two generations don’t always concur, according to a new study conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of HALO Innovations in time for National Baby Safety Month. The survey found that the majority of parents and grandparents agree that Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is their top concern in raising their children. However, grandparents are more likely than parents to place babies on their sides or stomachs to sleep, and more likely to place potentially dangerous objects in babies’ cribs, increasing their risk for SIDS and accidental suffocation.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/halosleepsacks/46013/
Discovery Communications today announced the expansion of its ‘Discover Your Skills’ public affairs job skills program, including a partnership with Montgomery College focused on better preparing students with the necessary skills to take advantage of available job opportunities, and the airing of eight public service announcements (PSAs) across its U.S. networks and digital platforms highlighting career opportunities in the skilled trades, and the importance of training workers to fill critical jobs in manufacturing, health care, energy, technology, construction and other industries.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/51862-discovery-communications-american-job-growth-job-skills-development
McGraw-Hill Construction, part of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), today released its 2012 Dodge Construction Outlook, a mainstay in construction industry forecasting and business planning, which predicts that overall U.S. construction starts for next year will remain essentially flat. The level of construction starts in 2012 is expected to be $412 billion, following the 4% decline to $410 billion predicted for 2011.
To watch a video about the forecast featuring Robert Murray, McGraw-Hill Construction’s Vice President of Economic Affairs, visit http://www.youtube.com/user/McGrawHillConstructn.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/52705-mcgraw-hill-construction-2012-dodge-outlook-report
The 2011 China (International) Urban Development Co-operation and Tourism Destination Brand Marketing Summit was held in Sanya, Hainan province from the 19th to the 22nd of November 2011. This is the first major annual meeting bringing together advertisers in the travel field from both within and outside of China. The event was jointly hosted by the China Association of National Advertisers – Tourism Advertisers Branch, the Hainan Tourism Development Commission and the municipal government of Sanya. Attendees included Gu Xiulian, vice chairman of the standing committee of 10th National People’s Congress of China; Zheng Silin, vice chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress; as well as representatives from the China National Tourism Administration and from renowned world travel destinations including the Seychelles, Turkey and Mexico. Cui Feng, deputy director of co-organizer Lushan Scenic and Historic Interest Administration Bureau and general manager of Lushan Tourism Development was also in attendance. Mt. Lushan was named at the event as one of the award-winning scenic spots.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/53430-china-urban-development-co-operation-tourism-brand-marketing-summit
QROPS - Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Schemes were introduced in 2006 as part of a major overhaul of Britain\'s pension framework, aimed at simplifying pension transfers to another country. New legislation was passed by the UK tax authority, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), in order to comply with an EU directive that pensions be free to move across Europe\'s borders. This ruling means that individuals, wishing to retire to countries such as France, Spain and Portugal can effectively take their UK pension funds with them: http://www.axis-finance.com/what-are-qrops.php
Who can apply for a QROPS?
A QROPS is specifically designed to allow anyone, not intending to retire in the UK, to transfer existing and frozen UK pension plans into a more appropriate retirement vehicle.
Individuals who are, or have been members of a UK registered pension fund and are currently living outside of the UK, or intending to leave the UK on a permanent basis, can consider transferring their retirement fund into a QROPS: http://www.axis-finance.com/qrops-living-in-France
Transfers to QROPS
The UK Government allows transfers to QROPS to be made free of UK tax. Their aim is to simplify the affairs of individuals leaving the UK on a permanent basis and to encourage them to continue saving in order to provide an income when they retire. There is no official limit to the amount of funds that may be transferred to a QROPS: http://www.axis-finance.com/qrops-France-pension-transfers
QROPS - HMRC Rules
What makes a scheme a QROPS?
In order to transfer your UK pension into a QROPS, it is necessary for the overseas pension scheme to be accepted by HMRC. The criteria outlined by HMRC for an overseas scheme to qualify as a QROPS include:
- The pension scheme must be established outside of the UK
- It must be recognised for tax purposes in the country where it is located
- It must be regulated in the country in which it is established
Age that benefits can be taken from a QROPS
The QROPS regime mirrors that of a regulated pension scheme in the UK. Benefits, including lump sum payments, from the transferred funds may not be distributed earlier than the normal retirement age of 55, if an individual has been a non-UK resident for less than five complete tax years: http://www.axis-finance.com/qrops-living-in-France-HMRC-Rules
QROPS Reporting requirements
HMRC should be notified if a payment is made within the first five tax years of a member becoming non-UK tax resident. Any benefits paid before five complete tax years of non-UK residency and not in accordance with UK Pension rules will be deemed an unauthorised payment.
The scheme manager does not have to notify HMRC if the payment is made 10 or more years after the day of the transfer that created the QROPS fund for the \'relevant member\', provided that the person is non UK resident for the duration of this period. This 10 year \'bracket\' for reporting payments took effect as of 6 April 2012.
QROPS List
When transferring your UK pension to a scheme overseas, it is important to check that the scheme meets the conditions to be a qualifying recognised overseas pension scheme (QROPS). Not all transfers to overseas or offshore schemes are QROPS transfers; it is therefore essential to verify that the scheme receiving your UK benefits is on the QROPS list published by HMRC, otherwise a transfer will be treated as a transfer to a non-qualifying overseas scheme and substantial penalties may be applied by HMRC at the time of transfer: http://www.axis-finance.com/qrops-list-living-in-France
How do I know if it is a legitimate QROPS scheme?
QROPS approved plans that agree to have their details published are listed on the HMRC website. A UK Pension administrator will confirm a QROPS listing before agreeing to a transfer. If not listed, the administrator will contact HMRC
